Military Transition News – November/December 2015, Top 40 Under 40 Military/Veterans Day issue

HONORING VETERANS DAY WITH THE 2015 TOP 40 UNDER 40 MILITARY CivilianJOBS.com’s

The Essential Military-to-Civilian Transition Resource November - December 2015

militarytransitionnews.com

Announcing the 2015 Top 40 Under 40 Military

by Heidi Lynn Russell Contributing Editor

T

he influence of the veterans and service men and women who are part of this year’s Top 40 Under 40 Military has a wide global reach, ranging from the boardrooms of America’s top businesses, to the theatrical stages of Las Vegas, to hospital rooms and remote tropical villages. No matter where they find themselves, the “Top 40” are setting themselves apart for ongoing acts of service in local communities and by advancing their employers’ organizations.

Humanitarian aid and community assistance are high on the priority list for many of our honorees.

One of the most rewarding career achievements for former Air Force Maj Luis A. Berrios was serving in a humanitarian mission to Cocle Province, Panama. He was the nurse manager for a traveling clinic encompassing over 20 medical providers, nurses and technicians serving some of the most medically underserved communities. “In nine days, we treated over 3,000 patients in very dynamic, and at times austere,

environments,” he says.

Veterans are also making strides in the corporate arena and in business self-ownership.

While at his last duty station at Ft. Carson, CO, former Army SFC Travis McNeil became a part-time salesperson for Saladmaster Inc. Today, he works as an Executive Trainer on the Saladmaster staff. His wife maintains their Saladmaster dealership in Colorado Springs.

“Saladmaster is honored to support the Top 40 Under 40 Military class, all of whom have sacrificed to serve our country,” said Ryan Reigle, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Saladmaster, presenting sponsor of the 2015 Top 40 Under 40 Military.

“We look at all of our military recruits as our leaders of tomorrow and pledge to continue helping them serve their community as Saladmaster dealers.”

Another of the Top 40 recipients, Joe Haury, works at a company that is one of the most recognized brands in the world: MercedesBenz USA. And at age 34, the former Air Force Maj became the youngest General Manager in the company.

“Joe is not afraid to question

others to aid in his understanding of a challenge, can rally together teams and keep them on target, and possesses a perfect combination of empathy and discipline. He truly embodies our core principles, which include passion, respect, integrity, drive and excellence,” says Robert Moran, Director of Corporate Communications at Mercedes.

Awardees also can be found in unique places, showcasing their talents.

You know what they say about what happens in Vegas? It doesn’t always stay there, if you’ve been selected as a “Top 40” awardee.

Air Force Capt Ryan Hess is active duty, assigned to Creech AFB, NV as a Flight Commander in the 42nd Attack Squadron. But “in my free time, I am heavily involved with the Las Vegas Theatre Community and have appeared in several shows here in Vegas, both professionally and as a volunteer,” he says.

And in the classroom, veterans also shine and have big dreams.

Take Air Force SrA Jimmy Santos, a law school student at Suffolk University Law School. Upon graduating in May 2017, Santos wants

to practice international dispute resolution. His goal is to work for a large firm, “assisting multinational corporations in contract negotiations with foreign partners.” Beyond that, he’d like to work for either the World Trade Organization or World Intellectual Property Association.

The Top 40 Under 40 Military issue would not be possible without the hard work of an extended team at Military Transition News, not the least of which includes the panel of distinguished judges: William W. Basnett, Brigadier General (Retired), USAFR, Past Commander of the 94th Tactical Airlift Wing (TAW), Past President and Membership Director for the Reserve Officers Association (ROA); he is currently an active real estate agent with Georgia Elite Realty in Kennesaw, GA. Steve Clarke, Captain (Retired), USN, Strategic Adviser and Business Leader.

KennethA.Konstanzer,Lieutenant Colonel (Retired), USAR, Aviation, Chairman, U.S. Service Academy

Selection Board for the Office of U.S. Senator David Perdue, Past Commander, U.S. Military Academy Admissions Field Force, State of Georgia.

Heidi Lynn Russell writes about employment and business issues.

Please turn to this issue’s center spread to review the profiles of the Top 40 Under 40 Military and find out how the members of the class of 2015 are changing the world.

Military Leadership in Action: A Q&A with Mercedes CEO Steve Cannon

by MTN Staff

S

teve Cannon has been the Chief Executive Officer and President of Mercedes-Benz USA LLC since January 1, 2011. Prior to that, he served in a number of functions at Mercedes with stints in marketing, executive leadership and financial services.

During his time at the company, Steve also moved to Stuttgart and

joined a team tasked with the development, manufacture and launch of the M-Class.

Mr. Cannon was an Airborne Ranger in the Army and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he graduated with honors.

To help commemorate the Top 40 Under 40 Military issue and

Veterans Day, MTN caught up with Mr. Cannon and asked him for his advice for transitioning military and veterans.

MTN: You’re a graduate of West Point. What drew you into the military?

Steve Cannon: I won’t say that I came in through the back door, but when I graduated from high school, the military wasn’t on my radar screen. My younger

brother actually started. I went off to college. My younger brother started at West Point and came back with all these amazing stories. He was off tank training at Fort Knox; he was repelling down 100 foot cliffs.

He was going through “Beast Barracks,” which is our basic training at West Point and coming back with some of these crazy, even some fantastic stories about

continues page 4

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Transition Talk: Should I Leave My Job? ....................page 3

The Top Overlooked Careers

Finance: 5 Milestones Before 40

.............page 16

......... page 21

Job Fairs: End of Year Through 2016 ................page 22

Career Coach’s Corner: Transition Alphabet ..... page 23

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Publisher Managing Editor Art Director Associate Editor Contributing Editors

Director of Technology Project Coordinator Senior Consultant Consultant Consultant Consultant Consultant Account Representative Account Representative Account Representative Account Representative

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Jake Hutchings Kathy Scott Alec Trapheagen Anthony Morris Janet Farley Heidi Lynn Russell Tom Wolfe Don Nowak Jessica Doll Brett Comerford Stephanie Brinkley Kyle Friend Tucker Harrell Garrett Reed Jillian LeBlanc Glen Nelson David Rivera John Skinner

Military Transition News is published by: CivilianJobs.com 1825 Barrett Lakes Blvd., Suite 300 Kennesaw, GA 30144 1-866-801-4418 Reproduction or use without permission of any editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited. The inclusion of advertising is considered a service to our readers and is not an endorsement of products or advertising claims. Opinions expressed in articles are the opinions of the contributors and do not necessarily express the opinions of Military Transition News or its staff. Subscription rate: $12 per year (6 issues). To subscribe, call 1-866-801-4418. ©2007-2015 Civilian Jobs, LLC. All rights reserved.

Military Transition News and CivilianJobs.com are whollyowned subsidiaries of Bradley-Morris, Inc. (BMI), the largest military-focused placement firm in the U.S.

Transition Talk

by Mike Arsenault Vice President of Candidate Services

Bradley-Morris answers questions from transitioning military job seekers.

Q: I was very lucky when I transitioned out last year.

I got a job with a great company in an area close to my wife’s family, but I was so worried about getting a job that I didn’t really focus too much on whether I wanted to make this my career. Now nearly a year in, I can’t help but wonder if I should have done a better job researching what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, instead of where there was an immediate opening in the geographic location that I wanted. This company loves veterans and has been really great, but I really think that I need to look elsewhere. What do you think I should do as my first step?

A: You didn’t mention how long you had been in the

military, but I can tell you any transition is difficult. Let’s assume you served eight years and spent some of that time perhaps deployed. Separation from the military is not easy.

The relationships you developed and the sense of duty shared among service members are very hard to recapture in the corporate world. We hear from many veterans that what they miss most of all is the sense of camaraderie they experienced while serving in the military.

Like with any big life change, the first year after transitioning can be tough. You may even second guess

your decision of separating. Don’t worry - this is not rare.

There is no true timetable on a career change. My advice to you is to write down the pros and cons of your current role. Include your spouse’s feedback and perspective so you both can discuss the benefits and reservations about your current career choice. Then, take a week and write a job description of the perfect job for you.

Don’t do it all in one night as I’d encourage you to think through both your short- and long-term goals. You may find that you need more education or credentialing, more on-the-job training, or perhaps you want to be your own boss and take a more entrepreneurial track. The job you have now could potentially get you to where you want to be - but it can take some time.

I would absolutely caution against making any kind of decision during a time when you don’t have your full attention on the end goal. Take a step back and get comfortable in your new home, get into a routine and be sure you are taking care of yourself physically and mentally.

Also, find a way to connect with other veterans. You’re not alone and what you’re feeling now is part of the transition. Good luck.

Mike Arsenault is Vice President of Candidate Services at military placement firm Bradley-Morris, Inc. He can be reached at (800) 330-4950 ext. 2105 or by email at marsenault (at) bradley-morris.com.

Read this issue online now at Online.MilitaryTransitionNews.com

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4 “Military Leadership in Action: A Q&A with Mercedes CEO Steve Cannon” continued from page 1 guys in his face and challenging him and all the hardships that he had to go through.

I just got captivated. I went to college on a wrestling scholarship and was doing fine, but then I saw this and I said, “Wow that’s pretty cool.” I could either just keep going and have a really regular college experience or I could lean out of my comfort zone and leap into this world that I had no idea about.

I don’t come from a military family, even extended family; didn’t have a whole lot of connection points into the military until my brother landed at West Point and he told me the stories he was going through and I said, “Wow I’ve got to try that.” So that was my ticket into West Point, more opportunistic than intentional, but none-the-less it was great.

