“Best bet, hire a vet!”

I think I have been seeing that phrase since I was a kid in the ’60s and Viet Nam veterans were coming home from the war without jobs waiting for them. Hire a veteran is more than a patriotic thing to do. There is real benefit to employers due to the training, skills and experiences military veterans bring to the workplace.

Common traits and skills of our veterans include being goal-oriented and self-disciplined, being good team-builders and good communicators. Veterans are accustomed to working in diverse environments and remaining cool under pressure. They can take direction and clearly give it, too.

When you are reviewing applicants or conducting interviews, do not overlook someone with military experience, even if they don’t have the specific job experience you might have preferred. Ask questions about what leadership training the candidate had. Were they a team or squad leader? Did they attend formal leadership classes? What leadership responsibilities did they have? Ask about the leadership philosophy of the particular military branch they were in. How does it translate to corporate America? Ask how they earned any promotions that might be on their resume. Explore how their military experience can help your organization. What lessons did they learn about conflict management? How do they remain true to a goal? How did teamwork help them succeed?

As a former Army Mom, I know firsthand what strengths a veteran has. I hope you will give a military veteran the chance to succeed in civilian employment. You will be richly rewarded for it.

And…if you have any veterans on your team, quietly thank them for their service. The veterans I know feel uncomfortable with public recognition, but a heartfelt acknowledgement on Veterans Day (November 11) would be appropriate.

For additional reading on this topic, click the links below.

Hire A VetVeterans Bring Technical and Leadership Skills To Fill Employers’ Needs by Barbara Frankel on BestPractices.DiversityInc.com

Why Hire A Veteran on HireHeroesUSA.org

5 Reasons Leaders Hire Veterans by Meghan M. Biro for Forbes.