INDUSTRY IS FROM MARS - MILITARY IS FROM VENUS

Last week I had a conversation with a leader from a large corporation about talent acquisition.  As he explained the hiring process for his company, he noted that a critical interview event was established to examine the business experience of the candidate. While describing the exercise, he began to ponder how it might be modified to probe the aptitude of someone from a military background.

The conversation highlighted the communication challenges, which stand between a veteran and a potential employer.

Although many companies recognise the exceptional general skills and values which are developed through military life (e.g. leadership, integrity, discipline, loyalty, teamwork or decision making), it is much harder for HR departments and executives to understand how veterans have gained specific skills which might serve a corporate team (e.g. project management, assessing risk, strategic thinking, dealing with crises, coaching and mentoring, product acquisition, logistics, training delivery or international engagement).

Meanwhile, whilst the majority of Service leavers know that they have transferrable skills, which could benefit a broad spectrum of civilian organisations, recognising how/when/where to explain military experience is a significant conundrum. For the job application process, this factor risks many veterans being discounted at the earliest stages. Even if they are successful in securing an interview, without formal qualifications or industry credentials, and given the constraints of the Official Secrets Act, it is hard for them to explain every detail of their military career or the skill sets that have been accumulated along the way. This is particularly true if they hope to begin a completely new vocation in an unfamiliar sector.

If that wasn’t enough, cultural differences can exacerbate the problem.  In our formative years, Service personnel are programmed in two ways that might impede our future self-promotion in a competitive jobs market: we learn the importance of humility and; we begin to use a professional lexicon full of technical jargon, slang and acronyms.  Consequently, as we depart the military and begin to engage with potential new employers, veterans can find it difficult to sell ourselves using plain English.  

For recruitment, because most people have never encountered military life, their perception of it is likely to be shaped by what they have seen in the media or in movies.  Even if potential employers know someone who has served, they are still at risk of unconscious bias about how veterans might behave.  Whilst the military professions might seem mysterious or exciting, military people can be portrayed (and therefore perceived) as being pushy, dogmatic, hierarchical, stuffy or unpredictable.  Even if we disregard this possibility, most citizens find it hard to envisage the activities and functions of the military workplace.

To borrow a metaphor: Industry is from Mars and the Military is from Venus.

Although the prospect of launching towards an unfamiliar world may perturb even the most gallant veteran, they should take confidence in the knowledge that their military service has equipped them with two enviable characteristics that will help them as they embark on their journey - humility and resilience.

Like many veterans, I served my ‘tactical apprenticeship’ in a combat arm.  Following initial training, I spent my formative years in the Royal Air Force flying fast jets. For the best part of a decade I learnt a plethora of technical skills which, ultimately, I employed in combat. Subsequently, following my selection as a flying instructor, I was privileged to impart my technical knowledge to mentor young pilots who would follow a similar path to mine, in their quest to earn the coveted Pilot Brevet.

Like most young military operators, those first years were the most exciting period of my time in service. I was at the top of my game and was beginning to feel comfortable with the vast complexities of my profession. When people asked me what I did, the answer was easy – I was a pilot. However, I was about to receive a rude awakening. Having been selected for promotion, I was informed that my first assignment in the next rank would not be in a cockpit. Instead, my career manager called me to tell me that I was to “deploy to Afghanistan to join CJ35 at HQ ISAF”.

As I put the phone down that day, I remember thinking that I had no idea what that jumble of letters and numbers meant. More importantly I had no clue what the role involved. My trepidation was confirmed a few weeks later when I arrived at the Headquarters of the International Security Assistance Force (HQ ISAF) in Kabul. During the 3-day hand over with my predecessor, I was bombarded with countless new names, places, terms and acronyms. By the end of it, I felt like I had been drinking from a fire hose. Meanwhile, my new boss regarded me dubiously – he confessed sometime later that he had no idea how he might employ this inexperienced new guy.

Whilst my new working environment was quite alien to any I had encountered before, my previous experience had taught me how to adapt quickly. The military culture mentioned above was partially responsible for my success. Like anyone who has served, I had learned (sometimes the hard way) the subtle art of keeping my mouth closed and my ears open.

Through listening, observing and reflecting I began to understand my new surroundings. I learnt quickly and got to work. Within a month I was an integral part of the CJ35 team (military code for International Combined Arms Short-Term Planning). By the end of my 4-month tour I had designed and negotiated several critical projects, which included: improving airborne medical evacuation across Afghanistan; introducing operational collaboration between NATO and Afghan helicopter units; and the prioritisation of strike aircraft supporting combat operations. None of these initiatives had involved flying aeroplanes but all them had relied on my prior professional experience. More importantly, in a very short period, my resilience had allowed me to develop sharp new skills in project management, communication, operational planning and influence.

I’ll bet that almost every veteran has a similar story to mine. At those times when they have been thrown in at the deep end, the humility and resilience that is endemic in the military mean that most Service people will not sink – they will swim, quickly. This key characteristic should provide confidence both to businesses and to veterans as they engage in recruitment activities. 

As I have begun to consider where I want to ‘land’ in 4 months’ time, I have been encouraged to learn that the major forces effecting Mars and Venus are very similar - they are just defined by different languages. 

Corporations and militaries have a great deal in common. To name just a few: they are driven by competition, they have large and increasingly diverse workforces, they must evolve continually, they must deal with risk, they require shrewd decision making, they rely on deft communication, they must nurture healthy cultures, and they need leadership.

As the World enters an exciting Fourth Industrial Revolution, I encourage veterans to recognise that the emerging challenges within the private sector mean that the skills and values they have gained in the military are in great demand. Thus, if they are able to translate their Service to show how they might adapt specific personal competencies to contribute to a corporate team - without scaring anyone - then the range of potential employment possibilities is huge.

Meanwhile, I urge business leaders to consider that, if their recruitment teams are unable to recognise ‘unfamiliar’ experience on veterans’ résumés, then they are at risk of missing out on a rich seam of talent. From day one in training, military personnel are programmed to listen, to question and to learn. As a result, they tend to be self-starters who develop at pace. Whilst industrial selection processes might not allow them to demonstrate vast business experience, if employers find ways to explore their humility and resilience during interview stages it is likely that they will unearth exceptional capabilities. Moreover, if they are given a little time to learn, veterans’ skill sets have the potential to return very high values to corporate teams.

Almost any Venusian is able to learn the language of Mars. If they are given the opportunity to do so, then they can make a significant contribution in their new world.

#veterans #military #transition #careers #vetforce #opportunity #development

© All text belongs to - Andrew J Wright - Translating Service