MTN: How did your military experience help you when you went to transition into the civilian world?

Steve Cannon: I almost think that my military experience was the reason that I got hired. I spent three years in Germany as an officer, which was actually kind of a really cool time, it was 1987 to 1990. We were a border patrol unit. I was attached to part of the second armored cavalry regiment and we were right there patrolling the East German/Czechoslovakian border as the “Iron Curtain” walls came down, so it was neat to be right there at a significant shift point in history and have a front row seat.

When I left the Army, interestingly, I signed my out processing paperwork at Robinson Barracks in Stuttgart, Germany. And as I drove past Robinson Barracks, there was Mercedes-Benz global headquarters, and I said to myself, “I didn’t know that it was here.”

That’s how much I knew about MercedesBenz at that time. I signed my papers and a few months later, just by luck and good fortune, I’m working at Mercedes-Benz.

I spoke German, plus the person that hired me loved the West Point background and some of the intangibles that obviously you learn in spades when you’re in the military: discipline, leadership, self-confidence, someone who could command a presence and who could represent the company and the brand. Those attributes served me very well when I made the transition.

MTN: Mercedes-Benz has many programs and initiatives to hire veterans.

Why do you want to hire military?

Steve Cannon: It’s an amazing resource. If you’re looking for the best and the brightest, if you believe talent is the great differentiator between good companies and great companies, then it’s about finding people that know how to get things done in ambiguous and ever-changing environments. Our business world is shifting all the time. I need people that I can intimately trust – people of character. I automatically respect and appreciate people who have taken their time to serve their country. To me that’s a pretty noble cause and not everybody does that. That already puts service members in a different category for me. The leadership they get; the discipline they get; the ability to make fast decisions, team decisions in fluid environments; that’s what businesses require these days. For me they are a great resource and we’re committed to finding ways here at our headquarters as well as out in our dealer network to hire these folks.

MTN: What advice would you give to

NEWS service members as they prepare to transition out into the corporate world?

What are some things that you think can prepare them for success?

Steve Cannon: So the first piece of advice is be confident. I know you’re coming out of this world and the military is its own world. It’s got its own language and its own rule sets. I know that a lot of folks, because I mentor quite a few, they feel very intimidated. They’re coming into a whole different situation. I will tell you, the business world respects, recognizes and wants the things that you have to offer. The uniform is different, the mission is different, but the ways to accomplish objectives, all the other things about getting people and teams aligned around an objective and then taking steps to achieve that objective, that’s what businesses do every single day. That’s what you’ve lived.

So my first piece of advice is to be confident. You are a great product. You are a great product that guys like me want. Don’t apologize for your background; find ways to articulate what your background means in non-military speak. People outside that community don’t fully understand, so it’s really on you to do your best to articulate the great experiences that you’ve had and translate them into civilian speak. People outside the military community will really grasp all the wonderful things you’ve done.

And, I’d say “buddy up.” It’s always about your range buddy - who is your partner to help you get through this? Our company has a pretty strong mentor program. When we hire new military folks, the first thing I do is pair them up with someone so they’ve got a sounding board, someone that they can articulate their fears or their questions to “What does this term mean? Can you help me understand these things?” - you need a buddy. The better your network of folks that have either made the transition as well as maybe someone who is going through it as moral support - find that support network and ask for help. Every single transitioning military person that has asked me for help, I have given him or her help. That might just be answering the phone and taking time out, having a conversation. I’ll do that every single day of the week and I’ll find time for it, but you’ve got to ask. Don’t be afraid to ask for help; don’t be afraid to buddy up to ask somebody to be your mentor, to help you through the process. I think that will really make it easier on the transition.

MTN: As a CEO that’s also a veteran, how do you feel like your military background,

Photo courtesy of Department of Defense

Nov/Dec 2015

匀䔀刀嘀䤀䌀䤀一䜀 伀唀刀 䌀伀唀一吀刀夀 䘀伀刀 伀嘀䔀刀 䄀 䌀伀䴀䈀䤀一䔀䐀 ㈀ 夀䔀䄀刀匀

Photo courtesy of Department of Defense

your military experience, causes you to lead differently than some of your nonveteran peers?

Steve Cannon: I think military leaders understand maybe more than others that leadership is a people business. You cannot lead from the corner office. If you’re not out, if you’re not moving, if you’re not involved with your teams, with their lives - the military is a family - leaders know they go to the point on the battlefield or off the battlefield where they know their presence is most needed in order to influence things. You can’t separate.

I’ve had that military experience. It’s part of who I am. I love and embrace that part.

I think it makes me a better leader, but for me it’s about getting out, getting involved, visible leadership, management by walking around. I try not to even use the word management, because in the end it really is about leadership. Every time I refer to our team, I refer to them as leaders, a leader of people. You get things done through other people and you can only achieve that if they understand what you want, if they’re aligned around them, if you keep them appreciated, motivated and/or course corrected if they stray off path. I think ultimately, for military leaders, the gap between the people who you lead and great leaders is small. I think sometimes in corporate America there are hierarchies and the distance between the guy in the CEO’s chair and the person working in whatever capacity on the main floor is enormous. Sometimes they don’t ever have contact with each other and that’s a problem. I believe firmly that the greater the distance between the leader and the led, the more risk builds up into a system.

It’s on the leader. I’m going from here to a lunch session with some of our new hires and I sit down with 12 people and we sit together for an hour and we have questions and answers. To me it’s all about reducing that distance. Military leaders understand that. Sometimes civilians may not get that to the same degree.

䌀伀一䈀刀䄀䌀伀 䤀渀搀甀猀琀爀椀攀猀 眀愀猀 挀爀攀愀琀攀搀 眀栀攀渀 琀眀漀 䐀攀琀爀漀椀琀ⴀ戀愀猀攀搀 洀愀渀甀昀愀挀琀甀爀攀爀猀 漀昀 戀爀愀猀猀 瘀愀氀瘀攀猀 愀渀搀 琀琀椀渀最猀 洀攀爀最攀搀 椀渀 ㄀㤀㈀㠀 昀漀爀洀椀渀最 䌀漀渀猀漀氀椀搀愀琀攀搀 䈀爀愀猀猀 䌀漀洀瀀愀渀礀⸀ 伀瘀攀爀 㠀㜀 礀攀愀爀猀 氀愀琀攀爀Ⰰ 椀琀ᤠ猀 愀渀 䄀洀攀爀椀挀愀渀 猀甀挀挀攀猀猀 猀琀漀爀礀 琀栀愀琀✀猀 猀琀椀氀氀 戀攀椀渀最 眀爀椀琀琀攀渀 椀渀 琀栀攀 䌀愀爀漀氀椀渀愀猀 琀漀搀愀礀⸀ 䔀䰀䬀䠀䄀刀吀 倀爀漀搀甀挀琀猀 䌀漀爀瀀漀爀愀琀椀漀渀 ⠀䔀倀䌀⤀ 椀猀 氀漀挀愀琀攀搀 椀渀 琀栀攀 栀攀愀爀琀 漀昀 琀栀攀 䴀椀搀眀攀猀琀⸀ 䘀爀漀洀 椀琀猀 猀琀愀爀琀 椀渀 ㄀㤀㐀 愀猀 愀 猀洀愀氀氀 洀愀渀甀昀愀挀琀甀爀攀爀 漀昀 猀挀爀攀眀 洀愀挀栀椀渀攀 瀀爀漀搀甀挀琀猀Ⰰ 䔀倀䌀 栀愀猀 戀甀椀氀琀 愀 爀攀瀀甀琀愀琀椀漀渀 昀漀爀 焀甀愀氀椀琀礀 瀀爀漀搀甀挀琀猀 愀渀搀 焀甀愀氀椀琀礀 瀀攀爀猀漀渀渀攀氀⸀ 䰀䄀匀䌀伀 䘀椀琀琀椀渀最猀Ⰰ 戀愀猀攀搀 椀渀 䈀爀漀眀渀猀瘀椀氀氀攀Ⰰ 吀一Ⰰ 猀瀀攀挀椀愀氀椀稀攀猀 椀渀 琀栀攀 瀀爀漀搀甀挀琀椀漀渀 愀渀搀 猀愀氀攀 漀昀 椀渀樀攀挀琀椀漀渀 洀漀氀搀攀搀 琀琀椀渀最猀⸀ 䄀 琀攀挀栀渀椀挀愀氀 氀攀愀搀攀爀 眀椀琀栀 漀瘀攀爀 㔀 礀攀愀爀猀 漀昀 攀砀瀀攀爀椀攀渀挀攀Ⰰ 䰀䄀匀䌀伀 琀琀椀渀最猀 愀爀攀 爀攀氀椀攀搀 甀瀀漀渀 眀漀爀氀搀眀椀搀攀 琀漀 瀀爀漀瘀椀搀攀 琀栀攀 挀漀渀渀搀攀渀挀攀 甀猀攀爀猀 搀攀猀椀爀攀⸀

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Read this issue online now at Online.MilitaryTransitionNews.com

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Operation Transition: The Allstate Military Veterans Licensed Sales Professional Insurance Training Program

by Janet Farley Contributing Editor

T

he facts are crystal clear. Service members making a military-to-civilian career transition understand how complicated, competitive and confusing a job search can be.

It is why it’s important to explore all options and even some of the programs available to assist in that transition.

One program you may want to consider learning more about is the Allstate Military Veterans’ Licensed Sales Professional Insurance Training Program.

