April 2014

Transition-e-news Volume 3 Issue 93

Transition Insight

"We take great pride in providing employment opportunities to our men and women in uniform, whether they are Reservists, National Guard or veterans."
– Safeway EVP Larree Renda

Top 10 Companies using TAOnline

By Ron Rutherford
Business Development Mgr.
TAOnline.com

As our nation's military continues to downsize, those transitioning out wonder who, exactly, is hiring. TAOnline wants to do what we can to assist you in your search. We've put together a list of the Top-10 Companies our site with the greatest number of job postings, as of April 10th. These 10 companies list more than 20,000 openings with TAOnline. The opportunities run the gamut from customer service-to-high tech-to-healthcare. And, you're not limited to one state or region. The jobs are in practically all 50-states. Who makes our Top 10? Bank of America — 3300+ jobs — Since 2011, Bank of America has hired more than 4,000 veterans ... Read More

Professional networking differences, how executives and recent graduates go about their job search

Reprinted with Permission: HRNASTY.com

When I talk with recent graduates about where they are finding their job leads, I hear the usual suspects: Indeed, Monster, Craigslist, etc. When I ask sr. management and executive friends, I hear their usual suspects: friends, personal and professional networks, professional groups/associations, etc. See the difference? I don't remember the last executive we hired that came through a job posting. I also don't know the last time we hired a recent graduate via a referral. The latter does happen, but not too often. ... Read More

Veteran Interviews 2.0: Get Connected!

Your resume finally landed you an interview! Don't start packing your bags for the new job just yet, as an interview is merely an invitation to scrutinize you further. Interviews are about establishing connections. To successfully make it past the interview stage and land a job offer, a candidate must make connections to the job, the company culture, and the people. Clearly link your knowledge, skills, and abilities with the position's requirements - Show compatibility between your personality and the company's culture - Establish a connection with the interviewer(s). You've told me ... Read More

Safeway Honored for Military Hiring — DOL refocuses the Jobs for Veterans State Grants Programs

Safeway has a long-standing tradition of supporting the military and veterans. And the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) recognized that effort this month with it's 2014 Distinguished Service Award. Safeway was among the first employers to commit (more than 10 years ago) to covering the pay differential and extending full benefits to employees in the Reserve and National Guard, who were called to active duty. Safeway continues to provide this benefit today. The company actively pursues employment opportunities for returning veterans through three targeted programs. Safeway's ... Read More

First Assistant Store Manager, NCO Management Program - May 2014 - CO
Paint Tinter / Customer Service - CA
Maintenance Mechanic - OH
HSE Instructor / Trainer - TX

Click here for a complete list and description of organizations of TAOnline.com growing Partners!

KISS and Def Leppard to hire veterans as summer tour roadies

Two of rocks biggest bands want veterans to hit the road with them for a massive 42-city North American tour, joining forces to honor the U.S. military community. It'll be a summer of hard rock and hard work they'll never forget.

Veterans who wish to apply for the positions can apply here. The deadline for all applications is Friday May 9th

Top 10 Companies using TAOnline

By Ron Rutherford
Business Development Mgr.
TAOnline.com

These 10 companies list more than 20,000 openings with TAOnline. The opportunities run the gamut from customer service-to-high tech-to-healthcare. And, you're not limited to one state or region. The jobs are in practically all 50-states.

Who makes our Top 10?

Bank of America — 3300+ jobs — Since 2011, Bank of America has hired more than 4,000 veterans, Guard and Reserve members. The bank will maintain this pace and hire 10,000 over the next several years.
Kaiser Permanente — 2700+ jobs — From the business people who shape our policies, to the IT professionals enabling life-saving data, to the nurses and physicians on the front line of patient care, everyone here has a role to play in the care continuum.
Enterprise Rent-A-Car — 2500+ Enterprise Holdings is proud to support our nation's service members and their families, whether it's by providing superior service to military agencies, volunteering our time or enlisting military veterans and reservists to join our ranks.
ServiceMaster — 2200+ jobs — ServiceMaster brands include — TruGreen, Terminex, American Home Shield, ServiceMaster Clean, Merry Maids, Furniture Medic and Americspec
General Dynamics Information Technology — 2100+ jobs — General Dynamics Information Technology provides information technology (IT), systems engineering, professional services and simulation and training to customers in the defense, federal civilian government, health, homeland security, intelligence, state and local government and commercial sectors.
URS Corporation — 2000+ jobs — As a major contractor to the U.S. federal government, we provide services to more than 20 agencies of the U.S. federal government, including the Department of Defense, NASA, the Department of Energy, the Department of Homeland Security and intelligence agencies.
Capital One — 1500+ jobs — Your military experience can translate to a successful civilian career at Capital One. Your problem-solving, leadership, and communication skills will help you thrive. And our Military New Hire Transition Program will ensure that you have the connections, adjustment, information and support you need.
BAE Systems — 1400+ — jobs — At BAE Systems, our mission is to design and deliver advanced defense, aerospace and security solutions that keep our nation at the forefront of modern technology.
Safeway, Inc. — 950+ jobs — SAFEWAY, INC. is one of the most successful food and drug retailers in North America and is proud to serve neighborhoods across the country with the freshest groceries at a great value
Advocates Health Care System — 950+ jobs — including job titles like — As the largest health care system in Illinois and the Midwest, we own and operate 13 hospitals; including 2 childrens hospitals, 250 sites of care and a Home Health/Hospice agency.

