Employers shouldn’t paint any candidate pool with the same broad strokes and base your strategy on assumptions or incorrect perceptions. Millennials are experiencing their own challenges but employers are working really hard to attract and retain this population in their business for many good reasons. Veterans shouldn’t be any different.
Derek Weida is a veteran that does a good job of being honest and dispelling myths on social media. He calls the negative portrayal of veterans in the media “suicide porn.” While that may shock you, I couldn’t agree with him more. Insert PTSD or combat in front of that word as well and many civilians form a really bad stereotype based on what is seen in the media. Please don’t fall victim to that.
When I work with businesses in the community, the response I get on a regular basis is, “What about PTSD?” I take about five minutes to educate them with the truth and data that speaks to an accurate portrayal of that factor. As with any topic that you haven’t experienced personally or don’t’ have any firsthand knowledge about, it behooves all parties to invest in making good decisions about any candidate.