It just might be the path you seek if you like the idea of continuing to take care of others in your post-uniform life.

Military-experienced candidates who have been honorably discharged may qualify for a virtual insurance sales training program with the opportunity to begin a career in an Allstate agency.

First Step: The Screening Process Interested candidates are first vetted through the recruitment process where they learn more about what an LSP does in an agency. They also have the opportunity to

speak with a member of the Allstate family to get a better feel for the program itself.

As a part of the pre-screening process, candidates will complete an application and take an online personality assessment; however, the outcome of that assessment will not affect the candidate’s ability to participate in the program.

Next Phases The program will give the candidates the necessary tools to prepare for their state Property and Casualty licensing exam. Upon completion of the exam, candidates will be eligible for a completion bonus in recognition of their accomplishment.

Candidates will then begin a virtual training around Allstate specific education.

Included are educational elements around resume building and interview tips specifically tailored towards veterans looking to take the LSP position.

Completing the Program Individuals who successfully complete the program are then given the opportunity to interview to be a member of an Allstate agency as an Licensed Sales Professional.

Participation in the program does not

guarantee that you will receive a job offer from an Allstate exclusive agency owner, however, there will be no obligation or contract stating the candidate must work for an Allstate agency or pay back their completion bonus. The program is designed to equip interested and qualified veterans with the tools they need to become an associate agent.

As Luck Would Eventually Have It The Allstate Veterans’ Licensed Sales Professional Training Program is an excellent opportunity for service members who may be interested in a career in the insurance industry.

“When it was time for me to get out of the Army, my wife wanted me to work for the Border Patrol. I didn’t want to work in a job where I could get shot at again, however,” said Emcie Martinez.

Martinez now works as an Allstate LSP for a San Antonio, Texas agency owner.

“The Allstate Veterans Program just fell into my lap,” he admitted.

“I wasn’t actively looking for a new job but it just appeared,” said Martinez, who transitioned out of the Army in 2010 after serving eight years.

After he and his family relocated to Texas and while working in the insurance industry, Martinez learned about the Allstate Veterans Licensed Sales Professional Insurance Training Program.

“I knew 100% that once I entered that program, I was going to be the best at it,” he said.

After successfully completing the program, Martinez had the lucky predicament of having to decide between seven different offers to work at an Allstate agency.

He ultimately chose to work with a team in San Antonio where he continues to hone his skills and serve his customers to this day.

It’s not the final job destination for Martinez, however.

“I want to eventually have my own office one day. It will happen, I’m certain of it,” he said.

If you are interested in exploring opportunities such as these with Allstate, contact Jessica Doll at jdoll@civilianjobs.com.

Janet Farley is a job search and workplace issues expert and the author of “The Military Spouse’s Guide to Employment: Smart Job Choices for Mobile Lifestyles” (Impact Pubs, 2013) and “Quick Military Transition Guide: Seven Steps to Landing a Civilian Job” (Jist, Inc. 2013).

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hen Travis “TC” McNeil retired from active military duty, he had a lot of things to consider. He needed to find a new direction for his career that would allow him to provide for his family.

In high school, TC liked to stay three steps ahead so he always had a backup plan to ensure he would achieve his goals. He was active in football and a variety of sports.

Originally, he thought about pursuing a football career. If he didn’t do that, he was also interested in owning a restaurant, or possibly joining the military.

As fate would have it, TC joined the U.S. Army Reserves while still in high school, only to learn he also received a football scholarship to Fayetteville University in North Carolina. In 2005, TC transferred to East Carolina University in Greenville, NC, but before football season began, he was deployed to active duty in Iraq at the young age of 19.

While in the military, TC performed in a variety of roles. He started as an HR administrator, but reclassified as a medic due to his passion for helping others. A month before he was scheduled to return home, TC’s military base was attacked, and TC was knocked into a wall injuring his back.

TC remained on active duty for more than eight years, earning several awards, medals and accolades, but his military career ended abruptly in 2013 when TC was discharged for medical reasons and at age 28, TC found himself unexpectedly starting over.

He had a little money saved up and considered opening a restaurant or going back to school to pursue a medical degree.

But medical school was costly and the number of years it would take was prohibitive for the father of three. Going back to school just wasn’t feasible at the time.

About a year prior to leaving active military duty, TC and his wife, Shenita, attended a Saladmaster cooking show in the home of a friend. He was very impressed with the cookware and the business plan, and in 2012, TC and his wife decided to start their own Saladmaster business.

“My medical and human resources roles were focused on helping others to further their careers and with their health. My desire

to make a difference and to be able to inspire positive change in the hearts and minds of the people around me made Saladmaster a natural fit,” said TC. When TC retired from active duty, he had been with Saladmaster for about 10 months, and he had already achieved the status of Distributor, the last step required before achieving Authorized Saladmaster Dealer status. He went on to say, “The only challenge I faced came from learning new marching orders, but the hands-on instruction, training programs and overwhelming support from the Saladmaster team gave me everything I needed to accomplish my goals.”

Saladmaster’s military recruitment program was developed to cultivate new Dealers, which is especially helpful for program-oriented military personnel who are used to working in teams, leading and developing leaders.

“Saladmaster is an opportunity for you to be in business for yourself, but not by yourself and allows you to use the leadership skills you developed while in the military.

We offer excellent income potential and complete training at the same time you are helping others,” said Shirley Loutzenhiser, Vice President of Dealer Expansion.

“Saladmaster has provided so many benefits to me, and my family,” observed TC. “Time is a huge one because life is short. I mostly work in the evenings, which is great because I’m able to be involved with raising my kids during the day and this is how I choose to run my business. My wife and my kids help me, and I love that, it means so much to be able to be together and have a family business.”

Saladmaster is devoted to helping our military personnel as they transition to civilian life. Become a Saladmaster Dealer and see what extraordinary things you can accomplish.

For more information please visit opportunity.saladmaster.com/veterans or contact Shirley Loutzenhiser, at sloutzenhiser@saladmaster.com or (440) 725-2865.

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Nov/Dec 2015

NEWS

The Brave New World of Customer Service

by Heidi Lynn Russell Contributing Editor

T

he staccato pace of emergency customer requests – everything from storm-related home damage to leaking roofs – suits Justin Miller just fine. He’s rolled with demands so easily, that he has steadily been promoted from an entry-level customer service rep (working night shifts) to becoming the manager of a call center for 911 Restoration in Van Nuys, CA. Miller was a Rifleman as a Marine Cpl, and in his civilian career, he has relied on the same hard-charging work ethic, diligence and leadership skills that the Marines instilled in him. He’s on call 24/7, but having served in challenging assignments for the Marines, that doesn’t faze him.

All told, it’s just taken a year and two months for Miller’s career to take off. He is in charge of an in-bound call/dispatch center, where he monitors the workflow of 10 employees, plus oversees processes for over 56 company locations in the United States and Canada.

“We handle all calls, ranging from anyone having issue with their service to anyone revisiting a current claim. Anything goes through my department,” he says.

Customer service is “low hanging fruit” when it comes to career opportunities for those transitioning out of the military, experts say. Potential careers include everything from working with cutting-edge technology, to interfacing with people on social media, to management positions like Miller’s.

“I would say it permeates any industry you can imagine,” says Melissa Goldberg, who co-authored “Customer Service Trumps Cost as King,” a February 2015 report on the industry released by College for America at Southern New Hampshire University.

“As an example, there is an emphasis on patient-centered care now in the healthcare industry. Front line people need strong patient services skills similar to those in customer service. Manufacturers who are selling products, sales and service folks, just about any industry uses it,” she says.

A Strong Job Outlook In addition to a shortage of qualified candidates, business needs for customer service representatives are growing rapidly, according to the Southern New Hampshire University report. In 2012, companies nationwide employed more than 2.3 million

Justin Miller

customer service representatives, with the highest concentrations working in call centers, credit and insurance agencies, banks and retail stores. Even as companies rely more heavily on technology solutions, the ranks are projected to swell 13 percent by 2022.

Veterans possess many of the qualities needed for these jobs, such as time management, the ability to read people and actively listen to them, diffusing negative feedback and possessing a calming presence, among others, Goldberg says.

“When they interview as applicants, they should have examples ready of ways they’ve done that during their service. They can help interviewers see how applying their military experience in the customer service environment would be beneficial,” she says.

Technological Advances Finding skilled customer service representatives with the ability to quickly adapt to changing technologies and marketplace realities is growing more challenging for the industry, the report says.

Alorica, a worldwide leading provider of customer management outsourcing solutions, actively recruits veterans.

The company launched AloriCares, an initiative Marianne Strobel to help veterans find work, and Marianne Strobel is the Vice President who heads that up. Strobel says consumers have become savvier, so businesses must find ways to stay a step ahead of their evolving needs. Technological interfacing in the customer service realm includes video chat, click-to-chat online and tools like kiosks at Hertz car rental sites (where customer service reps come on screen and walk a customer through the rental on the terminal).

In addition, many of Alorica’s clients sell devices, laptops and computers. “The average consumer may have questions about setup or trouble shooting,” Strobel says.

C3/CustomerContactChannels, another business in this sphere, is a global customer management company that operates customer contact centers on behalf of their Fortune 500 clients. They run several centers in the United States and are also seeking veterans, Bob Tenzer says Bob Tenzer, head of HR. The company has a whole group devoted to data analytics, uniting technologies to spot trends and areas of opportunity, he says.

“We’re not just using our technology, but we also interact with our clients’ technology.