These are not the only employers or jobs using TAOnline. To find more and make the most of your career search with TAOnline — login to your account at TAOnline.com

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Professional networking differences, how executives and recent graduates go about their job search

Reprinted with Permission: HRNASTY.com

When I talk with recent graduates about where they are finding their job leads, I hear the usual suspects: Indeed, Monster, Craigslist, etc.

When I ask sr. management and executive friends, I hear their usual suspects: friends, personal and professional networks, professional groups/associations, etc.

See the difference? I don't remember the last executive we hired that came through a job posting. I also don't know the last time we hired a recent graduate via a referral. The latter does happen, but not too often.

We have all heard that if you want to find a job, you should network, network and network. What I realized after talking with a number of recent graduates is that many candidates do not understand the subtleties of how to network.

What professional networking isn't:

Here is a typical networking scenario that I experience with recent graduates. I receive an email or text like; I hear you helped Johnny land a great job and got him good money; can you do the same for me? Can we meet? (usually at a location convenient to the graduate and no offer to buy me coffee and cookie). This isn't bitterness you hear in my voice. Don't worry, I do run into the occasional young person that gives me hope for the future, but usually it boils down to the following:

Young person in jeans and a t-shirt. No hint of business casual or even the ability to suit up.
"I am looking for a job."
"Here is my resume." We share a copy for the rest of the meeting.
"What should I do?"

This is not just "what I get", this is "all I get". It may sound harsh and unbelievable but you would be surprised how often the initial conversation boils down to the above.

I ask a few questions:

How can I help?
What do you want to walk away with at the end of this meeting?
What kind of job/internship/introductions are you looking for?
What size company?
What vertical or industry excites you?
How much do you want to make?

I get blank stares, a shrug of the shoulders or an "I don't know". I quickly realize asking more questions isn't going to get me much to work with. The scary thing is that the candidate doesn't recognize there is a problem.

No one sat this kid down and showed them how to demonstrate "effort", "interest", or "effort". Yeah, I said "effort" twice.

The executive networking experience

When I meet an executive, I may or may not have a position open. 95% of the time I do not, but this doesn't matter. Good executives are always networking.

Meeting new people in your industry is ALWAYS a good thing. You receive the opportunity to learn about new ideas, new technologies and yes, new job openings. All managers want confidence that their team is networking.

How it usually happens: I receive an introduction email from a friend or acquaintance. You never know where the next candidate will come from and it doesn't cost me anything to listen. The email introduction provides background on why I should meet and is more like - "two people meeting over coffee" vs. this is a candidate for your open position or "you should hire this person".

There is a difference in these two pitches. The person I'm meeting isn't looking for "a job". Rather they are looking for the right fit. They are not going to try and squeeze into any job because they are confidant of their skill set. They know what they want, they know where they will be successful, and more importantly, they know the type of environment that will breed success, or failure for them.

This networker will do a number of things a recent grad will not, including:

Sets up a meeting a few days in advance. They aren't giving any indication of being last minute or desperate.
Respond quickly to email, phone and texts. I won't have to wait more than 12-hours for a response.
The meeting place will be convenient to me.
The exec will arrive early, and appropriately dressed, AKA business casual.
A resume may or may not be forwarded before our meeting. No one will pull out a resume in the face to face.
Ask specific questions about the company that will usually be confirmations of what was already researched. The exec wants to reinforce that they've done their homework.
I will receive a timely thank you email/text.
Over time, I will receive follow up emails where articles and news updates are shared. Just enough to let me know I'm being thought of. In a single word, "effort".

Compare the two styles. The executive demonstrates effort. The college grad barely shows up. The executive is taking control of their destiny. The college grad is thinking entitlement.

Like anything that will get you ahead, networking takes practice and building a network takes time.

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Veteran Interviews 2.0: Get Connected!

Your resume finally landed you an interview! Don't start packing your bags for the new job just yet, as an interview is merely an invitation to scrutinize you further.

Interviews are about establishing connections. To successfully make it past the interview stage and land a job offer, a candidate must make connections to the job, the company culture, and the people.

Clearly link your knowledge, skills, and abilities with the position's requirements
Show compatibility between your personality and the company's culture
Establish a connection with the interviewer(s)

You've told me you can do the job, now show me.

