How Are Veterans Transforming Corporate Roles Beyond The Battlefield?

In an exclusive interaction with Uday Odedra, Executive Vice President (EVP) and Head of India & Philippines at Wells Fargo, he delves into the contributions of veterans in the corporate sector. He highlights how veterans, with their unique blend of discipline, strategic acumen and leadership skills, are making significant impacts in today’s dynamic business environment.

Excerpts: 

What unique skills and experience are veterans bringing to corporate sector? 

In today’s evolving corporate landscape, companies need professionals who can adapt, innovate and navigate in a high-pressure environment — qualities veterans embody and are trained in.

Veterans bring valuable skills to the table, such as discipline, strategic thinking, and problem-solving, honed through rigorous training in high-stress environments. Their ability to work in teams, communicate effectively, and understand accuracy and time-sensitivity, allow them to quickly integrate into new roles and deliver high-quality results. Their contributions are invaluable in driving innovation, creating process efficiencies, and enhancing inclusive work environments in corporates today. Veterans also have a strong code of conduct and risk sensitivity that resonates well with corporate expectations. 

What are some key responsibilities and roles that veterans are hired for within the organisation? 

Veterans are increasingly being hired today for roles that leverage their strategic thinking, leadership and technical expertise. The leadership and management abilities that they bring to the corporate, honed through military experience, often lead them to positions where they oversee teams and projects. As an example, some of their training, especially in niche spaces such as risk management, positions them well for roles focused on ensuring control and compliance.

What specific skills do veterans need to successfully transition into corporate roles, especially in the dynamic environment of GCCs? 

Indian GCCs today have evolved from traditional back-office operations to becoming critical hubs of innovation, driving global business transformation. With a focus on cutting-edge technology, talent development and process excellence, they are at the forefront of delivering value-added services and solutions that are integral to corporate strategy. Veterans bring a wealth of skills to the corporate world. This transition from military to corporate life is about translating their military skills into corporate strengths. For veterans, this is an opportunity to apply their unique abilities in a new arena, while businesses benefit from their leadership, teamwork and problem-solving skills. 

In 2024, Wells Fargo India launched the ‘Veterans Employment Transition’ programme, a cohort-based model to provide meaningful employment opportunities for veterans. This programme aims to leverage their unique skills and experience, whilst also fostering a supportive and inclusive work environment within the organisation. This is above and beyond ongoing lateral hiring efforts. Similarly, GCCs can provide comprehensive onboarding programmes that impart training on corporate culture, tools, and processes, supported by mentoring. These practices can enable veterans to transition effectively into corporate roles. 

How does the presence of veterans in the workforce contribute to Wells Fargo’s overall mission and objectives?

Increasing diverse representation is a key priority for us. Diversity makes eminent business sense as it brings in diverse perspectives and experiences and in turn allows us to better serve our clients and the communities we live and operate in. By integrating veterans into our company, we can tap into their unique skill sets, fostering innovation and operational efficiency and give back to the communities we operate in.

How can veterans prepare themselves for the corporate world?

Transitioning veterans into corporate life is a shared accountability, with the onus equally on the employers to enable their successful integration. 

Veterans transitioning from a military career to the corporate world are presented with unique challenges but also significant opportunities. To build a better understanding of the corporate landscape, veterans can research industry trends and identify companies with veteran hiring programmes that can guide them with their job search. They can leverage transferable skills such as leadership, integrity and risk management skills that are highly sought after in corporate settings. Identifying these transferable skills and highlighting them in their resume and cover letter can improve their hiring possibility.

A structured approach always works well for a job search. Veterans can start with defining their career priorities, such as preferred roles, locations and compensation, then utilise networking platforms like LinkedIn to connect with recruiters and explore job opportunities. On the organisation’s part, upskilling and reskilling veterans can be imperative for their success. Corporates can help veterans build in-demand skills and knowledge of emerging technologies, such as data science or AI. Providing relevant certifications that equip veterans is also beneficial. In parallel, corporates must help veterans navigate the corporate culture and feel included by better connecting them, supporting and celebrating their uniqueness.