Hiring managers and talent acquisition professionals alike continue to struggle when looking at their ech hiring initiatives this year - but hiring veterans could be a solution for more than a few reasons.
The high technology recruiting industry has seen its fair share of hiring markets over the years, and the current hiring landscape is easily the most difficult he’s seen for companies to navigate.
In response to this market, numerous development boot camps have popped up to teach non-technical professionals to become developers. Although that has been questionably effective, what about our military veteran resources out there? How are we overcoming common misconceptions and utilizing their unique skill set to impact technical hiring agendas?
The squeeze on the technical talent pool has not only forced companies to broaden their technical expectations, but also take into serious consideration the "soft skills" and/or "intangibles" that can end up making a candidate a fantastic hire over the long term.
Below are the ways that bringing on a veteran addresses three hiring challenges he hears about every day.
1. Prospective tech candidates do not fit the team culture
Company Feedback: The truth is that culture fit is beyond critical, especially for small to medium-sized companies. Most clients we work with will overlook some technical ability to find someone with a "go-getter" attitude that is ready to learn. In a hiring landscape dominated by more and more candidates feeling entitled due to the current demand, it's not unusual to see hiring managers pause when faced with the decision on someone who might be a detriment to the team/company culture.
Why hire a veteran: Maybe because teamwork and trainability are possibly a veteran's best attributes. Early on, those in the military learn that to become a good leader, one must be a good follower. Rising through the ranks is a rite of passage that must be earned and the same can be said in most companies. Finding a candidate who believes in these concepts will ultimately benefit the growth of the teams, its operation and overall retention rates.
2. Prospective candidates lack experience executing under pressure
Company Feedback: Let's face it: Programming environments have their moments of being high pressure; there is no way around it. Start-ups? How about every day! With the typical development team working on a two-week sprint cycle, the ability to handle deadlines calmly is as critical as the quality of code you put out. Like coaches, hiring managers love finding job seekers whom they can count on, come crunch time. Not everyone has the mental strength to execute come "crunch time" on a consistent basis. You're either clutch, or you're not.
Why hire a veteran: Veterans have become accustomed to making important decisions (sometimes life-dependent) for themselves and their team under the most intense situations. The ability to solve problems under the most unparalleled circumstances is a quality that every hiring manager can use, especially at start-ups.
Are you a veteran looking for a job? Apply to a job in D.C. or a city near you!
3. Prospective candidates are generalists: too "big picture" focused and lacking attention to detail
Company Feedback: With famed companies such as Facebook and Google constantly re-shaping the technical landscape, it is understandable that many of today's candidates can find themselves getting hyper-focused on today's "hottest new technology."
Unfortunately, for many hiring managers, that latest technology may or may not be a critical element in their current production environment. Even when it is, many candidates only understand the overarching general concepts rather than the in-depth details on the "why" and "how" the technology can be utilized in a real production environment. This inability leaves companies vulnerable to low-quality code and implementation, causing bugs, delays, and oftentimes, resentment within the team ranks.
Why hire a veteran: Officers and soldiers in the field are trained to keep an impeccable sense of detail with everything they do. From the way they dress and keep quarters, to addressing tiny logistical details on the battlefield, veterans are trained to embrace the responsibility of always being meticulous, while working towards the big picture. This is a trait that is nearly impossible to find in today's hiring market. Considering that the slightest mistake in a line of code can be the difference between a product being received well from users and the same product totally failing due to bugs or security concerns, having staff who embrace "getting lost in the details" can make all the difference.
According to Joseph Kernan, NS2 Serves Chairman and Vice Admiral (Ret.), U.S. Navy, in an article from the Business Journal, "Hiring a veteran not only provides your company with a devoted employee who has the potential to become a highly productive member of the team, but you're also giving a deserving veteran a fresh start in post-military life and a chance at a fulfilling career."
