Providing Jobs to Veterans

When Missouri governor Jay Nixon visited troops in Iraq in 2012, he asked one young soldier what he feared most. The answer surprised him; he wasn’t as afraid of the danger he faced in the field as he was of the uncertainty he faced when he returned home. He was worried that he would be unable to find employment.

This is not an unreasonable concern; the unemployment rate among veterans is typically higher than non-veterans, and difficulty finding work is attributable to a multitude of factors. When companies hire men and women who have served in the military, they help alleviate this fear – and they receive much more in return.

Hiring veterans is good for business. Why? Veterans bring an extensive array of skills to the workforce. While each has different specialties and expertise, they typically have developed leadership skills and a mission-oriented approach to work. They understand why cooperation is important and quickly become integral members of the team.

Former Marine and hiring manager Jon Davis says, “Military people know what it means to have something that needs to be done. They have a sense of urgency and have seen the world through a big picture type mentality.” This is a tremendous asset to employers.

Veterans are typically calm and collected in times of intense pressure. Soldier must be able to think clearly and rationally, despite the chaos around them. Veterans can transfer these skills to the work environment, keeping their composure during tense situations, and helping lead their teams through to creative ideas and solutions. In the field, they have to improvise – the same is true at work.

Given the obvious advantages, more companies are implementing veteran hiring programs. A report from the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) found that two-thirds of companies sampled were “proactive” in hiring veterans. Another 13 percent lacked a formal program, but said that veterans were prioritized over non-veterans without comparable skills/experience.

So why does the unemployment rate for veterans remain between 1 and 3 percent higher for our vets? The CNAS discovered that many employers were skeptical that these service members could transfer their skills to the work environment. They also found that many vets were unable to clearly articulate how their experience applied to a given job.

Other employers reported to the CNAS that they were concerned about PTSD and whether or not recently returning vets could acclimate to a company/corporate culture.

These challenges can be overcome with improved communication and more understanding on the part of employers. The payoffs are worth it though; veterans can apply their skills in new ways and adjust to work environments with support. With a chance. Giving jobs to veterans benefits our service men and women, but it also benefits the companies and the country as a whole.