Hiring Veterans

Veterans of the U.S. military have received some of the best training in the world. Therefore, when you hire a veteran there are certain skills and characteristics you can count on: leadership, teamwork, respect for authority, perseverance, and the ability to handle stressful situations. Because of their training and experiences, veterans are also typically good at solving problems, executing tasks, and taking calculated risks. They place a high value on safety and continuous improvement and usually have an excellent work ethic and sense of loyalty.

“Almost 250,000 military members transition out of the Armed Services each year. And one of them could be your next superstar employee who’s just waiting for you to reach out to them, bring them on board, and show them why your organization is the perfect home for them.”

– Eric Chester, author of Fully Staffed and Reviving Work Ethic

General Best Practices:

  • Determine what job skills you require and spend some time on the Department of Labor’s O*NET resource to see which military specialties match your needs.
  • Build a reputation as a military-friendly organization. If you already have veterans working for your company and/or you support veterans in other ways, highlight these stories on your website and social media outlets.
  • Invite veterans already working in your organization to participate in outreach efforts in the local community. Consider hosting a plant tour or other event designed to welcome veterans in your area to learn about your company.
  • Give veterans the opportunity to job shadow or intern with your company to learn more about the industry and get a better understanding of how their skills could transfer.
  • Provide a tailored approach to onboarding and training veterans that attends to their need for clear structure, mentoring, opportunities to lead and advance, and a sense of family.

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