Transition Insight

Jobs Abound in 2011

By Barbara Adams, CPRW, CEIP, CMRC, CFRW
www.militaryresumewriters.com and www.careerproplus.com

Despite the bombardment of news reports on record unemployment, there’s a lot of Happy in the New Year for job seekers. The fact is, there are jobs available and there always will be. Top companies such as Northrop Grumman, Sears, Intel, and United Health Group are seeking to fill literally thousands of jobs right now. And despite talk of freezes or cuts, the United States Federal Government remains one of the nation’s top (and most stable) employers.

Indeed, there are many more job seekers nowadays, but that does not necessarily mean there is more competition. Not everyone will have the right combination of skills for a particular position. Moreover, people who are out of work for a long time often become scared or frustrated and blast their resumes to every vacancy they can find—often without even reading the details. Consider the waitress who sent her resume to apply for a Network Engineer position, highlighting her skill as a licensed acupuncturist when the vacancy clearly stated requirements for network cabling, installation, and troubleshooting experience (she had none). Such an approach is doomed to failure.

In a recent article by Christopher Tkaczyk posted on money.cnn.com, hiring managers from Fortune 500 companies that are aggressively hiring offer inside advice. Quoting the representative from Sears, "Avoid pat answers that sound like something you read on a Web site. Come researched and ready...The more a candidate can talk about what's going on with the organization, the more impressed we are." Northrop Grumman had similar advice, "Do your homework – read about the company and learn about our products." Perhaps the advice from HCA Healthcare sums it up best, "We're always very impressed with candidates who take the time to learn something about the organization before coming in."

Another prominent theme among recruiters is targeting your information. Anything you can do to make their job easier is appreciated and is more likely to secure an interview. Take nothing for granted! Remember, your resume will be reviewed by a total stranger. A recruiter can't possibly know how your experience qualifies you for a position and will add value to the company if you don't clearly present that in a resume. An introductory phone call, email, or cover letter can help greatly, but there is no substitute for a well-written resume. Every vacancy announcement will tell you what a company is looking for, so use this information in your resume wherever appropriate.

Does this take a lot of work? You bet, but if you're out of work or determined to find a better job, your results will be directly proportionate to the amount of effort you invest in your job search. Taking the lazy approach and sending a generic resume might get you a department store stockroom position or a job washing dishes at the local eatery, but that's about it.

Employers are receiving more resumes than ever before, and that means they have less time to review each resume individually as they plow through stacks of applications. If a resume doesn't grab attention, clearly present the required information, and avoid material irrelevant to the position, it will be discarded in 15 to 30 seconds. Poorly formatted or badly copied resumes will receive even shorter consideration, and don't even think of using an old manual typewriter or sending a handwritten resume. Fonts must be selected carefully to look professional and presentable, while spelling and grammatical errors must be purged. With free computer and printer access at every unemployment center and library, substandard resumes are destined for a fast trip to the recycle bin.

So although there are a lot of people out of work, it doesn't mean there aren't jobs. You might need additional training or you may need to consider a change in careers, but if you can show that you bring value to a company, you can still get hired. In the end, the greatest thing you have to offer to any company is you!

Barbara Adams, President and CEO of CareerPro Global (CPG), the parent company of www.careerproplus.com and www.militaryresumewriters.com, has been a member of the careers community for the past 20 years. Ms. Adams holds four prestigious industry certifications. CareerPro Global is the only ISO 9001-2008 Certified Career Service in the industry, as well as one of the fastest-growing Military, Federal, and Civilian Resume-Writing and Careers-Coaching companies. The team of Certified Professional Federal and Military Resume Writers at CPG assist thousands of clients in applying for and gaining employment each year. We can help you land your military to civilian job.

U.S. Companies Getting Better at Hiring Veterans but Need Help to Reach Those With Disabilities

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Jan. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new poll released today found that a majority (67 percent) of HR professionals have included veterans in their organization's diversity plan or policy during the past 12 months.

The findings are detailed in a joint poll released today by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the Northeast ADA Center at Cornell University's ILR School.

The poll, "Recruiting Veterans with Disabilities: Perceptions in the Workplace," also shows that 68 percent of organizations have hired a veteran during the past 12 months, with activity high across small, medium-sized and large organizations.

"The data indicate that many organizations have hired veterans, but they have yet to realize the full potential of resources out there to help them hire more of these highly skilled candidates," said Mark Schmit, director of research at SHRM. "Also, many organizations have not yet capitalized on the great potential of disabled veterans."

Though human resource professionals are showing a strong intent to recruit and hire military veterans with disclosed disabilities, the number that hired during the past 12 months remains relatively low. Only 17 percent of HR professionals said their organization hired a veteran who disclosed a disability either before or after time of hire. Unknown is the number of veterans hired who chose not to disclose a disability.

People with disabilities are generally included in the diversity plan or policy of 70 percent of organizations represented in the poll.

