TAOnline Transition Insight Newsletter

US employers hired a record number of people in April

In this Tuesday, June 4, 2019 photo, job applicants line up at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood during a job fair in Hollywood, Fla. On Monday, June 10, the Labor Department reports on job openings and labor turnover for April. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. employers hired the most people on record in April, while the number of open jobs was largely unchanged, evidence that the job market remains solid. The Labor Department said Monday that businesses filled 5.9 million jobs that month, 4.2% more than in March and the most since records began in December 2000. ... Read More

Meaningful work, mentors give vets a future

Joseph Scanlan left for Marine boot camp the day after his 18th birthday. At 23, he was ending his service as a platoon sergeant. Unlike many veterans, he knew where he was going next: Microsoft. Although the veteran unemployment rate hit its lowest point in more than a decade in December 2017, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics experts say the data do not reflect underemployment. Many are trapped in minimum-wage jobs that only add to the pressure of transitioning to civilian life. Today, Scanlan is a Microsoft premier field engineer based in Boulder, Colo. He entered the skilled workforce through the Microsoft Software & Systems Academy, or ... Read More

Career Lessons Learned from Two Layoffs

If you read my first WorkCoachCafe post, you know I’ve been laid off twice in my career. And, strange as it may sound, those layoffs really ended up helping my career, even though they threw me into a panic both times. No paycheck?!? YIKES! Five very important things that those two layoffs taught me: 1. A “career” is NOT a destination. A career is a process or a journey that we take. A job loss is just a change in employer. It may end up being a change in career direction. But, it’s not the end of your career. We don’t necessarily know where our career is going to take us, which doesn’t mean ... Read More

Pre-Interview Prep

By Hannah Morgan Career Sherpa - Reprinted with permission -

If you’ve been applying for jobs, now is the perfect time to do your pre-interview prep. It’s never too early to start preparing answers to job interview questions. There are standard questions you can expect to be asked during a job interview. These questions are designed to see if you have the skills and interest to be a good fit for the job. You can begin thinking about these answers and prepare your responses today. Cramming for a job interview isn’t the best idea. You want to come across confidently qualified during the interview and that takes practice and time. These are some of the questions you should be prepared to answer, grouped by what the interviewer wants to know. ... Read More

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**TAOnline Virtual Career Fair * The Big Virtual * Date TBD**

The Big Virtual is a TAOnline Virtual Career Fair where U.S. veterans and security cleared professionals can connect online with military-friendly organizations. The event will take place from your computer (date TBD) from 11 am to 3 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). More information will be available soon.

**Corporate Gray Military-Friendly Job Fair * June 21, 2019 * - Springfield, VA**

You're invited to interview with top military-friendly companies at the June 21 Military-Friendly Job Fair at the Waterford Reception Center in Springfield, Virginia. Meet with National Security Agency, Leidos, ARServices, LMI Government Consulting, Booz Allen Hamilton, Newport News Shipbuilding, First Command Financial Services, Preferred Systems Solutions, CollabraLink, Cognosante, and many more! Job fair hours are 9 am to 12 noon, with an Employer Panel discussion for job seekers starting at 8 am. To ensure you receive the job fair Employer Directory in advance, pre-register at http://corporategray.com/jobfairs/408. And if you upload your resume, the participating companies will have early access to your credentials. While especially for transitioning service members and veterans, this job fair is free and open to all job seekers.

**Military Officer Job Fair * July 19, 2019 * - Arlington, VA**

If you are a transitioning or former (separated/retired) military officer seeking employment, save the date to attend the July 19 Military Officer Job Fair, which will be held at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia. While sponsored by the West Point Society of DC, this event is open and free to ALL military officers regardless of commissioning source or branch of service. Meet face-to-face with representatives from top companies seeking your skills. For more information and to register, visit www.MilitaryOfficerJobFair.com..

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U.S. Veterans Magazine (USVM) Is the premiere resource magazine for transitioning service members, service-disabled veterans, veteran business owners and their spouses and families. USVM is the link between the qualified students, career and business candidates from the ranks of our nation’s veteran organizations, educational institutions, corporate America, and the federal government. Subscribe for FREE today!

US employers hired a record number of people in April

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. employers hired the most people on record in April, while the number of open jobs was largely unchanged, evidence that the job market remains solid.

The Labor Department said Monday that businesses filled 5.9 million jobs that month, 4.2% more than in March and the most since records began in December 2000.

Some of the increase in hiring simply reflects population growth. As a percentage of the workforce, new hires reached 3.9%, a strong reading but below the record of 4.3% reached in January 2001.

The report shows employers are confident enough about the economy to add staff. Still, there were warning signs: The number of job openings has declined from a record 7.6 million in November to 7.4 million in April. That suggests demand for labor is softening a bit.

