This week we recognize and show our gratitude for those who serve our country. The marketplace benefits from hiring veterans by putting their skills and results-oriented experience to work, however as with any job candidate, veterans need to be prepared to sell their abilities.
Veterans returning home often face a slow start to their job search, particularly when it comes to selling their skills to employers. This certainly is not due to a lack of ability, it’s simply that they’re struggling with the marketing themselves just as most other job seekers do. For some veterans, career development in the civilian job market can present additional challenges, because most entered the military with minimal job experience.
As a veteran, your job will be to take your military experience and sell it to an audience who might not readily understand how your abilities meet their needs. That’s why it’s crucial to “civilianize” your resume and the way you introduce yourself to hiring decision-makers. While leading troops into harm’s way is not a typical day at the office, the skills behind such assignments are valuable to employers.
Your military background produces numerous transferable skills with special focus on two competencies that employers continuously search for — leadership and team participation. Military and civilian workplaces benefit from strong leaders and committed team members.
Here are five skills the military veteran job seeker has that will be of particular interest to employers:
Adaptability: Most hiring decision-makers are attracted to candidates who can readily pick up concepts and apply them. Veterans are exposed to new concepts and application methods throughout their military careers. Think in terms of how you can demonstrate your adaptability to the employer’s needs.
Handling pressure: Employers are looking for employees who can manage stress in a fast-paced environment. The pressures faced by a constantly changing workforce produce stress, not to mention the fast turnaround today’s market demands. Use examples of how you succeeded in challenging circumstances in spite of limited resources or deadlines during your military service.
Leadership: This is a core competency that hiring decision-makers focus on, especially with management and team-leader opportunities. Most interview questions deal with leadership skills: How well you led a project or how you influenced a team to achieve goals. Your military leadership-training models planning, structure and behavior that produces results. Describing your ability to motivate teams, change direction and delegate assignments will put you in the pool of top-candidates.
Global marketplace: Businesses need a global mindset if they’re going to compete effectively. Your military experience gives you a different perspective and broadens your understanding of how businesses are globally connected.
Team participation: Candidates who work effectively as a team will generate results and share a common goal. Your military background is built on team concepts and commitment.
Anyone looking for a job needs to be able to clearly articulate their skills and demonstrate problem-solving skills and an interest in creating profitability for an employer. As a military veteran job candidate, you can focus on these five skills to develop conversations and help confirm where you would make the most impact in the business community.
I would like to hear from veterans who are in the job market and employers who are benefitting from their skills. I invite you to share your stories.
