Unemployment is one of the loneliest places for anyone to find themselves. Because of COVID, the company I had worked 20 years for was forced to downsize hundreds of people. I was lucky. I had saved an emergency fund, had a strong supportive network of family, friends, and associates. Although my past professional experience made a compelling resume, the experience of suddenly being on the outside was rough. The purpose and drive of being part of a team was gone. Even with all my resources, for a moment in time, I experienced the feeling of being left behind.
Imagine how difficult unemployment would be those who have served in the military and who are accustomed to and excel at teamwork and comradery. I think about the feeling of being “alone” and the undaunting task of a job hunt with a resume built on terms and vocabulary that does not translate to the civilian workforce – whether it be small businesses or large corporations. I can only guess how abandoned it would feel to no longer have “a role in serving the needs of your country.”
What a great opportunity we have in business to hire our veteran talent, who are hungry to jump into be part of a team with an aligned goal and purpose. A recent Salesforce poll found that “86% of employees and executives cite lack of collaboration due to ineffective communication as the main cause for project and product failures across all industries.”
