Why Military Veterans Make for Great Employees
As the world and the economy adjust back to pre-pandemic normalcy, many workplaces are hunting for new talent to add to their organization. If that sounds like your company’s situation, read why military veterans make for great employees below.
They’re Goal Oriented
Former military service members enter the workforce after serving their country with specific skills. One of the main tenets of military training is being focused on the mission at hand and ignoring irrelevant distractions.
Veterans are educated and trained to determine the problems in front of them, find solutions, and enact practical steps to achieve that. They know what it means to focus on the goal and work to achieve it instead of wasting time and resources on distractions.
They Understand Teamwork
One of the prime reasons many workplaces recruit and retain military veterans is they understand what it means to work as a team toward a goal. Veterans are familiar with working in a team setting, and service members learn how to work effectively and communicate with others within a unit quickly.
Interesting Fact: US Department of Labor statistics show veterans constitute roughly 5 percent of the total civilian labor force or nearly nine million workers.
This experience is invaluable in a workplace that values team success over individual success with people from different backgrounds and life experiences. The military is also a diverse workplace, and service members are familiar with overcoming individual differences to work as a team.
They Have Leadership Skills
Another reason military veterans make for great employees is that no matter what branch of service they come from, they’ve been trained and educated in valuable leadership skills. Veterans with years of service are typically familiar with being a leader and authority figures and understand the challenges.
No matter how well educated a person may be, few enter the workforce with first-hand experience leading a team of others. Military veterans understand what’s expected of leaders and how to instill loyalty and camaraderie within a team unit.
They Know How to Adapt
If there’s one thing that a veteran knows how to do, it’s how to adapt and react quickly. Former service members are well-trained problem solvers who were methodically taught problem-solving techniques and how to adapt to fluid situations.
In the military, situations and scenarios can change in a moment, so much military training revolves around adapting to changing situations and deploying rapid problem-solving. Whatever the job or environment, a military veteran brings invaluable skills of adapting to what’s needed.
As you can see, there are many reasons that a workplace can benefit from hiring more veterans. Next time you’re recruiting talent, look for people who offer valuable life experience and skills, like former military service members.