Indeed, the U.S. Labor Department reported this year – for the first time since such record-keeping began in 2000 – that the number of available positions has exceeded the number of job seekers.
Employers in the Capital Region need no convincing. Even as many continue to add jobs, attracting and hiring qualified candidates to fill them has become a significant challenge. They would be well served to consider a pool of potential employees that offers a unique combination of aptitude and attitude, and has already proven its willingness and ability to be part of something bigger than oneself
I’m talking about our veterans.
In helping hundreds of Capital Region companies hire thousands of employees, we know firsthand that veterans bring diverse and valuable capabilities to the workforce. The cross-functional skills they’ve acquired through military training are often transferable to new occupations, including those in the high-tech sector such as computer programs and systems. They have a proven ability to learn and deploy new concepts and techniques quickly. They show respect for following policies and procedures that ensure both efficiency and safety. And, they have an uncommon dedication to persevering through stress and adversity to accomplish a job well done.
Equally important is the mindset that veterans bring to work each day. They are well equipped to provide the leadership that’s needed to move a project forward, but they also understand the value of teamwork in achieving objectives. Many veterans have been deployed around the world, giving them both a global viewpoint and experience working in diverse and inclusive environments. They have a sense of duty, and are organized and disciplined. And, for a veteran, honesty and integrity are more than just catchphrases – they are words to live by.
On the practical side, hiring a veteran can also provide financial benefits to a company: tax credits are available through the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, enacted as part of the Vow to Hire Heroes Act passed in 2011.
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them,” President John F. Kennedy once said about veterans. For business leaders, that means giving veterans an opportunity to work and become productive members of society. The time to do so has never been better.
