by Kurt Ronn

A labor pool with some of the best trained and most experienced candidates is often overlooked or buried deep in the applicant pool—the United States military veteran and disabled veteran.

Companies who actively recruit and hire from the ranks of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard for talent are earning salutes from their managers, as they are discovering that many of America’s best and brightest are able to make quick and successful transitions to the civilian workforce.

Each year, more than 200,000 men and women leave the military and return to civilian life. These individuals have typically been trained in and have mastered numerous basic and technical skills, and they often possess management and leadership experience. Couple this skill set with the discipline and strong work ethic that is imbued in military life, and the result is a pool of excellent candidates for a wide range of civilian jobs.

Consider this success story: a national retailer hired, in just 1 year, more than 20,000 men and women who had retired or been honorably discharged from the military. Doing so made sound business sense as the military-trained individuals were well-disciplined, committed to hard work, had solid leadership and management skills, and were focused on results. 

Whether your hiring needs are small or battalion-sized, tapping the military for talent brings other tangible benefits. Companies hiring veterans are often eligible for federal and state tax credits, with some states offering additional credits for hiring veterans with disabilities. 

In addition to the training and experience earned through military service, veterans making the transition to civilian life receive additional job preparation and guidance through a variety of federal programs. Many of these were created or expanded thanks to the Jobs for Veterans Act, signed into law by President Bush in 2002 to revise and improve employment, training, and placement services furnished to veterans. 

Savvy hiring managers should establish a long-term strategy to ensure that the military is an ongoing source for talent. Hiring veterans is smart business—and it’s also a responsible way of thanking the highly skilled men and women who so proudly served our country. 

According to the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), “based on the utilization analyses under Executive Order 11246 and the availability of qualified individuals, the contractors establish goals to reduce or overcome underutilization. Good faith efforts may include expanded efforts in outreach, recruitment, training, and other activities to increase the pool of qualified minorities and females. The actual selection decision is to be made on a nondiscriminatory basis.” Additional emphasis needs to be extended to all veterans and disabled individuals.

In today’s flooded job market, an Internet job posting can result in thousands of applicants, many unqualified. More importantly, if you are looking to make an impact in the number of veterans and disabled veterans hired, a broad brush recruitment strategy can make it more difficult to increase hiring. The key to success is targeted outreach, measuring results, and making adjustments until success is achieved. The focus needs to be simplified—one hire at a time.

Start with “champions,” individuals within the organization who understand the military and are particularly interested in hiring disabled veterans. Having a hiring manager who is a champion helps overcome many of the hurdles to hiring. Champions are willing to stay the course and help overcome internal hurdles such as understanding military terms, skills, and language. Their success can act as a model to others encouraging more veteran and disabled veteran hiring.  

In addition to champions, you need to be able to identify partners within the armed forces that can provide a pipeline of qualified talent. This is particularly critical in the area of disabled veterans. There are more than 30,000 disable veterans, many actively employed, but many more are looking for opportunities. It is critical that employers reach out to veteran organizations such as The Army Wounded Warrior program, the United States Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment, and the Veterans Administration Vocational Rehabilitation centers. 

However, reaching out is not enough. To be successful, you need to develop relationships with individuals in each organization. Your job is to make it easy for them to work with you. Your openings need to become the most important openings, above the rest. It is critical that you act on the candidates presented and provide positive and constructive feedback to the agency individuals and let them know when you make a hire. 

The extra personal touch makes a difference. Employers who are committed to finding a way to hire disabled veterans will get more attention and more qualified candidates than those that simply post their positions. In addition, when the OFCCP comes to audit your compliance and wants to know what you have been doing to hire veterans and disabled veterans, you will have concrete examples of good faith and the results of your efforts will be hires, not promises. 

View original publication online at HR.BLR.com