What do Veterans organizations and civilian businesses have in common? They both benefit when Veterans succeed.

With a growing number of Vets entering the civilian workplace every day, there is a clear need for businesses to learn how to connect with them. From hosting Veteran-specific job fairs to offering their consulting services, Veterans organizations today are creating ways to make these connections more seamless and mutually beneficial.

If you’re an employer in the market to hire Veteran workers, here are three reasons you should consider partnering with a Veterans organization.

To capitalize on Veteran skill sets. As we’ve reported in a previous blog post, Vets are entering into the civilian workforce by the tens of thousands every year. Often, these Veterans bring a host of unique and highly desirable skill sets that employers can’t find in other recruiting pools. By partnering with a Veterans organization, businesses can learn how to create a more Vet-friendly environment, get access to service-members looking for work, and ultimately improve Veteran employee retention.

To gain access to niche Veteran groups. To piggyback off of No. 1, Veterans organizations are a great resource when looking for more specialized employees. Many Vets also have even more technical training that fulfills niche requirements for your field. Depending on your industry, you may be looking for someone with very specific experience to round out your team. These organizations are experts at parsing through Veteran resumes and can help you home in on the more specialized Veteran niches.

To walk the “Support Our Troops” talk. By teaming up with a Veterans organization, your business is saying that you appreciate the sacrifice of our service-members and you want to do your part in welcoming them home. Given that so many Veterans will be searching for a meaningful career post-separation, step one to achieving that goal is knowing that a civilian employer has their back. The more welcomed they feel in the workplace — no matter the industry — the more likely they are to not only stay, but thrive.

To learn more about the specific benefits of a partnership with a Veterans organization like SAVI, take a look at our services for businesses here, or follow us on social media.

By Dean R., U.S. Marine Corps Veteran

There are things you learn growing up, things you’re taught in school — and things that explode all this prior knowledge when you become part of the military. Beyond any on-the-job skills, the military lifestyle itself instills a wealth of knowledge in every service-member that’s hard to come by any other way. There’s a reason the military is well-known for breaking people down and then building them back up again — lessons are learned every day we serve.

These unique life experiences create the foundation of the value that I believe any employer will find in hiring, retaining, and eventually engaging Veterans to become among your strongest employees. Here’s my personal view as a Veteran of the top traits that would benefit any organization considering adding post-military employees to its team.

• Resilient: From week one in boot camp, you hang in the balance of intrinsic fear of the unknown and the anticipation of what’s coming next. Each day you survive, you get stronger and smarter than you were before. This push to overcome your own limits is a common theme throughout military service.
• Adaptable: There are day-jobs and duty stations that define our scope of work, but the military lifestyle imparts so much more wisdom than we even realize in the moment. We are constantly adapting to the situations we are thrown into, leaning into whatever resources we have on hand.
• Practical: You can’t learn how to solve problems effectively by reading a book or by listening to a lecture in class. You have to live through real-world circumstances and situations that teach you what each of these mean — and Veterans have done just that.
• Reliable: They’ve been trained to follow through — in how to drive tasks to completion and how to process-improve their way past barriers, because at one time or another, it’s likely their lives and the lives of others have depended on that ability.
• Solutions-oriented: Unique problem-solving skills combined with laser operational focus also position Veterans to be solutions-oriented leaders in the workplace.

In sum, you could say that Veterans are battle-tested and mission-approved — high-priced assets that today’s employers often prioritize when considering a job candidate. Focusing on Veterans in recruitment gets you a step ahead in the vetting process, saving you time and energy.

Your Bottom Line

But if you’re looking at the world in terms of dollars and cents, how does one quantify the value of a Veteran? The reality is, if you consider his or her education, training, real-world experience, and ability to excel in the most difficult situations, the numbers will be impossible to crunch. The true ROI of a Veteran knows no definition. But they are nonetheless untapped assets in any market or specialty.

Regardless of the department or scope, I’d want a Veteran on my team. They’ve done the hard part. They’ve been through it all. The only thing left is to watch them succeed on their next mission, whatever that may be.

Looking for more insights and tips from real Veterans who have transitioned? Visit our blog and social media pages to join the conversation. If you’re a Veteran with ideas for a story, contact info@savivets.wpengine.com.

Looking for ways you can better recruit, retain, and engage Veteran employees? Learn about our programs for employers here, or contact info@savivets.wpengine.com.

Any transition is hard, whether it be joyous or sad, but they all have one thing in common: They aren’t easy.

As a service-member considering your post-military journey, you know this truth well. That’s why SAVI has your back when it comes to your transition into civilian life. As you prepare for this major change, here are five tasks you should complete during the final six months of your service.

• Attend a Transition Assistance Program (TAP) workshop: These three- to five-day workshops — co-created by the U.S. departments of Veterans Affairs, Defense, and Labor — were designed to help separating service-members more easily find civilian jobs. Offered at select military installations, TAP workshops are facilitated by highly qualified professionals who provide services such as preseparation counseling, employability evaluations, information on Veteran benefits, and support for relocation, career decision-making, job searches, resume and cover letter writing, and interviews. Learn more about TAP here.

