What Your Company Must Know When Hiring Veterans

Veterans bring a unique perspective to the workforce, and can make for dedicated and talented employees. However, hiring veterans is different than recruiting recent college graduates or other types of workers. For this reason, it’s important to take a unique approach to your hiring and training processes in order to ensure that the arrangement works for everyone involved. If your company is looking to get more proactive about hiring veterans, consider these tips:

Make sure everyone is on the same page

Veterans may need special training or guidance in order to find success in the workplace. Ensure that the proper personnel in your organization are prepared to offer this training, and are ready to provide continued mentoring down the road.

Know how to help them translate their skills

Veterans have plenty of skills, but may need help translating these abilities into an office setting. Work closely with them to make sure that this process is easy in order to prevent frustration and miscommunication. Remember that military culture is different from a traditional office environment, and that it may be necessary for you to be more explicit about the rules of a traditional office than you would be with someone who has spent a decade at various offices.

Put together a program that reaches out to veterans

The job search process can often feel overwhelming for veterans. As a result, you may need to get proactive in order to reach out to this unique group of talented individuals. Consider attending job fairs aimed specifically at veterans, or posting on job sites where they’ll be seeking employment. You may even consider offering video interviews so that veterans who are in other parts of the state or country have the opportunity to interview for the position without having to uproot their lives to come in for an interview.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions

If you haven’t employed many veterans before, you may feel unsure about how to navigate this relationship. Don’t be afraid to ask questions in order to ensure that you’re giving this employee everything that he or she needs to be successful within your organization.

Does your business employ veterans? How do you help this group to succeed at work?

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