Companies who love to hire veterans

Career
LinkedIn
picture of a magnet plucking a veteran like figure out the rest of the line up

These veteran-friendly companies offer everything from transition assistance to hiring bonuses.

By Lillian Childress

Returning to the workforce after a career in the military can have unique challenges, and some companies recognize that. We’re highlighting companies that make a special effort to provide resources for the veterans they employ and their families.

Last year, Glassdoor interviewed Mike Hansen, the national director of military affairs at Power Home Remodeling, who talked about returning to the workforce after his deployment.

“After the shock factor of not being in the military anymore subsides, it’s all about how quickly you can apply the skills that you developed in the military. This application phase is the biggest differentiator of success—if veterans can focus on understanding, ‘I bring all these attributes, now it’s just about applying them to a different environment,’ they can find proficiency more quickly.”

Power Home Remodeling is just one of the companies leading the charge in facilitating veteran success in the workforce, offering a $3,000 hiring bonus for veterans. The list we’ve drawn up here highlight companies who are going the extra mile for veterans:

Booz Allen Hamilton

Where Hiring: Washington, DC; Arlington, VA; Fort Meade, MD; Falls Church, VA; Bethesda, MD; McLean, VA; Rockville, MD; Reston, VA; Chantilly, VA, & more.

Resources for Veterans: If you’re a veteran at Booz Allen Hamilton, you’ll be in good company: one-third of the company’s workforce are veterans. The company has multiple military-focused employee forums that offer networking and career training, and serve as knowledge bases for veterans and military spouses. Booz Allen also offers enviable benefits for reservists, including differential pay for up to 6 months, and continuing health and retirement benefits for the duration of an employee’s active duty assignment.

What Employees Say: “Great option for transitioning veterans to get their ‘foot-in-the-door’ in the commercial sector.” (from a current employee)

Walgreens

Where Hiring: Centreville, VA; Largo, MD; Washington, DC; Miami, FL; Worcester, MA; Oakland Park, FL; Hurst, TX; Porter, TX; Orlando, FL; Falls Church, VA, & more.

Resources for Veterans: Walgreens offers a number of specialized programs for veterans, including their HERO Program, which includes retail management training, on-the-job mentorship, and program support for veterans. The chain also offers military leave and military bridge pay to eligible team members, as well as multiple resource groups for veterans.

What Employees Say: “I love working at Walgreens. I’ve been there since February 2017 and very quickly moved up in the company from Customer Service Associate, to Designated Hitter (which means I can also work in the pharmacy), to Shift Lead. This shows that if you work hard and have good customer and communication skills, you have a lot of opportunity here.” (from a current shift leader)

Power Home Remodeling

Where Hiring: Greenbelt, MD; Alexandria, VA; Philadelphia, PA; Tampa, FL; Arlington, VA; Canton, MI

Resources for Veterans: Power Home Remodeling is one of the leaders in innovative veteran employment programs, offering – get this – a $3,000 hiring bonus for both veterans and military spouses. The company also offers numerous programs to help integrate, train, and retain veterans.

What Employees Say: “Getting out of the army and finding a good job was hard for me. Power is the first place to not only recognize the leadership qualities that veterans have but to also recreate the feeling of comradery I felt in the military. It’s hard to put into words, but they somehow make me want to try my best each day” (from a current outbound marketer)

 

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Where Hiring: Washington, DC; Bronx, NY; Indianapolis, IN; Hayward, WI; Austin, TX; Athens, GA; Miami, FL; Las Vegas, NV; Fayetteville, AR; Chillicothe, OH, & more.

Resources for Veterans: The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs knows how to value veterans. They offer a host of benefits for veterans that choose to work for them, including specialized tools and programs to help transition into civilian life, tuition assistance and loan repayment programs to help facilitate education, as well as a host of hiring initiatives and incentive programs.

What Employees Say: “Great mission, incredible benefits, good work/life balance.” (current physician)

Southwest Airlines

Where Hiring: Arlington, VA; Dallas, TX; Atlanta, GA; San Jose, CA; Orlando, FL; Minneapolis, MN; Richmond, VA; Pittsburgh, PA; Cleveland, OH, & more.

Resources for Veterans: A significant portion of the Southwest Airlines workforce comes from the military, with over 8,000 employees who have served or are actively serving, and more than 1,300 employees who are military spouses. Southwest offers a number of programs that help veterans transition into private sector jobs. Their website also features a military skills translator tool, where military members can enter their military job title or code to see the currently available opportunities at Southwest that align with their experience.

What Employees Say: “Culture is awesome. Lots of fun events throughout the year. Very family-oriented atmosphere. Flight benefits are great. Generally, you’re not expected to bring work home. Very stress-free environment. Benefits package is great. Profit sharing is great, 401k match is unheard of at 9.3 percent, and stock purchase plan is great.” (from a current yield analyst)

Boeing

Where Hiring: Chantilly, VA; Annapolis Junction, MD; Manassas, VA; Washington, DC; Herndon, VA; Hanover, MD; Aurora, CO; Oklahoma City, OK; Huntsville, AL; Tukwila, WA, & more.

