April 2019 |
Transition-e-news Volume 4 Issue 153 |
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Army plans to expand program that helps soldiers find jobs after serviceby ROSE L. THAYER | STARS AND STRIPES | Reprinted with permission ©2019 All Rights Reserved AUSTIN, Texas — A Fort Hood-based pilot program that pays for soldiers to get civilian licenses and professional credentials could expand beyond Texas by the end of September, Sgt. Maj. of the Army Dan Dailey said recently during congressional testimony. Speaking to a House Appropriations Committee subpanel, Dailey said the Credentialing Assistance Program, which is now only offered to roughly 36,000 soldiers of the regular Army, Army Reserve and Texas Army National Guard at Fort Hood, is expected to expand to all installations across the service in fiscal year 2020, which begins Oct. 1. The test phase of the program launched at Fort Hood in September 2018. During the announcement of the program in the fall, officials said the central Texas base was chosen because of its education center, the availability of soldiers in a diverse realm of jobs, and partnerships within the community and nearby Central Texas College. Dailey said the plans for expansion, which was always expected but not given a timeline, come after seeing positive results, even after just a few months in operation. ADVERTISING "I'm happy to report that that limited-user test is going well," Dailey said in February speaking to the House subcommittee on military construction, veterans affairs, and related agencies. He did not elaborate during the hearing on what made results positive, but much of the feedback stems from conversations among soldiers involved in a focus group that meets directly with the post's top command sergeant major. Data on the program is expected to be available following the end of the one-year test period. The House hearing focused on quality of life at military installations and Dailey was joined in testimony by his counterparts at the other military branches. The discussion of the credentialing program followed a request to share information about it from Rep. John Carter, R-Texas, whose district includes Fort Hood. "The U.S. Army has almost 150 military occupational skills, much of which directly translate to necessary high-skilled training jobs out in the civilian sector," Dailey said. "What (soldiers) lack is the civilian credentials in order to obtain those jobs." Credentialing assistance is similar to tuition assistance, but opens the door to the professional certificates associated with many technical trades and jobs that require a license. It gives soldiers up to $4,000 a year toward earning one of the 28 different civilian licensing and certifications preselected as part of the pilot program. Certificates in the fields of fitness, food service, human resources, information technology, logistics, management, manufacturing, medical, trade and transportation were chosen because of job availability in Texas and the ability to complete them within the one-year test period. article continues below related articles Spc. Michael Picado, a network administrator with Fort Hood's 11th Signal Brigade, was an early user of the program, beginning his first course in November. His goal is to earn three civilian credentials each year through the end of his enlistment contract in 2021. Right now, he's focused on earning credentials in his field of information technology and has already completed the IT Fundamentals certificate. In the coming years, Picado said he will branch out into credentials related to business and project management. "I've noticed management-type certificates appeal to a lot of individuals," he said. Data from Fort Hood shows that, too. Since the program was started, Fort Hood has seen more than 800 soldiers visit the base education center to receive individualized counseling about the Credentialing Assistance Program, said Mike Engen, the post's education services officer. Because the program is new, Engen said his team has really focused on awareness. Soldiers have to know the program exists to take advantage, he said. The most popular credential is the certified personal trainer certificate, Engen said. Other popular certifications include ones related to project management, human resources and the commercial driver's license. Pamela Raymer, chief of Army Human Resources Command's Army Continuing Education System, said the rollout as incremental. The Army is developing a plan to expand the limited user test to other installations and states beyond Fort Hood and Texas, by the end of September. From there, she said the ultimate plan for Army-wide expansion is sometime in fiscal year 2020. The program's expansion Army-wide also will expand the credentials offered from the 28 in the test program to all listed in the Army's Credential Opportunities On-Line program, or Army COOL. There are more than 1,650 credentials in the COOL database. Dailey said the program not only prepares soldiers for civilian employment, but also builds a force with more knowledge, capability and readiness. "Soldiers are excited for this to expand all around the Army," he said. "Of course, we've got to get all our facts together and make sure we fix all the problems before we do so." Dailey said one concern is ensuring the Army is using credentialing partners that provide quality educational opportunities for a fair price. "The Army values professional credentials. They improve military readiness by increasing the competence of our individual soldiers," Raymer said. It also helps "by retaining quality soldiers, enhancing their career progression, and providing the skills and qualifications that will make them competitive for post-service employment." Two years ago, when Picado was choosing which military branch to join, the 30-year-old chose the Army because of these type of educational opportunities. "All branches offer the same tuition assistance, but I chose the Army because I had the assumption that as a bigger branch, it would have more specialized programs," he said. "I'm glad I found the Credentialing Assistance Program over here. This is one of those programs that are the gems. It really has a lot of opportunity for me." As Picado earns credentials, he said he can see it improving his work in the Army. As a network administrator, he ensures everyone who needs it has access to the internet. "It supports my job in terms of me viewing it more as an apprenticeship," Picado said. "I'm learning the same stuff about my industry while I'm working. I absorb why I'm doing what I'm doing in my job."
