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Here's a new version of an article we originally ran March 28. Readers have reminded us that Memorial Day is a time to honor the memory of those who have died in the service of the country. We think, nevertheless, that it's also a good time to think of the needs of the service members who have returned to civilian life.
What if I told you there was a group of 21.8 million devoted, collaborative, hardworking and enthusiastic individuals seeking employment in the United States?
Would you be interested in attracting this group to your company?
Throughout my career, I've come to learn that military veterans possess the characteristics of superstar associates in the making. They're intelligent, willing to put in the work, have an entrepreneurial spirit and a strong sense of purpose, and they understand the importance of collaboration and teamwork.
All of these features are essential to a successful career in the financial services industry, which is why attracting and training former members of the military can really pay dividends.
With the veteran unemployment rate at 4%, the financial services industry has a great opportunity to round out their talent pools with these distinctively qualified individuals, and is uniquely poised to support this demographic.
At my company, Penn Mutual, we've deeply woven veteran recruiting into the fabric of our hiring strategy, yielding great success. Here's how the industry at large can do that, too.
1. Engage veteran advocacy groups.
Thousands of extremely valuable advocacy groups exist across the U.S. that work to elevate the veteran community.
Since 2016, we've supported a particular group right in our backyard called the Travis Manion Foundation, an organization dedicated to helping veterans transition back into civilian life. Considering the foundation has nothing to do with financial services, our participation arose simply from wanting to get involved and help out.
After years of dedicating our time, resources and passion for their cause, we found ourselves with the opportunity to meet and engage this community of individuals, many of which were perfect for a career in our field.