Resources for Veterans: Boeing is committed to hiring veterans, as they make up 15 percent of the company’s workforce. Over 800 veteran-specific programs and organizations were supported by Boeing and its employees in 2018, and the company offers more than 30 veteran-focused employee engagement teams. These include skill development and workforce transition training, supporting recovery and rehabilitation programs that focus on post-traumatic stress, and promoting employee volunteering in veteran communities, according to Boeing’s website.

What Employees Say: “Industry leading pay and benefits. Largest aerospace company in the world. Lots of flexibility in assignments and projects. Good opportunities for continued education and career growth.” (from a current senior systems engineer)

The Home Depot

Where Hiring: Bloomfield, NJ; Plainfield, IL; El Cerrito, CA; Odessa, TX; Tempe, AZ; Southfield, MI; Bolingbrook, IL; Hawthorne, NY; Vancouver, WA; Miami, FL, & more.

Resources for Veterans: Already famous for their 10 percent discount for retired military members, Home Depot has also a strong commitment towards hiring veterans, with 55,000 hired since 2012. At Home Depot, an associate-run group called Military Appreciation Group, or MAG, helps veterans transition back into the working world and supports the families of deployed military members.

What Employees Say: “The Home Depot is a really employee-oriented business. They allow you to grow and gain the skills needed in case you decide to move to another position. They are very flexible with your schedule.” (from a current appliance sales specialist)

Other Opportunities

Did you drive trucks or other large vehicles in the military? Right now, there’s an extreme shortage of qualified truck drivers in today’s pool of job seekers, and military veterans are the ideal candidate for this type of job. Some trucking companies are actively seeking out military veterans for positions at their companies. Drive My Way, a company that matches CDL truck drivers and owner operators with jobs, offers a list of trucking companies hiring veterans for you to consider, including Holland and Oldcastle.

Source: glassdoor.com

Transitioning out of the military? Here’s your checklist and timeline

CareerTransitioning
LinkedIn
soldier in Army uniform with flag in background typing scrolling on iPad

By Blake Stillwell, Army Times

Deciding to leave the military might be as big a step as deciding to join. Most of us come in when we’re young, naive, and unprepared. When we get out we’re just as unprepared. Most of us. It doesn’t have to be that way, though.

You had what it took to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. You certainly have what it takes to support you and your dependents. You just have to be smart about it – and ask the right questions. Will you be getting a civilian job, and if so, will it be the same thing that you did in the military? Is remote work for you? Or will you go to school? Where will you do these things? How will you prepare to pay for them while you wait for benefits? Do you know how to get into the VA system?

No matter what your answers are, there are things you need to do in the two years leading up to your departure from the military that will ensure a smooth and successful experience.

Two Years to 18 Months from Expiration – Term of Service (ETS):

  • Find a mentor who has faced the same problems you will likely face.
  • Choose your civilian career and make sure you’ll leave the military with an education or a certified skill that will help you in that career.
  • Learn about your G.I. Bill and decide what you plan to do with it.
  • Start to save money and be prepared for the possibility of a tight job market when you get out.
  • Start to build a network by meeting people in your desired career field or college.

One Year Out:

  • Review your pre-separation budget and make sure you’re on track.
  • If you’re going to school after leaving, choose where, what to study, and start applying.
  • Learn about both VA home loans and the process of buying a house. If you’re moving to a new area, you might be able to get house hunting orders.
  • Begin the process of getting out of the military, which includes informing your unit and command while starting relevant paperwork and taking transition assistance classes. You may even be assigned a counselor.

Six Months to Go:

  • Make sure your budget projections still make sense.
  • Write a resume, preferably with the assistance of a career counselor, and use it in your job search. Be sure to show this to your transition mentor and your civilian career mentor, too.
  • Request your last household good shipment. The military will pack up and send your belongings to your new location or home of record one last time.
  • Consider your post-military health care options. Unless your conditions are service-connected, your coverage will end. If you have a new employer who offers health care, enroll in that. You can also find health care coverage through the Affordable Care Act website. Tricare offers temporary health care coverage for newly-separated members under the Continued Health Care Benefit Program (CHCBP) and Transitional Assistance Management Program (TAMP).
  • Update your wardrobe, leaning on your career mentor and the professional network you’ve been developing.
  • Decide where you’ll roll your military blended retirement savings. For plans worth less than $100,000, consider a fiduciary app like Wealthfront.
  • Update your important documents while it’s still free.
  • Start your household goods shipments and other PCS/ETS procedures.

Three Months Left:

  • Begin working on your VA compensation claim paperwork. Declare everything on your outgoing medical exam. Your duty station and Veterans Service Organizations (like the DAV) will assist with this process. Some states have offices to help veterans get this done.
  • Review your budget one last time to ensure it’s still good to go.
  • No matter your age, review your life insurance options, especially Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI) vs. Veterans’ Group Life Insurance (VGLI).
  • Get copies of your medical and dental records to keep.
  • Visit your doctor for free one last time.

