December 2017 |
Transition-e-news Volume 4 Issue 137 |
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TAOnline Virtual Career Fair * The Big Virtual * January 23, 2018
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 January 23rd 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, visit www.taonline.com/tbv-js.
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The Recruiting Template(Part Three 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. As was discussed in Parts One and Two of this series, although organizations want to hire perfect candidates, those employers know those people do 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. Here in Part Three of this series in I will address the third of the three components: Personality. Things get tricky here—for two reasons. Not only is having the right personality a requirement for a position, it is also a mostly subjective determination. Academic and professional profiles can be appraised through an impersonal review of paperwork (resumes, performance evaluations, application forms, etc.), but an individual’s ability to match up to the personality requirements of a particular position can only be determined through face-to-face meetings. Although some companies will utilize telephone interviews and/or testing services during the early stages of the interview process to get a feel for the candidate’s interpersonal skills, it is only through direct personal interviewing that they are truly able to put a personality on the paperwork. Making it to the personal interview stage is a good sign. You normally only get to this step if the first two components, academic and professional, meet or exceed the interviewer’s expectations. With this pre-screening already accomplished, it is the responsibility of the interviewer to see first hand if the characteristics of your personality match the personality requirements of the position. Although every company has its own set of standards for each opening, in general you can count on an appraisal of traits such as communication skills, impact, eye contact, body language, self-confidence, sense of humor, warmth, empathy, energy, integrity, honesty, friendliness, positive attitude, social skills, humility, work ethic, etc. Assuming this appraisal is positive, you now match up nicely with the template for this position and you can expect an offer. Congratulations! Your search is over! Right? Not necessarily. Just because they have decided to offer you the job does not mean that you will accept it. Your acceptance or rejection depends on something that is more important than those three combined—does the opportunity match your requirements? Please join me next time for a look at this fourth component of the template. For more on the 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. |
Veterans help Forest Service with conservation projectsBy Steve Frederick Star Herald - ©2017 Associated Press Used with permission CHADRON — In an all-volunteer military, many troops enlist right out of high school and return abruptly to civilian life, leaving behind their service friendships and day-to-day discipline with little work experience and support. Upon their return from battlefields such as Iraq and Afghanistan, they sometimes struggle to reintegrate into civilian life. This fall, five military veterans and one current member of the U.S. Army Reserve have been working on both the Pine Ridge Ranger District near Chadron and the Bessey Nursery near Halsey on conservation and sustainability projects for the Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands. They work side-by-side with fellow veterans, learning valuable job skills while continuing to serve their country by working on forest protection and restoration. For more than a half-century, the U.S. Forest Service and a nonprofit civilian organization known as the Student Conservation Association have worked together to support military veterans with technical training and field experience. In turn, the Forest Service and other agencies receive valuable assistance in protecting and restoring national parks, forests, marine sanctuaries, cultural landmarks and community green spaces throughout the nation. The SCA's mission is to "build the next generation of conservation leaders and inspire lifelong stewardship of the environment and communities by engaging young people in hands-on service to the land through service opportunities, outdoor skills, and leadership training." It places more than 4,000 volunteers annually in public lands and urban green spaces. Conservation Crews typically do trail construction or erosion control. Other projects may include restoration of tourist-impacted areas and invasive species removal. In 2010, it added the Veterans Fire Corps in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service. In addition to wildland firefighting, members' work can include standing thinning operations, controlled-burn preparation and when conditions allow, participation in controlled burning exercises. Mike Mattmiller, acting fire management officer for the Pine Ridge Ranger District, said the program provides recent-era military vets with career training in wildfire mitigation and forestry while easing their transition back to civilian life. The SCA six-man crew includes three U.S. Marine Corps and three U.S. Army veterans, who strive to develop skills that may lead to a career as wildland firefighters or others that allow them to work outdoors, rather than "behind a computer all day." To begin their assignment in the forests near Chadron, they completed required courses to receive firefighting qualification. During their tour, their assignments developed firefighting-related skills, such as chainsaw work, prescribed burn preparation, digging line and thinning. While working on the Bessey Nursery in the Sandhills at Halsey they cut more than 150 trees in heavily timbered ground. Since coming to the Pine Ridge Ranger District, they completed important wildlife habitat improvement and preparation for hazardous fuel reduction projects, which will enhance public safety efforts already in progress. "They've worked on fencing for wildlife exclosures and on small pine removal for hardwood regeneration," Mattmiller said. They've also been preparing ground