One of the questions I hear from many companies I work with: Id like to hire veterans, but Im just not sure what Im signing up for? What do I need to know? How can I connect with veterans?
The Olympian recently posted a story with some great tips on how to hire more veterans. Mildred Culp offered some excellent ideas to help companies move forward. Here are some of the things she recommends, based on some interviews she did in her neck of the woods.
Kurt Gering, director of talent, culture and capability at the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority, said the airport authoritys six-month fellowship for two groups of three veterans pays a $28,000 salary plus benefits. During the fellowship, veterans receive career development services, mentoring by veterans already employed there and 24 hours of paid time off for interviewing or activities involving the military.
Army veteran Boris Kogan is beginning to recruit. Hes CEO of the startup SwarmBuild in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Tel Aviv, Israel, an online engineering and digital fabrication marketplace. Kogan said that while a veteran who spent four years in the infantry may not have marketable skills, he or she probably can operate in an environment of stress and ambiguity.
Harley Lippman, CEO of Genesis10, headquartered in New York, has found employment for hundreds of veterans in his IT staffing and consulting company. He has also turned veterans away when they couldnt fit in with his company or client companies. Its the right thing to do, he said.
As for hiring veterans, he added: People (who were on) the front lines are the most selfless. Theyre great employees, because theyre the boldest. They have to be innovative, quick thinkers, team players.
How can companies make hiring easier? Programs geared toward finding, training and mentoring veterans help. So do job descriptions and checking skills and experience.
Lippmans advice when hiring a vet is to bet on the person, like investors (do) in startups.
Another way to make hiring easier is to complete a profile on VetsBridge. This online recruiting site is devoted to helping returning veterans connect with companies seeking good employees with skills they need to make their businesses successful. It could be the easiest way for companies to help those who have given so much for their country. For a limited time, companies can join for free. Hire a vet today.