The bulk of interview questions focus on your knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform job tasks. Many of these "qualification" interview questions are focused on your past experience, education, and certifications. Most applicants find qualification-based questions relatively easy to answer, as they tend to focus on clear objectives. In fact, the vast majority of questions will be directly related to the qualification or experience requirements listed in the job posting! Be prepared to offer specific, concrete examples of how you meet the qualification requirements. Recall anecdotes that highlight your knowledge and skills. If you are lacking in any of the required areas, demonstrate that you are actively working to improve these skills.

Be ready to backup any self-promoting claims you made in your cover letter or resume. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for applicants to exaggerate in their resumes. While exaggerations may land an interview, they can be easily found out by an experienced interviewer. Be wary of overselling and under-delivering.

I recall when I was a young schoolboy, our class participated in a weekly themed "show and tell" event. A week prior, each student would tell the class what they would bring to show, based on each week's respective theme. This is much like your resume—you are telling the hiring manager what you are going to show them in the interview. After you've told them what to expect, you better be able to deliver! In one show and tell session during "careers" week, a boy promised to bring in a fire engine. While most of us expected him to bring a toy model, you can imagine our elation when his father rolled up in the parking lot with a full fire rig! You want to have the same effect during your interview—be prepared to deliver big on your resume promises!

Get cultured!

Its time to trade in the proverbial "military kool-aide" for the "corporate coffee". I'm talking about buying into the new corporate culture. Spend time reading about the company online. If you know employees in the organization, try to get the inside scoop about the corporate culture. How do employees interact? Is there a strict formality or are relationships more casual? How are decisions made—by consensus or by dictate? Use the information you learn to adjust your behavior, attitude, and image to align with the new culture. You need to show that you belong at the company. Exceptionally-qualified candidates are often removed from consideration in the interview process if they are perceived to be a poor cultural fit for the company.

Find common ground.

I call this the gift of gab—small talk. There will inevitably be short points before, during, or after the interview that go unfilled by interview business. This often happens at the beginning of telephonic interviews while waiting for all committee members to sign into the call. Instead of letting this time run void, don't be afraid of exercising a little chit-chat. If at all possible, research the backgrounds of the interviewers in advance of the meeting and find common ground. Perhaps you went to the same college? Maybe you are involved in the same civic or volunteer organizations? This technique must be used sparingly, but has the advantage of developing personal connections with the interviewers. Now I'm not saying that a company would choose to hire an individual based solely on such personal connections, however, hiring is not merely an emotionless endeavor. People like those who are similar to themselves. As a candidate, you are looking to establish a slight edge over the competition. If you were the hiring manager, given equally qualified candidates, wouldn't you want to hire someone with whom you established some form of personal connection?

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Safeway Honored for Military Hiring — DOL refocuses the Jobs for Veterans State Grants Programs

Safeway was among the first employers to commit (more than 10 years ago) to covering the pay differential and extending full benefits to employees in the Reserve and National Guard, who were called to active duty. Safeway continues to provide this benefit today.

The company actively pursues employment opportunities for returning veterans through three targeted programs. Safeway's Junior Military Officer (JMO) and Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) programs were launched in 2010 and 2011, respectively, and accept applicants who have been military officers and places them in an accelerated leadership program.

The programs include on-the-job training, job-shadowing and classroom seminars. Graduates qualify for Store Manager and Assistant Manager positions, along with other manager-level roles in Supply Chain, Distribution, and the company's Division and Corporate headquarters.

In 2012, Safeway expanded its military hiring initiative further to include an even broader cross-section of the military personnel from all backgrounds through our Retail Military Recruiting Program. (Safeway partners with TAOnline to hire veterans. To view the latest opportunities click here)

This program focuses on hiring our veterans and military personnel to the retail store environment into positions such as Baker, Courtesy Clerk, Starbucks Clerk, Night Crew, Department Managers and much more.

Through the efforts of division recruiters, the team connects with local military and veteran community-based organizations, proactively, to help find high quality candidates for the retail stores and jobs for this nation's veterans. Since 2012, Safeway has hired nearly 3,600 veterans or members of the Guard and Reserve. Safeway has also committed to hiring at least another 1,500 veterans or members of the Guard and Reserve in 2014.

DOL Refocusing the Jobs for Veterans State Grants Programs —

To further improve employment services provided veterans, the Department of Labor is refocusing the Jobs for Veterans State Grants programs to ensure that veterans and eligible spouses receive the best combination of employment and training services from the 2,500 American Job Centers across the country.

The department's Veterans' Employment and Training Service and the Employment and Training Administration issued the refocusing guidance on April 10.

All veterans receive priority of service at America's Job Centers (AJCs), with help from Disabled Veterans' Outreach Program specialists who provide intensive services to disabled veterans and Local Veterans' Employment Representatives who conduct employer outreach on behalf of veterans. (To find your closest AJC, click here)

The refocusing guidance will now allow DVOPs to better serve those veterans who have significant barriers to employment while the LVERs' focus will be on intensive employer outreach to facilitate veteran employment.

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