September 2017 |
Transition-e-news Volume 4 Issue 134 |
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Transition Insight
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Corporate TAOnline Virtual Career Fair * The Big Virtual * October 17, 2017
The Big Virtual is a quarterly TAOnline Virtual Career Fair where U.S. veterans and security cleared professionals can connect online with military-friendly organizations. The event takes place from your computer on October 17th from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm (ET). This event is for anyone seeking nationwide opportunities and is for all ranks and branches of service, including active duty, Reserve, National Guard, and individuals with a security clearance (including civilians). For more information and to register for the event www.taonline.com/tbv-js.
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The Recruiting Template (Part One of Four)© Tom Wolfe, author; all rights reserved; excerpts from Out of Uniform: Your Guide to a Successful Military-to-Civilian Career Transition; used with the permission of the author and publisher, www.potomacbooksinc.com. Although every organization wants to hire the ideal person for the job, those employers know that person does not exist. No one is perfect. A more realistic approach is to define the perfect candidate and then use that definition as a recruiting template. That template has three components: education and training, professional experience, and personality. The first two are often advertised as either preferred or required. The third one is almost always non-negotiable. Regardless, the imperfect candidate will be offered the job if two conditions are met: (1)those imperfections are identified in advance; and (2), those imperfections are either tolerable or, better yet, correctable once the person is on the job. Today begins a four-part series in which I will address the first of the three components: Eduction and Training. Most jobs have training and educational minimums or requirements associated with them. Your academic training has to meet certain minimum requirements. These may include high school graduation, college courses, degrees conferred, degree equivalency, technical or trade schools completed, and other classroom or academic oriented certifications and licenses. Other criteria include academic performance and non-classroom activities during your academic endeavors. The circumstances under which you attained your education and training will also receive scrutiny. Did you self-finance? Receive scholarships? Work part- or full-time? Were you deployed or on remote assignment? Holding down a job and supporting a family? Serving your country? For college graduates, many employers look beyond the classroom and consider leadership, athletics, service organizations, clubs, and volunteerism as important parts of your academic profile. Academic achievement is also important in that it is an indicator of your trainability and potential for success and growth in the organization. As you can see, there is much more to your academic profile than a framed certificate, license or diploma. Please join me next time for a look at the second component of the template: Professional Experience. For more on this subject, visit www.out-of-uniform.com. © 2017; Tom Wolfe, is an author, columnist, career coach, veteran, and an expert in the field of military-to-civilian career transition. During his career he assisted thousands of service members in their searches for employment, placing more than 3000 in their new jobs. Prior to civilian life, he graduated from the U. S. Naval Academy and served as a surface warfare officer. He teaches transition courses, gives seminars on career and job change, writes about the career transition process, and continues to counsel current and former military personnel. His book, Out of Uniform: Your Guide to a Successful Military-to-Civilian Career Transition, was published by Potomac Books in 2011. Tom lives on the North Carolina coast with his wife, Julie, and their Chesapeake Bay retriever, Maggie. |
Who we are: Brian Venerick helps Veterans grow their economic opportunity
by Dept of Veteran Affairs Blog - Reprinted with permission Who we are: Brian Venerick helps Veterans grow their economic opportunity It's common for the federal government to be characterized as bureaucratic, inefficient and uncaring. When a seal or acronym represents the federal administration you interact with, it's easy to think of it as a faceless, shapeless entity. But everyday, hardworking Americans go to work all across the country and these civil servants quietly work to make the lives of Veterans better, healthier and more productive. VA wants you to know who we are. We want you to know that many of us are you, and we want to share with you what it is we do and why we care. Meet Brian Venerick with the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA). Venerick