i3 - September/October 2018 - 48

Business

By Jennifer Taylor

CT R E P O RTS

Veterans Are a Great Talent
Source for Tech Industry

WWTR had a profound impact on how I
view veterans and was my first time
spending quality, personal time with
Vietnam, Gulf War and post-September
11th vets. I listened to Marines talk
about their missions in Iraq and
Afghanistan. One Marine told me how
his platoon fought insurgents for control
of the city of Ramadi - one of the most
dangerous places during Operation
Enduring Freedom.
I learned about the many roles and
skills that our service members hold:
strategic planning, logistics, IT, telecommunications, contingency-planning, riskmanagement, discipline, team-building,
leadership and character-building.
Despite their skills and loyalty, it surprised me how difficult it is for veterans
to find quality jobs after leaving the service. Some said it was hard to translate
military experience into skills for civilian
jobs. Others noted a communication gap
between veterans and hiring managers
who don't understand their titles and
military experience.
According to the "Military, Veterans, and
Society Program," the Civil-Military Divide
- a growing gap between the public and
those who serve in the military - negatively impacts veteran hiring and retention.
While veteran unemployment is at a record
low of four percent, 200,000 service members transition out of the military each year
and look for civilian employment.

They also have subject-matter expertise
specific to their military training.
Veterans are loyal to the organizations
they work for and are respectful of management and co-workers. These soft skills
are in high demand among employers,
especially in the tech industry, where
technical skills can be taught on the job.
In fact, employers often say it's harder to
teach soft skills over technical skills.
Last year, my team at CTA interviewed
a veteran Army sergeant who was an
"artillery crew member." I was looking for
a strong writer and project manager, not
necessarily someone who managed and
transported weapons. I took the time to
carefully read his resume.

I asked questions and listened carefully to see if his skills were transferrable. I discovered he was a problem
solver, a project manager, an excellent
writer and a strong communicator. We
offered him a position, but if I had
stopped the interview at the word
"artillery," we would have denied ourselves the opportunity to work with a
talented individual.
Employers need skilled workers.
Veterans are an excellent source of talent and can be reached in many ways,
including USTechVets - a hiring platform that connects tech companies
with more than one million veteran
resumes and provides employers with
military-specific hiring tools and tips
to help bridge the communication gap.
When looking at veteran resumes, look
beyond the military title. Ask questions.
Don't be intimidated by unfamiliar military lingo. And listen to the candidate's
stories, understanding how to translate
that experience into skills for the job.

Traffic_Analyzer/Getty Images

wo years ago, I attended the Team Fastrax Warrior
Weekend to Remember (WWTR) in Ohio, an event honoring combat-injured warriors (Purple Heart recipients)
and Gold Star families. It's a three-day weekend for veterans to
participate in enriching and fun activities, offering new friendships and emotional healing.

A Rich Talent Pool

Veterans have strong leadership, teambuilding skills, character and discipline.
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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018

I T I S I N N O VAT I O N

i3 - September/October 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of i3 - September/October 2018