Just Don't Lie to Me: An Ode to HR from Veterans

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Just don’t lie to me…a feeling from veterans seeking to transform to civilian life.

It is simple. We all want to hear honest, empathetic, realistic feedback in whatever we do. It is even more important to a transforming service member who is leaving the comfort of the military environment and transitioning to the unknown; the civilian world.

These things are important to me:

If I am not qualified, tell me, but let me know how/where I can get the training I need to get this job. I am used to people teaching, coaching, and training me to be better. I may be too nervous to ask these questions, or overly respectful, but let me know how to improve myself.

If you think I am overqualified, think of it this way…there is no such thing…I am just looking for a chance. I am willing to start at the bottom and prove myself.

If my personality does not fit in your team, let me know what makes you cringe – I want to get better, but I can’t fix what I don’t know or understand.

I know you may be worried that I have PTSD and may be crude, rude, or unacceptable…please don’t judge me by what you have read, seen on TV, or in the movies. Our life is not M*A*S*H, Top Gun, or Rambo; we did hard things in challenging places, but remember…we volunteered, learned unforgettable lessons, and want to transform into a civilian world.

Don’t tell me you will reach out to me and ghost me. My time, like yours, is very valuable to me. I have hopes and dreams, and we have to keep moving forward.

There are over 45000 Veteran Service Organizations, each major corporation has a military liaison or hiring manager, and everyone portrays themselves as keen on hiring Veterans…yet there are still considerable gaps in employment after leaving the military.

The military transformation is a personal road for each service member, but they all have something in common; they are all trainable, will show up to work on time, are self-starters with tons of initiative, and are leaders – regardless of what rank they leave the service.

If you are looking for people to come back to the office and do the heavy lifting, HIRE A VETERAN.

Thanks for listening, helping, and mentoring us.