Command Sgt. Maj. Willie Clemmons, U.S. Army Recruiting Command Sgt. Major
Recruiting During Times of Change and Uncertainty
Command Sgt. Maj. Willie Clemons
U.S. Army Recruiting Command Sgt. Major
Oct. 21, 2015
Today’s recruiting environment is changing.
With the Army’s end strength drawing down, the operational force’s continuing high operational tempo, and an improving economy, finding the right balance between volume and quality prospects is difficult.
As I visit recruiting stations worldwide, recruiters often ask, “What do you recommend in terms of best practices, tactics, techniques, and procedures for sustained mission success?”
My reply is, “Stick to the basics.” There are things you cannot control, but adhering to the basic principles of recruiting will keep you focused in quality markets and ensure mission achievement.
With the Army’s end strength drawing down, the Army needs fewer Soldiers overall. However, it still requires high quality new Soldiers capable of keeping up with the ever changing and increasing technology in our equipment and systems. The Army always needs Soldiers who can perform a myriad of tasks.
Where are these prospects? The same places they have always been. Stick with the tried and true methods of making contacts, developing leads, building rapport, maximizing Centers of Influence, and focusing on how the Army can meet an individual’s needs and goals.
Pay attention to where other services are gaining market share. If the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps are getting recruits from certain areas and we are not, we need to find out why. The propensity to serve obviously exists and the Army is missing out.
Finding these types of areas through market analysis down to zip code level may be a quick and effective approach leading to success. In difficult areas, where all services are struggling to find viable prospects and meet mission, we must use a more thorough approach to market analysis.
Remember, there are six basic motivations for joining the military: economics, training, education, adventure, patriotism, and family tradition.
Let us examine each in term of today's environment.
Economics - While our national economy is improving, there remain many young adults graduating high school and college who are having difficulty finding work or are unsure of what they want to do professionally.
We have to pay attention to where the economy is improving – is it in low wage jobs or career-enhancing opportunities? The Army provides a means to an end for individuals seeking to raise their station in life.
We still have a lot to offer young adults even during this time of an improving economy. It comes down to identifying those personal needs and goals and demonstrating how the Army can help reach them. An improving economy in the macro sense does not equate to an improved economy at the individual level.
Training - The Army is the second-largest employer in the country second to Wal-Mart:(http://undertheradar.military.com/2015/08/7-surprising-facts-you-probably-dont-know-about-the-us-army/?ESRC=todayinmil.sm)
With a work force this large, there is a high turnover of Soldiers entering and leaving service annually. Very few stay to reach retirement. We need Soldiers trained across every professional skill set found in the civilian work force.
I know I am preaching to the choir, but we cannot underestimate the value of this skill training to potential prospects. Many of our technical military occupational specialty training schools now award civilian professional certifications, particularly in the medical and communications fields.
Aside from technical job skill training, the Army continues to be one of the most respected professions due to our work ethic, values, and team-oriented nature. These intangible skills will always be in high demand in the civilian workforce - it is very hard to replicate what we do in terms of character and leader development in a civilian organization.
Education - Few organizations can compete, on a large scale, with the Army in terms of providing education benefits to employees.
Whether a Soldier uses G.I. Bill benefits during service or afterwards, this is hard to compete with anywhere else. Considering tuition Assistance, MOS skill training, the noncommissioned officer education system, even officer-producing programs, such as, Green to Gold and Officer Candidate School, the Army ranks far above other employers in assisting Soldiers to achieve their educational goals.
In similar fashion, the cost of a college education continues to rise. Most students rely on their parents, student loans and grants, or scholarships to complete their degree. There is much discussion today about the increasing level of debt incurred by the average college student upon graduation.
This, combined with difficulty finding employment at graduation, creates an environment where the Army can assist. Newly graduated college students enlisting for the College Loan Repayment Program, can solve educational debt issues with one term of enlistment. Not all college graduates qualify or desire to be commissioned officers. College campuses are prime recruiting sources for quality prospects.