Hannah Rudstam, senior extension faculty at the Northeast ADA Center at Cornell University, points to further implications of these poll findings: "Employers indicate having good will and recognize the business benefits in employing veterans with disabilities. Yet they struggle to translate this good will into recruiting, hiring and accommodation practices, particularly for veterans with the 'signature' disabilities of post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury."

TAOnline.com is working with a number of veteran-centric organizations who offer counseling and mentoring. Some of these include -

• American Corporate Partners
• Swords to Plowshares
• New Directions, LLC
• Vet Foundation
• Enable America

You can also check out numerous Veteran-related job fairs through TAOnline.com at TAOnline.com - Job Fairs

President signed improvements to Post-9/11 GI Bill

1/6/2011 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- To bring the educational benefits of the Post-9/11 GI Bill closer to more veterans and service members, President Obama signed legislation Jan. 4 that streamlines the 18 month-old education program administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

"Since the first GI Bill in 1944, this unique educational program has adapted to the needs of America's veterans, active-duty personnel, reservists and Guardsmen," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. "Like its forbearers, the Post-9/11 GI Bill is growing to ensure the men and women who serve this nation in uniform receive valuable education benefits from a grateful nation."

"On behalf of veterans and the many who serve them at VA, we would like to thank the president for his support, as well as members of Congress and our veterans service organization partners for helping make this bill a reality," Secretary Shinseki added.

Among the provisions of the legislation are:

• Paying for on-the-job training, some flight training; apprenticeship training and correspondence courses;
• Allowing reservists and Guardsmen to have their time supporting emergencies called by their state governors credited to the time needed to qualify for educational benefits;
• Providing half of the national average for the program's housing allowance to students enrolled in distance learning;
• Pro-rating the housing allowance to exclude payments when students are not in class;
• Allowing students on active duty to receive the stipend for books and supplies;
• Allowing people eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill, but participating in VA's Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment benefits to choose between the GI Bill's housing allowance or VRE's subsistence allowance;
• Permitting reimbursement for more than one license and certification test;
• Reimbursing fees to take national admission tests, such as SAT, ACT, GMAT and LSAT; and
• Establishing a national cap of $17,500 annually for tuition and fees in a private or a foreign school, not including contributions by educational institutions under the "Yellow Ribbon" program.

Information about the new provisions is available on the Internet at www.gibill.va.gov.

In December, VA issued nearly $7.2 billion in tuition, housing and stipends for more than 425,000 veterans or eligible family members pursuing higher education under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

Pieces of NASCAR Vets Day car to be auctioned for charity

By US Army Accessions Command PAO

Sheet metal from the No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet Impala Ryan Newman drove in the Nov. 14 NASCAR race, featuring the faces of more than 500 military veterans, will be auctioned online to raise money for the Fisher House Foundation and Army Emergency Relief.

The eBay auction begins Jan. 21, and will be open until Jan. 30. Bidders can go to http://givingworks.ebay.com/ and search for "Ryan Newman US Army Veterans Day car" to place a bid or get more information on the auction items.

The sheet metal being auctioned off includes the hood, splitter, right and left fenders, right and left quarterpanels, right- and left-side door panels (which include the No. 39), decklid (trunk), and TV panel (rear bumper).

Each of the 11 pieces will be autographed by Newman and two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart, the co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing.

"The special No. 39 U.S. Army Veterans Day paint scheme was a tribute to the strength of our heroes, past and present, and their families," said Col. Derik Crotts, director of strategic communications, marketing and outreach, U.S. Army Accessions Command. "We are proud and greatly appreciative of Stewart-Haas Racing's and Ryan Newman's continued support of Army Strong Soldiers and their families."

The 500-plus faces on Newman's U.S. Army Veterans Day car represented multiple generations of men and women who have embraced the call of duty, dating back to World War I. The special paint scheme resonated during the Phoenix race weekend, as it not only captured the emotion, spirit and heart of the NASCAR garage, but was also admired by legions of NASCAR fans.

"The Veterans Day paint scheme was truly a special race car that carried an abundance of emotion," said Newman. "And to see pieces of that car being auctioned off to fans with the monies going to two incredible organizations - the Fisher House Foundation and Army Emergency Relief - makes me even more proud to drive the U.S. Army Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing."

The Fisher House Foundation provides a "home away from home" for military families to be close to a loved one who is receiving medical care for an illness, disease or injury at major military and Veterans Affairs medical centers. The non-profit organization builds new houses, assists in the coordination of private support and encourages public support for the homes. The homes are normally located within walking distance of the treatment facility or have transportation available.

Army Emergency Relief is a non-profit organization that provides emergency financial assistance to Army Soldiers and their dependents. Assistance is given as an interest-free loan, a grant or a combination of both. Soldiers can be Active Duty, retired or members of the Reserve Components on Active Duty for at least 30 consecutive days. Also, Army Emergency Relief provides assistance to widows and orphans and has scholarship programs for children and spouses of active, retired and deceased Soldiers for undergraduate studies.