Are you looking to hire talented employees and get a competitive edge? Tapping into the underutilised talent pool of Australia’s military families (partners and young people) is something that probably hasn’t crossed your mind – but it could be the talent solution you’re looking for!
Why Hire Defence Families?
Military spouse recruiting is “the next frontier,” because corporations are realizing this untapped resource demonstrates flexibility, tenacity and resiliency. – Rachel Book, associate director of global talent attraction and diversity at AT&T via New York Post.
Within the Defence family talent pool lies a depth and breadth of skills and experience. Most importantly the same attributes that help Defence families thrive in military life are the same ones that make them great employees.
– Organised, resilient, flexible, adaptable, community-minded, resourceful and team-oriented are just some of the terms used to describe defence partners.
– Their recognised skills include organising, prioritising, problem solving, cultural awareness, networking, communication, leadership and a strong work ethic.
– Multiple relocations across a variety of states and countries has exposed Defence family members to a myriad of people, cultures and work practices from which they develop highly effective interpersonal, intercultural and communication skills in addition to their occupation specific skills.
– Defence partners work well under pressure, take on additional responsibilities and handle change and uncertainty with ease.
– Defence families are renowned for jumping right in, learning new skills quickly and getting on with the job.
Why are Defence partners often overlooked and underutilized?
Some of the unique aspects of military life create employment challenges for Defence partners. Surveys over many years report that defence partners are unemployed and underemployed at a higher rate than their civilian counterparts, despite high levels of education. Around 1/3 of partners who report having difficulties finding work said they are overqualified for the work they are doing.
Frequent relocations, family responsibilities, employer perceptions are common barriers identified by partners to finding suitable employment.
How to attract, recruit and retain Defence family talent
Now that you have realised that Defence could be the talent solution you’re looking for how do you go about attracting, recruiting and retaining them? First and foremost you want to be an employer of choice for Defence families, and secondly you want to make sure that Defence families know that you are. So how can you be an employer of choice? It’s easier than you may think – you may already have these practices in place, not realising that they are exactly what partners are looking for. All you have to do is let them know!
- Skills based hiring Resourceful Defence family members adapt their career choices to suit their circumstances but this may mean employment outside their area of training and expertise, lateral career moves, and working in jobs they are overqualified for. Sometimes it’s not always possible to find work in the current location. The result can be resumes with gaps in employment, multiple short tenured positions, and a range of different job titles. It can also mean rich and diverse skills and experience that can add value to your workplace.
- Offer flexible work practices and portable career options. Military life can be demanding – flexible work and leave options can help partners balance their work life roles and help them manage periods such as the deployment of their spouse. Internal transfers or remote work options can help you retain valuable military talent if and when their family is posted to a new location.
- Find Defence families where they are, and promote your company as Defence family friendly. Sure, Defence families search the big job boards like everyone else. But like other savvy job seekers they like to put their effort in where they can more likely expect a return on investment. Engage with the defence and veteran community in Australia and make it known that you are genuinely Defence partner friendly and promote your defence partner friendly policies and practices. Options include Defence Families of Australia, the RSL Employment Program, Defence community houses, and Veterans and Families Hubs. Highlight your ADF partner friendly policies on your website. Host networking and hiring events specifically for ADF partners.
- Partner with someone who has extensive insight and experience of the defence community, who can help you better understand ADF partners and help you build an ADF partner recruitment strategy. Book a consultation with Career Swag today