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It starts by understanding their perspective. Morale improves among those who continue to serve in the National Guard and Reserve when you demonstrate that you know about their world. Even if they are gone for a weekend of training and it doesn’t affect their work hours with you, your remote support and encouragement means a lot and is critical to their success.
The military has its own culture, complete with its own language. Knowing a few basics about that culture (and just a few of its thousands of acronyms) will help you interpret resumes, find the strongest applicants and understand what the heck your interviewees are talking about. For more of an education, sign up for one of the Hiring Our Heroes employer webinars that are led by highly experienced trainers who can provide insight on recruiting, hiring and retaining service members.
Myths surround the veteran hiring marketplace, and savvy employers must wade through them to get to the truth of the matter. Read this blog to learn the truth about just a few of these myths and don't forget to comment on the blog if you can help other employers learn more!
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Irving, TX-based La Quinta Inns & Suites says: Be ready to hire! If possible, conduct interviews at the hiring fairs. Contact the organizer of the event ahead of time to see if there will be an area you can use for interviews. This will allow you to have a personal conversation about the candidate’s experience and interests. Then you can tell them about your organization and why you value service members and their families. Ideally, have veteran and/or military spouse employees attend the fair to participate in the recruiting efforts.
Pam Webster, assistant vice president of talent acquisition at Enterprise Holdings, headquartered in St. Louis, MO, recommends that when you get a resume or application with military experience that you don’t understand, call the candidate to better figure out what their role was and what their accomplishments were. You may have to spend more time to assess whether the experience is a fit for what you’re hiring for, but it will be worth the investment for both you and the candidate.
Derek Blake of Irving, TX-based La Quinta Inns and Suites says the company recognizes its veteran, Guard, Reserve and military spouse employees with a special “thank you for your service” pin they wear on their uniforms. Each pin is unique to their military status. Recognition is important, and these employees truly appreciate the acknowledgment of their service. The hotel chain also provides “Gold” loyalty program status to veterans through its Military Rewards program. Jason Naper, a La Quinta general manager and Navy veteran, says, “The way La Quinta takes care of our veterans and active duty military is overwhelming—this drives my passion into high gear and makes me extremely energized to wake up and go to work every morning.”
Veterans and transitioning service members have more resources available to them in their job search than ever before. Human resources departments and recruiters play a critical role when companies make veteran hiring a priority. An inspired and educated HR and recruitment team can make all the difference in the hiring process for both veterans and employers.
Your military employees’ deployments and emergency call-ups for big natural disasters don’t have to mean major headaches. With the right strategy and forethought, those workers’ colleagues will be able to fill any gaps left by those who are serving. The good news is, cross-training and skill-set development will not only reduce the impact felt by missing workers, they will make your whole workforce stronger. The key is being prepared.