Each year, approximately 250,000 people transition out of the U.S. armed forces. Wherever they have served, they have tested their mettle, proven their leadership skills and undergone rigorous training that is impossible to replicate in the civilian world. These men and women are a tremendous resource for private-sector companies and organizations.
Service members switch military occupations every four years, and thus are highly adaptable and trainable. In the armed services, there typically is a three to six month ramp-up period for a new job, and then the person is considered the expert. This background enables the former-military employee to become productive much faster than someone without a military background. Reduced time-to-productivity is money for your business.
Another advantage is that, much like recruiting college graduates, hiring military veterans leverages a fresh talent pool for thousands of jobs that open every year. In light of future labor projections (which include predicted shortfalls of talented labor), more and more companies are choosing to hiring former military as a component of their recruiting strategy.
M2 Global Technology is a San Antonio company that has made it part of its strategy to hire and retain veterans. More than 25 percent of M2 Global’s workforce is comprised of veterans, which has helped the company’s growth and positioning as a key small-business supplier in the aerospace sector.
“The military is a great source of talent,” said Patti Meisetschleager, M2 Global’s chief financial officer and chief human resource officer. “As we compete with other companies for qualified candidates, we recognize that veterans offer a combination of experience, confidence and leadership. They bring both technical skills and personal attributes that fit well with M2 Global’s values of safety, customer service, performance excellence, good citizenship, integrity, diversity and respect for other team members.”
Particularly in times of tight resource dollars and high competition for trained talent, one of the smartest things a company can do is hire military veterans. How can you find veterans? A good starting place is the following websites: www.militaryvetjobs.com, www.militaryhire.com and www.hireveterans.com.
