The US tomorrow honors the contributions and sacrifices of the country’s military veterans, and several staffing providers recognize the qualities and characteristics that make veterans quality employees.

Harley Lippman, CEO founder of professional technology services firm Genesis10, called for a “surge” in the training of US military veterans to meet America’s growing need for qualified IT workers.

“It’s unconscionable that there isn’t a large-scale, coordinated effort to bring these intelligent, goal-oriented and loyal individuals into the IT field, which is literally bursting with need and opportunity,” Lippman said. “Due to a number of converging factors there is a rapidly growing demand for trained IT workers, which is continuing to outpace supply, putting pressure on the bottom lines of companies throughout the economy. At the same time, we have the human capital in the US — especially among the ranks of military veterans who are looking for good jobs.”

An August 2017 survey of 573 businesses by Express Employment Professionals found traits learned in the military are what business owners say they value most in a candidate. Owners ranked attitude and work ethic/integrity as the most important traits in a job applicant. 

“Bringing veterans into your workforce is a winning proposition for your company and communities,” said Express CEO Bob Funk. “We witness that firsthand every day at Express. You may still have to navigate unexpected or unfamiliar challenges, but our experience shows that it's well worth it.”

Randstad US cited the five most applicable skills that make veterans desirable candidates:

1. “Leadership. An attribute so fundamental to military life (it’s probably second nature) and one that encompasses a variety of desirable skills, including decisiveness, confidence, focus, accountability and commitment.
2. “Communication. Clear, direct communication is a hallmark of military life and it’s a trait that will serve you well in a number of roles. Customer service reps, in particular, are among the most sought-after professionals in virtually every industry today. Job opportunities for customer service reps will grow 10% between 2014 and 2024 — fastest average growth across all occupations.
3. “Problem-solving. Military training likely made you an expert at prioritizing resources, establishing a plan of action and efficiently arriving at outcomes. These skills are well-suited to a variety of careers, but especially logistics and supply chain management — an industry facing a growing shortage of skilled workers.
4. “Eye for detail. You can’t complete basic training without meticulous attention, and this innate skill can open doors to a variety of lucrative career paths, including engineering. Research from Randstad US identified validation engineers (i.e. those who help test the systems and equipment used in manufacturing) as one of 2017’s most in-demand positions.
5. “Team player. The ability to work collaboratively and drive outcomes with co-workers has never been as in-demand as it is today.”

Spherion Staffing’s latest WorkSphere survey found veterans’ acclimation to the modern workforce may not be as challenging as previously believed. More than four in five veterans, 86%, landed their first post-service civilian job within six months of concluding their military tenure. The data also found most of these veterans found “the right job,” with 59% remaining in their first civilian role for at least two years. The survey was conducted online in October 2017 with global market research data organization Research Now.

“More businesses recognize the diverse range of experiences and skills veterans can bring to their team, and are ramping up their efforts to recruit and onboard this growing workforce segment,” said Sandy Mazur, Spherion Division President. “While the initial successes veterans enjoy as they reenter the workforce are encouraging, business leaders and HR teams must continuously find ways to ensure that these workers can develop their skills and achieve personal and professional growth long-term.”