One Month Out:

  • Choose your health insurance.
  • Know your home state’s veterans benefits.
  • Stay on top of your VA disability claim.
  • Keep looking for work, using job fairs, LinkedIn, and other websites.
  • Meet with your school’s veterans benefits office.

This can all be overwhelming if you wait until the last minute to do everything. Remember that staying proactive and ensuring you arrive at each point when you’re supposed to will keep you from losing your mind as your ETS date approaches.

Then you’ll really be able to celebrate a job well done.

Read the full transition guide on Army Times here.

How to Answer Behavioral Interview Questions

Career
LinkedIn
man in suit withy briefcase solemn look on face

Ever stumbled in a job interview and wished you had prepared more? It can be difficult to think back on your work history in the middle of an interview. But sharing an on-point story or example from your past experience communicates confidence and competence and can leave a remarkable impression on an interviewer. Prepare for your next interview by practicing responses to these behavioral questions—the type employers ask most frequently—and learn strategies for your answers.

What are behavioral questions?

Behavioral questions require you to describe how you have handled challenging work-related situations, such as conflict with co-workers, dealing with work deadlines or completing complex projects. The employer is seeking insight into your behavior, personality and character to determine how you’d likely perform in their job and whether they can rely on you.

Get started by gathering all the information you can about the position, organization and industry to determine the situations or problems likely to arise in the role you interview for. Then review the list of common questions below and identify the ones this employer is most likely to ask based on your research. While you likely won’t see a list of the employer’s questions in advance, you can develop a pretty clear idea of the scenarios the interviewer will probably bring up.

Next, thoroughly review your work history to identify experiences that may illustrate your ability to deal with the scenarios in the questions below. If you are starting your career, include experiences in classes, collaborating on class projects and participating in activities and volunteer work.

Look at these common questions to prepare stories about your experience.

Common Behavioral Interview Questions

How have you worked well with deadlines or other high-stress situations?
This kind of scenario is the most common behavioral question. Talk about a situation when you handled an intense project or major deadline pressure effectively, how you came up with your response, how others were involved and what the result was.

How did you respond when something significant went wrong on a job or when you made a mistake?
Here the interviewer acknowledges there will always be errors or issues, but they want to know you can work through challenges and use critical thinking to solve a problem. Emphasize the resolution, not the significance of the problem or error. Also, talk about the success or effectiveness of your solution.

Talk about a time you set a goal/goals and how you achieved them.
The employer wants to know how you organize your work and follow through to reach a goal. Emphasize any qualities you may have that reinforce your capability to persist through steps over time.

Tell me about a time you had an unexpected problem come up and your response.
Most jobs involve dealing with the unexpected—a shipment gets lost, projects stall, a co-worker suddenly quits, etc. The employer is looking for a sense of whether you can roll with the unexpected and find a way to bounce back and respond effectively.

What recent skill have you learned, and how did you tackle learning it?
Everyone needs to be willing to develop new skills and learn new things during their career. If you haven’t done any skills-building recently, take an online class or other training now—you can still discuss this in your interviews! Talk about something you’ve learned to improve your work performance and how it helped.

How have you handled an interaction with an especially difficult customer?
Employers in customer service depend on employees to remain professional even in the face of poor behavior by customers, so this is a crucial question for anyone applying for work with customers. Emphasize empathy, keeping calm, patience, courtesy and persistence.

What do you do to motivate your team?
Leadership success depends on relationships and communication with employees, so here emphasize how you have helped the people who report to you engage at work and achieve success.

What is a career accomplishment you are proud of and why?
Here is your chance to show what you find most meaningful in your work and how you have worked to become successful in your career. Emphasize what you learned from your accomplishment, whether others were involved and why it was meaningful.

Describe a major failure in your work life and how you worked through it.
This companion to the previous question lets the interviewer know whether you can take a hard knock and get back up and try again. Emphasize what you learned from the experience and what you did to prevent it from recurring.

Describe a time you experienced conflict with a co-worker or supervisor.
This can be tricky because while employers recognize conflict happens, they often want to see it avoided. Aim to focus on a positive result and how you were part of a solution, not the problem. If a compromise or negotiation happened, describe that as well.

Source: CareerOneStop

How Do You Grab Their Attention Before the Interview?

Career
LinkedIn
hiring manager reviewing resume with male job applicant

Resumes serve one purpose: to get you noticed. You need to be organized, personally and professionally, so you can create a solid resume and cover letter.

You can get yourself organized by knowing your worth, knowing your Veterans’ preference qualification, knowing what you want and knowing what works.

Know Your Worth


As a veteran or military service member you—

Learn quickly. One reason that you are needed in the federal civilian workforce is that you have already proven you can learn new tasks. You underwent rigorous training. Managers know you understand the value of learning and how to apply it.

