Businesses today are actively looking for strong talent to fill positions left empty by the “Great Resignation.” Hiring military veterans can be beneficial to both employers and candidates.

As military men and women enter civilian life, employers should refresh their hiring process to include these unconventional candidates.

Companies giving veterans a chance in the workplace are reaping the benefits of highly skilled workers and building solid teams. 

Employers who hire veterans gain committed and communicative team players who are driven to reach goals.

Relational skills

The ability to accurately recognize and interpret the verbal and nonverbal behavior of others is an unmatched skill ingrained in veterans. Relational or interpersonal skills encompass intercultural communication and collaboration.

In any work setting, teamwork is critical to the success of an organization and service men and women have that belief instilled in them. They are keenly aware that a breakdown in the team can have dire consequences. 

Strong communication is vital to the success of any team. Veterans are trained to relay clear and concise messages to a diverse group of people.

While this style of communication may be abrupt for some coworkers, it reduces the potential for misunderstanding and can be very effective for groups; their leadership skills, fueled by strong communication, allows them to quickly become an asset to any team. 

Intrapersonal skills

Discipline, motivation and innovation are some of the first skills service men and women learn during basic training. These are desirable qualities for a potential employer. However, with the shift to remote/hybrid work, they are now essential.

The conscientiousness needed to succeed in the military fosters self-discipline and attention to detail which are highly sought after in the workforce. The impeccable follow-through on commitments, including meeting deadlines, can be a relief to managers, especially in remote or hybrid environments. These attributes allow managers more time to focus on other duties. 

Additionally, many veterans are proven leaders who can grow within a company to take on management and executive roles when given the opportunity.

The strong work ethic ingrained in the military flows seamlessly into the traditional workplace. Servicemen and women can be an asset to any team with their adept servant-leadership skills.

Multi-skilled

A veteran’s military training involved cross training. The more varied their skillset, the more essential they were to their unit.

Businesses, especially small or medium-sized companies facing labor shortages and limited resources, find veterans and the many skills they offer extremely valuable as they can easily fill a variety of roles and quickly learn any nuances. Learning speed, combined with accuracy, makes veterans the Swiss army knife of a business.

Resourcefulness

With more companies adopting remote or hybrid work schedules, adaptability has become a necessary skill for employees. The ability to adapt quickly and without hesitation to manage the challenges caused by the ever-evolving workplace is integral.

Members of the U.S. military have succeeded under pressure throughout their military careers. They are goal-oriented and efficient decision makers, even in the most difficult circumstances.

Maintaining one’s composure in tough situations may sound easy, but it is a hard skill to master. Not only can veterans bring that mentality to the workplace, they can also teach co-workers how to remain calm and collected when dealing with similar stressors. 

The experience and perspective veterans bring to the workforce can go beyond any industry, particularly in the current world of remote work, virtual collaboration and changing policies. Hiring military veterans can be the differentiator to the success of a team and a valuable asset to an organization as a whole.

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Authors
Sherice Sargent

Sherice Sargent is an Air Force veteran and senior human resource specialist with Insperity, a leading provider of human resources and business performance solutions.