Growth also appears to be slowing, with most economists forecasting that the economy will expand in the April-June quarter at about half the pace it did in the first three months of the year. Rising trade tensions with China, slowing growth in Europe and Asia, and the fading of stimulus from tax cuts and greater government spending last year are weighing on the economy.

On Friday, the government said employers added just 75,000 jobs in May and 224,000 in April. Those monthly figures are a net total, while the 5.9 million is a total count of all hiring in April.

“Today’s numbers confirm that the labor market has lost some momentum,” said Nick Bunker, an economist at the job listings website Indeed. “Slowdowns happen. Just because this year won’t be as strong as last year doesn’t mean a recession is looming.”

There are still more jobs available than there are unemployed workers, a rare development and stark illustration of how low unemployment has fallen.

Monday’s report, known as the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, or JOLTS, also measures layoffs, which ticked up in April to 1.75 million but remained at a low level. Rising layoffs would be a signal that the economy was worsening.

Hiring in April was particularly strong in construction, professional and business services — which includes IT workers as well as accountants and engineers — and finance.

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Meaningful work, mentors give vets a future

Joseph Scanlan left for Marine boot camp the day after his 18th birthday. At 23, he was ending his service as a platoon sergeant. Unlike many veterans, he knew where he was going next: Microsoft.

Although the veteran unemployment rate hit its lowest point in more than a decade in December 2017, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics experts say the data do not reflect underemployment. Many are trapped in minimum-wage jobs that only add to the pressure of transitioning to civilian life.

Today, Scanlan is a Microsoft premier field engineer based in Boulder, Colo. He entered the skilled workforce through the Microsoft Software & Systems Academy, or MSSA, program available through Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He is now pursuing a degree in technical management from Embry-Riddle and hopes to work on artificial intelligence or cloud computing.

Microsoft launched the MSSA program in November 2013 at Joint Base-Lewis McChord, Wash. The reskilling program is now accessible to military personnel across the country. Enrollment is open to transitioning servicemembers within six months of separation and honorably discharged veterans who recently transitioned from the military.

The two-term, 18-week program available through Embry-Riddle prepares graduates to launch careers as server and cloud administrators, cloud applications developers and cybersecurity administrators. Graduates are guaranteed an interview for a full-time job at one of the more than 280 industry hiring companies.

They enjoy a 92 percent placement rate in the IT industry at an average starting salary of more than $70,000. For the 80 percent who enter the program without a degree, this triples their earning potential.

By 2020, Microsoft estimates they will graduate approximately 1,000 students annually from the MSSA program.

“Along the way, we’ve learned valuable lessons about the importance of mentorship, communication, interpersonal training, and dedicated one-on-one career support — and I believe this model is ripe for expansion,” said retired Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Chris Cortez, vice president of Microsoft Military Affairs.

Scanlan is part of that one-on-one equation. After his graduation, he mentored the first MSSA cohort at Fort Carson, Colo. He had no IT background going into MSSA, so he can speak directly to the anxieties of veterans with minimal technical skills as they tackle a challenging mix of theory, practice, virtual labs and certification testing. He cites his work ethic and willingness to learn as qualities that now make him successful at Microsoft.

Corporations and universities have a strong incentive to reach out to veterans like Scanlan. Bringing them into technology fields such as IT fills a science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, skills gap and promotes diversity in the workforce.

The United States invests in military personnel and entrusts them with the highest level of responsibility. We can benefit from this investment by welcoming veterans as skilled employees with demonstrated potential as leaders and mentors.

We cannot afford to squander talents just because a person’s active service has ended. A job allows them to survive. A career — with the opportunity to mentor others — gives them back a future.

P. Barry Butler is president of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

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Career Lessons Learned from Two Layoffs

Five very important things that those two layoffs taught me:

1. A “career” is NOT a destination. A career is a process or a journey that we take.

A job loss is just a change in employer. It may end up being a change in career direction. But, it’s not the end of your career.

We don’t necessarily know where our career is going to take us, which doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have goals or do planning. And we need to be ready to accept challenges and opportunities when they present themselves.

2. Sometimes it takes a kick in the pants (or a job loss) to get us moving on — to a better future.

I know this was true for me, and many people have shared that they feel the same way.

If that job loss had not happened, they would still be in the same rut, dealing with the same issues, not really enjoying their work.

But, the job loss happened. So, they had to face reality and move on. And it was an absolute gift to them.

I know that a job loss definitely doesn’t feel like a gift when it happens. However, years or months later, you can see the benefit clearly. If I hadn’t been laid off twice, my career trajectory would have been very different. I would never have ended up where I am today, loving what I do.