We get up-to-the-minute data on our business and our clients’ businesses to make real-time decisions, and use a variety of platforms to do that. They are always changing. There are ongoing improvements and new releases, and that’s interesting from an IT person’s standpoint.”

Career Advancement Options Companies don’t want veterans to assume that all customer service jobs fit a certain stereotype, that is, people in a large room of

cubicles, chatting endlessly on the phone.

Besides the opportunities in technology, there are other fulfilling career paths.

Alorica promotes heavily from within.

Approximately 70 percent of all Alorica employees have moved up, Strobel says.

Team managers and supervisors are needed in call centers, plus the company hires veterans in HR, Quality & Assurance, Information Technology, infrastructure work and security assessment.

Positions at C3 run the gamut: customer service agent, quality assurance, supervisor, client services (“a great place for folks with diplomacy and interpersonal skills in their military careers,” Tenzer says), supervisors and operations. Veterans have also been hired into roles in personnel management, talent acquisition, IT and finance. The company provides employees with its internal university, “C3 University,” which has “learning tracks” for each area, Tenzer says.

The job outlook in the industry is excellent.

“The value of our industry is understood now better than it ever has been,” Tenzer says. “It’s a world apart from only answering phones.”

At 911 Restoration, where Miller works, the typical customer service position does involve some time at cubicles and taking phone calls, but it also involves a healthy amount of analysis and planning, says PR Director Alexander Ruggie.

“This usually comes into play when our company tries to break down the success or

failure of a particular service call and how to improve upon or learn from it in some way. This information is then combined with data from call volume, point of origin and connectivity to the weather systems of the time and a number of other factors that dictate certain parameters of the job,” he says.

Opportunities for advancement within 911 Restoration are many and tend to involve a transition from customer service to lead generation to sales.

“We like to hire military veterans, because they are comfortable with crisis situations which our business centers on. At the same time, they are capable of handling the stress during these situations while making informed and accurate decisions. We believe that this stems from their military training, but wherever it comes from it is a boon to our business,” Ruggie says.

Heidi Lynn Russell writes about employment and business issues.

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12

NEWS

Donald Anders Navy, HT1 Production Supervisor at Arauco in Moncure, NC An expert welder, Navy HT1 Donald Anders continually saved the USS Tortuga hundreds of thousands of dollars. He was the Lead Quality Assurance Inspector onboard. Since July, he has been Production Supervisor at Arauco in Moncure, NC. He oversees day-to-day operation of a plant that makes particle board. Anders also volunteered at a Cub Scout summer camp program, helping one young camper overcome his fear of swimming.

Anthony B. Asadi Army, SSG Active Duty Army and current student at the University of Maryland As someone who has deployed multiple times to Iraq, Army SSG Anthony B. Asadi works hard to impart his experiences to younger soldiers. “Many of my previous soldiers have become successful in the Army by winning Soldier Boards, competitions, and moving up into the NCO ranks,” he says. Asadi is a graduate of the Army Ranger School and has an Associate degree from Central Texas College. He is nearing completion of a B.S. in Management Studies from the University of Maryland.

Luis A. Berrios Air Force, Maj Director, NonPhysician Practitioners (NPP) for Baptist Health System San Antonio As Director of the NonPhysician Practitioners for Baptist Health System San Antonio, Luis A. Berrios oversees over 30 outpatient and inpatient practitioners. Berrios was an Air Force Maj whose roles included Chief of Education and Training and nurse practitioner. One of his most rewarding experiences: a humanitarian mission to Panama.

Berrios was the nurse manager for a traveling clinic. “In nine days, we treated over 3,000 patients in very dynamic, and at times austere, environments,” he says.

John C. Born Navy, MA3 Chief of Staff, IdleAir of Knoxville, TN At his current job at IdleAir of Knoxville, TN, John C. Born catapulted from “executive intern” to “Chief of Staff”. He has been instrumental in improving practices for hiring and procuring hardware for the company, says Ethan Garber of IdleAir. “He has also already organized several successful internal initiatives to improve operations for our national clean tech transportation business,” he says. In the Navy, he graduated Master At Arms “A” School. He also earned patrolman-ofthe-month in Okinawa, Japan.

Bryan C. Boyer II Air Force, SSgt Director of Operations for Leesport Pennsylvania plant, Ashley Furniture Industries Inc. Bryan C. Boyer started working for Ashley Furniture Industries Inc. as a Poly Mill Manager. After six months, he took on Frame Mill and Assembly Mill operations and 600 employees. He is currently Director of Operations for the plant in Leesport, Pa. “Bryan’s drive, passion and commitment far exceeds the expectations of a person in a comparable role,” says Joseph Murphy, Senior Director of Operations.

In the Air Force, Boyer was the 2010 recipient of the CMSAF Thomas N. Barnes Military Professionalism Award in aircraft maintenance.

Corey Brooks Air Force, SSgt Computer Security, Boeing Corey Brooks says his Air Force experience, certifications and degrees propelled him into a civilian computer security job with Boeing. “If not for my military experience, I feel that I would have not been anywhere near prepared for this level of job,” Brooks says. He was 2012 Airman of the Year while working in the communications squadron at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.

Brooks has a Bachelor’s in Management of Information Systems. Brooks has volunteered with the Warm Hearts Association, Special Olympics and Habitat for Humanity.

Luke Burt Air Force, SSgt Equipment Maintenance Technician at Vishay® Maintenance technicians at Vishay® Electro-Films in Warwick, RI are required to work on highly technical state-of-the-art equipment and processes, as well as older legacy equipment.

Luke Burt, a former Air Force SSgt, has “exceeded expectations” working on semi-conductor technology, says Wendy Maguire, Facilities Manager. Burt says life post-military “took a lot of turns,” but Vishay gave him a chance to prove himself. His experience in the Air Force helps him “push through adversity and strive for excellence.”

Carrie J. Cain Air Force, 2d LT Active duty, Moody Air Force Base Since enlisting in 2000, Air Force 2d LT Carrie J. Cain has excelled in every job. She was selected for Officer Training School in 2013.

Her duties have ranged from Non-commissioned Officer in Charge to Flight Chief. She has also won awards at the squadron, group, Major Command, Air Force and Professional Military Education levels.

Cain also obtained two associate’s degrees with the Community College of the Air Force, a general associate’s, Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees.

Ashley Camomilli Army, SSG Security Specialist for US Air Force As a disabled veteran, Army SSG Ashley Camomilli’s “support and sacrifice shines for her nation”. “She is the epitome of what it means to supports the Military and the United States of America,” says Air Force SSgt Steven Lee Stolze.

She enlisted in 2004 and became a Military Police officer. Camomilli also deployed to Afghanistan.

She received an Associates of Arts in Criminal Justice in 2007. In 2010, she received her B.S. in organizational Security and Management. She exited the Army in 2011.

Tom Carter Army, SGT Spectrum WiFi project work for Charter Technology and Engineering Center lab Former Army SGT Tom Carter joined Charter Technology and Engineering Center lab this year and has “established himself as a critical resource and highly competent engineer,” says Tim Bleidorn, Principal Engineer. He currently works on a Spectrum WiFi project. “It’s a new learning experience working on networks to scale to millions of subscribers,” he says. Previously, after separating from the Army in late 2013, Carter worked for Raytheon Intelligence and Information Systems on the Joint Polar Satellite System as a network engineer.

Jessica Clay Army, 2LT Liaison Officer for Battalion at Camp Casey, South Korea Army 2LT Jessica Clay is in charge of maintaining relationships between a battalion and Republic of Korea army units. She is stationed at Camp Casey in South Korea. “Along with that, I implement community outreach programs within the Dongducheon area, including English classes at a high school and a children’s center,” she says.

Her past job in Korea was a support platoon leader.

She was in charge of the ammunition section and transporting ammunition. As a West Point Cadet, Clay competed on the Triathlon, Swimming and Cross Country teams.

Michael DePoortere Air Force, SSgt CBRN Program Manager for the San Joaquin Depot at the Defense Logistics Agency Since leaving the Air Force, former SSgt Michael DePoortere has worked with the top levels of federal government to ensure “vital services would be available in the event of a disaster.” He is the Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) Program Manager for the San Joaquin Depot at the Defense Logistics Agency. He also has completed a Masters’ in Emergency Management from Jacksonville State University in Alabama and an MBA from the University of Phoenix.

Nov/Dec 2015

Chris Ehlinger Navy, LT While serving onboard the USS West Virginia, LT Chris Ehlinger led the largest nuclear division during a relocation to the shipyard for major overhauls of nearly every system under his purview, says Ernie Reyes, who served with him. “His outstanding management of multiple complex nuclear operations in the shipyard earned him both promotion to Assistant Engineer and a reputation as a clear leader,” Reyes says. Outside the Navy, Ehlinger has been the founder of four start-up companies in Austin, TX. David Forman Navy, LT Solutions Consultant at Oracle Before he served in the Navy, David Forman worked for Pennsylvania Rep. Joe Sestak.

He coordinated numerous major campaign events, which included high profile guest speakers like President (then Senator) Barack Obama, President Bill Clinton and General Wesley Clark. In the Navy, one of Forman’s top achievements was the development and validation of new software to plan, execute and manipulate Tomahawk Land Attack Missile missions.

He was also liaison to the Pakistan Navy during transfer of USS MCINERNEY to the Government of Pakistan.

