Submitted by Brittany Fisher
If you own a business, you are always on the lookout for hardworking, dedicated employees. When it comes to hard work and trustworthiness, there is no better source than America’s veterans. Through their rigorous training, former soldiers are prepared for commitment to your mission and are often the best workers an employer could ask for.
The Satterlee Foundation is dedicated to helping veterans and their families. Found out more about how we can help you.
Why Veterans are Rockstar Employees
Experienced business owners have been through their share of employees who did not work out for a variety of reasons. Difficult times are often the best learning opportunities — albeit painful and costly for businesses to endure. Over time, business owners become savvier and may recognize the potential goldmine of applicants with prior military experience.
Veterans have a lot to offer employers. Unlike civilian applicants, they have been professionally trained for efficiency, effectiveness, and dedication. By the time a soldier completes basic training, they are in the best physical condition of their lives and have mastered a variety of high-stress situations. Soldiers are conditioned for difficult times — they know how to navigate problems swiftly and logically.
Transferable Skills and Potential Roles for Vets
After boot camp, military personnel receive specialized training in any number of professions, which prepares them to serve in that capacity for their country — and possibly post-military, if they are so inclined. There are many skills that transfer from military to civilian life, such as translation services and technical abilities. Whether soldiers elect to train as a medic, an IT specialist, or in another field, this preparation helps them to better serve their country while engaging in work they enjoy.
When business owners have a veteran applicant, they are looking at a potential employee who has demonstrated commitment, drive, and work ethic. Veterans can fill a variety of roles. Even without specific training, veterans are often ideal employees for leadership positions as they are adaptable and team-oriented. It may be challenging for business owners to find veterans to hire. Fortunately, there are online resources that can assist with this process.
Image link: https://pixabay.com/photos/military-woman-female-armed-forces-1645588/
Image credit: Pixabay.com
Business owners who are looking for veteran applicants can find great candidates through scores of job listing sites. Many veterans utilize military-specific sites to locate positions or find ways to transfer back to civilian employment.
When you have located potential candidates and established interview times, it may be helpful to keep some general guidelines in mind as you ask questions. While it is important to learn more about the applicant, consider asking interview questions that enable veterans to share their transferable skills and the reasons they are ideal candidates for the position. Keep in mind that a veteran’s mental health history is private information. Treat them as you would any other candidate by asking appropriate questions about their work experience and what they bring to the table, as well as conduct meaningfulreference checks.
Much work goes into recruiting and hiring staff, as does training. It amounts to a lot of time and money spent on bringing in the right people for the right jobs. To that end, you want to put forth a concerted effort to keep your staff. People already look for competitive salaries, health benefits, and paid vacation and sick time. To help retain your staff, you’ll need to level up. This can be through offering flexible schedules, professional development opportunities, promoting a work-life balance and regularly providing feedback. As you develop your preferred perks and culture, remember that this information will be highly valuable when it comes to recruiting and hiring more staff.
Business owners who are looking for reliable, valuable employees will do no better than to hire a veteran. The qualities of a hardworking vet translate well to a wide range of positions that can benefit a company for years to come.