is an Army Veteran from Clearfield, Pennsylvania, who deployed to Afghanistan in 2006-2007 with the 250th Personnel Service Battalion out of Fort Dix, New Jersey as a human resources non-commissioned officer (NCO). "My mission was multiple while deployed: postal operations, manifesting and base security," said Venerick, who also served three tours in South Korea during his military career. "Re-integration, for me, was great because the New Jersey Army National Guard had a ‘demob' unit with VA reps ready to support every soldier." Venerick continues to serve in the Army Reserve as a master sergeant and area leader for career counselors in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia. Those experiences, he says, enable him to relate to his fellow brothers and sisters in arms, as it informs his mission as a senior lead program analyst for the Veterans Benefits Administration's Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO). "I wear a few different hats for OEO," he said, "including HR, budget, special projects, internal and external requests for information, like Congressional inquiries or requests for information, providing testimony, or facilitating Office Government Affairs or Inspector General inquiries. "OEO includes VBA's Education Service, Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (VR&E) program, and Loan Guaranty, which provides benefits to Veterans, service members and their dependents. Simply put, these programs exist to improve their economic opportunity." VBA's Education Service oversees various forms of the GI Bill and its accompanying benefits. "VocRehab," as VR&E is colloquially known, is an employment program that some disabled Veterans can use to learn new skills to find or enhance their employment prospects. It often contains an education component, such as obtaining a college degree or skills certificate or license. Like the GI Bill, Loan Guaranty oversees all facets of the VA home loan, which has benefited millions of Veterans since 1944. As a service-connected disabled Veteran, Venerick knows these programs firsthand, as he is also a GI Bill graduate, having used the benefit to obtain a Bachelor of Arts, a Masters of Public Administration and a human resources grad certificate. That's when he decided to join VA. "I joined [civil service in 2009] through the Presidential Management Fellow Program, and then selected VA due to the mission and my investment into our community," he said. "But as a disabled Veteran, I believe it helps [inform my work] in VA that I've also been in Veterans' shoes." "The thing I'd want people to know about VA is that even those who haven't served still care. A large part of us [are Veterans] or currently have spouses who're serving in those shoes." The work I do arms OEO leadership with the knowledge and tools they need to help Veterans use VA benefits to grow their economic opportunity, which means utilizing our three business lines to create certain opportunities [life goals], like employment, homeownership, and education goals to stimulate a Vet's economic growth." Thank you for your service, Brian, and for continuing to serve our community. |
Veterans Crisis Line to open third call center in Topeka, KansasThe Department of Veterand Affairs Blog - reprinted with permission 100 employees expected to be hired to staff the new call center - VA is opening a Veterans Crisis Line (VCL) call center in Topeka, Kansas, the third such center nationwide, and expects to hire 100 employees to staff the center, located on the campus of VA Eastern Kansas Health Care System. VCL currently operates two centers in Canandaigua, New York, and Atlanta, Georgia. The new call center, expected to open this fall, will give VCL the additional capacity as VA expands the "automatic transfer" function, Press 7, to its community based outpatient clinics (CBOC) and Vet Centers. "When it comes to preventing Veteran suicide, we will do everything we can to make it as easy as possible for Veterans to reach us," said VA secretary Dr. David J. Shulkin. "The new center in Topeka gives us more feet on the ground and an easier way for Veterans to connect with us when they need us most." The Press 7 function is already available at VA Medical Centers and provides immediate access to the crisis line from a main phone tree. Currently, CBOC and Vet Center phone systems do not provide that option, forcing Veterans to take an added step by dialing 800-273-8255, and then pressing 1. Since its launch in 2007, the VCL has answered more than 3 million calls and initiated the dispatch of emergency services to callers in imminent crisis more than 84,000 times. Since launching chat in 2009 and text services in November 2011, the VCL has answered nearly 359,000 and nearly 78,000 requests for chat and text services, respectively. For more information or to apply for openings at the new call center, visit www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/478700400 or www.usajobs.gov and search for announcement No. 10046052. The positions are open to applicants with prior comparable experience or a master’s degree in a health science, such as mental health, social work or psychology. Veterans in crisis can call the Veterans Crisis Line for confidential support 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year at 800-273-8255 and Press 1, chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat or text to 838255. |
