Veterans Day is tomorrow (and it has the easily remembered date of 11/11/11). It’s a nationally recognized holiday that most people have off, and that’s because it’s important to have a day to say “thank you” to all the men and women who have served our country.
But even better than saying “thank you” one day a year is helping veterans find jobs, especially in this economy. Hiring veterans isn’t just a good thing to do, it’s good business, for many reasons.
Military culture might differ from civilian culture in many ways, but vets still bring an impressive set of working and interpersonal skills that can contribute to any workplace:
- Vets have experience working in teams, especially cross-disciplinary teams.
- They’re used to working in a diverse environment and value diversity.
- They know the value of communication, especially clear expectations and feedback.
- They have respect for procedures and planning.
- They tend to have a global perspective and to understand international trends.
Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan bring additional benefits to their employers:
- They know how to function under extreme pressure.
- They’ve been given more creative and entrepreneurial opportunities than veterans of previous conflicts.
- They can be very flexible and resourceful.
And if these reasons aren’t enough, businesses that hire veterans can receive a tax credit if President Obama’s proposed jobs act passes. If you’d like to learn more about how to make hiring veterans easier, check out the federal site America’s Heroes at Work, which has a free hiring toolkit.
So don’t just thank veterans tomorrow, thank them all year long by making them a priority in your staffing and recruiting.
Does your company do anything special for Veterans Day? Let us know in the comments!