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Why Hire A Vet?

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The Herman Trend Alert
January 28, 2004

Military Personnel Will be Targets for Corporate Recruiters

There is a growing emphasis among employers to build diversity in the workforce. This increasing interest means that corporate staffing professionals need rich pools of diverse candidates from which to draw. Data from the Department of Defense reveals that over 465,000 U.S. military personnel come from diverse backgrounds: Over 272,000 African Americans, 107,000 Hispanics, and 85,000 other minorities.

These people are well-trained and are held to high standards, so they are ideal candidates for hungry corporate recruiters. They are attractive because of the skills acquired through their highly-effective military training. In addition, these men and women offer the vital, intangible attributes of strong work ethics, resourcefulness, ability to follow orders, flexibility, accountability, and dedication to mission. Employers of members of the National Guard and military reserves have observed that those employees often add value to their organizations; they have unique experiences and perspectives not usually found in workers who have not served in the military.

Over 200,000 military personnel transition into the civilian workforce annually. Some have completed only one enlistment period; others have considerably more experience. Military personnel completing 20 years of service are usually still in their early forties, with at least 20-30 years of additional career opportunity awaiting them. A recent survey showed that young military officers, completing their first or second tour of duty, are considered to be prime candidates for corporate leadership positions.

Even though we have an all-volunteer military force today, the intensity of combat experiences may well encourage some personnel to consider leaving the service earlier than they had planned. As economic conditions improve and corporate recruiters step up their search for top talent, we may see some employment shifts from military to civilian occupations. Government agencies, including the Department of Defense, will be particularly interested in these candidates.

To maintain strength and needed talent and experience, wise military leaders will strengthen efforts to retain career personnel. And, of course, it will be to their advantage to encourage first term members to reenlist and look at longer-term military commitments as valuable preparation for civilian careers later in life.

With the economy heating up and employees feeling more confident in choosing where they will work, we're headed for major turbulence in the labor market. Learn how to retain your top talent by listening to the six audiotapes in the "Keeping Good People" album. This month, buy the album and automatically get a signed copy of two books: "Lean & Meaningful" and "Turbulence!" Over $50 extra value! www.hermangroup.com/store/tapes_all.html © Copyright 1995-2003 by The Herman Group. From "The Herman Trend Alert," by Roger Herman and Joyce Gioia, Strategic Business Futurists. (800) 227-3566 or www.herman.net.

 

WHY HIRE A VET: 12 GOOD REASONS
Why The Military Is Your Best Source For Highly Qualified And Experienced Employees

(Data based on Army Times Publishing Co. 1995 DoD Survey)
Military veterans are graduates of the world's largest system of specialized professional and technical training schools, those operated by the Department of Defense.
Veterans of active duty military service are one of the nation's most important sources of well-educated, highly trained and strongly motivated employees who possess a wide range of technical and professional skills.
Since all of the major military operating systems - command and control, administrative, logistics, intelligence, weapons, etc., are highly computerized, a majority of military members are trained in the use and management of computer systems.
The modern, high-tech armed forces demand an ever-rising level of technical skills and educational standards to operate and maintain more complex systems than ever before. In line with these requirements the services are recruiting and re-enlisting only the most highly qualified applicants. And technical training in the military is on the cutting edge of advanced technology.
92 percent of active duty military personnel in the United States use computers at their places of duty. Computer systems are ubiquitous at military offices and work sites.
U.S. military members have experience in a broad range-of computer systems: 73 percent use desktop computers; 43 percent use computer work stations; 51 percent use LAN systems; 22 percent use client/server networks; 17 percent use mainframe computers and 13 percent use minicomputers.
40 percent of military personnel in the U.S. have job assignments that involve information resource management. They include computer operators, programmers, system analysts, LAN specialists, MIS managers -- the whole range of computer skills.
Because of a big push for quality in new recruits during the post-cold war years, the current military is the most highly educated in history. More than 98 percent of all service members are high school graduates and over 36 percent have graduated or attended college.
Another big plus that veterans offer employers is that their military training has produced a more mature and responsible employee compared with employees who have no military experience. Military members are given great responsibility and leadership roles early in their careers. A new enlisted soldier, for example, progresses to Corporal in about two years and assumes the responsibilities of Sergeant's rank in three or four years. At each level the service member is responsible for the performance and well-being of larger and larger numbers of troops.
Military veterans are accustomed to assuming high levels of responsibility for the employer's property. Relatively young service people are responsible for thousands- even millions of dollars worth of government property: computer systems, tanks, planes, fleets of vehicles, etc. This level of responsibility hastens the maturation of service personnel and makes them seasoned leaders and managers.
The military is one of the most demanding professions in the world. The rigorous military training each service member receives produces highly motivated individuals who set high goals for themselves. They strive to excel -"to be all they can be". Military training and experience instill a mindset oriented to working toward an objective until it is achieved, no matter how difficult the challenge. The competitive military environment demands that they be winners. When you hire former military people, this winners' psychology can be harnessed to the task of achieving the goals of your company.
Over 200,000 of these well trained and highly qualified personnel will be leaving the military during 1998. They will be seeking jobs that will take advantage of their experience and their finely honed technical skills. The vast majority of them have held jobs that involved the use of computers and many have information resources management experience. They can be a great asset to your company

In today's tight labor market, transitioning Active Duty Military Personnel represent the single largest source of prospective employees. Approximately 180,000 of these well educated, highly motivated men and women will enter the civilian job market every year. And they aren't casual job seekers out "kicking tires" in hopes of identifying the perfect job opportunity. They are going to accept positions! In addition, many are highly mobile, and will receive relocation assistance from the Federal Government when they leave military service.