for a controlled burn to remove unwanted fuels that could increase fire hazards in the forest, which has seen several huge wildfires since 2000. Joining the district Sept. 18, they spent two weeks training in Colorado to earn their valuable "Red Card" certification to qualify for federal firefighting crews and on chainsaw handling. District Ranger Tim Buskirk said that while they provide the district with valuable assistance during a time of the year when the forest sees heavy use by hunters, it also gives them exposure to Forest Service policies and activities. "They get good experience for future positions," he said. When they're not on the job, the veterans have enjoyed visiting regional attractions such as Chadron State Park, Mount Rushmore, Wind Cave and Devil's Tower. Members of the group include Michael Crews, South Carolina, Marine Corps; Andre Ray, New York, Marine Corps; Tim Tate, New York, Marine Corps; Kyle Servedio, Florida, Army; Matthew Jacobs, Ohio, Army; and Karson Mikula, Michigan, Army. They will be assisting the Forest Service with local projects until the end of November. "We are pleased to have been able to give these fine veterans the training and introduction to skills needed to support their pursuit of a career in fire management, conservation and sustainability," said Kevin Atchley, NNFG forest supervisor. "While on the NNFG, this crew accomplished an amazing amount of important work in a short period of time. I know all of our forest leadership team members join me in thanking the crew for their outstanding efforts. While I would want each of them to pursue a career in the U.S. Forest Service, all of them will add tremendous value to any organization they wish to join." The Student Conservation Association is currently recruiting for the Veterans Fire Corps. For more information or to apply, contact Program Manager Emily Palmer at epalmer@thesca.org or 412-325-1851 x 3061. |
10 Steps from Job Interview to Job Offer© Copyright, 2017, Susan P. Joyce.All rights reserved. Contrary to popular belief, your resume doesn’t get you a job offer. Your resume is the sales brochure that gets you a job interview. Your job interview determines whether or not you will get a job offer. Many employers view a job interview as something akin to an audition. So, dazzle them! This opportunity calls for your “A Game” and nothing less! Here’s how: 1. Know the job requirements and the situation.If you don’t have a copy of the job description, ask for it when the interview is scheduled. Then, read it very carefully! Sentence by sentence. Any questions or concerns raised for you in what you have read? Make notes so you can get clarifications or answers in the interview. Also ask for the names of the people who will be interviewing you. Ask how many other people will be interviewed and if they will be interviewed the same day you will be interviewed or over several days or weeks. If everyone will be interviewed on the same day, know that you will need to stand out to be remembered in the crowd of interviewees.
2. Prepare and practice your answers to the standard interview questions.In addition to the usual greatest strength, greatest weakness, and where do you see yourself in 5 years questions, prepare for the other typical interview questions, like:
In particular, know what you will say when asked about anything that looks a little weak on your resume – perhaps a gap in employment, the reason you left your last job (if you are currently unemployed), or any other career setback you might have experienced. Few people are perfect, and if you have good answers prepared, you can usually give your answer and move on. Often it helps to write, and re-write, the answers to these questions, particularly the ones that are most uncomfortable for you, and then read them out loud a few times. You don’t want to memorize your answers, but you want to feel comfortable answering difficult questions. 3. Build your confidence with your “power pose” before the interview.Yes. Seriously. “Power poses” are scientifically proven to help raise your level of confidence by changing the levels of specific hormones in your bloodstream. The research was done by Harvard Business School Professor Dr. Amy J.C. Cuddy and her colleagues. Power poses do sound somewhat wacky, but you don’t get much more pragmatic than Harvard Business School. 4. Walk in on time, bright eyed and alert, well-prepared, dressed appropriately, and focused on the interview.If you have enough notice for the interview, be very well-prepared. Don’t stop with checking the employer’s website, also scan the LinkedIn Company Profile. If you know a current or former employee and you have some time, contact them to see what you can learn about the organization, the hiring process, and the people interviewing you. Google the organization’s name, including a search of Google News. If you know the names of the people who will be interviewing you, scan their LinkedIn Profiles, the Groups they belong to, where they went to school and worked before this employer. Perhaps you have something in common with them, and can mention it in the interview. [Put your cell phone on silent, or turn it off. Don’t answer it – or text anyone – during an interview!] 5. Hand over your business card, and collect a business card from each person who interviews you.Have your own business cards with your personal (or job search only) email address and non-work phone number (hopefully with good voicemail). You don’t need to have a job title on the card, but it should clearly indicate your name and basic contact information. Including your home address is not required. A generic title like “Sales Professional” or “Administrative Assistant” (or whatever is appropriate for you) can suffice if you feel a title is needed. Collecting business cards from the people interviewing you will make it much easier to send those post-interview thank you notes, and also to contact them later. In addition, it will also help you to address people appropriately during the interview. 6. Take notes.Don’t expect to remember everything that is said. Some recruiters I’ve spoken with are offended if job seekers don’t come with questions and take notes. It is polite to ask first, before you start writing down what is said – a simple, “Do you mind if I take notes” should suffice. Unless you are in a vault, discussing highly classified subjects in the interview, note taking should be fine. If it is not OK, I would ask why. 7. Answer the questions.You have prepared answers to many of the questions you will be asked. But, listen carefully to the questions you are asked, and answer those questions. Answers should be on topic, clear, and brief. Don’t tell your life story or ramble endlessly, and do NOT trash a former boss or former employer. 8. Have your own questions ready.Don’t be so focused on impressing them that you forget the interview is a two-way conversation, and you need information to decide if you want to work there. Maybe it’s not the right place or the right job for you. Observe the environment and the other workers there. Ask questions like:
Don’t be afraid to ask for clarifications if an answer isn’t clear. But, do NOT ask about vacation time and benefits in the first interview! Those questions are best asked later in the process, when you are negotiating the job offer. 9. Ask for the sale.At the end of each interview, ask how you did, and how you rank in comparison with the other people being interviewed. Particularly when you are interviewing for a job in sales, this might be expected (and not asking could be a sign that you don’t understand the sales process). 10. Ask what the next steps are in the process, when the decision will be made, and who will be your contact person.Assuming the answer was positive when you asked for the sale, ask them how their hiring process works, and what the next steps in their process are. Find out when you should expect to hear from their contact person (don’t leave without the contact information for your contact person). Then, ask for permission to contact them if you haven’t been contacted by the decision date or the date of the next step in the process (another round of interviews, perhaps). Read The 5 Absolute MUST-ASK questions in your Next Job Interview. Then, follow up.Be sure to follow up effectively with an immediate “thank you” unique to each person who interviewed you. For more on job interviews:Job Interviews: How to Ask the Right Questions Job Interviews: How to Knock Their Socks Off Job Interviews: Are You Listening? Build Your Confidence for Interviews in Less Than 5 Minutes Job Interviews: So What Do You Know About Us Job Interviews: Where Do You See Yourself Five Years From Now? Job Interviews: What’s Your Greatest Weakness? Job Interviews: What’s Your Greatest Strength? How To Handle Tell Me A Little About Yourself About the Author… Online job search expert Susan P. Joyce Online job search expert Susan P. Joyce has been observing the online job search world and teaching online job search skills since 1995. Susan is a two-time layoff “graduate” who has worked in human resources at Harvard University and in a compensation consulting firm. In 2011, NETability purchased WorkCoachCafe.com, and Susan has been editor and publisher of WorkCoach since then. Susan also edits and publishes Job-Hunt.org, is a Visiting Scholar at the MIT Sloan School of Management, and a columnist on HuffingtonPost. Follow Susan on Twitter at @jobhuntorg and on Google+ |
Veterans Get Expanded College Assistance Under Trump
By Darlene Superville - Reprinted with permission ©2017
The Associated Press BRIDGEWATER, N.J. (AP) — Military veterans are getting unlimited access to college assistance under legislation President Donald Trump has signed into law. The Forever GI Act removed a 15-year limit on using the benefits, effective immediately. The measure increases financial assistance for National Guard and Reserve members, building on a 2008 law that guaranteed veterans a full-ride scholarship to any in-state, public university, or a similar cash amount to attend private colleges. Purple Heart recipients forced to leave the service due to injury are eligible for benefits, as are dependents of service members who are killed in the line of duty. Veterans would get additional payments for completing science, technology and engineering courses, part of a broad effort to better prepare them for life after active-duty service amid a fast-changing job market. The law also restores benefits if a college closes mid-semester, a protection that was added after thousands of veterans were hurt by the collapse of for-profit college giant ITT Technical Institute and Corinthian Colleges. "This is expanding our ability to support our veterans in getting education," Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin told reporters at a briefing after Trump signed the measure at his New Jersey golf club following two nights at his home at New York's Trump Tower. Trump is staying at the New Jersey club on a working vacation. Journalists were not permitted to see the president sign the bill, as the White House has done for other veterans' legislation he has turned into law. That includes a measure Trump signed at the club Saturday to provide nearly $4 billion in emergency funding for a temporary veterans health care program. Wednesday's signing came the day after Trump was rebuked for continuing to insist that "both sides" were culpable for an outbreak of violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, over the weekend between white supremacists and counter-demonstrators. One woman was killed. Also, two Virginia state troopers died in the crash of their helicopter. They were monitoring the rally. A wide range of veterans groups supported the education measure. The Veterans of Foreign Wars says hundreds of thousands stand to benefit. Student Veterans of America says that only about half of the 200,000 service members who leave the military each year go on to enroll in college, while surveys indicate that veterans often outperform peers in the classroom. The expanded educational benefits would be paid for by bringing living stipend payments under the GI Bill down to a similar level as that received by an active-duty member, whose payments were reduced in 2014 by 1 percent a year for five years. Total government spending on the GI Bill is expected to be more than $100 billion over 10 years. Follow Darlene Superville on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dsupervilleap |
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