Understand the value of teamwork. Teamwork was instilled in you from the moment you entered boot camp. You understand its value and work well with others.

Lead by example. You may have been given opportunity and various experiences to be a leader. Federal civilian jobs need people who are highly motivated and lift up those around them.

Respect authority. People in the federal civilian world respect those who understand rank and authority. Everything has its proper place, and order is needed to function smoothly.

Supervisors take comfort in knowing that you know how to support them with their mission.

Understand cultural diversity. You know how to work alongside others of different races and religions. You can work with coworkers who may be a little different or challenging. You can adjust to different environments when the situation calls for it.

Perform under pressure. You were trained to perform well—even when the going gets a little rough. You do not back down from challenges. Your ability to keep going adds stability to a team.

For all of these reasons and more, you are 
the kind of high performance candidate the Federal Government needs. Weave these words and themes into your professional resume to remind recruiters and supervisors that it’s not just the candidate, but the quality of his or 
her character that makes a difference in the workplace.

Know Your Veterans’ Preference Qualifications

In recognition of their service and sacrifice to our country, Congress passed the Veterans’ Preference Act of 1944.

Veterans’ preference is a measurement that provides Veterans special consideration when applying for certain federal civilian jobs. It is intended for Veterans who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces and were discharged under honorable conditions. It does not guarantee Veterans a job or give Veterans’ preference in internal agency actions such as promotion, transfer, reassignment and reinstatement. It does, however, give Veterans additional points after their assessment as a qualified candidate for a job in recognition of their status as a service member.

Veterans’ preference scores range from 0 to 10 points. Your Veterans’ preference score is in direct proportion to VA’s assessment of the length and timing of your service and any disability incurred during that time.

To claim Veterans’ preference, you must provide a copy of your DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, or other acceptable documentation as proof of your service. Applicants claiming a 10-point preference will also need to submit Form SF-15, Application for 10-point Veterans’ Preference, located at: http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf.

To investigate your Veterans’ preference qualifications, visit the Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Preference Advisor at: http://www.dol.gov/elaws/vetspref.htm.

Know What Works

Different types of jobs call for different types of resumes. Creating resumes for different jobs allows you to highlight the experience you have in one area over another, tailoring your experience to a desired position. For example, on one resume, you may wish to showcase the times you coordinated teams and managed assignments, but on another, you may want to focus on your technical proficiency. USAJOBS allows you to create and save up to five different types of resumes.

Remember: The more your application matches a position’s requirements, the easier it is for recruiters to assess that you are a suitable candidate.

What makes a resume good or bad can come down to several common indicators, as much as the format you choose.

Source: www.vaforvets.va.gov

7 Schools for Returning Military Service Members

Career
LinkedIn
auto mechanic with wrench at car workshop

Enrolling in a trade school after military service can be challenging. Some institutions lack programs that allow returning service members to maximize their potential.

Others may be unable to offer the funding and resources veterans need to succeed in the classroom. However, there are military-friendly trade schools vets should consider when furthering their education or pursuing new career paths.

What Makes a Trade School Good for Veterans?

Trade schools are an excellent option for veterans looking to further their education.

Many returning military service members who enroll in vocational programs enjoy the hands-on training they get to supplement their traditional classroom instruction.

Others like the flexible scheduling that allows them to balance their work, home, and school obligations more easily.

A Shorter Cost Efficient Way to Establish a Career

However, one of the most common reasons veterans choose to attend trade schools over traditional colleges and universities is that they can complete a program in less time and for less money. Instead of taking two to four years to get a degree, you can finish a trade school course in anywhere from six months to a year and start working in your chosen field.

Applying Military Training to Skilled Trades
Transferable Skillsets

Many of the skills veterans learn in the military are also essential for those working in trade careers.

For example, the same teamwork, communication, and interpersonal skills that helped you build relationships with fellow service members and commanding officers may come into play when interacting with employers, coworkers, and customers.

Other transferable military skills that are essential for trade jobs include analytical thinking, risk management, attention to detail, adaptability, and the ability to work well under pressure.

Specific Skills Learned in the Military

Some military skills might even relate to a specific trade, like applying weapons training to a job in criminal justice or going from a fighter pilot to an airline or commercial pilot.

Whatever branch of the military you served in, you can find a skilled trade or vocational school program that helps you apply the skills and training you learned in the military to a civilian career. In fact, many trade schools offer specific workshops and resources for veterans looking to make a smooth transition from the military to the workforce.

Must-Haves for a Military-Friendly Trade School

Generally speaking, a military-friendly trade school should have the four elements below.

1. Financial Aid for Military Students

Tuition assistance from U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs programs and GI Bill Benefits or through military-specific scholarship and grant opportunities.

2. Veteran-Specific Academic Assistance

Academic advisors that help veterans choose programs that suit their military skillset and possibly receive course credits for previous military experience.

3. Post-Graduation Career Placement Resources

Resume-crafting workshops, interview practice, job fairs, and networking events to help students find jobs with military-friendly employers and organizations.

