Finding top talent for your business – where to hire veterans and why
COVID-19 has dramatically altered the face of the job market both for employees and employers. Many businesses are struggling to find skilled workers to fill open positions across industries, including hospitality, food, tech, and construction.
But every business owner knows that it’s not enough just to fill open positions – they need to hire individuals with the right skills, temperaments, and work ethics to see consistent success. That’s why the best way to find good talent for open jobs isn’t to widen the applicant pool. Instead, it’s a better idea to specifically hire veterans.
With their practical skills, hard-earned experiences, and shared codes of conduct, the growing pool of military veteran job seekers is oftentimes the best place to find candidates for your business’s open jobs.
The value of veterans’ skills and experiences
Why hire veterans in the first place? Every veteran, regardless of their rank or position, learns several key skills and develops personal characteristics that they share with their veteran brothers and sisters. All of these skills are vital to corporate America, no matter the industry or niche. For example, transitioning military veterans are trained in core skills and values like:
- Problem-solving
- Excellent work ethics
- Leadership
- Adaptability
- High performance, even under pressure
- And more
It’s easy to see how these qualities can be valuable for any civilian job. But veterans also bring their experiences from their military postings to their new careers.
When you hire a veteran, you aren’t just hiring an appropriate candidate. You’re hiring a go-getter, a self-starter with leadership skills, and a team player through and through. For business owners that only want the best for their companies, veterans are the obvious choice for future job openings.
Where to hire veterans
Fortunately, the federal government and various nonprofit organizations make it easy for any business to hire veterans, if they choose.
For example, July 25th is National Hire a Veteran Day. Since 2017, National Hire a Veteran Day has been an opportunity for veterans and employers to connect through
promotional programs, online job boards, and more. Business owners looking to hire vets should double down on their hiring efforts on and around this important date.
Additionally, companies can take advantage of several resources to connect to veteran job seekers, including:
- Regional Veterans’ Employment Coordinators(RVECs)
- National Labor Exchange– post your company’s job openings here to connect directly to qualified veterans looking for careers appropriate for their skill sets
- gov Vocational Rehab & Employment Programs, which can be helpful if you are looking to hire a veteran with a service-connected disability
- Veteran One, a key resource that can connect your company to veteran job seekers whose personalities and skill sets are perfectly matched to your open positions
Does hiring vets make sense for your company?
Yes!
In fact, looking for vets to fill the open positions at your company makes more sense than looking for civilians in many cases. Their skills and shared work ethic combined make veterans the ideal choice for new civilian jobs in all industries.
Perhaps most important of all, hiring veterans helps America’s bravest men and women find a place in civilian life. The transition from active service to civilian life can be difficult for many. Hiring a veteran is great for your company’s bottom line, but it’s also good for America as a whole.
If you’d like to learn more about Veteran One and their scientific approach to helping veterans find their purpose and corporations find valuable talent, reach out here.
Resources accessed on July 10th 2021 –
US Department of Labor – Hire a Veteran
National Labor Exchange – Indexing Request
US Department of Veterans Affairs – Veteran Readiness & Employment