Adventure – Many prospects are motivated to join the Army to be a real-life version of G.I. Joe and G.I. Jane. Whether one plays Soldier with neighborhood friends as a child or is an avid extreme sports participant, the sense of adventure offered from joining the Army is something an improved economy cannot offer.
Nor does the reduction in force negate the need for Soldiers with special qualifications. In fact, in today's operational environment, Special Operations Soldiers, Rangers, Airborne, Air Assault, Mountain Warfare, and Combat Arms specialists are in high demand.
Additionally, the sense of adventure gained by traveling the world, regardless of MOS, appeals to many young adults leaving home or college for the first time.
Patriotism – What I have found from talking with veterans and young Soldiers who enlisted after 9/11 is, it was a sense of patriotism that led to their enlistment. History proves that Americans are proud to be Americans and unite when faced with an outside threat. Additionally, there are many who desire to make a difference in the world.
The Army is a way for them to contribute to something bigger than themselves and represent our country in a positive way. This may be through humanitarian missions or through other missions in support of our national interests.
Family Tradition - Finally, we continue to have many Soldiers who are second, third, even fourth generation Soldiers. Regardless the branch of service their family member served, there is normally a greater propensity to serve when a family member has or is currently serving.
Building relationships with veteran organizations, local reserve component organizations, and other recruiters in and around military installations is beneficial.
Successful recruiting comes from a sincere sense of purpose, mission dedication, and building relationships. When building relationships with prospects, high school guidance counselors, pastors, parents, and other family members, telling your personal Army story can be the determining factor that leads to someone's decision to join the Army.
In my experience, people are smart. They may have street-smart instincts or very acute technical intellect. Regardless, they size you up in an instant, deciding if you are sincere in what you are saying and whether or not you can be trusted.
If you believe in yourself, our Army and our profession, they will hear your message and we will continue to fill our ranks with the best and brightest of America's youth.
In closing, if you stick to the basics of recruiting taught in the Recruiting and Retention School, tell your own Army story, and build relationships throughout your community, you will be successful.
Command Sgt. Maj. Willie Clemons
U.S. Army Recruiting Command Sgt. Major
Oct. 21, 2015
Today’s recruiting environment is changing.
With the Army’s end strength drawing down, the operational force’s continuing high operational tempo, and an improving economy, finding the right balance between volume and quality prospects is difficult.
As I visit recruiting stations worldwide, recruiters often ask, “What do you recommend in terms of best practices, tactics, techniques, and procedures for sustained mission success?”
My reply is, “Stick to the basics.” There are things you cannot control, but adhering to the basic principles of recruiting will keep you focused in quality markets and ensure mission achievement.
With the Army’s end strength drawing down, the Army needs fewer Soldiers overall. However, it still requires high quality new Soldiers capable of keeping up with the ever changing and increasing technology in our equipment and systems. The Army always needs Soldiers who can perform a myriad of tasks.
Where are these prospects? The same places they have always been. Stick with the tried and true methods of making contacts, developing leads, building rapport, maximizing Centers of Influence, and focusing on how the Army can meet an individual’s needs and goals.
Pay attention to where other services are gaining market share. If the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps are getting recruits from certain areas and we are not, we need to find out why. The propensity to serve obviously exists and the Army is missing out.
Finding these types of areas through market analysis down to zip code level may be a quick and effective approach leading to success. In difficult areas, where all services are struggling to find viable prospects and meet mission, we must use a more thorough approach to market analysis.
Remember, there are six basic motivations for joining the military: economics, training, education, adventure, patriotism, and family tradition.
Let us examine each in term of today's environment.
Economics - While our national economy is improving, there remain many young adults graduating high school and college who are having difficulty finding work or are unsure of what they want to do professionally.
We have to pay attention to where the economy is improving – is it in low wage jobs or career-enhancing opportunities? The Army provides a means to an end for individuals seeking to raise their station in life.