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New Google search function aims to link military job codes to civilian workforceBy Andrew Dyer The San Diego Union-Tribune (TNS) - The Associated Press - Reprinted with Permission - ©2019 All rights reserved SAN DIEGO — Google CEO Sundar Pichai was in San Diego this week to announce a partnership with the USO that includes enhanced job search features on Google search and an IT training initiative for transitioning military members and active duty spouses. Now, typing “jobs for veterans” in the Google search bar results in an additional search box for a “military occupation code,” which leads to local civilian job postings that match the skills and training of those military jobs. Pichai, at a news conference at the new USO headquarters in Liberty Station, said Google was in a unique position to offer transitioning veterans tools to ease a post-military job search, and that military skills were often “lost in translation” when transferring them to a civilian job. “This is an area where Google’s ability to organize information can help,” he said. “There are 10,000 military job codes out there, yet we lack a way to help recruiters match a veteran’s experience with a civilian need for their skills.” Google is also making the new military job search function available to job boards, employers and staffing agencies, Pichai said. Pichai also announced Google would add a badge on search results and on Google Maps to veteran-owned businesses. Pichai also announced a new $2.5 million grant to the USO to train active duty members and their spouses for entry level IT jobs. The Google IT Support Professional Certificate can be earned in about eight months, Pichai said, with about eight to 10 hours of work per week. “It equips you with the skills you need to start a career in IT support in about eight months – no prior experience of college degree necessary,” he said. “We are making all these services available to the spouses of current service members, too. Spouses make it possible for members of the military to do their important work.” USO President Dr. J.D. Crouch II said the organization’s mission was to keep service members connected when in uniform, but that it was also to help their transition. “We’ve been around for 77 years, and we’ve been waiting for this partnership with Google,” he said. “This program will provide transitioning service members with in-demand technical skills and transferrable soft skills to kick-start their private sector careers and after their military service concludes.” Kylee Durant, the USO’s senior director of program development, said Google approached the organization wanting to work with military families. She said she knew any initiative would need to include military spouses. “As a (military) spouse, I struggled continuing a career after moving three times in five years,” she said at Monday’s news conference. “The IT industry offers so much job portability. The future of work is going to be more digital.” Kassandra Kristoff, who works in internal communications at Google, served six years in the Navy as a surface warfare officer. She said the she and her husband – who was also in the military – struggled during their transition our of the military in 2013. “This job search function – I wish that was around when I was transitioning out,” she said. “This is game-changing for a lot of folks that are transitioning today.” Kristoff said working in tech was similar to the military in that the work environment was fast-paced and required people to think on their feet. She said there were opportunities for transitioning service members but also that transitioning could be difficult. “It’s going to be a long, hard process, but continue to have that work ethic … because you never know where that could lead,” she said. “Just keep at it, and eventually you’ll land somewhere you really love.” |
Why Your Job Search May Be Taking So Long© Copyright, 2019, Susan P. Joyce. | Work Coach Cafe | All rights reserved. If you’ve been job hunting for a while, you know that job hunting today is a long, hard slog. A job search today is so challenging that nearly 3 million people have been unemployed for over 6 months. An unfortunate side effect of that difficult and extended experience is that you have probably concluded that you’re just not that employable. You are being discriminated against because of your age, sex, race, or something else. Or, you’re just not smart enough to land a good job. Why Many Job Searches Take 6 Months or LongerI am not saying that you are perfect, executing a flawless job search. But, I don’t want you to take all this rejection (and being ignored) as personally as you probably are. You don’t control the whole process, no matter how hard you try, so not landing a job is not, most likely, truly a reflection of your quality. Many significant issues are probably impacting your job search. The Recruiting Process Has Shifted Dramatically
The widespread use of the Internet and other technology has fundamentally altered recruiting. Unfortunately, the speed of change seems to be increasing, so what worked for you during your last job search may not work for you this year, even if your last job search was only 2 years ago. If you don’t understand “the rules” for today’s recruiting process, you are invisible, no matter how many job applications and resumes you submit online. 1. Be visible online (positively).In 2009, Dick Bolles, a very smart man and author of the classic job search and career book What Color Is Your Parachute? said, “Google is the new resume.” He was absolutely correct, as usual. But, this is a relatively new requirement that many job seekers miss. The best solution is a LinkedIn Profile, done carefully and kept up-to-date. Add careful visibility on LinkedIn and elsewhere online. DO NOT HIDE! Unless you are a career spy, being “invisible” online today is a sign that you are:
