Is your firm searching for top talent with both unique experience and qualifications, a candidate that is trainable, collaborative and technologically savvy? Hire veterans. Veterans offer a competitive edge and are beneficial to your organization. Previous active duty or reserve troops, from any branch of the military, understand customer missions and have deep knowledge of systems and processes. In this post, I discuss qualities that veteran candidates possess, insights into Conceras’ recruiting programs, and awards we received for hiring veterans.
Veterans are goal driven. With minimal oversight, they know the best action steps to reach goals and how to evaluate their success to achieve objectives. Veterans are also trained leaders. Veterans receive intensive leadership and professional communication training, taking leadership of junior service members or overseeing millions of dollars of critical assets and equipment. What’s more, veterans are responsible, carrying out missions with dangerous consequences if not performed correctly. Particularly relevant to Conceras, veterans are analytical. Data Analytics is a core competency and solution at Conceras. Veterans are trained in decision making, receiving extensive instruction in situational awareness, metrics analysis and trend identification.
In early 2020, Conceras focused on sourcing veteran candidates, researching several job Websites and job boards. We discovered Virginia Values Veterans (V3) program. V3 is a free training and certification program for employers, assisting in the implementation of nationally accepted best practices in recruiting, hiring, and retaining highly skilled veterans. We enrolled in the program and received certification on April 1, 2020. The V3 program showcases Conceras’ commitment to hiring veterans, and we use their logo on our Website, marketing material and proposals. In addition, Virginia Workforce Connection is a resourceful Website to publish job postings and conduct candidate searches. On this site, job posts are presented to veterans first.
Conceras applied for the 2021 HIRE Vets Medallion Program, a program that honors investments in the Recruiting and Employing American Military Veterans Act of 2017. Started under the Trump Administration, the HIRE Vets Medallion Award is the only federal-level veterans employment award that recognizes a company’s commitment to veteran hiring, retention, and professional development. The Medallion Award is presented each year to employers who meet specific criteria. The Application process is open from January to April and is awarded in November (around Veterans Day) by the Department of Labor. Conceras will be awarded the Platinum Award for Small Business this month. To be eligible for the award, 10 percent of our workforce must be veterans. Currently, 20 percent of our staff are veterans.
Transitioning from active duty to employment is a big change. Conceras established a Transition Period from Day One to Day 365. From onboarding and orientation on the first day, we establish a mentoring program where we work with veterans (and all employees) to establish goals and get connected within Conceras’ network of corporate leadership and programs. What successes or challenges has your company had with hiring veterans? Please leave a comment and share your approach and tips.
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