We still have a lot to offer young adults even during this time of an improving economy. It comes down to identifying those personal needs and goals and demonstrating how the Army can help reach them. An improving economy in the macro sense does not equate to an improved economy at the individual level.
Training - The Army is the second-largest employer in the country second to Wal-Mart:(http://undertheradar.military.com/2015/08/7-surprising-facts-you-probably-dont-know-about-the-us-army/?ESRC=todayinmil.sm)
With a work force this large, there is a high turnover of Soldiers entering and leaving service annually. Very few stay to reach retirement. We need Soldiers trained across every professional skill set found in the civilian work force.
I know I am preaching to the choir, but we cannot underestimate the value of this skill training to potential prospects. Many of our technical military occupational specialty training schools now award civilian professional certifications, particularly in the medical and communications fields.
Aside from technical job skill training, the Army continues to be one of the most respected professions due to our work ethic, values, and team-oriented nature. These intangible skills will always be in high demand in the civilian workforce - it is very hard to replicate what we do in terms of character and leader development in a civilian organization.
Education - Few organizations can compete, on a large scale, with the Army in terms of providing education benefits to employees.
Whether a Soldier uses G.I. Bill benefits during service or afterwards, this is hard to compete with anywhere else. Considering tuition Assistance, MOS skill training, the noncommissioned officer education system, even officer-producing programs, such as, Green to Gold and Officer Candidate School, the Army ranks far above other employers in assisting Soldiers to achieve their educational goals.
In similar fashion, the cost of a college education continues to rise. Most students rely on their parents, student loans and grants, or scholarships to complete their degree. There is much discussion today about the increasing level of debt incurred by the average college student upon graduation.
This, combined with difficulty finding employment at graduation, creates an environment where the Army can assist. Newly graduated college students enlisting for the College Loan Repayment Program, can solve educational debt issues with one term of enlistment. Not all college graduates qualify or desire to be commissioned officers. College campuses are prime recruiting sources for quality prospects.
Adventure – Many prospects are motivated to join the Army to be a real-life version of G.I. Joe and G.I. Jane. Whether one plays Soldier with neighborhood friends as a child or is an avid extreme sports participant, the sense of adventure offered from joining the Army is something an improved economy cannot offer.
Nor does the reduction in force negate the need for Soldiers with special qualifications. In fact, in today's operational environment, Special Operations Soldiers, Rangers, Airborne, Air Assault, Mountain Warfare, and Combat Arms specialists are in high demand.
Additionally, the sense of adventure gained by traveling the world, regardless of MOS, appeals to many young adults leaving home or college for the first time.
Patriotism – What I have found from talking with veterans and young Soldiers who enlisted after 9/11 is, it was a sense of patriotism that led to their enlistment. History proves that Americans are proud to be Americans and unite when faced with an outside threat. Additionally, there are many who desire to make a difference in the world.
The Army is a way for them to contribute to something bigger than themselves and represent our country in a positive way. This may be through humanitarian missions or through other missions in support of our national interests.
Family Tradition - Finally, we continue to have many Soldiers who are second, third, even fourth generation Soldiers. Regardless the branch of service their family member served, there is normally a greater propensity to serve when a family member has or is currently serving.
Building relationships with veteran organizations, local reserve component organizations, and other recruiters in and around military installations is beneficial.
Successful recruiting comes from a sincere sense of purpose, mission dedication, and building relationships. When building relationships with prospects, high school guidance counselors, pastors, parents, and other family members, telling your personal Army story can be the determining factor that leads to someone's decision to join the Army.
In my experience, people are smart. They may have street-smart instincts or very acute technical intellect. Regardless, they size you up in an instant, deciding if you are sincere in what you are saying and whether or not you can be trusted.
If you believe in yourself, our Army and our profession, they will hear your message and we will continue to fill our ranks with the best and brightest of America's youth.
In closing, if you stick to the basics of recruiting taught in the Recruiting and Retention School, tell your own Army story, and build relationships throughout your community, you will be successful.