Could a Veteran Be Your Next Rock Star Employee?
Do you ever dream of hiring rock star talent that is extremely goal-oriented and ready to lead and take responsibility at the same time? You certainly don’t want to think that hiring someone with enough skills will have drawbacks. No reason to worry about lack of organization and ability to work independently.
That rock star may well be a veteran with military training and experience. Maybe the time has come for your firm to hire a veteran. Hiring ex-military personnel is a rising trend. Giving military veterans professional chances is taking its place in the corporate world today. There is no reason these highly skilled employees should be an option just for big business. Small businesses can take advantage of these gems in the worker pool too.
What is causing the growth in this trend, and what are the greatest benefits ex-Army staff can bring to your team? This article will alert you to a few of the unique skills and values veterans have to offer your small business.
Military Discipline is a Key Asset
Discipline in life, in general, translates well to your working habits and professional side of your persona. The military trains its recruits to be exceptionally responsible and to adapt to different types of situations and working conditions. To be sure, workers with military experience definitely know how to act under pressure.
Teamwork is the Military Norm
Understanding the importance of respecting a chain of command makes these job candidates great team workers. Even better, they listen to and obey instructions from their superiors. Additionally, they possess a high level of independence and ability to improvise. These skills are all crucial in a business environment today.
Heightened Levels of Responsibility
Veterans with military background stand behind what they do. Years of service in the Army taught them to assume responsibility for their actions. They embrace this trait regardless of the outcome of their assignment. Insights based on military experience can provide outstanding value to anyone who knows how to listen. Needless to say, veterans surely know how to be cooperative. More than that, they know the importance of providing all necessary information for decision making. Veterans make for perfect assistants in situations like this.
Global Experience and Awareness
Is your small business thinking about going global? Being open-minded and aware of globalization trends, ex-military veterans are well qualified to understand business at a global level. They are well aware of how important this trend is for businesses of all sizes. It might be time to hire a veteran and start thinking about how they can help your business go global.
It may sound ridiculous at first, but having someone who has actually been abroad and had the opportunity to work and speak with different cultures can be valuable. First hand experience with different cultures may come in handy when setting your international strategy, or just interacting with a culturally diverse work team.
Focus and Determination
Another ultimate quality of these people is their sheer determination and ability to always stay optimistic and move forward. This trait can be a tremendous asset in managing other staff. When times are tough and the company is not moving at desired speed or in a right direction, their level of motivation can move their whole team forward.
Often, that one ex-military colleague can be the person other workers go to for advice from an unbiased co-worker with experience. They can present strict, but fair, and utterly professional opinions and solutions for their challenges.
Recognition for Outstanding Employees
Clearly, there is much to gain if you hire a veteran. They come with military training and exceptional skills often not found in new employees. Like any employee, there is little doubt that you will have to acknowledge their contributions to your small business. Employers need to recognize and motivate employees to retain them.
If you struggle with, or aren’t sure how to give credit to employees, consider the introduction of some military practices into your everyday work environment. For instance, think about presenting custom challenge coins to individuals who perform outstandingly. A challenge coin is a small metal object available in different shapes to represent an organization or an individual. Historically, these were given to outstanding military members but the idea caught on with other industries as well.
Challenge coins are great as a staff reward. You can find more them at Embleholics . They are the company to go to if you want to create unique custom challenge coins for your employees.
Hellen McAdams is a chief business and marketing strategist. She loves a good digital marketing and business development strategy, and isn’t afraid to ask questions every day to keep up with the industry’s trends. If you have any comments or questions, shoot her a question at @hellen_mcadams.
