Employers are increasingly looking for veterans to fill available positions in their companies. This group of Americans represents a massive pool of workers highly suitable for a wide range of industries—especially the construction industry. There are currently more than 20 million veterans in the United States, and these valued individuals are being sought after for their work ethic and ability to handle stress in tough situations. Many top companies actively recruit former military personnel due to their unique set of skills and training they received while in the service.

Companies understand that working in the military provides access to unique training in real life situations that is not typically available in the private sector world. Companies also are seeking out veterans as a patriotic commitment to those who served this country.

Integrity in Every Situation

Veterans have been instilled with the highest moral and ethical code. Whether in the field and on the base, veterans are used to consistently perform according to the unwavering code of the armed forces. They understand that there is no room for cheating or shortcuts, especially when lives are on the line. Each person relies on the others to hold up their part of the job in an upstanding and honest manner.

It’s this kind of dedication to integrity in every situation that carries over into civilian life and work. It’s this commitment to doing the right thing, even when alone, that companies prize when seeking job candidates to fill important positions back home.

David Bell, CEO of USA Mobile Drug Testing, shares his experience in hiring veterans:

“Integrity means always doing the right thing, even when you don’t think anyone is looking. Veterans live this mindset, which is why we seek them whenever we have the option. In our industry, integrity is critical because reputations, companies, and even lives are on the line. We need to be certain that our employees maintain the highest level of integrity to properly conduct drug tests, record accurate results and report any issues.”

Focus On the Details

Veterans have had the training and real-world experience to notice seemingly minor details. When military personnel arrives on a scene, they have to quickly scope out complex situations and identify subtle details to determine their next move. This level of intense focus is rarely found in job candidates without a military background.

Michael Angstadt, CEO of Flagship Fire, shares why attention to detail is an essential trait in his employees:

“The level of attention to detail an employee puts into their work on a special hazard fire suppression system is of vital importance. For example, accidentally triggering a system could cost thousands of dollars in wasted suppression agent, but failing to properly install, configure and test a system can result in a massive loss, both in terms of human lives and financial losses. This makes attention to detail one of the most important traits in an employee in the fire suppression industry.”

Leadership is About Influence

Leadership is a trait that’s developed early in the military because lives depend on it. This is because poor or ineffective leadership results in failed missions, lost battles and death. Veterans understand the critical importance of this trait better than most because it is literally a matter of life or death.

But leadership is about more than just barking orders. True leadership is about influencing those under command. This requires not only the ability to lead but also the willingness to be held to a higher standard, serving as an example for junior employees.

Jack Olmstead of Tri-City Electrical Contractors, Inc., discusses the importance of leadership on the jobsite:

“We work large commercial projects that require multiple electricians to get the job done, so someone on the jobsite needs to take charge. The idea of leading others can be overwhelming for some, but for veterans, it is just another day. They know that they have an important mission to accomplish and a deadline to meet, so they lead from the front to get the job done.”

Adapt, Improvise and Overcome

The ability to adapt, improvise and overcome has been ingrained in service men and women. On average, veterans don’t tend to fall apart or lose focus when things go awry. Veterans work just as well under pressure as they do when things are going smoothly. They’re used to excelling in quickly changing circumstances in less-than-ideal situations. This is a highly valued quality in any individual, but especially in business.

Marine Corps Veteran and Spartan Media Founder Jeremy Knauff says:

"Business today is complicated and fast-moving, so we need employees who can make good decisions quickly. That skill is taught and reinforced in the military on a daily basis. In the Marine Corps, it's common to have young people fresh out of high school making life and death decisions who are responsible for millions of dollars of equipment. They take on larger leadership roles, and they do so far sooner than their civilian counterparts. That experience is incredibly valuable to employers."

The Next Mission

Veterans are always answering the call of duty, even once they get back home. Their next mission is to serve in job positions in essential industries such as the construction industry. There’s no better place to put to use the skills and capabilities that veterans learned while serving in the armed forces.

Having served in the military puts veterans a step above most other employees, in terms of specialized knowledge, integrity, the ability to quickly adapt and commitment to the team. There are abundant, promising career opportunities for veterans, and companies are eagerly seeking this gem of a workforce.