Employers WANT Military!

Over the years I've experienced many companies who have successfully tapped into transitioning military talent pools.

Veterans need jobs and companies want to hire them. So what's the problem?

1) The language barrier:
Military occupations in many ways are similar to civilian jobs although civilians don't understand the military jargon and transitioning military unfortunately do not know how to appropriately package their skill sets, training and experience. Companies should research Military Occupation Codes which align with their needs to better target prime candidates. Research can start by using this crosswalk tool.

2) Locations have no boundaries:
Active transitioning military can relocate anywhere on Uncle Sam's dime, but the hiring companies need to know what military bases are ripe with their needed skill sets. Transitioning talent pools located at overseas military installations should be extremely ripe for global hiring as well.

3) Civilian soldiers are everywhere:
Companies need to need to research local National Guard and Reserve units which, once again, could be ripe with local talent. Have you researched units around your company’s various locations?

Don't forget military hires also provide a solid set of attributes many companies do not fully realize.

If your organization is truly committed to hiring veterans these are great places to start and If you would like more information around veteran hiring please feel free to contact me.

Suggested & related reading:
Talent STRONG!
What's your creed?
In the Army Times Now!

Comment by Sandra McCartt on July 14, 2010 at 1:46pm: Correct Gerry. We rep military for no fee to our clients. I have spoken with many recruiters who are doing the same. If you are a third party recruiter who is trying to get a fee for returning military perhaps you should take a tour of duty in the middle east. Come on TPR's, step up to the plate and do it, your client will not only appreciate it, they won't forget you when it's time to list one with you or give you a retainer for another position.

Comment by Chad Sowash on July 14, 2010 at 1:47pm: Or maybe the recruiter should just sit on a TRP instead instead. (Target Reference Point) Sorry, military jargon play on acronyms.

Comment by Sandra McCartt on July 14, 2010 at 2:08pm: LOL. Forward Observer, survival time in combat about four minutes. May not be the TRP but damn close.

Comment by Chad Sowash on July 14, 2010 at 2:14pm: DANGER CLOSE!

Comment by Gerry Crispin on July 14, 2010 at 2:31pm: You've got my attention Sandra. thank you.

Comment by Bradley-Morris, Inc. - Delivering Military-Experienced Talent to America's Top Companies on August 11, 2010 at 6:27pm: Gerry, I appreciate most of your comments regarding military on the various boards, but I would be interested to know of instances where a third party recruiter was a barrier to a military job seeker getting a job in the way that you mention.

For my part, I don’t see it as a zero sum game. A military job seeker is certainly not obligated to use a third party recruiter. And if they do, they can still apply for and acquire jobs on their own. And most reputable third party recruiters will encourage them to take advantage of as many job seeker resources as they can (e.g., as Bradley-Morris, Inc. does here: http://www.bradley-morris.com/MilitarytoCivilianTransition.html ).

On the employer side, many companies have recruiters that know how to hire military. But for some companies, they will never be able to invest the time or the resources to learn (we all know how many companies have had to cut recruiter staff in the past couple years).

A military-specific third party recruiter can help those employers who do not yet have a mature military-recruiting structure tap into a source of talent, military-experienced job seekers, that they never could otherwise. Without the help of a 3PR, most of those companies would never have gotten past the ranks or MOS’s on a military job seeker’s resume to even consider them, so the job seeker has gained everything in these cases.

The fee is only an issue if the 3PR is not providing unique value to the employer over what no-fee (at least on a $ basis, not counting opportunity cost) alternatives can provide. And if there is no unique value, the 3PR will not be in business long, no matter whether the talent pool they specialize in is military, legal, accounting, IT, etc.

My 2 cents...

Bill Scott
Bradley-Morris, Inc. (BMI)
Delivering Military-Experienced Talent to America’s Top Companies