4. On-Campus, Student-Run Veteran’s Center

A strong community of military students offering vouchers for food, transportation and books, plus support through study and tutoring groups and counseling referrals.

Continue on here to view a list of Schools & Programs for Veterans.

The Top Veteran Jobs of 2023

CareerTransitioning
LinkedIn
An illustration of a man in a suit standing in front of a large key hole shaped entrance

Whether 2023 is the year you transition to the civilian sector or you’re simply looking for a career switch, your military skillset has prepared you for a tremendous number of jobs. Here are the hottest jobs for 2023:

Electrician

For those who enjoy working with your hands or have experience in construction and engineering from the military, working in electricity may be the perfect fit for you. Electricians install, maintain and repair electrical power, communications, lighting and control systems in homes, businesses and factories.

  • Training and Education: To become an electrician, you must have your high school diploma or equivalent. Most electricians learn their trade in a 4- or 5-year apprenticeship program, receiving 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training and technical instruction. However, workers who gained electrical experience in the military or in the construction industry may qualify for a shortened apprenticeship based on their experience and testing.
  • Work Environment: Electricians work indoors and outdoors at homes, businesses, factories and construction sites. Because electricians must travel to different worksites, local or long-distance commuting is often required. They may need to work in cramped, noisy spaces from time to time or at great heights for construction and renewable energy-type projects.
  • Average Salary: $60,040
  • Job Growth Rate: 7% (average)

Financial Analyst

Financial analysts guide businesses and individuals in decisions about spending money to attain a profit. They assess the performance of stocks, bonds and other types of investments. Veterans’ abilities to quickly adapt to new circumstances, take on the helm of leadership and stay organized are especially helpful in this role.

  • Training and Education: Most entry-level positions for financial analysts require a bachelor’s degree, preferably in a business field. You should also have your securities industry license, which is generally sponsored by the employer and is not required before starting a job. Obtaining a Chartered Financial Analyst certification can also improve the chances of workplace advancement.
  • Work Environment: Financial analysts work primarily in offices but may travel to visit companies or clients. They work full-time hours of at least 40 hours per week.
  • Average Salary: $95,570
  • Job Growth Rate: 9% (faster than average)

Information Security Analyst

Information security analysts plan and carry out security measures to protect an organization’s computer networks and systems. If you have experience working with encrypted messages or cybersecurity during your time in the military, this career is the perfect fit for your experiences.

  • Training and Education: Information security analysts typically need a bachelor’s degree in computer and information technology or a related field, such as engineering or math. However, some workers enter the occupation with a high school diploma and relevant industry training and certifications. Employers may prefer to hire analysts who have professional certification in information security.
  • Work Environment: Many information security analysts work in an office-like setting with other members of an information technology department, such as network administrators or computer systems analysts. Most information security analysts work full-time but may have to be on call outside of regular business hours in case of an emergency.
  • Average Salary: $102,600
  • Job Growth Rate: 35% (faster than average)

Registered Nurse

Registered nurses (RNs) provide and coordinate patient care, educate patients and the public about various health conditions and provide advice and emotional support to patients and their families. They often administer medications and treatments, help families administer care, operate and monitor equipment and consult with healthcare professionals. This job is perfect for veterans as the job often calls for individuals that are calm under pressure and can quickly adapt to new situations.

  • Training and Education: Registered nurses usually take one of three education paths: a bachelor’s degree in nursing, an associate degree in nursing or a diploma from an approved nursing program. Registered nurses must be licensed.
  • Work Environment: Registered nurses may work in hospitals, schools and offices. They often do a lot of bending, stretching and standing and are in close contact with people with different infectious diseases. Their work schedules depend on their specific setting but can range from typical full-time shifts to around-the-clock coverage.
  • Average Salary: $77,600
  • Job Growth Rate: 6% (average)

Human Resources Manager

Human resources managers plan, coordinate and direct the administrative functions of an organization. They oversee the recruiting, interviewing and hiring of new staff, consult with top executives on strategic planning, and connect an organization’s management and its employees. Veterans with experience in managing staff allocation and leadership experience are especially fit for this job.

  • Training and Education: Human resources managers typically need a bachelor’s degree to enter the occupation. The degree may be in human resources or another field, such as business, communications or psychology. They typically have a combination of education and related work experience to enter management positions. Courses in subjects such as conflict management may be helpful.
  • Work Environment: Human resources managers work at least 40 hours a week in offices. Some managers, especially those working for organizations that have offices nationwide, travel to visit other branches, attend professional meetings or recruit employees.
  • Average Salary: $126,230
  • Job Growth Rate: 7% (average)

Sources: Indeed, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

How Veterans Can Make Their Resume a Favorite With These Unique Skills

Career
LinkedIn
Man holding a sign that says

By Ron Kness

Reports from employers routinely show that the majority of them are looking for soft skills in their candidates. Veterans have a high number of these skills from their time in service, and if you don’t put them on your resume, then employers won’t know that you have them.

