4 Reasons You Should Hire a Wounded Warrior
I was recently introduced to an organization, the 100 Entrepreneurs Project. This group was "created to provide seriously wounded service members, veterans and their families with information and ideas for creating their own business. “ But what if not all these veterans want to be entrepreneurs, would you be willing to hire a severely disabled veteran?
Brendan Marrocco is a quadruple amputee who just received a double arm transplant at Johns Hopkins. I’m not in a position to hire anyone, and I have no idea if he even needs a job, but here’s why I would hire Brendan or other wounded warriors:
1. They demonstrate positivism in the face of adversity. When I use to get my 360 feedback, this was always on the assessment. Brendan mentioned in his interview that he’s “looking forward to doing everything I could before I got hurt.” Talk about a positive attitude.
2. They volunteer. One of the big complaints I hear about the new millennial generation is they aren’t always raising their hand to do take on tasks that aren’t in their job description. Since we don’t have a draft anymore, it’s safe to say these guys are the ultimate volunteers.
3. They work hard. My brother-in-law has lived with braces and crutches his entire life from having polio as a baby. I see first hand the extra effort it takes him to complete simple tasks we take for granted. I’ve also never seen it slow him down. He’s the hardest working guy I know. So work ethic should never be a problem.
4. They have goals. Just read through some of the case studies in the 100 Entrepreneurs Project. Seeing these veterans realize their goals is inspiring. Being results oriented is a trait that fits into many jobs in many industries. Plus as a manager, it’s helpful to have an employee that knows exactly what they want and where they want to go.
I have no doubt there are countless other reasons to hire wounded veterans, or any veteran for that matter. These are just a few that come to mind. I hope as managers and Business Owners you can see the value they bring to your company.