William Foster Navy, EM1(SS) Employee at PSEG Nuclear in New Jersey As a member of the Electrical Division of the USS SAN JUAN, former Navy EM1(SS) William Foster handled operation and maintenance of “countless complex pieces of equipment,” says Commanding Officer J.D. Craddock. The San Juan is a nuclear-powered fast attack submarine homeported in Groton, CT. Foster has worked for PSEG Nuclear in New Jersey since February. He received a B.S. in Applied Science Technology Nuclear Engineering Energy Technology from Thomas Edison State College October 2013.

Christopher Giuffre Navy, PO3 Custom Case Designer/ Engineer for AERPAK, A Division of Quality Industrial Products Christopher Giuffre works at AERPAK, A Division of Quality Industrial Products, in Phoenix. “We take a product and retrieve precise measurements, then I input them into a computer drawing. We then decide what type of material will best protect this product, and I then cut it out on one of our laser machines,” he explains. Giuffre, a former Navy PO3, received multiple medals for War on Terrorism and Expeditionary services, along with Squadron achievements. He is working towards a Bachelor’s in Business Management at Arizona State University.

Stephen Grant Jr. Army , CPT Branch Manager Trainee with JPMorgan Chase As an Army Captain, Stephen Grant Jr. had to learn how to shift gears to accommodate difficult missions. His most memorable was during an April 2012 Afghanistan deployment. He and his unit were charged with preparing the Afghan military for managing their nation’s security. Grant later was the executive officer for a heavy weapons company. Grant is also an Army Ranger. After he left the Army in June, he accepted a Branch Manager Trainee position with JPMorgan Chase in the New Orleans area.

Miles G. Grooms Army, CPT Field Artillery Officer Army CPT Miles G. Grooms served as a Battery Commander as a senior 1LT. He also was the Battalion Operations Officer for a 3,500-man multi-national Joint Task Force in Afghanistan. When Miles served as Maj. John Foster’s Executive Officer, he was the “best” in the Battery, Foster says. “He was known for developing efficient systems that set an example for other units to follow,” Foster notes. Fuqua School of Business at Duke University recently accepted Grooms, who will participate in the Executive MBA program in 2016.

CivilianJobs.com C 2015 Top 40 Un Sid Gulledge, IV Navy, LT Instructor at Fleet Anti-Submarine Warfare Training Center As an instructor at the Fleet Anti-Submarine Warfare Training Center, Navy LT Sid Gulledge IV provides technical expertise to Commanding Officers and Senior Officers in command of Naval Warships. He obtained the Master Training Specialist Qualification and is one of 36 officers to currently hold the qualification. While serving in the Navy, Gulledge also obtained a Master’s in Engineering from Old Dominion University.

He is also Program Manager for Urban Angels, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides food services to the hungry in the San Diego area.

John J. Hamann Navy, LT Master’s Degree Student in Systems Engineering at Johns Hopkins University Navy CDR Edmund Swearingen says LT John J. Hamann “is the finest junior officer I’ve ever worked with.” Hamann worked for Swearingen as an Operational Test Director for Navy mine warfare systems. During his Navy career, Hamann flew 97 sorties and medevacs for humanitarian assistance to Haiti in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake. He volunteers with the Knights of Columbus, raising money for Catholic charities, disabled children and education. Hamann is also working towards his Master’s in Systems Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.

Joe Haury Air Force, Maj General Manager of Parts Logistics for Mercedes-Benz USA Since March, Joe Haury has been General Manager of Parts Logistics for Mercedes-Benz USA, responsible for leading a 250 member team dispersed across the country. Previously, he was Chief of Staff to the President & CEO of MercedesBenz USA. “He truly embodies our core principles, which include passion, respect, integrity, drive and excellence,” says Robert Moran, Director, Corporate Communications. During his time in the Air Force, former Maj Haury completed two flight test programs that upgraded B-2 stealth bomber technology.

Nov/Dec 2015

Sean R. McCann Navy, LT C5I System-of-systems Test Director at SPAWAR Navy LT Sean McCann currently serves as C5I System-of-systems Test Director at SPAWAR. “I plan an end-to-end systems test for all Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Combat Systems and Information (C5I) systems installed on Navy ships,” he says.

For the last 18 months, McCann has been a Team Leader for Urban Angels, a San Diego volunteer organization that donates food and coordination to feed the homeless. He also completed unguided ascents of Mount Rainier and Mount Baker in Washington State in 2013.

Shea McCullough Army, SGT Master’s student at Forbes School of Business, Ashford University During a 15-month deployment to Iraq, Army SGT Shea McCullough escorted high-ranking officials on combat patrols. McCullough “was engaged in countless firefights with enemy combatants and struck with multiple Improvised Explosive Devises on a daily basis,” says Lance Laraby, who was in the same platoon. He later became a supervisor with Criminal Investigation Division. He has a Bachelor’s in Organizational Management from Ashford University. He will graduate in 2016 with a Master’s (specialization in project management) at Ashford’s Forbes School of Business.

Congratulates the nder 40 Military Ryan Hess Air Force, Capt Flight Commander, 42nd Attack Squadron, Creech AFB, NV Air Force Capt Ryan Hess is a Flight Commander with the 42nd Attack Squadron at Creech AFB, NV, and calls that his “day job.” However, in his free time, he’s heavily involved with the Las Vegas Theatre Community and has appeared in several shows here in Vegas. Hess was in one production that was nominated for multiple awards and that also raised significant funds for local cultural centers. In spring 2014, he received a Masters of the Arts in International Relations from Oklahoma University.

Justin Kloppe Marines, SSgt Maintenance Management Specialist Marine SSgt Justin Kloppe teaches Marines how to be maintenance managers. For the past 18 months, he has been the course manager for basic and intermediate Ma intena nce Ma nagement Specia list Courses. He has conducted over 2,500 hours of training, with a 100 percent graduation rate for over 375 students. Kloppe intends to retire with the Marines in 2024. He received an MBA in Operations Management from American intercontinental University in 2014.

He conducts training with the Marine Corps Water Survival School.

Fred Koons Army, SSG Director of Marketing / Sahl Communications Fred Koons’ previous military experience, coupled with his “outstanding” leadership ability, “makes him a perfect fit for the senior management team at Sahl Communications in Bethlehem, PA”, says Kim Plyler, President/CEO. Koons, a former Army SSG, is the company’s Director of Marketing. All told, Koons spent three years deployed with an infantry platoon or small advisory team in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was part of the Platoon (3rd PLT, Attack Co., 3-7 Infantry, 4BCT, 3ID) that found the remains of two captured 10th Mountain Soldiers in 2008.

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Travis “TC” McNeil Army, SFC Executive Trainer, Saladmaster Inc. Travis McNeil spent 10 years in the Army working in Human Resources and as a Medic. While at his last duty station at Ft. Carson, CO, SFC McNeil became a part-time salesperson for Saladmaster Inc. He decided to go full-time when he was discharged in September 2013, says Shirley Loutzenhiser, VP of Dealer Development.

“Through his outstanding performance, he was then promoted to Senior Dealer within our company,” Loutzenhiser says. Today, he works as an Executive Trainer on the Saladmaster staff.

Seth Michael Air Force, SrA Senior Field Manager, Myrrh Consulting in Apopka, FL Now a Reservist, SrA Seth Michael has established himself as “an elite performer,” says (Ret.) MSgt Mike Hervey. He is a Senior Field Manager at Myrrh Consulting in Apopka, FL. Michael helps clients in Myrrh’s automotive sector grow topline revenue by installing the company’s proprietary revenue-building system.

He’s working on his MBA in Project Management at Liberty University. During his military service, he won Airman of the year honors and represented Dyess Air Force base in competing in two Air Force marathons.

Brian M. Misuraca Air Force, TSgt Flight Chief, Aircrew Flight Equipment, 36th Operations Support Squadron, Guam Air Force TSgt Brian M. Misuraca is consistently “a leader of high performing teams,” says CPT Carl Morlock at Andersen AFB in Guam. “He has graduated in the top 10 percent of every military school that he has attended,” Morlock says. Currently, as Flight Chief for Aircrew Flight Equipment in Guam, Misuraca is supporting initiatives in the Pacific to build capability for B-52 bombers. He expects to complete an MBA program through Kelley School of Business at Indiana University by July 2017.

Michael Rogers Marines, Capt Head of Programs, The Wingman Foundation The Wingman Foundation provides post-mishap support to the families of fallen Marines, scholarships in memory of fallen Marine, and coordinates a mentorship program for transitioning Marines who have served in Marine aviation. Marine Capt Michael

Rogers has been named Head of Programs and will provide oversight. He separated from the Marines in September. While serving, Rogers completed two deployments as a CH-53E helicopter pilot, flying combat missions in Afghanistan and humanitarian aid missions in Japan.

Chris Salinas Coast Guard, LTJG Remodeling Consultant for Power Home Remodeling Group, Chester, PA From July 2012 to April 2015, LTJG Chris Salinas was the Deployable Team Leader with the Coast Guard’s Mobile Training Branch. He helped establish the Saudi Arabian Coast Guard, created a self-sustaining search and rescue small boat driver training program in Mexico and aided Thailand and the Philippines in the establishment of their own autonomous maritime law enforcement training programs. Since August, he’s been a remodeling consultant for Power Home Remodeling Group in Chester, PA. Jimmy Santos Air Force, SrA Law school student, Suffolk University Law School Former Air Force SrA Jimmy Santos enrolled at Suffolk University Law School, where he is studying International Business Transactions and Dispute Resolution. “I had the opportunity to fly to Europe and take courses from Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy. The opportunity to attend law school and receive instruction from a Supreme Court Justice has been an unbelievable experience,” Santos says. In the Air Force, Santos became a subject matter expert for the newly developed MC-12W Project Liberty Aircraft. He was an instructor and tactician and instructed Signals Intelligence Operators.