It also means that employers cannot confirm the “facts” on your resume with a quick Google search, which more than 90% of recruiters reportedly do before contacting job applicants. [MORE: Is Your Job Search Too Old-Fashioned?] No solid online visibility for you found with Google (LinkedIn is usually best)? Employers very quickly lose interest. Google your name, and study what you find. Hopefully, you find things that would impress an employer, not some crazy rants about baseball, sex, religion, politics, or another topic that would scare away an employer. [MORE: To Be Hired, Be Found and Online Reputation and Your Job Search.] 2. Be very specific about what you want.Yes, being very specific feels wrong. In the past, being specific limited your opportunities. So, the instinct is to be vague and generalized in describing what you do. In the past, being vague helped keep “options open” for you when you posted one version of your resume on a dozen job boards. Today, being vague means missing important keywords in your resumes, applications, and social profiles (especially LinkedIn). Keywords are how people are found using technology today. So being vague translates into invisibility. Think many recruiters search LinkedIn to find a “Marketing Professional” or an “Accounting Professional”? NO! They don’t do a vague search like those. Not today. Keywords are the keys to success today. Employers search Google and LinkedIn for:
Today, employers and Recruiters search for a “Social Media Marketing Analyst” or a “Field Marketing Associate” or a similar specific title. In accounting, they search for an “Accounts Receivables Administrator” or a “Marketing Programs Lead.” Check out giant job site, Indeed.com, and you’ll see that very few employers are vague about what they want. [MORE: To Be Hired, Be Focused and To Be Hired, Be Found — Your Best Keywords.] 3. Be reachable.If an employer finds you and is interested in reaching you, make it easy for them. Provide contact information, preferably what I call your “professional email” address. Your professional email address is unrelated to your home or work. For most people, a Gmail address is a good solution. Just be sure to check that account every day in case an employer tries to reach you. LinkedIn allows you to make your contact information public on your LinkedIn Profile, and I highly recommend that you make your professional (not work or home) email address visible on LinkedIn. If your employer insists that you make your work email address and phone number visible, do that. But, also add your professional address to the Summary part of your LinkedIn Profile. PROTECT YOUR PRIVACY! Don’t put yourself or your family at risk by publishing your home address and home phone number for anyone in the world to find on the Internet. Employers aren’t the only ones scanning the Internet — scammers and creeps do it, too. [MORE: To Be Hired, Be Reachable.] More on Being Easy to HireClimb Out of the Resume Black Hole in 3 Steps Online Reputation and Your Job Search Ego Surfing or Smart Self-Defense To Be Hired: Be Focused About the Job You Want Be Find-able to Be Hired: Your Best Keywords How to Get Noticed by Recruiters Is Your Job Search Too Old-Fashioned? ©Copyright, 2019, Susan P. Joyce. All rights reserved. About
the Author… |
Interviewing is a Fact Finding Mission not an InterrogationBy Hannah Morgan Career Sherpa - Reprinted with permission - I continue to read and see how competitive the job market is. But, who wants to accept a job that isn’t a good fit? To be clear, I am not recommending arrogance, but inquisitiveness. Conduct thorough research on the company to help you determine the answers you are looking for. In other words, what is most important to you in a job, company, manager and co-workers. During an interview, ask open-ended, non-leading questions to get the best answers, and add specific company questions as well. Be sure you ask questions to gain clarity on issues that are most important to you in a job, fit and culture.
By asking these open-ended questions, you allow the interviewer to speak about the issues that are most important to them- right now. Listen carefully to which path they chose to take as they answer. You may think you know the answers, but the interviewer might have a different logic. Asking questions shows interest, that’s a good thing.Having these pre-written questions with you during the interview will remind you of what you are supposed to be asking. (Yes, you can bring a list of questions! The interviewer is reading off a list so why can’t you?) Those endorphins have a way of stealing your brain power and you may have difficulty remembering everything you wanted to ask. Here are questions you could ask (though not all in one interview!) The idea is to have a dialog with your interviewer. The flow should go something like this: They ask you a question. You provide an answer and ask them a question. A nice tennis match feel. However, if the interview is inexperienced this can be quite challenging. They may do all the talking as a result of their insecurity. Listen dutifully. Be careful not to threaten their egos by interrupting too often. |
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