Find your dream job
Reprinted with permission © 2017
HRNasty.com Todays post is a success story of a candidate going from frustration to dream job. I couldn’t be happier or prouder of this guy. He worked his ass off and he deserves every bit of his success. He went from frustrated fishing guide to Exec Director in his field of study. #DreamJob Several years ago, I was drifting down a river in Southwest Montana, fly fishing with a couple of good friends. This wasn’t a working trip. We all have different backgrounds and all of us work in very industries, but eventually talk of work comes up. The three players:
 Which position would you like to be in for 8 hours a day 6 days a week? Angler #2 in the “middle of the boat” Angler 2 was our guide for the day, consequently in the middle of the boat. The middle of the boat means you are the person rowing the two anglers down the river, AKA, you are doing most of the work. (OK, you are doing all of the work. Rowing, untangling knots, making lunch and cleaning the boat at the end of the day.) In our case, we consider Angler 2 to be a mentor and best friend. The days are filled with cigar smoking, man talking, and more man talking. We have all known each other a long time. We have had enough adventures together you could call us all Brothers. I know these guys would give me the shirts off their backs and they have. The conversationAngler 2 (fishing guide): "I am never going to get out of the middle of the boat." Myself and Angler 1 were both thinking: what is he talking about. He is living the dream. He lives in the best trout fishing country in the United States and is a Pro for a number of great fishing brands. This is the guy that makes paying yuppies like us anglers. Without him, we are nothing but 13 year old’s fumbling around trying to unfasten bra hooks. In other words, without him, catching fish probably isn’t on the agenda. If it happens, it will be because of dumb luck and a lot of alcohol. I got no skillsGrowing up, I dreamt about being in the middle of the boat, but didn’t have the skills, the strength to row two anglers or the local knowledge. Zero out of three does not get you to the middle of the boat. But I get it. Angler 2 went to school and post grad so he could do civic work like his parents. Solid American stock this guy. He supported his wife while she was getting her Masters. He wanted someone else to untangle his knots and clean up the gear at the end of a hot day on the water. The motivational speechHR Flunky: In my most motivational voice, "WTF are you talking about dummy? You have a Master’s degree, you can get out of the middle of the boat." Angler 1. "Yeah dude, you are living the dream. We both wanna be you!" (Seriously) Angler 2. "I probably could have gotten a job if I found one right after I graduated, but I have been guiding for so long now, employers are going to look at my resume and wonder why I didn’t start earlier." HR Flunky: "Dude, you can get a job. You are a good-looking guy (under that baseball hat and scruffy beard at least) You are articulate, and you have the post grad degree." Angler 2: "It’s too late, I missed my window." Angler 2 is one of the most positive guys I know. Now he sounded like the hunting dog he grew up with since childhood just died. I was beginning to understand his frustration. He didn’t want to be doing this when he was 50, he wanted a retirement plan. He wanted to do his civic duty. HR Flunky: "Dude, I know you can find a job. I will help you. I KNOW you can get a job." Angler 2: "I know I can get a job, but I want to use my Masters in my field of study. I don’t think that is possible anymore." Angler 2 wasn’t convinced but over the next couple of days, we continued to talk about the next steps in his journey. Some of his hesitations:
HR Flunky’s hesitations
