9 Reasons you should hire veterans in your organization

Veterans are not ordinary people. They are skilled professionals vetted by arduous military exercises designed to first “break an individual down” and then trained back to develop a strong personality. They pass rigorous physical training, skill training, and academic curriculums that help them acquire attributes exclusive to people from military backgrounds.

For instance, their training and experiences instill discipline, strong values, selfless service, and loyalty in their character. Interestingly, these are the most desired attributes that hiring managers look for in an employee, and a global staffing company looks for in talent.

As per the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, nearly 200,000 service members transition back to civilian life each year. This presents a wonderful opportunity for hiring managers to access talent from a large pool of qualified and vetted candidates. Veterans bring diverse perspectives and unique skill sets to the table that can enable workforce transformation.

Here are some of the significant reasons you should hire veterans:

1. Veterans have attributes of an entrepreneur. Veterans tend to have the attributes of an entrepreneur. During their time in the military, veterans are trained to work in uncertain environments and make decisions under pressure. They have the skills of a successful entrepreneur which can benefit any organization. Some of the attributes include:
   1. Problem-solving – Veterans follow Military Decision-Making Process (MDMP) which is a seven-step problem-solving process used by the army for evaluating the problem and making effective strategic decisions.
   2. Focus – Veterans are highly focused. They always focus on completing the job efficiently, under set deadlines, and with minimal resources.
   3. Maturity – Military training provides personal and emotional experiences that mature a person. Veterans foster a sense of respect and a knack for self-improvement. Moreover, they are self-aware and highly resilient.
   4. Analytical – Veterans are highly analytical as they undergo extensive training in situational awareness, metrics analysis, and trend identification.
   5. Decisive – Being decisive breeds success. Making decisions with quick situational analysis and coping with dynamic environments are some skills exclusive to veterans and entrepreneurs.

   Moreover, veterans embrace a sense of duty and take pride in successfully fulfilling their responsibilities. They are experienced, disciplined, highly skilled, and express a constant need for achievement – attributes of a successful entrepreneur.

2. Veterans are great leaders.
   All the entrepreneurship skills already make veterans great leaders. Military training cultivates leadership skills that make veterans responsible, dedicated, exemplary, dependable, and disciplined. Thus, they are a perfect fit in decision-making roles like supervisor and manager. They can successfully lead a team to understand and accomplish assigned tasks.
3. Veterans adapt quickly.
   Army professionals are deployed in different states, countries, and geographic conditions during their service. Thus, they become accustomed to adapting. Veterans are trained to wear multiple hats to suit the demands of the situation. For instance, they can easily adapt to changing environments and jump in to fill new roles to meet short deadlines. They are critical thinkers and have a broader worldview than civilians.
4. Veterans are responsible.
   Military occupations involve immense responsibility. For instance, failing to complete a task can potentially result in catastrophic consequences. Veterans understand the importance of professional responsibility. They are accustomed to taking responsibility for their actions and achieving their goals.
5. Veterans are compliant.
   All military bodies worldwide are federal organizations that follow strict rules and regulations. Military personnel are trained to conduct, perform, act, and behave in compliance with the set guidelines. Thus, veterans have respect for the authority, policies, and procedures followed by an organization. Self-motivated compliance with guidelines is one of the primary traits of the right employee.
6. Veterans understand the importance of Teamwork.
   All veterans are team players and strive to working as a unit. They understand the importance of interpersonal skills in professional and personal settings. They possess strong relationship-building skills and experience working with people from diverse backgrounds. As a result, they are more successful working with a team comprising people with different opinions, personalities, and behaviors. Moreover, they understand the importance of cooperation, build deep friendships, and prioritize the team’s welfare.
7. Veterans have a strong work ethic.
   Integrity, selflessness, respect, initiative, honor, courage, and excellence are the core values of US military organizations. Many veterans exhibit strong work ethics and values. For instance, military training programs foster integrity among others as a core value among all service members which makes them trustworthy and honest in everything they do. An employee with a strong work ethic is a great asset to any organization.
8. Veterans are goal-oriented.
   The military is all about teamwork where everyone works in coordination to achieve a common goal. Veterans are determined to work toward the organization of goals and help their subordinates do the same. They are committed to collective success and work in compliance with policies and procedures that help their units succeed. From the process of setting goals to developing strategies to accomplish them, veterans remain highly dedicated.
9. Veterans handle stress and pressure.
   Veterans are trained to working in unfavorable environments with limited resources. They undergo a positive transformation following the trauma or situations of extreme stress. As a result, they can handle stress and pressure better than many civilians. Their superior stress management quality makes them a perfect fit for today’s fast-moving organizations.

Hiring a veteran not only benefits your organization but also serves a higher purpose. It is a noble sentiment – a way of giving back to society. Veterans are the real heroes of the country who put their lives on the line to protect the citizens. They deserve respect and hiring them is a way of extending a helping hand to repay them for their service and sacrifice.

How can Pyramid Consulting help?

Pyramid Consulting is a global staffing company that shares the utmost respect for our veteran and military communities. We are an intentionally inclusive organization that fosters equal and fair opportunities for veterans and diverse talent from other social or professional backgrounds. For instance, we were recognized as the Military Friendly Employer Bronze and Military Friendly Spouse Employer. The designations are provided by Military Friendly ® after the evaluation of public data sources and responses received through the Military Friendly ® survey.

We help you meet your DE&I goals by connecting you with veterans and talent from military affiliations. Furthermore, we ensure full support for our employees and consultants with military backgrounds through our VetConnect ERG mission.

About VetConnect

The mission of VetConnect is to cultivate an inclusive environment that supports and encourages employees and consultants with a military affiliation to advance their skills and leadership potential through connection, mentorship, collaboration, and discussion. It serves as a forum for Pyramidians with a military affiliation to find their voice and be heard at Pyramid.