Veterans-Related News Round-Up

Veteran jobs programs and related efforts featured prominently in the news this week. Here is a quick round-up of things you might have missed this week, including some state-level career information.

• First Lady Michelle Obama plugs Joining Forces on The Colbert Report
• Education and Employment Symposium for Pennsylvania Veterans scheduled for April 20
• The Chicago Tribune explains the value of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's Office of Servicemembers Affairs - Don't miss this one.
• Missouri's "Show-Me Heroes" program helps the state's veterans find employment

The 3 Things Employers Needs To Know About Hiring Veterans

Veterans are some of the most qualified applicants in today's job force. They have skills that just can't be taught: leadership, innovation, teamwork mentality, focus, and self-direction. But what about those other skills employers think are so important, like knowledge of specific software and past experience?

According to Chad Storlie, author of Combat Leader to Corporate Leader, these skills aren't as important because, frankly, they can be taught. If there is one thing Veterans have spent their careers proving, it's that they are highly trainable.

KEEP THESE THREE THINGS IN MIND WHEN EXPANDING YOUR VETERAN WORKFORCE

Find Hidden Skill Sets. On the surface, it might not seem like a sniper and a software quality engineer have anything in common. So if you pick up a Veteran resume that lists sniper experience--but nothing relevant to software--you might be tempted to toss it out. To Storlie, this is a big mistake. He suggests you ask the Veteran about their experience as a sniper. If you do, you will learn they are detail oriented, they understand how to read an environment, and that they are a team player as well as self-directed. In fact, snipers have many skills sets in common with software quality engineers. According to Storlie, it's about asking the right interview questions to uncover these hidden skill sets.

Translate Veterans' Experience. There is a gap between the language Soldiers speak in the military and the language corporate America speaks. Veterans aren't the only ones who need to translate military language into civilian language. Employers often focus too much on rank, branch of service, and military occupation. But this is only part of the equation. Storlie recommends connecting with Veterans already working in your company. Ask them, What skills do you use every day that you learned in the military? How has your military experience helped you succeed? When you involve Veterans in the hiring process, they can help ask questions and interpret answers. This will help you identify and translate what is most valuable in a Veteran's past military experience and how this can be a valuable asset for your company.

Challenge Veterans Like It's The Military. One of the most common reasons people join the military, according to Storlie, is to be challenged. Identify small projects that your Veterans can tackle. Starting small allows the Veteran to gain positive work experience. Make sure to check in often and provide feedback - most Veterans have learned the value of evaluation due to their military experience. Once a small project has been mastered, increase the scope and responsibility of the projects you assign. Every Veteran needs to feel like an essential part of the team and an asset to the company. Remember, this indispensable work ethic they learned in the military, too.

Veterans bring skills to the table that most employers need. Embracing these strategies will help you make the most out of hiring Veterans. Learning to harness the unique skills of Veterans, too, will translate into bigger profits and a more productive workforce for you.

For more free job resources for Veterans, visit VeteranCentral.com.

Written by Twila Camp . Twila is the Content Director for VeteranCentral.com, an online community dedicated to providing free resources and support to Veterans and their Families. She graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a Bachelors of Letters and a Masters in Library and Information Science. She also holds a Masters in Liberal Studies with an Emphasis on Writing from the University of Denver. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6948726



Google for Veterans: A Great New Resource for the Military to Civilian Transition

If you haven't already discovered Google for Veterans yet, then let us be the first to tell you about the fabulous new resource for veterans. It's a great jumping off point for veterans look to get started on the military to civilian transition. We particularly love the Veterans in Their Own Words series on YouTube.

Salary Negotiation for Veterans: Know When to Say Yes and When to Walk Away

Before you decide if the salary range or your place on the salary range is not what you’re looking for, you should look at the whole compensation package. Once you know what the entire compensation package contains, compare it to what you what to get from your next position, both monetarily and otherwise.

One thing to consider is your overall career development. Will there be opportunities for you to grow and increase your skills and future value? The work environment is also important. Work environments include both the physical and the intangible surroundings of work. Is this a place where you’re going to enjoy spending time? Think of everything: the people, the dress code, the culture. If it matters to you, it matters for your career.

Location and daily duties are important as well. Where will you work and what will the routine be like? Will you feel productive and motivated? Can Picture yourself in this setting? If not, ask yourself if compensation will overcome these concerns. If you can, ask yourself if you are willing to give up some compensation to have these advantages.

Finally, ask yourself: “Would I take this opportunity if I couldn’t negotiate another dime? Is there enough in the whole package to make it work?” If the answer is no, walk away. You won’t be happy.

What to do With the First Offer, and when to Ask for More
You’ve been given an offer. Congratulations! No matter how desperate you are to say “Yes!” ask for time to think things over, and make sure you respond within the time frame you are given.

As you move toward your final decision, make sure you’ve carefully considered all the related aspects of the compensation package that may not have come up in the actual salary negotiation itself. These include: promotion opportunities, health benefits, paid holidays, tuition reimbursement. Don’t over think, but do be deliberate. A little forethought can save you from embarrassing and difficult conversations later.

In the current state of the economy, many job seekers forget about salary negotiation and gladly accept whatever they can get. Don’t make that mistake either.

True, you’re going to have to gauge the willingness of the hiring manager to consider giving you more to get closer to your desired level. But don’t forget that in most cases, the company always starts low to give itself some negotiating room, and the manager may be able to offer another between 10-20%. If that doesn’t work, see if there are other aspects of the compensation package that they might be willing to improve in your favor.

Summary
Sometimes, deals fall apart. It can happen at any stage of the salary negotiation. But that’s not necessarily bad. If it should happen, don’t turn negative. Thank the hiring manager for his or her time; your paths may cross again.

At all times, remain enthusiastic and positive. The person who did not offer you the job may very well recommend you to other peers in the industry.

Jumpstart Your Career Transition! The Jumpstart Session is designed to give you the feedback, advice, guidance and confidence that you need to succeed in your career transition. What’s more, the Jumpstart Session is priced at an affordable $149. A limited number of Jumpstart Sessions are available. BOOK YOUR SESSION TODAY!

Happy Veteran's Day

Wishing all of our veteran clients and friends a very blessed Veteran's Day. Thank you for all that you've done and continue to do for our country.