One of the main complaints of military veterans is that it's difficult to get used to civilian life after a highly regimented life in the military. While the United States has one of the biggest militaries in the world, companies that actively hire military veterans are relatively rare; however, this is about to change.
Starbucks has announced it is set to recruit thousands of veterans over the next five years, along with their spouses. The company believes that the veteran pool is sorely underutilized considering the many skills that soldiers gain from serving in the military. These include creating supply chains, managing logistics under difficult conditions, and reaching out to people. These are skills that are sought after by hundreds of HR departments.
While Starbucks obviously has baristas by the tens of thousands—it has around 200,000 employees worldwide—it needs drivers to get its coffee and snacks to the right locations, people who can manage supply chains that may be compromised by severe conditions, and staff members who can manage disasters caused by tornadoes, hurricanes, and even floods. That's where its policy to hire military veterans comes in.
A policy to hire military vets makes a lot of sense now that the US military trains soldiers in a wide range of skills rather than treating them as mobile gun platforms. Given the array of advanced technology available on the battlefield, soldiers who can use that technology stand a better chance of surviving than those who do not have access to it or cannot use it. All of this tech requires maintenance and upkeep, so soldiers develop skills as technicians and operators.
This ensures that soldiers acquire a huge battery of skills that are relevant to civilian life, and companies that hire military veterans often find themselves with a pool of highly talented people who react well under the relatively mild pressures of the retail or business environment. Because this pool is so severely underutilized, military vet jobs often pay no better than their civilian equivalents.
Starbucks aims to change this by matching veterans with specific jobs that take into account their skills. Sergeants might be set to leading small teams; specialists may be used to communicate with growers and buyers around the world; and quartermasters might be used to manage stock and ensure that each area has appropriate supplies no matter what. At least one Chicago-based company has gone even further and only hires military vets.
With the US military set to contract by 30 percent over the next four years, military vet jobs may become hard to come by. Companies that hire military veterans, however, should see an influx of highly skilled workers who can handle almost anything. It's worth following the example set by Starbucks and considering how military vets' skills can work for you. When you hire military veterans, ensure that each applicant's résumé lists all applicable skills, and consider the parallels those skills have in your working environment.
(Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net)
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