Matthew Sexton Coast Guard, LT Senior Energy Engineer, Alares LLC in Quincy, MA Since February, Coast Guard LT Matthew Sexton has been a Senior Energy Engineer at Alares LLC, a design-build construction firm in Quincy, MA. He also was co-founder of Torch Hybrid Marine Systems, which brings hybrid propulsion technology to the mass recreational boating industry. In the Coast Guard, Sexton was Executive Officer. One of his missions was a search and recovery after an overloaded vessel capsized off coast of Haiti with over 50 people. Outside the Coast Guard, Sexton has participated in Habitat for Humanity Blitz Build projects in Miami.

Blair Stellhorn Marines, Cpl Operations Director for the MBA Veterans Network Marine Cpl Blair Stellhorn was the 2008 Marine of the Year and 2008 White House Military Office Military Member of the Year. “I served as a Marine for HMX-1, which is the President’s helicopter squadron. I traveled the world with the President, protecting his helicopters on trips and at home in Virginia,” he says. He graduated from Indiana University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Kineseaology in May 2015. He was most recently the Operations Director for the MBA Veterans Network.

Christine Taranto Marines, Capt MBA student, Naval Postgraduate School Capt Christine Taranto was awarded the U.S. Marine Corps Female Athlete of the Year for 2013. She was a member of the All Marine Corps Triathlon Team in 2013 and 2015. She will complete an MBA in Logistics Management at the Naval Postgraduate School in March 2016. After that, she will earn another MOS as a Material Management Officer. “She has exceptional technical expertise and leadership abilities where she easily outperformed all other company grade officers in the Command,” says her former Squadron Commander, Alfredo Dubois.

Claudia E. Tatum Army, 2LT Business Services Professional, the University of Texas at Dallas Claudia E. Tatum works as a Business Services Professional at the University of Texas at Dallas.

Prior to joining UT Dallas, she was a government contractor in Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. This fall, she is completing a Doctorate of Management, Organizational Development and Change from Colorado Technical University. In the Army as a 2LT, Tatum’s most significant achievements included serving in Korea and Iraq and joining the Reserve Officer’s Training Corps, where she served in a lieutenant-level leadership position in an Army National Guard unit.

Jacqueline M. Villanueva Air Force, MSgt Aerospace Medical Services Craftsman at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ MSgt Jacqueline M. Villanueva “has developed a stellar reputation as a leader with outstanding military bearing, and is tailor-made for the Air Force,” says Lt Col Kevin Griswold. Villanueva is an Aerospace Medical Services Craftsman at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ. “I have had the honor and privilege of caring for and transporting the wounded and sick U.S. service men and women – as well as coalition partners, civilians, NATO and DOD members – out of harm’s way during humanitarian and contingency operations around the globe,” she says.

Shane K. Villanueva Air Force, Capt Network Operations officer at Joint Base McGuire-DixLakehurst, NJ Capt Shane Villanueva is assigned to a unit as an Air Advisor, in which he travels to Africa and teaches his job to partner nation militaries.

“Most of our work is done on behalf of the State Department, and traveling to these countries has been the most rewarding experience in my career,” he says. Lt Col Scott McKeever says Villanueva is “my number one Flight Commander out of five.” Villanueva recently deployed to Niger and Burkina Faso, bolstering their networking capabilities.

Evan Weaver Army, CPT Support Operations Officer/ Mobility Chief at Fort Riley, KS Army CPT Evan Weaver is Support Operations Officer/Mobility Chief at Fort Riley, KS. Since January, his duties have involved coordination with “multiple military and civilian agencies to ensure that the execution of land, sea and air movements reflected the intent and needs of the supported units and the Army.” CPT Patrick J. Engeman selected Evan to be his Executive Officer and deploy early to Afghanistan in 2013.

“His discipline, interpersonal tact and ability to communicate lead to him being selected to become the battalion battle captain,” Engeman says.

Kyle White Marines, SSgt Senior Associate for PricewaterhouseCoopers From 2003 to 2015, Marine SSgt Kyle White served in various support billets, including some as a special operations enabler, for elite commands such as Marine Special Operations Battalion and Marine Force Reconnaissance. This spring, White transitioned to corporate America, finding work as a consultant (Senior Associate) for the prestigious Fortune 500 firm PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Upon landing this position late last year, the 501(c)(3), American Corporate Partners, awarded him a “Protege Spotlight” and currently hosts his story on their website.

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CCSD

Clark County School District

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

JOIN US FOR AN UPCOMING WEBINAR http://carmenconnect.osu.edu/NASDSE > Sign in as a Guest November 17 @ 4:00 PM/Pacific December 10 @ 4:00 PM/Pacific

HAVE A DEGREE, NOT IN TEACHING? NO PROBLEM! CHANGE CAREERS IN LIGHTNING SPEED Learn about alternative pathways to be a teacher in Clark County School District, possible financial support/incentives, and what living in fabulous Las Vegas is really like!

CCSD CHANGES LIVES, STARTING WITH YOURS Ready to change careers and be a hero for our students? Accept the challenge and teach where you can make a difference. We are searching the globe for those committed individuals with extraordinary passion, the keen ability to connect with students, and a relentless drive to achieve life-changing results.

Nov/Dec 2015

Nov/Dec 2015

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Employment Resources for Military Spouses Provided by MSEP

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f you are a military spouse in need of a job, particularly one that is potentially flexible and portable, look no further than the Military Spouse Employment Partnership Career Portal (https://msepjobs. militaryonesource.mil). Through the Military Spouse Employment Partnership, hundreds of businesses have committed to hiring and retaining military spouses in jobs that provide meaningful and lasting employment.

The Military Spouse Employment Partnership is part of the Department of Defense’s Spouse Education and Career Opportunities program. The goal of the Military Spouse Employment Partnership is to help military spouses establish employment connections and find jobs.

There are more than 270 Military Spouse Employment Partnership partners, many of them Fortune 500+ companies. More than 75,000 military spouses have been hired through the Military Spouse Employment Partnership.

Applying for a job through the Military Spouse Employment Partnership Career Portal is simple: • Create an account by registering. It’s easy to register to access the portal.

You need to provide your contact information, work experience and educational background.

Generate up to five resumes. You can tailor your resumes to specific openings or fields.

Start searching for jobs. You can search for jobs either through a basic search that allows you to search by job title or geographic location, or through an advanced search that allows you to search by company, industry and job type.

Here are a couple of ways to show potential employers your range of skills: • Capitalize on your skills. Highlight your life experiences that translate into on-the-job skills. For example, as a military spouse, you’ve probably learned to be very adaptable, resilient and culturally aware. Employers covet these qualities.

• Let them know where you’ve used those specific skills. You could show how after a move, you had to establish a new network of contacts in your community. Let this be an example of building networking and communication skills.

The Military Spouse Employment Partnership website has lists of open positions from members focused on portable career opportunities (https://myseco. militaryonesource.mil/Portal/Media/ Default/PDFs/MSEP-Partners-Telework. pdf) for transitioning military spouses.

Many Military Spouse Employment Partnership companies offer virtual jobs in customer service, accounting, counseling and other positions.

On October 28, more than 35 new partners formally joined the partnership during a signing ceremony in Alexandria, Virginia.

These are employers from across industry who are committed to recruiting, hiring, promoting and retaining military spouses in portable careers.

Also this Fall, the Military Spouse Employment Partnership is bringing military spouses new opportunities to network through the Fall into Networking series on LinkedIn. The Military Spouse Employment Partnership LinkedIn Spouse Group (https://www.linkedin.com/grp/ home?gid=4159976) is featuring weekly discussions with new employers who have joined the partnership in the last year. If you have not had a chance to join yet, check out the weekly discussions on Thursdays at 12 p.m. EDT. The Military Spouse Employment Partnership is here to help you. If you need help finding all of the great resources available through the Career Portal, call 800-342-9647 to talk to a Spouse Education and Career Opportunities career counselor.

Certified Spouse Education and Career Opportunities career counselors offer resources, support and ideas to help you use your education, training and skills to find a career. Counselors can help you with

the following: • Identify current skills and determine needed skills • Clarify career goals and investigate career options • Decide on an education path and how to pay for it • Prepare for a job search and maximize job search efforts • Learn how to self-market and build networks • Investigate the skills and training needed to become an entrepreneur Career counselors can also assist eligible military spouses with accessing the My Career Advancement Account scholarship. The My Career Advancement Account scholarship is a workforce development program that provides up to $4,000 of financial assistance to eligible military spouses who are pursuing a license, certification or Associate degree in a portable career field and occupation.

Eligibility requirements include the following: Spouses of service members on active duty in pay grades E-1 to E-5, W-1 to W-2 and O-1 to O-2 who can start and complete their coursework while their military sponsor is on Title 10 military orders, including spouses married to members of the National Guard and Reserve Components in these same pay grades.

Need a resume?

Make sure you stand out from your peers Get a resume that best translates your military experience for civilian hiring authorities.

Backed by 20 years of military placement experience - Companies have told us what they want to see on an ex-military resume.

Call 1-877-641-8318 to get started.

NEWS

Overlooked Careers: Are You Bypassing Your Dream Job? ig into anyone’s professional past, and you may find some interesting surprises, especially if that person is a veteran who learned long ago to tackle a civilian career they may have otherwise overlooked. And if you discover some basic ways to see your skills in a new light, you might also stumble into a dream job that wasn’t even in your sights.

