Common sense says employers should hire veterans

Let's look at this logically and use some common sense. I used to be in management and if I had a veteran apply for a job I can tell you that I'd give them more of a chance than anyone else for very simple reasons.

Their last boss had them working 24-7, when they felt sick or not, in all kinds of weather and yes, even made them leave their families for a year. Yet this same boss kept them on their jobs knowing what kind of worker they were beyond what any other potential applicant would have exposed their last boss to. In other words, their last boss lived with them under extreme conditions and saw them tested along with witnessing their training tested, temperament pushed, dedication proven and their loyalty to their co-workers demonstrated every day.

As for being able to teach them a new skill, I'd first consider that after they left high school not knowing how to drive a Humvee, or use a weapon, or have the communication skills necessary to save lives, training them for a new skill should be the last concern potential employers have.

Granted I sucked at management and never want to be a manager again, but I probably would still be one if I got to work with this bunch of veterans.

Employers never know what they are getting when they hire someone. Do they really know how hard the person in front of them worked on their last job? Do they really know if they got along with their co-workers? Do they know if they were honest, called in sick because they just didn't feel like showing up or if they like to pass their duty onto someone else? That's the biggest problem with hiring anyone.

Look at the last job a combat veteran had and then think if they worked that hard under those conditions, how much of an asset will they be working for you?

Employers: Hiring vets has advantages, risks
By Andrew Tilghman - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Jun 11, 2012

Many private-sector employers are eager to hire today’s veterans, citing attributes like leadership skills, character and good discipline, according to a recent study.

But businesses are also reluctant to hire veterans for several reasons, including a fear of mental health problems or the risk that the veteran could be called up for future deployments, according to an extensive survey of businesses conducted by the Center for a New American Security.

The study highlights the complex challenges that young veterans face when making the transition into the civilian workplace.

Government data shows that young veterans ages 22 to 24 have, on average, an unemployment rate 3 percentage points higher than their civilian counterparts; in 2009, the rate for that group soared above 20 percent, the study said.

The CNAS research team interviewed people from 69 companies about their perceptions of veteran job applicants. More than 70 percent said they wanted to hire veterans because they have good leadership and teamwork skills. About 50 percent cited character as a good reason to hire a veteran.

Nearly 30 percent said hiring veterans is the “right thing” to do, and more than 10 percent said hiring veterans garners good publicity for their firm.

However, the majority of those employers also cited a range of reason for not hiring veterans. The problem that employers cited most often was “skill translation,” where employers who do not know much about the military — its force structure, career fields and acronyms — have trouble understanding exactly what kinds of experience veterans have.
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