There are currently nearly one million unemployed military veterans in the United States. Many of them are desperate for work, and they possess some unique qualities that can make them excellent job candidates.
Thanks to their military training, variety of life experiences and leadership skills, veterans may very well be the best hires a company can make. Here are 12 of the many reasons why hiring our heroes is good for business:
- A strong work ethic. When they’re on deployment, service members work every day. There are no holidays, vacations or weekends, and slacking off isn’t an option. As a result, you can expect veterans to understand the meaning of hard work.
- Responsibility. From day one, military personnel are trained to take their jobs very seriously. They know that errors in judgment, bad decisions or oversights can result in injury or even death. Veterans are dutiful and they bring an enviable level of precision to the workplace.
- Leadership. Many service members have experience formally overseeing and developing others, and they do it at relatively young ages. These early experiences can translate to leadership success in the corporate world. In fact, research conducted by Kellogg finance professors found that firm run by CEOs with military experience perform better under pressure than those run by CEOs without such experience. And although military personnel are taught to follow orders, they also undertake a wide range of roles and responsibilities. When it comes to developing leadership skills, having that kind of big-picture perspective is a valuable asset.
- Trainability. From the moment they join the military, service members are expected to continuously learn, grow and develop. They must also master the art of adaptability—from learning how to follow orders to knowing when to take initiative—in an ever-changing environment where individual roles often shift from day to day.
- Selflessness. Service members learn to set aside their personal interests for the greater good of the team. And in their post-military lives, they’re not likely to leave this attitude behind. They’re trained to think and act with a bias toward improving the entire organization rather than just themselves, and it’s one of the biggest assets post-military workers bring to any employer.
- Decision-making skills. Veterans have been trained to absorb every detail and all available information before choosing a course of action. They make decisions quickly but precisely, so they can typically be relied upon to make the best choice available at any given time.
- Independence. If you’re seeking an employee you can trust to autonomously manage crucial processes in your business, you can’t do better than a veteran. Kellogg finance studies indicate that veteran employees are more likely to take initiative than their non-military co-workers. That may be why they’re 45 percent more likely than civilians to start their own businesses.
- Goal-orientation. Very few professions focus exclusively on goal completion, but the military is an exception. Veterans are trained in engineered environments that exclusively target mission achievement, and military personnel are taught to exercise collaboration, cooperation and personal development in order to achieve their objectives.
- Organization. The military thrives on structure and organization, and all personnel are trained to embrace it from day one. If your business needs more order, veterans have the skills to steer you in the right direction.
- Determination. Worried about getting the job done? Hire a veteran. Military personnel are trained to be relentless in achieving their goals, and they can help your team show more resolve in overcoming any obstacle they face.
- Veterans are taught to display a high level of professionalism and respect in the work environment. In an era when workplace incivility is on the rise, this is a trait employers are sure to appreciate.
- Employer savings. To make it even more attractive for businesses to hire former military personnel, the government has introduced a number of financial incentives for employers. Special Employer Incentive (SEI) programs for training newly-hired vets offer partial reimbursement for salary and supplies. This allows employers to defray some of the cost of taking on candidates who may have less experience in a given field. A number of tax incentives also exist for businesses that hire eligible veterans. The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC), Returning Heroes Tax Credit and Wounded Warriors Tax Credit can provide annual incentives of up to $9,600. It’s important to note that specific qualifications and documentation are required to take advantage of these incentives.
Hiring veterans is a smart business move. They have some incredible traits at their disposal that can make them a valuable asset to any workplace. This Veteran’s Day, why not show your appreciation for our service men and women by adding vets to your workforce? To learn more about how to effectively integrate these valuable workers into your company’s hiring processes, please contact our knowledgeable team.
About The HR Team: Founded in 1996, The HR Team is a Maryland-based human resources outsourcing firm committed to developing strategic, customized solutions that respond to the unique needs and cultures of organizations of all types and sizes. Available as a one-source alternative to an in-house HR department or on an à la carte project basis, the company’s flexible service models address the full spectrum of HR needs that many organizations struggle to address. The HR Team helps clients achieve their highest level of success by providing value-driven human resources services that leave them time to focus on what they do best: directing business growth and profitability. Headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, the firm serves all of Maryland, Washington, DC, and Virginia. To learn more about The HR Team, call 410.381.9700 or visit https://www.thehrteam.com/.