This Veteran’s Day nextSource Observes the Top 10 Reasons to Hire Those Who’ve Served

In observance of Veteran’s Day 2020, nextSource would like to take this opportunity to not only thank every single man and women (and the families supporting them) who have served with honor and dignity to protect our most cherished freedoms and ideals. Those who answer the higher calling to serve their country are an especially distinct breed, and it is this particular type of individual that makes for a compelling candidate to serve as part of a powerful and effective workforce. Here are ten solid reasons to engage veterans in your workforce planning regime adapted from a list at Military.com.

10. Vets are great at quickly learning and adapting. Their military experience has prepared them with the confidence and focus needed to transfer workplace skills into real-world situations which helps boost organizational productivity

9. Veterans are trained to exhibit great leadership skills. Steeped in behaviors like delegation, motivation, inspiration and adherence to hierarchy, vets lead by example, especially in challenging situations.

8. Teamwork is baked into their operational DNA. Military service emphasizes responsibility and accountability for the larger mission. Vets are fantastic at driving cohesion in the groups in which they work.

7. Veterans are comfortable with diversity. Military service thrusts people from all walks of life, cultural and social backgrounds, races, genders, ethnicities and religions into immediate interaction. This exposure to diversity breeds comfort working with all types of coworkers and is key to engendering a cooperative workforce.

6. Delivering their best under pressure, veterans are able to perform in the most rigorous environments. Whether the organization requires strong actors in the corporate boardroom or rugged workers in the field, you simply won’t find a pool of talent better exhibiting grace under pressure.

5. Accountability is in no short supply with veterans. Military training instills a great premium on procedures, policies and responsibility in people. Chains of command and respect for directives from supervisors define veterans as candidates and workers.

4. Vets are tech savvy. Often stationed at far flung locales all over the globe, ex-military personnel are more in tune with the types of technologies relied on by global companies to support large and geographically disparate enterprises. Plus, many veterans receive training in cutting edge technologies as part of their duties in the service. These are transferrable skills to be leveraged in the private sector.

3. Honesty and Integrity are military values. Whether it is proving their worthiness to hold security clearances in the service or simply the ethic of following through on difficult tasks all the way to completion, veterans often bring a verifiable record of integrity to prospective employers and ultimately demonstrate these values on the job.

2. Vets exhibit high standards for health and safety. The service trains soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines to always consider safety of themselves and those in their unit. It also places a high premium on physical and mental fitness. All of these things are characteristics of the best candidates for any job.

1. You will not find candidates more focused on overcoming adversity. Beyond the typical issues of personal maturity, veterans exhibit the temperament and attitudes critical to overcoming serious hardships and obstacles. They have proven their courage, commitment and grit in situations that demand patience, perseverance and judgment.

It is for all these reasons and more that nextSource supports the sourcing and employment of US military veterans in every workforce management program.