Military veterans provide a mission focused, versatile and valuable talent pool for a range of employers, especially in industries like technology, healthcare, construction and many others with dynamic and rapidly changing job requirements.
Hiring more veterans or even developing a veteran hiring program is sensible for many businesses. Below are some of the top reasons to consider hiring more military veterans at your firm.
#1 – Experience Excelling in a Diverse Culture
Military veterans have experience excelling in a diverse culture which in turn directly benefits your organization. As one of the most diverse organizations on the planet, the U.S. military provides veterans with a unique exposure to a vast range of cultures and backgrounds.
Therefore, every veteran has extensive experience working with very diverse teams to accomplish a singular mission. They provide their employers with this advantage along with the proven greater productivity, creativity, efficient decision making, global mindset and impact that results from succeeding in diverse organizations.
Veterans are very familiar with understanding and empathizing with the needs of people from all walks of life. You will find that they are well equipped to work with a diverse talent pool or a customer base that may contain people from all walks of life as the military is incredibly diverse.
#2 – Able to take constructive criticism
Military veterans are also very willing to take constructive criticism. The military is a learning organization and depends on after-action reviews (AAR) which are used to analyze a mission after it has occurred and assess what could have been improved upon. These reviews are often incredibly blunt and honest, but they are highly effective at improving mission outcomes. Therefore, any veterans you hire will be used to receiving constructive and honest criticism without ego, taking it and then applying it towards becoming better at their job. This type of openness to criticism can be difficult to find in the traditional workforce; however you will rarely if ever meet resistance to criticism from military veterans.
#3 – Highly trainable
As you might expect, along with being open to criticism, veterans are also highly trainable. Although many will already have directly relatable hard and soft skill sets, especially for industries like IT and the government, any new training requirements are welcome because veterans are highly adaptable. They are able to learn on the fly, acquire new skills and technical expertise in high pressures situations, and juggle multiple responsibilities. In the military, young recruits often serve multiple roles and learn as they go, from security to humanitarian relief, technical support and more. New veteran hires in your company will already be highly skilled as a result of this multi-faceted expertise, and you will find they are highly adaptable and ready to learn new skills within the timeframe you require.
#4 – Mission focused
Veterans are highly mission and organization focused. They put in additional effort to find the most efficient ways to accomplish their work objectives. You’ll find they are often willing to take on greater roles and responsibilities even without being asked and that they will put in extra time, energy and effort to take your organization to the next level. This type of “organization first” thinking can be difficult to find in the traditional workforce, in which so many people place other priorities ahead of their employer. You’ll also find an organization-first mentality can become contagious and permeate throughout the company to inspire your other team members.
#5 – Natural leadership
Veterans provide natural leadership for your company. In the military, they are entrusted with a range of responsibilities at a young age including planning, decision making, executing commands and guiding and mentoring their peers. You will find that veterans are more often willing to take the time to assist their coworkers with challenges and have a deeper understanding of the big picture for executing your company’s mission, vision and values. Just like the organization-first mentality that many veterans have, this type of leadership commitment can quickly spread throughout your company and inspire others to take on greater responsibilities and take a personal stake in your company’s future.
Learn more about developing a veteran hiring program for your company that can provide these distinct advantages and many others by contacting TangoAlpha3 today.
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