Take Steve Degnan, Chief HR Officer for Nestlé Purina PetCare North America.

Would you guess he used to run hundreds of rifle ranges as an Army LT – and even a missile maintenance platoon, in which he was responsible for $50 million worth of equipment in the 1990s? Degnan is the first to admit that even he didn’t see how his training would eventually parlay into a career with a mega pet food manufacturing corporation.

“Most military people have had big responsibilities at a young age,” Degnan says. “But because military members become so accustomed to duties that would overwhelm anyone else, they often overlook potential jobs and fulfilling careers.” For example, Nestlé Purina PetCare is building relationships with military transition offices in order to connect with veterans that would be great fits but who might never think to apply.

“We have openings across the gamut in our corporation – openings in almost every function in the company, from great entrylevel jobs in manufacturing, to everything that encompasses supply chains, operations, HR and engineering,” Degnan says.

But how do you connect those dots between your salient skills and jobs (or companies) that haven’t even crossed your mind? We asked Degnan and some other experts for pointers on how to fall effortlessly into the dream job that you’ve never considered.

Eyeball Industries No One Else is Eyeballing I n ma ny cases, your military skills are transferrable in a number of industries.

You just don’t know it, says Russ Hovendick, Russ Hovendick author of “Deployment to Employment: A Guide for Military Veterans Transitioning to Civilian Employment.” He is also founder of Directional Motivation in Sioux Falls, SD, a firm specializing in job coaching and employment searches.

The secret, Hovendick says, is to find industries that other job hunters are ignoring and look for jobs matching your skills or interests in those arenas.

The manufacturing and agricultural sectors are top areas that veterans aren’t considering. For example, high-speed packaging and automation systems in the food industry rely on IT professionals, but veterans may be too focused on Silicon Valley jobs. The same goes for the automotive sector, which relies on robotics and electronics.

Find a Less Obvious Job in a Popular Industry for Veterans There are some industries to which veterans gravitate automatically, simply because those industries have strong similarities or are identical to what they were doing in the military. But while everyone else is going for the “obvious” job that closely aligns with a military occupational specialty, seek out those no one else is noticing.

AlliedBarton Security Services of Conshohocken, PA, is committed to hiring military veterans and counts about 30 percent of their 65,000 employees as vets.

But while AlliedBarton provides security services, they’re a large company in need of all the corporate support services that any large corporation needs: IT, HR, legal, financial, administrative, public information and so on.

Kevin Washer, Director of Strategic Recruiting, says a lot of veterans get so tied to their military occupational specialty that they forget about additional duties or Kevin Washer special assignments. He was an avionics manager for 16 years in the Air Force, but he spent some time as a recruiter, too.

“I automatically went to the electronics end of things. I was at BF Goodrich for about 4 1/2 months and saw that they were looking for a military recruiting specialist to find aircraft mechanics. I transitioned into that and have been in corporate recruiting ever since. About 25 percent of the time in my military career was recruiting, but I made it my civilian career,” he says.

Junior officers or company commanders have unique opportunities to become account managers or field operations managers at AlliedBarton, says Doug Lucas, Director of Talent Acquisition. “They’re responsible for a client facility or several client Doug Lucas

facilities, wearing a business suit. They’re the ones who hire and train and develop the security officers. It’s a natural fit for a transitioning officer,” Lucas says.

Look for work that interests you and work that needs to be done.

This may seem like common sense, but sometimes people are overlooking the obvious: their passions. April Peterson, Assistant Director / Counselor at Metropolitan State University of Denver, says that’s when it pays to go back to school and pursue something that will fulfill you.

Stuck for ideas? Areas of opportunities for veterans that are under-represented include nursing, health care management, civil engineering technology and teaching, according to the university.

One way you can explore a field without taking a class is by volunteering, says Leroy Chavez, Project Director of the Federal TRIO Veteran Upward Bound program at MSU Denver.

CIVILIANJOBS.COM

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Have you done work with propulsion systems? Those skill sets are needed anyplace with a lot of process flow and liquid transfer systems (think food industry, oil and gas, and water treatment facilities).

Diesel mechanics, think you can only work on tanks? Think again. The same motors you’ve worked on are in the agricultural sector, with farming equipment (consider companies like Caterpillar and John Deere).

Rachelle Chapman is Senior Manager for Strategic Partnerships and the Military Liaison for Adecco, a leading provider of HR solutions.

Sales is also a largely overlooked area in which Rachelle Chapman many veterans would find success, she says.

“Veterans do not always see the direct correlation between their experience in the military and how they might excel in a sales environment,” she says.

COMP

“In many cases, your military skills are transferrable in a number of industries. You just don’t know it...”

“County government has opportunities like that. You can set up a day to shadow someone with a visitor badge to see what’s going on,” Chavez says. “Or, anybody in a teacher ed program starts out with observation or has volunteered at a nonprofit with youth.”

If you’re still testing the waters in terms of considering your interests, you might try working a temporary job or contract job, says Chapman of Adecco. “Most veterans want an immediate, full-time, permanent position with a company after they transition out, and they do not inherently understand the values and benefits of temp work. Project work or temp work helps keep your skills sharp and in some cases you will learn new skills,” she says.

“Also, working on a project or being a consultant is a perfect way to check out a company’s culture and fit for you. It’s as much of a long interview for you as it is for them.

This is especially true if you are thinking about changing careers. Additionally, temp work often leads to full-time work. Contract work also gives you supplemental income right after you leave the service.”

Heidi Lynn Russell writes about employment and business issues.

MILITARY TRANSITION NEWS

by Heidi Lynn Russell Contributing Editor

Nov/Dec 2015

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HIREMILITARYBLOG.COM

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MILITARYTRANSITION.COM

BRADLEY-MORRIS.COM

ANIES

Our idea of career transition.

The Indian Health Service (IHS) offers transitioning military health care providers three career paths — they can maintain their military retirement benefits through the USPHS Commissioned Corps; receive a comprehensive compensation and benefits package through the federal civil service; or work for and negotiate benefits directly with a Tribal health program. IHS clinicians practice patient-centered care and work within an integrated team environment. They enjoy a structured yet flexible work schedule and have ample opportunities for recreational pursuits.

Explore a world of opportunities in Indian health careers at www.ihs.gov/careeropps.

Here at HUB International we value our veterans for their uncanny ability to work as a team. The specialized skills, traits and leadership that service members carry are an invaluable part of what we stand for. HUB International will continue to support and recognize our military service members, past and present.

Our career opportunities include: Leadership and sales training development Career mobility Competitive pay and benefits

Opportunity. Adventure. Purpose.

HUB International www.hubinternational.jobs The policy of the IHS is to provide absolute preference to qualified Indian applicants and employees who are suitable for federal employment in filling vacancies within the IHS. IHS is an equal opportunity employer.

15IHS-DHPS606_PAD_Mil_SEPOCT_QP4C_Vert_TransitionHike_CivJobs.indd 1

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7/20/15 5:13 PM

At your service across the United States and Canada.

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Spouse Series: The Shoes Have It

American is proud to support our veterans and members of the military.

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hile researching online late one night (read: mindlessly surfing the net), I ran across a 2012 news article claiming that researchers from the University of Kansas could accurately judge a stranger’s personality simply by looking at the person’s shoes.

The research was old and the hour late, leading me to be both tired and intrigued at the same time. I couldn’t help wondering what those Kansas researchers might deduce about me based on my faux black leather Birkenstocks, circa late last summer.

I wasn’t, however, willing to cough up the $35.95 for the online version of the study to find out. Perhaps they would assess me as being somewhat cheap for that. Whatever.

Even without shelling out dollars for details, anyone could deduce the basic logic involved.

First impressions count.

They particularly count when you and your soon-to-be-civilian spouse are interviewing for your first post-military jobs.

You want to make a good first impression.

The following tips apply: •

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Research the company you are interviewing with well in advance of the big day. Understand their business model and marketplace challenges.

Show up on time. On time outside of the military environs means five to ten minutes early.

You may not need to wear Prada or Jimmy Choos shoes to make the best first impression, but do dress appropriately for the position you are targeting and for the industry it is in.

Bring an extra copy of your resume along with you. You can use it to review your sterling credentials while you’re waiting for the inquisition to begin and you can offer it up to the employer on the off chance he or she doesn’t have a copy.

Be prepared to speak sans military lingo and use the expected vernacular of the industry itself. If you aren’t sure what that is, get busy finding out before you show your face on game day.

Hooah? (Translated: All right?).

Let the person doing the interviewing sit in the driver’s seat for the duration of the interview. Even interviewers who aren’t very good at the task know it’s their job to take the lead and get things rolling. Don’t steal their glory.

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To calm any nervous butterflies you may be experiencing, breathe deeply. It may help you to think of the interview as a simple meeting between peers rather than your attempt to continue paying your bills on time. Realize that both you and the employer have the same goal here. You both want to learn about each other to see if you are a potential fit for the company and for the position.

To that end, answer the interviewer’s questions fully. You may be nervous (everyone is) but you want to truly communicate here and not just get through the experience. You also want to come prepared with good questions, too.

Whatever you do, don’t bring up the topic of salary or benefits first. Let the employer do that instead, and/or wait for a more appropriate time to discuss those areas, e.g., the second interview, site visit or during the job offer stage.

If the topics of dollars and benefits do come up, be prepared to discuss the matters intelligently. That means that you’ve done some research regarding what the particular career’s salary range is in the given area of the country. You have an acceptable salary range in mind based on that, and - you know the type of benefits that are important to you and your family in this new chapter of your lives.

