November is dedicated to bringing awareness to the hard work and sacrifices that veterans and their families make for our country. It is a known fact that military veterans have a hard time adjusting back to civilian life, which many times results in not being able to secure a job. In order to reduce the percentage of unemployed military veterans, many companies have committed to putting in more effort when recruiting this targeted audience. Hiring military veterans can assist in creating more diverse workplaces, bringing other kinds of expertise into the workforce, and hiring committed and engaged employees, resulting in low turnover.
When recruiting veterans, HR and hiring managers should be mindful that often times their skillsets need to be translated in such a way that they match the industry they are recruiting for. Veterans may not be accustomed to writing resumes and cover letters and thus may not be able to communicate experiences and job histories in the same way that civilians do. Furthermore, when interviewing, HR and management should make sure their questions are more relatable to military experience and can be used to gauge their transferable skill set.
The recruiting and leadership team should also make sure to foster a company culture in which diversity is appreciated and welcomed. HR can do this by debunking common myths and misconceptions regarding hiring veterans. In addition, HR should emphasize that veterans usually bring many skill sets that can benefit a workplace, such as leadership and teamwork skills, being able to problem-solve and make quick decisions on their feet, having knowledge on a global scale as well as being honest, respectful, and paying close attention to detail.
Please reach out to Kiwi Partners' HR Services team to see how your organization can be more inclusive and start tapping into the pool of veteran candidates.