Business: Veterans huge assets to thoughtful Williamsburg companies

Aug. 26--WILLIAMSBURG -- Businesses in the Historic Triangle may have an invaluable resource that they are overlooking.

According to Lida Citroën, the author of "Your Next Mission: A personal branding guide for the military-to-civilian transition" and a consultant on branding strategies, the area's abundance of military veterans could be potential economic windfall.

With the economy improving, firms are beginning to loosen the hiring freezes that resulted from the recession.

"As hiring managers and recruiters across the country seek to find talent, a highly untapped and ready workforce awaits employment. Currently there are roughly 163,000 unemployed post-9/11 veterans and more than 600,000 unemployed veterans overall," Citroën said in a recent e-mail. "These individuals are the beneficiaries of more than $130 billion of investment in training, education, and skill building from the U.S. government."

She believes hiring former military personnel could be the best business decision a company can make. The reason? Citroën believes military-trained individuals bring a number of benefits to a company in a important job areas.

Like problem solving.

"The military teaches its personnel to think beyond what they can see, touch, and smell. The training veterans received in service is the ultimate in problem solving -- anticipate and prepare for anything or the consequences could be deadly. While most veterans will not face life and death problems in their next career, they are trained to think creatively and to not be deterred by obstacles," Citroën said.

Veterans are also more loyal, she said. And they understand a chain of command.

"When attrition accounts for a great deal of corporate revenue loss, and the costs to replace one employee are very high, having a workforce that is selective and then loyal is of high value. Veterans committed their lives to their former employee, risking it all and sacrificing much," she said. "They are taught that loyalty is admirable and that walking away from challenge is not an option."

Veterans have also shown they are trainable. The military has developed ways to teach highly complex, mission-oriented tasks to fairly young recruits in a remarkably short period of time. The Air Force, for instance, can turn high school graduates into radar operators and air traffic controllers in a six-week technical school.

Veterans are also highly adaptable, Citroën said.

Despite these advantages, the unemployment rate remains higher among veterans than among the general populace.

Citroën conjectures several reasons for this.

The first is that civilian hiring managers often don't understand how to read and understand a military resume.

"What does being an E-6 mean? Did a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force hold more management responsibility than a Major in the Army? What does it mean that you did Command and Control Battle Management Operations in the Air Force, and how is it relevant for the position I'm recruiting for?" All are questions a civilian personnel manager may not be able to answer without training, she said.

Citroën said that one skill veterans may lack is how to sell themselves.

"In the military culture, the focus is on mission, unit and the person next to you, not on you. Self-promotion and self-focus are unacceptable and discouraged,' she said. "Therefore, when veterans leave service, they struggle when answering questions such as, 'Tell me about a success you had that you are most proud of.' To the veteran, this would mean being disloyal. To the hiring manager, not getting an answer is frustrating and suspicious."

She said questions of how military skills translate to civilian job duties and some questions about if former military personnel will fit into the corporate culture.

"The perception that a military veteran is used to barking orders, meeting high-stress timelines, and putting feelings aside for execution on mission can deter recruiters from evaluating a veteran candidate," she said.

Business notes:

--Cushman & Wakefield -- Thalhimer reported the following recent lease transactions in the greater Williamsburg area: Total Quality Assurance International leased 16,240 square feet at Endeavor Center, 1709 Endeavor Drive. in James River Commerce Center, Williamsburg. Boost Mobile leased 1,200 square feet in James York Plaza at 601 Merrimac Trail, Williamsburg.

--Dr Stacey Hall of Williamsburg Center for Dental Health recently welcomed Emily Scott as the new office manager. Scott brings nine years of experience in the dental field and is looking forward to sharing her knowledge with the patients and staff at WCDH.

-- The Virginia General Assembly Business Development Caucus is sponsoring a business town hall Aug. 28 form 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Freight Shed at Historic Yorktown, Business will be asked to name the one law or state regulation they feel deters growth in their business, industry or area and to suggest a new law or regulation that could encourage growth.

--Marketing, advertising and brand development agency Howell Creative Group has added graphic & web designer Dreama Spence to its art department. Spence has eight years of experience in web and graphic design, working with companies such as Dollar Tree/Greenbrier International. She will be responsible for the design of Howell's print advertising, collateral and development of digital assets for the agency's clients.

--Coldwell Banker Traditions named Steve Ewell sales associate of the month, and Duke Morisset listing associate of the month as top performers for July. The company also announced that Derek Retan, Sandra Hood, Ewell, Vicki Courrier, Patricia Myers, Gerry Hassig, Bill Leary, Andrew Nelson, Lisa Langenhenning, Orrin Banner, Deb Nye and Chris Austin have earned their Cartus Network Affinity Specialist designations. This specialized training enables REALTORS® to provide real estate assistance as part of the CARTUS Broker Network, providers of corporate and residential relocation services throughout the world.

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