A young military veteran walks into a job interview for an
What the interviewer doesn't realize is that he would have been
This is an all-too-common scenario for veterans
"There's this myopic view of what we've been prepared for, what we could assume from a responsibility standpoint, what the skill set transfers would be, and so forth," says Jim Rowley, a Marine Corps veteran and CEO of gym franchise Crunch Fitness. "What struck me when I departed the Marine Corps was that the transition was really focused on becoming a highway patrol officer, becoming a local sheriff, working in the prison system, working for the U.S. Postal Service — and I thought, the Marine Corps had to have prepared us for much more than that."
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Rowley left the Marine Corps 30 years ago, and though more programs exist now to prepare veterans for life after the military, many of the challenges he saw then are still present. When he first started job hunting, he applied for a rookie salesperson position at a different gym company, and had to fight to get an interview. The leadership there didn't think he had the necessary skill set, he says. He called in a favor, ended up getting the job, and over the next 15 years took on numerous roles before eventually becoming president of U.S. operations.
"There's so much more breadth to what you learned in terms of leadership, courage, responsibility, mission, assessment, strategy, tactical planning, communication and showing up when others won't," he says. "Those skill sets directly transfer to your ability to lead teams, whether that's in sales or operations or mechanics or whatever it might be."
Rowley drew on all of these skills, becoming a serial entrepreneur in the fitness industry and acquiring Crunch Fitness in 2009. Today, the franchise has just under 500 locations and close to 3 million members worldwide. Some of the main values of the company are promoting job opportunities for military veterans and providing an inclusive atmosphere where all people, including current and former military members, are embraced. Crunch Fitness also works with numerous programs dedicated to helping the transition from military life.
"We work with several agencies, some of which take active duty military and, before they actually transition out, have a period of time for job training specific to a personal trainer or sales person, and then we have automatic job placement for them upon their departure from active duty," he says. "Also, anytime we're looking for team members, we always try to call out veterans. On the franchise side, we have a discount to become a franchisee if you're a veteran as well."
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Barriers to veteran employment exist on many levels, but when hiring managers take the time to assess the background and skills that may not always appear on a resume, the results can be good for business. Companies can also connect with resources and organizations that help them with this process, such as the
For a recruiter or other decision maker who sees a military job description on someone's resume, one of the easiest ways to open communication is to start asking questions, Rowley says.
"If you're a hiring manager, I wouldn't wait for the veteran to explain it, and maybe they're explaining it in a way that you don't understand," he says. "Learn to lean in to these people and learn to appreciate what was beyond their role. Ask questions about their roles — how did they participate as a team member? Were there circumstances where they were under great stress? How did they persevere? How do they look at tactical readiness? How do they look at strategy? These are terms we use in the business world that are also in the military world."
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Employers can also establish themselves as a great place for veterans by creating workplaces with well-rounded health benefits, accommodations for employees with disabilities, military and veteran-based employee resources groups and mentorship programs. It all adds up to an employee investment with a very high return, says Rowley.
"[Veterans'] commitment, our passion, our focus, our intensity, our drive, our determination — all of those things, utilized properly, will elevate your company and elevate the teams [within it]." he says.