Active Duty Military Personnel and Armed Forces Veterans are among the best-trained candidates in the job market. Over 95% have high school diplomas. Over 35% have attended college. Almost 25% have college degrees. Most have received hundreds of hours of specialized management, professional or technical training from the world's largest and most comprehensive training system, the U.S. Military. Many have received professional or technical training and experience that would cost your company thousands of dollars to provide.

Today's modern military is a high technology, computer-based organization. Most military occupations require the ability to use and understand computer systems. Many military occupations require knowledge of state-of-the-art computer technology and systems. Over 90% of all military personnel use computers either at work or at home; over 70% have experience with desktop computers; over 50% have experience with Local Area Networks; almost 20% have experience with mainframe computers.

Many servicemen and women have lived and worked internationally, and are receptive to international assignments. Many speak more than one language.

Transitioning Military Personnel and Armed Forces Veterans tend to be very mature and responsible. They are accustomed to working in an organization that expects them to set high individual standards and objectives -- and meet them. They are also accustomed to working in an environment that depends on exceptional levels of teamwork to succeed. They are confident, self-reliant and resourceful.

Highly-skilled, well-educated female and minority candidates are well-represented in the pool of transitioning Active Duty Military Personnel. If increasing the diversity of your workforce is one of your Company objectives, you absolutely can not afford to overlook this valuable recruiting source.

Today's U.S. Military thoroughly screens all applicants and accepts only the best. Thorough background checks are conducted upon entrance, and frequent random drug testing is now a fact of military life. In addition, the security clearances held by many military personnel require even more in-depth background checks. The Military Transition Group represents only those individuals who have received an honorable discharge, or who will receive one at the end of their military service. Therefore, you know you are hiring individuals who maintained a positive record throughout their military career.

(As published in Competitive Edge -- November/December 2000)
On a recent Friday evening, Ted Stafford had a problem that was spreading like kudzu up a Georgia hillside. The operations manager for a Fairburn, Georgia consumer products shipping firm, Stafford was about to be overrun. "It was coming up on midnight, and we were obviously so far behind on shipping orders that there was no way we were going to get done," Stafford recalled. "If we left that kind of backlog to the shift coming in, we were programmed for failure."
"So, I asked my 12 guys for four volunteers to work all night long to clear up the back log and give the next shift a fighting chance to get through the weekend."

"All three of the military veterans volunteered without hesitation because they understood what mission failure was about," Stafford said. "The other volunteer was a young kid who had just come on board. The others basically said 'you know, I got plans, bye'."

Stafford, a 28-year Army veteran, said, "What's not to like about a veteran? They're reliable, they have a "Can Do" attitude and they understand teamwork. And," Stafford continued, "veterans show up on time." "Showing up" to work at all would be welcomed at many Georgia businesses. With unemployment at a 30-year low, businesses across Georgia are scrambling to find workers to fill thousands of management, technical, mechanical and administrative jobs.

With the military draft a distant memory and the last war a decade ago, most employers have had no exposure to the military and have little understanding of the armed services. Yet hiring a United States Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Merchant Marine or Navy veterans is about the best investment an employer can make.

Moreover, there is a steady supply of talented men and women leaving the military each year, and millions already employed in the civilian workforce. Most veterans have received hundreds of hours of specialized management, professional and technical training from the world's largest and most comprehensive training system-operated by the Department of Defense. Today's modern military is a high technology operation demanding exceptional knowledge and skills. All major military operating systems-command and control, administrative, logistics, intelligence and weapons-are highly computerized. As a result, 92 percent of all veterans use computers while on active duty, 50 percent have experience with Local Area Networks (LAN) and 20 percent have worked with mainframe computers. The men and women who maintain and operate America's state-of-the-art weapons and support services are carefully screened by the military, undergoing strict security clearances and frequent random drug testing. Veterans are accustomed to assuming high levels of responsibility for equipment that often costs millions of dollars. They understand an employer's property is valuable and essential to the well being of the company.

Perhaps most important, veterans are products of one of the most demanding professions in America. Service members are exposed to rigorous physical and professional training that molds motivated individuals who set high standards for themselves. The military produces men and women who understand working toward an objective until it is achieved, no matter how difficult the challenge.

In addition, veterans operate in culturally diverse, team-oriented settings. They are used to relocation and easily assimilate into new work environments. Each day-every day-America's soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines are on duty on every continent and ocean protecting the nations' vital interests and security. They are paid less than their civilian counterparts and often operate in areas where their personal safety is at risk. Veterans accept these challenges because they believe in their mission and are proud of their country.

As generations of Americans have witnessed, veterans can be counted on to get the job done.