The current active military end-strength is less than one percent of the population. According to a 2011 Pew Research Center study, only a third of people between the ages of 18 and 29 had an immediate relative who had served in the military. With so little direct exposure to veterans, people form their opinions of what military service entails through the news and entertainment media. Here are three myths that tend to follow veterans – and that employers need to forget if they want to successfully recruit these candidates.
Number one, their management style is screaming.
This is where popular movies such as Full Metal Jacket are doing veterans no favors. While managing individuals in the military is different than the civilian world, it doesn’t mean barking out orders and expecting subordinates to obey. Anyone who can motivate soldiers to go into combat knows how to motivate people.
Number two, they’re mindless robots. Want to learn how to creatively solve a problem with limited resources? Join the military. Service members are some of the most innovative solutions providers on the planet. Turn a veteran loose on your company’s most challenging problems and you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the solutions they come up with.
Number three, they’re ticking time bombs. The effort to educate both veterans and the general public about what PTSD is, and why it’s important to seek treatment, has been very important. Unfortunately, it’s also led many civilians to think every vet comes home with nightmares, irritability, and difficulty assimilating. The fact is, most veterans never show any outward symptoms of PTSD. And civilians, in addition to vets, may face PTSD – for a variety of reasons. Don’t assume every veteran you meet or consider hiring is battling unseen scars, and needs to be handled with kid gloves. Treat veterans the same way you do other individuals you meet and network with – with friendly curiosity and respect, not fear and hesitation.
Veterans have the skills – and security clearances – companies need today. Don’t miss out on these great applicants with an attitude of bias or outright ignorance.
