Hundreds of U.S. veterans are entering the workforce every single day. According to the National Veteran Employment Summit Report, approximately 200,000 people per year are currently making the transition from military service into a civilian job. Hiring veterans is a smart choice for a wide variety of companies. Former members of the military bring a unique set of benefits that can spell success for you and your business.
Why Are Veterans Such a Good Hiring Choice?
Veterans come to the workplace with distinct advantages. Managers repeatedly come back to these five key points when they talk about the perks of hiring veterans: – Veterans have a proven track record of taking responsibility for their job. – Military training gives people important tools for leadership and team building. – People with a military background know the real value of hard work. – Veterans are trained to use their intuition and think creatively. – The U.S. government offers generous financial assistance for veterans who want to continue their education and improve their skills. Any one of these points would be a major advantage on the job. Taken together, they’re a real game-changer.
Employees Who Take Responsibility
When you hire a veteran, you’re hiring someone who knows how to take responsibility. An irresponsible or negligent leader will not make it in the military. When people are on active duty, they suffer serious consequences if they neglect their responsibilities for even a minute. There is no margin of error. This work ethic carries through to civilian jobs, especially ones involving some degree of physical or financial risk. Do you want a person supervising dangerous construction work or hazardous manufacturing processes who has never had a position of responsibility in such a serious situation? Hiring veterans can help you stay reassured about safety on the job.
Veterans Have Tools for Teamwork and Leadership
Veterans know how to lead with authority. Many soldiers, sailors and Marines are already in leadership positions as non-commissioned officers by the age of 20 or 21. While a typical college student may still be struggling with homework and laundry, these military officers are leading groups of people through life-or-death challenges. Good leadership skills also include working with team members. Veterans have learned through long experience how to take orders and cooperate effectively with others.
Veterans Know the Value of Hard Work
There are no days off during a military deployment. There are no 40-hour weeks, no weekends spent relaxing on the couch and no time clocks to punch. Veterans know the value of hard work when the stakes are high. They have also learned that paying attention to details is important, even when they are exhausted. The work ethic built up during a stint in the military can translate to stellar performance in a wide variety of civilian jobs.
Critical Thinking and Intuition Can Lead to Better Team Building
Veterans learn to think critically during their service. The team-oriented approach of the armed forces doesn’t mean blind obedience to orders. When a veteran sees something seriously wrong, he or she is trained to speak up. Many employers have consistently reported better problem-solving in the workplace after making an effort to start hiring veterans. Service members are also trained to use their intuition in every circumstance. They have learned to absorb information from a full range of external and internal sources, which means better attention to detail on the job. In an economy where minor changes can translate to millions of dollars gained or lost, the smart use of intuition can be a first-class asset in the workplace.
Veterans Have Government Support for Further Education
When your employees pursue further education, everyone wins. Hiring veterans can guarantee you a workforce with government support for ongoing learning. Veterans and their families are eligible for the following benefits: – Veterans’ Educational Assistance – GI Bill Benefits – Tuition Assistance – Dependents’ Educational Assistance U.S. Department of Labor studies have shown that people are more likely to succeed in their trade or profession when they take time to pursue further education. When you hire a veteran of the U.S. armed forces, you’re hiring someone who has the financial support to keep learning without going into debt or compromising their career. As more and more veterans enter the workplace, employers are discovering the unique benefits of this group of potential employees. Managers can help build successful businesses by reaching out proactively and making the effort to start hiring veterans. To find out more about smart hiring practices, check out our selection of articles and tools here at Mighty Recruiter.