Veterans leave service with a wide range of skills and education. Military experience makes veterans a great asset to your company, particularly if you do work with the Department of Defense. In addition to practical skills, military values are often cited as a key benefit of hiring veterans. And in case you needed more reasons, below are just a few of the attributes they bring to the table:
- Sense of loyalty and commitment
- Dedication to teamwork
- Ability to perform well under pressure
- Capability to learn quickly and adapt to changes and new surroundings
- Understanding of new technology and a global perspective of industry and defense work
“Intel hired the equivalent of more than one veteran every day in 2012 and is committed to being the high-tech workplace of choice for America’s heroes,” writes Forbes.com. Intel considers veterans to be a great fit, calling them “innovative, resourceful and reliable.”
Recruiting Veterans: A Few practical strategies
One way to reach out to veterans is to attend military career fairs or through military sites. It’s helpful to enlist (pun intended) the help of current veteran employees in this process. Leverage your existing veteran network in order to make your workplace more appealing to veterans. The key is to get out there and look for veterans where they are. There are hundreds of organizations and events dedicated to veterans. Partner with a few particularly useful programs and events and once you commit, really embrace the opportunity to participate and reach out.
Great Places to Find Vets
- Career fairs
- Local Veteran’s Service Organizations
- Online groups
- Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve
Translating Military Experience – You can help
After you get a veteran’s resume, one of the challenges can be translating military experience to the private sector. While vets are getting help from companies like Vets in Tech, recruiters can also find ways to bridge the gap.
Recruiting veterans begins with an understanding of terminology and not ignoring a veteran’s resume that fails to meet the standard. Meet veterans halfway and educate yourself on military ranks and what’s required to attain each level. Sometimes, you may need to educate staff and hiring managers on any misguided notions about the skillsets of veteran candidates. Don’t ignore the potential veterans have to give in the defense industry. Strategize ways to recruit them.
ClearanceJobs Tip – Deploy Groups
Your hiring strategy is niche – you need only cleared, U.S. citizens. Get even more niche to ensure your recruiting strategy includes reaching out to veterans and disabled veterans. ClearanceJobs groups are here to help, with groups designed just for veterans, wounded warriors and more. Members of the group must meet the criteria, so you know you’re reaching out to the candidates you need. Target this population with a broadcast message or group wall post today.