5 SOFT SKILLS FOR VETERANS TO HIGHLIGHT ON THEIR RESUME

As a veteran, don’t underestimate the value of the soft skills learned while in the military.

This is the kind of experience employers are searching for…and it is the experience that new college graduates typically don’t have. But if you don’t put these soft skills on your resume — with examples of how you used these soft skills — they will never know you have them.

  1. Communication

This soft skill has always been important, but because of the way the pandemic changed our way of working, it is even more important now. With remote and hybrid work, communicating is different. While much is still verbal using videoconferencing, more has transitioned to text and email, and writing is different than speaking.

Another change requiring this soft skill is that more and more companies are becoming more diverse, inclusive and global. And to the credit of veterans, there is probably not a military force more experienced with a broad spectrum of experience with different races, cultures and genders than the U.S. Armed Forces, so veterans already know how to communicate in a growing diverse, inclusive and global business environment.

  1. Time management

The ability to manage time is the “secret sauce” of being effective. In today’s fast-paced business environment, things move fast and employers can’t afford to have employees waste time. Fortunately, veterans are “old hat” at this soft skill. The military runs on a clock. Certain things happen at certain times, and if you are not there, it will not wait for you. So, we have all learned not to be late by arriving 15 minutes early for a scheduled event.

  1. Project management

This soft skill often goes hand-in-hand with time management. A project usually has a sequence of events where “A” has to happen before “B,” “B” has to happen before “C,” etc. If one of the items is delayed, it affects the rest of the project and throws it off schedule. Veterans are used to dealing with projects.

One that comes to mind is operations. Being on the objective at a certain time is critical for the success of that operation. In many instances, it can be a matter of life or death. Veterans can check that box!

  1. Analytical thinking

The U.S. military is different from many other militaries in that its NCOs are taught to lead in the absence of an officer. If their officer is taken out of the fight, there is always a Senior NCO there to take over and carry on with the mission. And if unexpected situations come up, that person can choose possible courses of action and select the one with the highest chance of success on the fly. It is analytical thinking at its best, but we call it being able to think on your feet!

  1. Flexibility

One of the benefits of being able to work remotely that workers like a lot is flexibility, being able to work when their life schedule allows. Employers recognize this benefit, so they are interested in candidates that have experience working in this type of environment. In the military, we learn that a plan does not always go as planned — alright, almost never as planned — and we have to be flexible and be able to adapt to fast-changing conditions — often in an adverse environment. So, this is another soft skill veterans are very adept at doing.

Source: ClearanceJobs

Tips for Every Stage of the Interview Process

Career
LinkedIn
man and woman in job interview seated facing each other

Interviewing is a critical part of the job selection process and allows you to discuss your experience, education and training.

It is also a chance for you to gain a better understanding of the organization and the position. As important as resumes and applications are, it is essential to remember that hiring managers are the ones who do the hiring, and this is your chance to connect with them.

The job interview is a two-way discussion between you and the interviewer. The interviewer is attempting to determine if you have the skills the position requires, and you are trying to decide whether you will accept the position if the job is offered. Both of you are trying to gain as much information as possible to make an informed decision.

Preparing for the Interview:

  • Research the position and organization (e.g., mission, goals, etc.) prior to the interview. Familiarize yourself with the duties, responsibilities and requirements of the position. Don’t assume you know everything about the organization, even if you have experience with the organization. Always do your research.
  • Review your application and resume and be prepared to support past accomplishments with specific information targeted towards the position requirements. Be sure that you focus on your paid and non-paid experience. Consider that the interviewer doesn’t know everything about you.
  • Practice interviewing. Take the time to research and review typical interview questions to help give you a framework for your responses.
  • Be flexible with scheduling and allow sufficient time for the interview. Be sure to ask for specifics regarding the time, location, point of contact (POC) and any other logistical details.
  • Ask whether there will be one or multiple interviewers.

During the Interview:

  • Plan to arrive early. Check with the POC regarding appropriate arrival times, check-in procedures and logistics. Keep in mind that security/access requirements and time to get on the site may vary by location. Remember, you get one chance to make a first impression.
  • Be prepared to summarize your experience in about 30 seconds and describe what you bring to the position.
  • Listen carefully to each question asked. Answer questions as directly as possible. Focus on your achievements relevant to the position using examples of how your knowledge, skills and abilities fit the job. Be sure to ask the interviewer to restate a question if further clarification is needed.
  • Remain positive and avoid negative comments about past employers.
  • Be aware of your body language and tone of voice. Remain engaged by giving your full attention to the interviewer.
  • Take limited notes, if desired.
  • Be sure to ask any final questions about the organization or the position. Also, ask about the next steps in the selection process, including timeframes. Request POC information should you have any follow-up questions.
  • Reinforce your interest in the position and thank the interviewer(s) for the opportunity to interview.

