MidAmerican Energy CEO on Hiring Vets

NRECA hosted this year's Vets in Energy conference last Friday. Among those addressing the hiring of vets — the compelling benefits, programs and remaining challenges — was Bill Fehrman, CEO, MidAmerican Energy.  

You weren't there? That's ok. Below is a brief vid of what Fehrman said:

When we post jobs, when we are out recruiting for jobs, we're out recruiting for a specific job. The thing that struck me was, you may look at these jobs and you don't see yourself in them. Because, "I'm a pilot, but I'm not an IT specialist." 

What that brought to me was, I think we as employers have to be able to rethink how we are actually recruiting for veterans. Because many of the qualities and fundamentals they bring can be fit in the organization. 

But I will say most organizations, and I will say probably ours in some regard, have not shifted in how we go out and try and attract veterans. Now there's special programs and there's special recruiting opportunities. Those types of things where you can actually rank people together. And you can talk to folks, and you can find that out.  

Just as a general rule, if people are looking at the open positions that we have, you may or may not see yourself in that.

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Steve Mitnick, Editor-in-Chief, Public Utilities Fortnightly

E-mail me: mitnick@fortnightly.com