A recent survey indicates 81% of organizations are encountering a shortage of skilled tech workers. This could be connected to the recent wave of Silicon Valley layoffs, but it’s more likely due to a narrow view of where to source this talent. Regardless of skill, tech workers are still in high demand outside of the tech industry. Luckily, organizations have the chance to tap into some serious potential: hiring veterans.
As a whole, veterans possess a plethora of experience and familiarity with systemic designations of responsibility and procedure gleaned from years of military service. These seasoned professionals are comfortable with team-based projects and accustomed to highly structured environments employed across the entirety of the team. These capabilities allow them to easily adjust to any integrated information processes required to build complex code structures, network management, and data security architecture.
Ahead, we will discuss the role of mid-career changers in developing a highly skilled technical workforce and dive into the numerous and specific benefits of recruiting veterans for tech roles.
How Hiring Veterans Improves a Tech Company’s Culture and Productivity
In addition to skill advantages, veteran hires have the potential to shape and strengthen company culture. Veterans understand leadership structures and goal oriented-projects and confidently strive towards completing objectives and achieving expectations. This mission-based mindset also allows them to assess which people are most suited to which projects and how to reach desired outcomes without wasting resources or exceeding the allotted time.
An excellent example is Anthony, who enlisted in the Marine Corps after graduating high school and served four years as a scout team leader. After his discharge, he turned his talents and drive toward a new cause: creating, managing, and developing websites with his friends. He decided to further his growing tech career by pursuing web development education through LaunchCode, establishing himself as an indispensable member of Booz Allen Hamilton’s data engineering team. His unique skill set and drive have become his team’s new success.
What Resources and Support Systems Do Veterans Need?
Tech workers like Anthony hail from a unique, skilled background and are best served by helping them transition into new roles smoothly. In addition to existing VA resources, companies should look to other case studies of veteran success in the civilian world after completing their service. These stories may help to provide representation and encourage veterans who may be anxious about reintegrating into civilian life.
Smart companies should seize any available opportunities to speak with newly or soon-to-be discharged service members in order to match them with job opportunities most suited to their skill sets. Proactively providing this outreach helps reduce the anxiety service members may experience while transitioning from the all-encompassing nature of military service.
Recruiters within the industry can help provide military members with job-seeking, resume-writing, and other employment resources. They can even help put together their application materials with a particular emphasis on how to highlight the relevance of their military service to the jobs they’re applying for.
Using an informational interview during the transition process will also be an effective tool in helping veterans acclimate to the stark differences between military and civilian life. Some veterans expect and desire a highly structured environment matching their military experiences, while others want the opposite. By meeting early and often with potential employers, veterans can find a fit that appeals to them and matches their ideal work atmosphere.
3 Strategies for Onboarding Veterans into the Tech Industry
1. Learn from past examples.
To successfully hire veterans, companies should examine their previous experiences with veteran employees. It is essential to evaluate which qualities and skills exhibited by those hires align with the desired attributes for the role. Studying various examples from different sectors, both positive and negative, and actually talking to those employees and asking questions will lead to valuable insights. This analysis enables a better understanding of an applicant’s potential success in a given role, helping organizations make the best hiring matches for both parties.
2. Engage with veterans and veteran organizations.
Utilize professional networks to connect with veteran groups in the local area. Meeting with veterans directly within these networks helps alleviate their concerns and provides organizations with firsthand experiences and relationships that can inform their hiring decisions. This engagement also helps reduce any fears or stigmas associated with transitioning from military life to civilian employment.
3. Get immersed in the veteran community.
By spending time within the veteran community or conducting thorough research on the post-discharge transition process, organizations gain a greater understanding of the ways they can support veteran hires. Veterans themselves possess a wealth of experience and serve as a valuable resource in working with other veterans. They can assist them through the transition and identify qualified candidates for relevant positions. Their understanding of military life’s unique language and intricacies is an especially useful asset in this process.
Hiring veterans in tech industry offers numerous benefits that will positively impact a company’s culture and performance. Veterans bring valuable experience, leadership skills, and a mission-oriented mindset that allows them to excel in tech roles. Their familiarity with structured environments and ability to work in teams make them adaptable to the demands of complex coding, network management, and data security architecture. By recognizing the potential and tapping into the skills of veterans, the tech industry can address the shortage of skilled workers while benefiting from the unique perspectives and experiences veterans bring to the table.
Julio Govreau is the former vice president of people operations at LaunchCode. In his spare time, he likes to run races, from 10Ks to full marathons. Julio served in the Marine Corps after graduating from high school.