An increasing number of civilian employers are becoming more aware of the unique strengths former military personnel can bring with them to a civilian job. Whether you are a business leader considering expanding your work force, or a veteran considering which qualities to highlight in your cover letter, reviewing these top four military-related attributes that top executives find most attractive will help you simplify the task at hand.
1. Loyalty to the Team
Recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics concludes that the costs incurred to a business owner for sustaining an employee hovers just under $30.00 per hour per employee. This does not include the “soft” costs of person-to-person mentoring while the employee is learning the job. With an investment this substantial, hiring executives are in search of loyal employees that will invest in the company with hard work, motivation and dedication.
Military personnel bring with them an intrinsic understanding of how loyalty adds to team proficiency and builds trust in a work environment. For business leaders looking to make a thoughtful long-term investment in an employee, military personnel often outperform other candidates as proven team players.
2. Reliable Work Ethic
Knowing the importance of adhering to a schedule and consistently performing well at work demonstrates professional maturity. One of the most difficult challenges to hiring professionals is being able to accurately judge candidates in these areas. Through service, training, and lifestyle, former military personnel will typically have the work ethic that any business owner would be thrilled to replicate in all of the organization’s employees. For employers looking to hire a mature professional with a strong work ethic, a military-trained candidate should receive serious consideration.
3. Motivated Productivity
In today’s technologically driven workplace, self-discipline is at the heart of worker productivity. Convincing workers to respect employer’s rules involving the use of social media, for instance, is becoming an increasing workplace challenge. In addition to this challenge, the loss of time from inefficient work habits and idle down time is a significant concern to employers attempting to retain the competitive edge in a challenging economy. Military personnel have been trained to work toward efficiency, ask for guidance when needed, and exercise self-discipline in professional settings. Hiring managers actively building a corporate culture of increased productivity and strong motivation would be wise to consider military candidates not only for their hard skills, but also for the soft skills they bring with them to civilian business settings.
4. Comprehensive Communication Skills
Military personnel not only understand workplace diversity, they know that good communication also needs to be flexible. Many military personnel not only speak more than one language, but also have traveled extensively and understand the nuances of international communication. For business owners looking to evolve with the needs of a global marketplace, a military veteran can be just the person your team needs to expand your business. In addition to being aware of diversity, military personnel bring with them a high level of technical literacy which can serve to streamline communication efforts across the organization. Trained in effective writing and professional communications, military personnel know that being successful in today’s world means being able to communicate accurately and efficiently with constituents from all walks of life.
A Military-Trained Candidate Can Be the Best Choice
Whether you are a military veteran in the midst of a civilian job search, or a hiring professional looking to add top candidates to your team, military attributes are desirable qualities to zero in on to reach your goals. In order to increase triple bottom line performance and secure the competitive edge in an increasingly diverse global marketplace, hiring executives need to identify top employees and get the costly hiring process right the first time.
Military personnel are uniquely positioned to fill this need and should draw attention to their loyalty, motivation, work ethic, and communication skills when seeking a civilian job. If you are a military veteran looking for ways to translate your other skills into terms best understood by civilian hiring professionals, here are a few helpful resources:
Military.com Skills Translator
Translating military experience for the civilian world
Translating Your Skills From Military Jargon to Civilian Language
The Professional Association of Résumé Writers and Career Coaches also provide services related to translating military skills into civilian job descriptions.
In a job market as competitive as this one, it is more important than ever to devise a strategy to move beyond the competition. In addition to work experience, veterans should also highlight the most desirable attributes employers seek in the quest to secure top notch talent for the most coveted positions.