Obviously my concerns are easily solve-able, but that is what was running through my mind. HR Flunky’s pitch"Dude, let’s get on the phone when I get back home. I have an hour-long commute and we can go over resume’s, job search strategy and interview questions and answers. We are not going to go with your perceived weakness of being in this boat for too many years. We are going to go with your strengths. "Dude, you have what no one is able to train. You have social skills at the highest levels. The sports in your boat are all CEO’s and rich successful dudes. At $650.00 a day, they are the only guys who can afford you." (I was coasting on Angler 1’s coat tails) You got skillz!"All day long, you are directing C levels, execs and guys who run their own businesses and industries. I have seen these guys roll into Montana with their 125K plus SUV’s and sports cars. You taught me what "Long Money"is. You instruct these CEO’s, you joke with them and you are stern with them. Your voice literally changes when you are in the middle of the boat. You are their friend, their mentor and coach. As a guide, you not only help them fish, you help them decompress and deal with their professional AND family lives. You can’t train that skill. We can train the civic duties. You can NOT fricken’ train what you have!" And here is what was holding him back. Angler 3: "But who is going to hire that? That isn’t a job." It’s not a job, it is THE interviewHR Flunky: "That isn’t a job, it is an interview and it the networking. You have these C levels trapped in your boat for 8 hours a day. You have been doing this full-time for years and have an extensive network of C levels. Hell, a C level bought you this $8,000.00 boat as a fricken’ tip! Do you know how many people would LOVE to be trapped in a boat for 8 hours with these CEO’s but wouldn’t be able to carry on a conversation for more than 20 minutes? That skill will sell itself.” To put this into perspective, how many of us are hesitant to be trapped in an elevator with our VP or CEO for just a couple of floors. How many of us would TELL our CEO what to do, joke with them or get stern with them. Not many folks under the age of 30 could do that and even fewer would. I am talking 8 HOURS STRAIGHT bitches! Putting in the workOver the next few months, Angler 2 did the work. We got on the phone, he sent me versions of his resume and we practiced our pitch. He worked on his blog to show off his passion for the state of Montana and his writing style. The truth of the matter is that after Angler 2 completed his post grad, he continued to guide because he was making great money. He was supporting his wife while she was going to school working on her Masters. He wasn’t guiding just because it was fun, he was guiding because he was taking care of his family and his responsibility. That is the story we told. The first real jobSoon there after, Angler landed his first corporate job doing civic duty for the State of Montana in his field. He took a cut in pay but he continued to guide on the weekends and was able to make up the difference. He knew that it would be a temporary setback and frankly, he knew when he was making great money, he would continue to guide. Catching fish for him is too easy. Watching his clients have fun and success on the river gets him high. He had attained enlightenment. We call him a Jedi. Middle of the boatWhen he landed that job, he called me up and I couldn’t have been happier for him. On that call, he told me I am coming out to Montana and he was taking me fishing. "You are never paying for fishing in this town again." I didn’t do it for the fishing, but I have to say that fishing with Angler 1 and 2 over the years have been a lot of fun and very meaningful. The three of us make it a point to fish on my birthday every year and I couldn’t ask for a better gesture. He is in the middle of the boat with us, but it is completely his choice. He is now able to fish internationally in far away destinations and he is an angler and not a guide. Continuous learnerOver the years, he has asked me for a list of books he should be reading which resulted in this blog post. Angler 2 didn’t stop there. He asked me what classes he should be taking. Angler 2 flew to New York to take a Facilitative Leadership course which he swears by. This leader is also sending his team to these sessions. Yes, he is running a team at work. The point is, he took the initiative, he had the curiosity and he did the fricken’ work. Men want to be him, companies want him with themTwice, he has been offered high level jobs with well-known brands in the fly-fishing industry. Both times he was able to turn the offers down. About a month ago, he was juggling 2 offers. The first offer was for one of the top positions with one of the biggest names in Fly Fishing. The other with the State of Montana doing what he loves to do. To find out which job he took, click on this press release. Yeah, he cleans up well. Not just the quiet confident dude, he also has a great presentation layer. And yes, he still guides on the weekends for fun. Just do the workThe moral of this story is that we all get down on our careers. We have all been at a point where we thought it was over. But it doesn’t have to be. With work, initiative and a positive attitude / positive spin, it can happen. It doesn’t matter how old you are, or what your situation, things can improve. It’s our choice. A guy that I am proud to call a friend made the choice. Corporate life is a game. Win it! HRNasty
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