Note: Conversations regarding salary, benefits and other human resources (HR) matters should be addressed with the servicing HR POC listed on the job opportunity announcement.

After the Interview:

  • Provide any additional requested information as soon as possible.
  • Be patient. Remember, the hiring process takes time. You can follow up with your POC if you have not been contacted within the established timeframe.

The hiring official is looking for the right person with the right skills to fill the vacant position. During the interview, it is up to you to demonstrate that you are that person.

Remember, you will not get a job offer for every interview you attend, which is okay. Just keep your head up and know that you are qualified and will find your future career.

Source: Department of Labor

It’s Time to Serve Our Veterans

CareerTransitioning
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James Banks of SHRM standing behind chair

By Kimberly Gladden-Eversley

It takes unprecedented bravery to serve in the U.S. military. It also takes courage to walk away from the commitment to sacrifice, service and the only life you may have ever known. Transitioning into the civilian world means removing the camouflage uniform to enter the uncertainties of the civilian workforce. Fighting for freedom, with the opportunity to finally experience freedom, makes this transition sound like a moment of a lifetime. Instead, for many of our active-duty members, this transition is quite daunting.

As countless programs surface in support of veteran transitions, vets continue to face exasperating fear. According to military-transition.org, 48% of veterans found their transition from the military community into the civilian workforce more difficult than expected, 52% found their transition confusing, and 76% found it extremely stressful. Thankfully, veterans who have successfully transitioned have not ended their commitment to serve their country.

James L. Banks, (pictured) a veteran who serves as SHRM’s (Society for Human Resource Management) General Counsel, key lawyer and legal advisor, continues to offer his unwavering dedication to serve without a uniform. During SHRM’s Diversity and Inclusion conference, Banks shared his expertise on transitioning vets and accessibility. “When you want to get out of the military, you’re back in your home, but you feel like you’re not…because so many people around you don’t quite get it,” said James L. Banks. “What you’ve been through and what your perspective is, and what you can bring to the table in this new civilian environment,” he continued.

Military members are not walking away empty-handed; they walk away with valuable skills that can enhance the civilian workplace. “When I was on active duty, it was only afterward that I began to understand the analytical abilities and skills that I picked up,” said Banks. “I can tell you from having both been in the military and lots of different jobs in the civilian sector, how much we would pay to have an employee go through leadership, training, management and develop those skills,” he continued. “Like almost everybody coming out of the military already has… you’ve been practicing every single day…we would spend good money, in the civilian world to put somebody through that.

SHRM has created a military job translator that will interpret veteran service skills for job opportunities nationwide. Active-duty members can translate the skills they’ve gathered during their mission-based commitment to the armed forces easier now than ever before. This tool also provides a candidate database for employers who are looking for qualified veterans actively searching for jobs. “We’ve got lots of excellent toolboxes that will help employers in that regard; the SHRM foundation is sort of leading the effort in that,” said Banks. “One of which is as simple as…a translator for military specialties… it will also help to identify some of the soft skills that that person has,” he continued.

Internships and various informal job opportunities are also available to military personnel as they complete their final years of service. Providing opportunities for active-duty and civilian employers to collaborate, bridge the gap, increase familiarity and ease the transition. Although entering the unknown is part of the challenge, Banks suggests changing the focus and lens through which employers and military members see themselves as the greater obstacle to overcome.

The military community has received continuous praise for their hard skills, but it’s time to recognize their exceptional soft skills too. “They look at a military infantry officer; what can he do here at this company?” said Banks. “What he can do is lead your workforce and manage your workforce in a way that you’ve been spending thousands of dollars to send frontline leaders to courses and classes about how to lead,” he continued.

Removing barriers to improve accessibility takes recognizing the skills and values only a veteran who has carried the country on their shoulders can possess. “I think of the…barrier to access as sort of a thin curtain in front of all of these great abilities and talents…so our job is to understand that thin curtain is there and find a way to move it to the side,” said Banks. “When you’ve gone through training that is required for any length of any tour of duty…you can do almost anything, there’s nothing that’s beyond you, there’s no limit.”

Photo Credit: KIMBERLY GLADDEN-EVERSLEY

Leveraging Honor and Respect to Improve Recruitment and Retention

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Larry Broughton in business suit arms folded and smiling

By Larry Broughton

Leaders struggle with securing, maintaining and exporting one product more than any other: respect. This is due in no small part to our current cultural mindset, which is counter industrious.

Our media declares the “little guy,” the marginalized majority, to be the constant victim of tyrannical bosses, teachers, owners and basically anyone else in a leadership role. The modern American distrusts leadership, at best, and resents leadership, at worst. So, how does a leader actually recruit, retain and lead people who consider themselves victims? The answer is found in the core values of honor and respect. Leaders, not employees, are responsible for setting the standard and the pace of the values.

