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Hire Veterans to Win the War for Talent

In a Forbes article in early 2015 the author, George Bradt, stated that "there has been a seismic shift in the war for talent. Those that don’t understand that shift and change their approach to talent management are going to fall into a newly opened crevasse from which they may never escape."

The seismic shift and change referenced in the article is about the reality of significant changes in the U.S. workforce demographics. Baby boomers are approaching retirement, Generation X are now in the middle of their careers, and the Millennials (ages 18-34) are the largest generation in the US labor force with Generation "Z" (born after 1994) now entering the workforce, bringing with them a new and different expectation of work and career. It is not about a shortage of talent, but finding the right talent to execute business strategies.

In response to these very real shifts and changes, employers will have to work harder to compete for the best talent. Strengthening talent acquisition capabilities and expanding the sources of where companies look for talent needed to win must be a priority for HR organizations.

Veterans, a Viable Talent Source

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, since 2001 more than 2.6 million Americans have served in the military, returning to the civilian community with highly competitive skills, abilities and experience. Leveraging this highly competent talent pool to meet organizational talent needs makes a lot of sense, and if done right can be a differentiator for companies engaged in this war for talent.

Veterans and Job Readiness

According to a 2014 survey of over 2,000 Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans conducted by the Iraq Afghanistan Veteran Association (IAVA), the number one reintegration challenge our veterans face is employment:
• 77% of the survey respondents experienced a period of unemployment following their departure from active duty
• 27% of those were out of work for over a year

The ability to translate military skills, abilities and experience into civilian terms continues to challenge the returning veterans, and can often get in the way of the veteran effectively articulating their qualifications and experience for a civilian job. This inability to effectively describe what they bring to a position can make them less competitive in a process that is looking for the best talent to fill a company’s need.

Many programs exist to try to assist veterans in this area, but one that I have worked with successfully in Massachusetts for the past three years is a program called Edge4Vets. Tom Murphy, the founder of Edge4Vets from The Human Resiliency Institute at Fordham University, along with many involved in this program in Massachusetts, believe that without upfront preparation and focus on translation, the veteran is at a disadvantage to compete and find the job in the career that they desire. Edge4Vets gets at the core of this challenge, with the help of HR professionals from sponsoring companies, by providing job preparation, translation of skills, abilities and experiences, and important connections to area companies with excellent opportunities.

Partnering with the Massachusetts Department of Veterans Services Boots to Business Program, Edge4Vets participants can connect with mentors after the workshop ends, to continue fine-tuning the preparation required to be competitive and job ready in today’s market. This approach has led to success in helping veterans find the job, the career and the life to which they aspire; and has helped companies meet talent needs.

Additionally, universities are fueling this talent source as veterans are taking advantage of the GI Bill in large numbers as a way to further their education, build new skills, and better prepare for the civilian workforce. Veteran Services organizations at universities, in partnership with career centers, can and do play an active role in helping veterans prepare for the transition.

The more job ready a veteran is, the more competitive they will be in what is a highly competitive selection process, and the more likely they will help organizations meet their talent needs. The time veterans put into preparation will make a difference, but there remains a gap in understanding the value proposition of hiring a veteran in organizations that simply don’t understand the military experience.

An Opportunity for HR to Learn

As a Marine Corps Veteran and HR leader, I see a major opportunity for the HR community at-large to step up their engagement and understanding of the military veteran talent pool that now exists in the US.

Talent acquisition strategies by design must be multi-faceted in order to meet the diverse and changing needs of companies. In order to effectively compete for the best talent, companies must look in non-traditional places for people who will make a difference. There are many companies recruiting and placing veterans in meaningful jobs that leverage their talents and experience, but there are many companies that could do more. Missing this piece in your strategy could mean the difference between winning and losing this talent war.

Education of the HR community is an important first step. Military veterans working in HR or as line leaders understand the potential of this talented group, but those numbers are relatively small. There is a significant opportunity for the non-veteran recruiter, generalist, business partner and line leader engaged in the hiring of people to learn more about the military veteran as a viable job candidate.

The education about military veteran recruiting should address three key areas:

the business case for accessing and leveraging the veteran talent pool;
how the skills, abilities and experience of veterans translate to civilian job opportunities and;
the resources and programs that exist to help veterans and companies ensure successful transition and retention, while meeting the new legislative requirements.

The Northeast Human Resources Association (NEHRA), one of the largest regional chapters of the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM), understands the importance of this education and is planning to sponsor workshops in 2016 that will address these important topics and meet the educational void in this area that currently exists.

The first workshop is scheduled for Thursday, March 3 from 8:30-10:30 a.m., hosted by EMC Corporation at their World Headquarters at 176 South Street in Hopkinton, Massachusetts. Registration for the first Hiring Veterans event at EMC can be found here.

The Human Resources function is a strategic business partner when it delivers the required talent and capabilities to an organization when and where they are needed. Including veterans as part of a forward-looking, strategic talent solution will make a difference for a company in winning this war for talent.

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