5 Reasons Why You Should Hire More Veterans

"I've got plenty of work, but I can't find any good people."

Sound familiar? I bet it does, especially if you've spent any amount of time over the last several years with people who own or manage construction or maintenance companies. The shortage of journeymen and highly skilled operators goes back decades. But in recent years, just finding capable people has become increasingly difficult.

In many ways, the general labor pool is less skilled than it was 20 years ago. Back then, a fairly large percentage of the workforce knew how to operate a basic piece of machinery like a tractor or bulldozer, could stick weld — or at least braze, and could do basic engine maintenance, for example.

This isn't the case anymore, and the problem goes beyond the skills I mentioned above. It's more about a general lack of technical skills that prevents many younger workers from being able to just wing it and get the work done.

There are several factors feeding this trend, including an aging blue collar workforce and higher rates of college attendance. Unfortunately, we can't do anything about them — at least not within a timeframe that would positively impact businesses within the next decade.

So where does that leave us?

We can't change the people who make up the labor pool, but we can change where we look to fill our job openings.

I'm here to tell you that there is a subset of people in the labor pool who are head-and-shoulders above the crowd in terms of their maturity, know-how, and technical skills: military veterans.

If you're tired of striking out by hiring people with few practical skills and zero experience, try refocusing your hiring efforts on veterans — particularly those who are transitioning back into civilian life after completing their service.

Here are five reasons why veterans should be at the top of your list for construction and oilfield jobs:

Veterans have valuable skillsets that translate well to heavy industry.

The best reason to hire veterans is that they will likely have a much more developed technical skillset than the average person who comes into your office off the street.

Some examples include above-average situational awareness, how to conduct themselves around heavy equipment, and basic rigging and binding. In addition to basic skills, many veterans return to civilian life with years of experience and certifications for sought-after skills such as welding, diesel engine repair, and advanced IT applications.

In short, these folks have the skills and background to catch on quickly and make money for your company with a much shorter learning curve than someone starting from scratch.

High-risk/low-comfort environments are familiar territory.

Not everyone is cut out for muddy boots, scorching heat, bitter cold, and swarms of bugs — especially when they must be tolerated in an industrial environment where accidents can happen.

Lots of people join the workforce without knowing whether or not they can cut it, and unfortunately, business owners end up losing out when new workers realize that the environment isn't for them.

Veterans didn't have the option of giving up when they encountered bad weather and dangerous, uncomfortable settings. They just had to suck it up and go to work.

Because they had to deal with these situations, they can look at a position and make informed assumptions about the heat, cold, bugs, and other factors and determine up front if the job is worth it — without wasting their time or the company's.

They respect the chain of command and can deal with reprimands.

I realize this sounds harsh, but that doesn't mean it's wrong. Construction sites and refineries are loud, and the environments can be stressful.

Tempers can run hot, and sometimes the new hand screws up at the worst possible time and gets corrected — loudly and with much profanity. (This is known as an "ass chewing" for those of you outside of the industry.)

There are a lot of people who simply cannot handle getting chewed out. They just wilt, snap, walk off the job site. Veterans, on the other hand, know all about ass chewings.

Getting knocked back in line is a part of military life, and veterans are adept at taking a reprimand, actually processing what they did wrong, and then getting back to work without having a nervous breakdown.

Veterans understand accountability.

Accountability is what enables a person to withstand a reprimand. We all make mistakes, but it takes a certain level of emotional maturity to be the new person who screwed up and own it without blaming someone else or making excuses.

Likewise, as these folks make their way up the ladder, they understand how to hold other people accountable without being distracted by excuses and finger-pointing.

They make great teammates.

Military experience can give you a new understanding and appreciation of teamwork. For one thing, it's not voluntary.

You have to get along — or at least effectively coexist with all kinds of people for long periods of time — and how well you do this may determine whether you live or die. There isn’t much room for selfish, high-maintenance personalities who can't put other people, or the job, before themselves.

While there will always be a certain amount of conflict in any group, veterans can often look past petty grievances and focus on the mission at hand, which in turn helps others refocus as well.

Veterans are the workers you're looking for.

There's no such thing as a sure thing. But in general, a veteran can walk into a construction or industrial job with a better technical skillset and more mature mindset than most entry level workers.

Are all veterans going to be model employees? No. But odds are, your retention and production will go up if you bring more veterans into the mix.

If your company is ahead of the curve and already actively pursues and recruits veteran talent, please contact me through LinkedIn or leave a comment below. I would love to highlight your company in my next blog.