Military veterans are all highly skilled and have a lot of experience. That makes them an invaluable asset to any business – provided you’re able to recruit them effectively and utilize the skills that they have.

Hiring veterans can be a bit tricky as they come from a very different background than civilians do. That is why there are a few tips that you may want to try if you want to be more effective:

• Understand and recognize the skills veterans have

The skills that veterans possess often exceed their peers of the same age group as they are given more responsibilities and placed in more challenging situations. It is important that you understand and recognize these skills, and are prepared to leverage them.

Not only will this benefit your business by maximizing the potential of the veterans that you hire, but it also make it more attractive for veterans to apply. The fact that you place value in their skills will make them feel appreciated, and they will provide steadfast loyalty in return.

• Make expectations and objectives clear

Veterans are used to being given tasks that clearly lay out the mission parameters and the objectives that need to be accomplished. When given such tasks, they proceed to efficiently do what it takes to achieve those goals.

From the start you need to make any expectations and objectives that you may have clear when you hire veterans. That begins from the first time you come into contact with them to recruit them, which is the best time to explain exactly what role you intend them to play and what they will be expected to do.

• Be willing to provide training

While the skills veterans possess are definitely relevant in civilian life, they may need training for specific tasks. If your business shows that it is willing to provide that training, it will immediately become a much more attractive prospect for veterans.

Most veterans are not only familiar with the value of training, but actively appreciate it. It is part of their culture, and they know that it is important to constantly learn, improve their skills, and grow.

• Offer to provide ongoing support while transitioning to civilian life

Adjusting to civilian life is not easy, and it does take time. Not only will veterans need to learn new habits, but they’ll have to unlearn some of the old habits that they built up over the years.

If you are willing to provide support in the form of mentorship or coaches to help them work through the process, it will make it a lot easier to recruit veterans. On top of that the military hire that you recruit will be able to adjust more quickly, and perform far better.

• Always give feedback

Feedback is important both in the military and in businesses too. In military service veterans are used to annual reviews and being told what they need to improve. The same can help if you want to hire veterans, as you can provide feedback during the hiring process – and after it too.

The more robust the feedback you provide, the better the results that you can expect.

As you’ve probably noticed these tips will help you to not only hire veterans more effectively, but ensure that your business is able to fully utilize them too. In short you could think of it as laying a foundation that will allow you to start hiring veterans and capitalize on their skills as much as possible.

On your part you need to be willing to make the necessary adjustments to your business, and accommodate the different culture veterans come from.

Categories: General