In setting the standard, leaders must recognize and respect the time, energy and effort of those around them. This requires listening, thinking and approaching people as if they are just that — people. Most bad leadership comes from a soured mindset toward followership. Many in management positions have had enough of trying to be kind, supportive and considerate; eventually, they just want results: productivity, plain and simple. The problem with that mindset is evident: people are not cogs in the machines of a leader’s choosing. They are individuals with strengths and weaknesses, good days and bad, dreams and limitations. They cannot be demoted to the level of a cog — that logic is just as faulty as the aforementioned “little guy syndrome.”

Those in management and leadership positions must look at their followers and realize their own job is to optimize their employees’ potential to succeed, not simply fume as they seem to maximize their ability to fail. Many resistant followers have never shared respect with a leader in their lifetime and are not properly equipped to start any time soon. This is the first challenge of leadership: see “employees” as “team members” and draw the potential out of them. Do this by taking the first step. Establishing a standard of respect will not only enable your followers to fulfill their potential, but it will also cause the majority of them to respond in kind.

Regarding pace, leaders have to acknowledge that the process of gaining, sustaining and expanding respect and converting that into a productive and tenured team member is usually lengthy and arduous. To unwrap a pessimistic employee from their cynical cocoon is no small feat. Again, the antidote is simple, free and readily available: respect. It begins at the top and works its way down, not the other way around.

Leadership requires us to control the flow of respect and to drive it into every hour and corner of our organization. Once it does, it breeds a culture of honor, and anyone who enters it will either rise due to its effects or leave quickly. Many leaders will see this step as futile and counterintuitive. “Employees respect me because I am the boss. If they earn my respect, then so be it.” That mindset may have worked well enough in generations past; however, modern followers do not subscribe to this logic, so it simply won’t work today. Respect them first and farthest; then coach them up or coach them out if they do not meet the standard. By taking the first and farthest step, a good leader will completely eliminate excuses and tolerable failures — followers, will either meet the pace of respect set by the leader or find another placement.

Many view leadership as passionless and visionless. They see managers as the ultimate cogs in an even larger machine. To reverse this mindset, leaders must seek to see the value of every team member and offer honor, respect and understanding even before it’s deserved or earned. Some followers will buck this treatment and run — their presence is undesirable anyway. Some will respond almost instantly with loyalty and trust — these people were most likely conditioned for work by whoever reared them and will make excellent team members. Most will come around slowly but treat their leaders more fairly because they recognize the goodwill the leader has extended them first. This style of leadership does require considerable effort at first; nevertheless, working smarter and accomplishing more is certainly preferable to leading a group of maligned, untrusting misfits to merely adequate performance.

Now, take rapid action and go do something significant today.

Larry Broughton is a former U.S. Army Green Beret, best-selling author, award-winning entrepreneur, keynote speaker and leadership mentor. TheLarryBroughton.com

Photo credit: Westover Photography

The “Stable Job” Myth

CareerTransitioning
LinkedIn
veteran standing outside convention center wearing a suit carrying a briefcase

By Paul Peng

We all want predictability and stability in our lives; who doesn’t? The sad truth is that we are not living in the post-boom period of World War II, where individuals can work in the same job for 40 years and then retire with a company-sponsored pension and a Rolex.

In our modern-day environment, we live in a fast-paced society where corporate job security is a thing of the past. There is no such thing as a “stable job” in corporate America; here’s why.

Placing Your Faith in Your Employer

Let’s get something straight right out of the gate. Businesses are just that, businesses. They are run by people that must juggle all the complexities of the entrepreneurial machine and the mistakes (sometimes massive ones) that the owners and C-suite executives can make. You may have done nothing wrong but may be laid off out of necessity due to poor decision(s) made by your employer. Remember that the number one goal is the survival of the company, not the people that work for them.

Tenure Doesn’t Mean What It Used To

Tenure in corporate America is essentially dead. Why? Tenured employees are usually the highest paid, and during recessions, employers start asking if the salary they are paying these tenured employees is worth it. Are these employees still providing good value for the money they are being paid? Or can I bring in a younger, higher-energy but perhaps an inexperienced person with half the salary and train them up? According to an article published by Indeed in February of 2021, one of the most common tenure traps is performance complacency, meaning you do just enough to get by, and the quality of your work diminishes. So, reinventing yourself or being consistently engaged with the company’s goals will help you get away from the chopping block.

Job Insecurity

We have all been there. If your company is acquired by another, depending on your position, your role (especially in mid to upper management) may be eliminated as new companies generally like to bring on their own people. Or perhaps your boss with whom you have a good working relationship leaves, thus taking away any protection you had, leaving you vulnerable to a new boss. Don’t you just love office politics?

Adapt or Die

In the era of employment fluidity, our natural ability to respond to our changing environment allows us to succeed. You must be aware of making the necessary adjustments. Start with the mindset that you are a free agent. By promoting yourself and making yourself more valuable to your employer and potential future opportunities, you may find yourself in a better position with a higher salary. Another tip is to become an expert in the next wave of technology. As we continue to evolve as a civilization, staying current with the latest technology trends can only help you.

So, get after it!

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