At Kansas City, MO-headquartered Burns & McDonnell, veterans are a sought-after employee population for many reasons - among them are their leadership, discipline and professionalism.

According to Jen Parker, recruiting manager, “veterans speak the military lingo and are true problem-solvers. In addition, they’re known to have an excellent work ethic, high adaptability, familiarity with transitioning to different roles and flexibility regarding travel.”

A 100% employee-owned, full-service engineering, architecture, construction, environmental and consulting solutions firm, Burns & McDonnell strives to recruit and hire individuals who appreciate - and are motivated by - the desire to become true owners of the business starting on day one.

“This creates a sense of entrepreneurialism that helps define the company’s collaborative culture focused on client service,” indicates Parker, noting that diversity is extremely important to Burns & McDonnell, which values employees with all types of experiences and diversity of thought - all of which is also typically found in veterans.

“As a company that works closely with the federal, military and government space, Burns & McDonnell finds it critical to hire employees who are comfortable speaking with leadership, as well as with all ranks of service,” states Parker, who adds that being a veteran provides instant credibility to military clients in all branches of the service.

An active participant in the ARMY PaYs program, Burns & McDonnell commits to interviewing and hiring young veterans. “This fantastic program offers available entry-level positions to new veterans, and is a great way for both veterans and the company to meet and work together as the participants prepare for their future career,” states Parker.

Another program in which Burns & McDonnell is very involved is the Leavenworth Army Base for the Hiring Our Heroes program, which offers internships and focuses on veterans retiring and/or preparing to separate from the military. Referring to the success of this endeavor, Parker points out that “of the five interns, two have been hired and one has already been promoted to a section manager position.”

The company’s participation in veteran-focused career fairs includes pairing HR team members with veteran employees when meeting potential candidates at such gatherings as the Service Academy Career Conference in Washington, DC and virtual career fairs that target navy nuclear officers. The company’s website link, burnsmcd-veterans.jobs, further provides an imbedded military code that makes it easier to find jobs related to specific roles in the military.

Due to the fact that Burns & McDonnell works hard to retain its past-military talent, many special events are held, including an annual Veterans Day Celebration.

“These offerings include all staff members, and provide the opportunity to honor and pay respect to all veterans who have served our country,” notes Parker.

When asked what advice she might have for other companies working to increase their hiring of veterans, she replies: “It’s important for companies and employees to seek different points of view and perspectives - something veterans truly provide. Veterans connect well with those in leadership, as well as those in the field. They build relationships rapidly, and form true brotherhoods and sisterhoods that all can relate to.”

For more information about Burns & McDonnell, visit burnsmcd-veterans.jobs and burnsmcd.com/careers. Connect on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.