• Get your physical: Getting your physical exam is an essential part of every transition. During this exam, be sure to report any symptoms and/or medical issues that you have experienced. Being candid will help you ease into the process of filing for benefits. Be sure to ask your physician any and all questions you have about the process. As an extra step, you may want to request a full copy of your medical record to keep with your other important documents.

• Think about your transferable skills: As we mentioned in a previous blog post, military personnel have many transferable skills that will help you transition to a new career path. Self-reflection is an important step for developing an effective, skill-packed resume that will catch any hiring manager’s attention. Use your TAP resources or find a professional mentor to guide you through this discovery process. You bring more to the civilian table than you might think, so be sure not to skip this step!

• Find military-friendly employers: The number of companies looking to prove their Veteran-friendly culture is growing. Starbucks, for example, has vowed to hire 25,000 Veterans and military spouses by 2025. And earlier this year — after unveiling the biggest military discount in wireless today with the T-Mobile ONE Military plan – T-Mobile announced its intent to hire 10,000 Veterans and spouses over the next five years. This means that as a transitional military Veteran, you’re entering into a workforce that wants you to work for them.

• Play up your strengths as an ex-military job candidate: Similar to what we’ve talked about with knowing your transferable skills, it’s important to home in on your worth as a former military leader. Your time in service gave you skills, yes, but it also gave you experiences. Learn how to market these in interviews to show how your time overseas made you a better communicator or how the ever-changing, sometimes volatile deployments made you more adaptable. Give concrete examples that really highlight your personal value and contributing strengths.

• Network, network, network: As the old saying goes, it’s not what you know, but who you know. Plenty of Vets have gone through this transition before you, so seek them out and find a network of seasoned mentors to guide you through this career process. Chances are good that they know someone who prioritizes Veteran hires. You can also send professional messages on LinkedIn, attend a Veteran job fair, or reach out to personal contacts in the civilian workforce. If there’s a certain industry that sparks your interest, look up and attend events (happy hours, panel presentations, conferences) that let you meet people in that field, and follow up with an email request for a coffee or phone call to learn more about their experience. Building your network will help you learn how others have succeeded — or not succeeded — on the road to civilian life, which will help make your transition smoother and potentially lead you down a surprising path.

Looking to enter the civilian workforce after military service? Or maybe you want to start your own business? Check out our free offerings for Veterans here.

Tens of thousands of military Veterans pour into the civilian workforce each year. This growing number brings opportunity for both businesses and Veterans, and many big-name corporations (Uber, Starbucks, Comcast) are refocusing their employee recruitment efforts on former service-members.
It’s a smart strategy. As former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz said in a news report about his decision to proactively hire more Veterans:

“The level of integrity, ethics, leadership skills, and value they bring to our society and our company is unparalleled. …The Veterans and military spouses we’ve hired have made us a stronger organization.”

Yet this seemingly major shift in recruitment trends doesn’t mean the promised jobs will be a good fit for Veterans. Companies should ensure their work environments are better aligned and welcoming for their new Veteran employees.

Here are just a few examples of ways that company leaders can help Veterans better acclimate to their corporate culture from the start.

• Mentorship: By implementing mentorship programs, many companies have effectively smoothed the transition for their military hires. Traditionally, a Veteran is paired with a senior-level employee who can answer all the Veteran’s questions on employee benefits, rules (explicit or implied) of the office, career-advancement strategies, and any other concerns.

• Recognition: Being aware of holidays that may be important to Veterans — such as Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Veterans Day — is an easy way to create a more military-friendly workplace. During these observances, you can consider recognizing the Veterans in your office in a company-wide newsletter or even giving all employees the day off to honor your commitment to showing military appreciation. On the other hand, some Vets may be trying to put their military experience behind them and wish to not be reminded. A common factor for this could be post-traumatic stress , which the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs says affects nearly 31 percent of Vietnam War Veterans, 10 percent of Gulf War Vets, 11 percent of Afghanistan War Vets, and 20 percent of Iraq War Vets.

• Flexibility: Consider whether the Veterans in your office may have special needs (emotional or physical), and make sure your office setting accommodates these needs. This practice is not only a smart business decision, but is most likely legally required. Some Veterans may also need your support when fulfilling their responsibilities to the Reserves or National Guard, such as no-penalty time off and flexible deadlines.

• Education: Many communities offer Veteran support groups for transitioning service-members. Learn what resources exist in your town, and make sure your new Veteran employees are aware of all the support services offered by local groups, state and federal government agencies, and Veterans service organizations. Managers should also be well-versed in the resources they have as part of employee benefits, including employee assistance programs (EAPs).

• Communication: Simply being aware of some of the do’s and don’ts of communicating with Veterans is one of the quickest ways to help them feel welcome in a new work environment. Do: Listen, show interest in their past experiences, make time for one-on-one interactions, and provide clear and timely feedback. Don’t: Assume poor job performance is military-related or connected to a stress disorder, ask if an employee is seeing a mental health professional, or leave out specific details when saying a Veteran employee isn’t meeting performance targets on time.

Want even more support for growing your business with Veteran employees? Take a look at SAVI’s services for businesses here, or follow us on social media.