3. If you don’t make mistakes, you aren’t making progress either.

People who are risk-averse, afraid to make a mistake, live very limited lives, and they never know how much they could have achieved. It’s a good idea not to make the same mistake twice, but mistakes are a great way to learn!

My favorite saying from a fortune cookie is:

Start to look for your faults if you never make mistakes.

So true! Too often, we don’t try something new because we’re afraid of making mistakes. This isn’t an invitation to be crazy, but it is an invitation to take “calculated” risks.

What’s a calculated risk? This is my approach: I’ve tried to teach myself to ask myself, “What’s the worst thing that could happen” if I’m wavering about taking some step. Most of the time, the worst thing isn’t really that awful, particularly in comparison with the “upside” related to successfully taking the action.

4. If you don’t have a goal in mind, you probably won’t get there.

The journey that is a career can go off in the wrong direction. Too often, we stay in jobs we don’t really like, working for people we may not respect, because we don’t really know what we want.

“A job is just a job” is the relatively comforting thought. As long as that paycheck keeps appearing, we just plod along in that same old pattern. Going nowhere.

But, figuring out what you want to do next is WORK! An investment of time and attention is required. Self-analysis — what you do well and enjoy doing — is necessary. Yikes!

Yes, deciding that your goal is to be CEO of a Fortune 500 company or a New York Times best-selling author may not be achievable, given the competition. However, heading in that direction (if that’s what you really want) will be very educational and may show you a better option, something very enjoyable that isn’t on your radar screen right now.

5. Learning is not an option. When you stop learning, you become irrelevant.

That has always been true, but I think it is more true now than in the past with the velocity of cultural and technological change increasing exponentially in the last few years.

Regardless of your age, 25 or 55, staying up-to-date is not optional. If you aren’t visibly up-to-date, you are an “old timer” regardless of your age, and you will be marginalized in most fields.

Look Forward

Job loss can be a tragedy, but, more often, it’s the start of a new phase in your career. Often a job loss is a gift — the start of something new and better for you.

More about Career Change

Involuntary Career Change Can Be GREAT!

Starting Career Change

5 Important Things to Know About Career Change

Career Changers

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Pre-Interview Prep

By Hannah Morgan Career Sherpa - Reprinted with permission -

If you’ve been applying for jobs, now is the perfect time to do your pre-interview prep. It’s never too early to start preparing answers to job interview questions.

There are standard questions you can expect to be asked during a job interview. These questions are designed to see if you have the skills and interest to be a good fit for the job. You can begin thinking about these answers and prepare your responses today.

Cramming for a job interview isn’t the best idea. You want to come across confidently qualified during the interview and that takes practice and time.

These are some of the questions you should be prepared to answer, grouped by what the interviewer wants to know.

About your application

What made you apply for this role?
Why do you want to work for this organization?
Why do you feel you’d be suited to this role?

Questions about your career choices and decisions

What made you enter this [industry/profession]?
What’s the biggest highlight of your career to date? Why was it a highlight?
What’s your biggest career mistake to date? What did you learn from this mistake?
Where do you see your career going in 3 years (…or 5 years, 10 years time)

Questions about each of your roles

What made you take that particular role on?
What were your reasons for leaving that particular role?
What did you deliver in each of your roles? Can you quantify these achievements?

Questions about you

What type of work have you enjoyed the most? What was it about them that you enjoyed?
What types of work have frustrated you the most? What was it about them that was frustrating?
What are your strengths? Can you provide me with a specific example to back each of them up?
What are your weaknesses? What are you doing about them?
How would you describe your personality and working style?
What’s unique about you? How are you different to all the other people we’re meeting?

Behavioral Job Interview Questions

Then there are behavioral job interview questions…

Tell me about a time when you had a disagreement with your manager.
Describe a stressful situation at work and how you handled it.
Give me an example of a time when you were able to successfully persuade someone to see things your way at work.

You can see a list of more behavioral interview questions here. >> popular behavior based job interview questions

There is a trick to answering these questions. You use the acronym STAR.

STAR Stories

Each of your answers should use a STAR story. And it’s really important to use quantifiable information in the results part of your story! Try really hard to quantify the productivity, efficiency, performance or outcome of your actions.

Situation – what was going on (Briefly stated)
Task – what was it that had to happen
Actions – step by step, what did YOU do
Results – what happened because you did what you did

It isn’t enough to just think about your answers or write them down. YOU MUST practice these answers out loud. Your answer sounds different when spoken than it does in your head or when you’ve written it out.

Review The Job Posting- Again

You’ve already thoroughly reviewed the job posting when you created your resume. But dig out the job description again and review each requirement and develop a STAR story to provide proof you meet that requirement.

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