At the conclusion of the interview, thank the employer for his or her time. Ask when a selection may be made for position. Reiterate your interest in it. Stand. Make eye contact. Smile. Firmly shake hands and then gracefully leave.

You can never say thank you to someone enough, so send a short email to the interviewer thus reminding them that you are interested in the job.

Now that’s the way to put your best foot forward, shoes and all.

Janet Farley is a job search and workplace issues expert and the author of “The Military Spouse’s Guide to Employment: Smart Job Choices for Mobile Lifestyles,” (Impact Pubs, 2013) and “Quick Military Transition Guide: Seven Steps to Landing a Civilian Job,” (Jist, Inc. 2013).

Find us at aa.com/careers.

American Airlines and the Flight Symbol logo are marks of American Airlines, Inc. oneworld is a mark of the oneworld alliance, LLC. © 2015 American Airlines, Inc. All rights reserved.

by Janet Farley Contributing Editor

Our hat’s off to you.

Nov/Dec 2015

Nov/Dec 2015

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Build your career with Eaton, and build power management solutions that keep the world moving more efficiently, reliably and safely.

If you are searching for a career with a company that values the training and experience that veterans bring, then Eaton is your ideal company. Military professionals at Eaton are part of an organization that focuses on providing power management solutions to global customers while doing business right.

Search and apply at www.eaton.com/MilitaryCareers Eaton is a global power management company. We help customers manage power, so buildings, airplanes, trucks, cars, machinery and entire businesses can do more while consuming less energy. As an integrated global company, we are unified in our commitment to powering business worldwide.

Eaton is an Equal Opportunity & Affirmative Action Employer, minority/female/ disabled/protected veteran.

OUTFLANK YOUR RIVALS with the #1 ONLINE MBA in the country for military veterans.

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Nov/Dec 2015

Nov/Dec 2015

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5 Financial Milestones to Strive for by 40 and won’t give you the chance to forget or spend your intended savings.

by Ashley Feinstein Contributing Writer

D

uring your 40s you may be at the height of your career, which also means your highest earning years. While you are enjoying this success, temptation can be high to increase your lifestyle. There may also be more people depending on you for financial security. You might even feel pulled in many directions by various financial priorities. Not only do you have to worry about yourself and potentially your partner, you might be planning to or actually financing some dependents, investing in a home, and ramping up your retirement savings. While having various priorities can feel overwhelming, it’s important to focus on your most important goals. With your current level of income, you can either make small movement toward many goals or big movement toward a few important goals. If you end up achieving those important financial goals ahead of schedule, you can always start prioritizing new goals. Here are five financial milestones to strive for by 40.

1) Create a rainy day fund.

First and foremost, I recommend that you stash away at least 3-6 months of expenses in an easy-to-access liquid account in case of the unexpected. Having this cushion will protect you from having to take on expensive credit card debt in the case of a surprise expense. In order to decide how much money to put away in your rainy day fund, you will want to think through a couple of emergency situations. How many months of expenses would make you feel comfortable in each situation?

You will also want to determine how much money you would spend each month in case of an emergency. This does not have to be your typical monthly spend. It can be the amount you’d need to pay your bills, purchase food and sustain yourself and your family. In the event you lose your job, you may be willing to forgo many of your frivolous expenses until you are able to find work. Calculating this lower expense number makes it easier for you to reach your goal.

If the amount you need to save feels overwhelming, start small. Getting in the habit of putting even a small amount of money toward your savings each paycheck will make a big difference. You can increase gradually from there. Setting up your savings to transfer from your checking account automatically works wonders. It will take the willpower out of the equation

2) Pay down most debt.

In order to pay down your debt, you’ll first want to take inventory of what debt you have. List out each debt with its respective interest rate, payment date and minimum payment. From there, you can create a plan to tackle it. While credit card debt is a reality for many, it’s often the most expensive debt out there, so you may want to prioritize paying that debt off first. With interest rates of 20 percent not being uncommon, it can end up costing you a lot of wasted money in interest. You will then create similar plans for paying down any other loans.

There are a few strategies for paying off debt. The first is to pay off the debt with the highest interest rates first because it is costing you the most money in interest. The second is to pay the smallest pieces of debt off first because that will be motivating and rewarding as you get to cross entire loans and credit cards off your inventory checklist. The third is to start with the most emotionally charged debt first. If there is any debt that really upsets you or causes you stress, remove that first. For example, you might have taken out a loan from a friend or family member who charges no interest but owing them money causes you a lot of worry and stress.

Make sure to celebrate along the way as you pay off your debt. It’s a huge milestone!

3) Catch up on retirement saving.

Saving for retirement will be another important financial priority in your 40s. You can contribute up to $18,000 in a company sponsored 401(k) plan and $5,500 in an individual retirement account (IRA) each year. Once you are in your 50s you can contribute $24,000 to a company sponsored 401(k) plan and $6,500 to an IRA, which is called a ‘catchup contribution.’ To see where you stand you will want to do estimate your ‘magic number’ or how much money you will need to retire. While there are many variables involved and things will change as you get closer to retirement, you can do some quick calculations by taking your desired annual income in retirement and multiplying it by 25-28 times. For example, you might decide that you’d like to earn $50,000 each year in retirement: $50,000 multiplied by 25 is $1.25 million and $50,000 multiplied by 28 is $1.4 million.

How do you figure out your desired income in retirement? There are some that recommend 85 percent of your current income, which assumes you will have paid off your mortgage by the time you retire. The most accurate way to predict your desired income in retirement is to actually estimate it out. Will anything change from how you are spending now to how you plan to spend in retirement? Don’t forget to include additional insurance and medical costs. To help, there are many great online calculators. Some help you hone the nest egg you will need to retire,

several help you calculate your expected retirement income and others tell you the contributions you should be making now to reach your retirement goal.

Saving up your nest egg is no small feat and often when we have a very large savings goal it can feel so overwhelming that we put off starting. Just like with saving for the emergency fund, getting started is the most important part. You can start as small as contributing 1 percent of your income. Will you even notice a 1 percent change? Every six weeks, increase your contribution by another 1 percent so that you hardly notice the increase. Continue with a 1 percent increase every six weeks or two months and you’ll be contributing significantly in no time.

4) Reassess your insurance needs.

Every time you experience a big life change, it’s time to reassess your insurance needs. If you have dependents, it’s important to look into life insurance, which will provide them with financial support should something happen to you. If you bought a home, look into homeowners insurance. Another important insurance to look into is disability insurance. Disability insurance is essentially income insurance that protects you in the case that you become disabled and are no longer able to work. This may be surprising, but our risk of disability is twice as high as our risk of early death. According to the Social Security Administration, 1 in 4 of today’s 20-year olds will become disabled for a period of time in their life before reaching age 67.

Disability isn’t necessarily permanent or catastrophic, but a health condition that makes it so you are unable to work for an extended period of time.

Take a look at the various areas in your life where you are not covered or would like more coverage and protect yourself with the right types of insurance.

5) Start saving for your family.

If you have children, you will want to start saving. While there are many other

costs associated with raising children, you will want to prepare for rising college tuition costs. Open a 529 plan for a taxadvantaged way to save for your children’s tuition. It’s never too early to start saving for a big expense like a college degree. The earlier you begin saving, the less you’ll have to contribute each month to reach your saving goals.

In your 40s you will also want to make a plan with your parents. With aging parents, it’s important to have a plan in place for their retirement and long-term care. Having this conversation is hugely important so that you can assess their goals and their longterm care insurance coverage to make sure that they are adequately protected. If they are not protected by insurance or don’t have the assets to support their care, this financial responsibility may fall on you.

This additional unexpected responsibility can throw a wrench in your long-term priorities if you haven’t planned for it.

While there are many financial goals that pull your hard-earned money in many directions during your 40s, if you prioritize and plan for these five milestones, you will create peace of mind and stability while saving yourself stress and heartache later in life. Every year, check in with your financial goals to assess your progress, the goal itself, how and when you plan achieve it. This will keep you on track to hit your financial milestones.

Ashley Feinstein is a certified money coach and founder of Knowing Your Worth, where she empowers her clients to redefine success on their own terms by knowing their value and fearlessly going for it. Find out more, check out her blog at KnowingYourWorth.com and connect with her on Facebook and Twitter at The Fiscal Femme.

Read this issue online now at Online.MilitaryTransitionNews.com

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Nov/Dec 2015

Job Fair Calendar

Date: November 10, 2015 Location: Patuxent River NAS, MD 3 p.m. - 7 p.m./Bay District Vol. Fire Dept. Social Hall, 46900 S. Shangri-La Dr. Sponsor: POC: Janet Giles, www.JobZoneOnline.com, Janet.Giles@JobZoneOnline.com (434) 263-5102 or (540) 226-1473

Date: Location:

Sponsor:

November 10, 2015 Ft. Carson, CO - 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Double Tree Colorado Springs POC: CivilianJobs.com (866) 801-4418

Date: December 11, 2015 Location: Ft. Carson SFL-TAP Mini Job Fair 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Transition University Bldg., 6237 Mekong St. Sponsor: POC: Lyle E. Dickason (719) 526-0410; lyle.e.dickason.civ@mail.mil

Date: Location:

Sponsor:

January 14, 2016 Joint Base Lewis-McChord 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

POC: CivilianJobs.com (866) 801-4418

Date: Location:

Sponsor:

January 21, 2016 Ft. Benning, GA 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Benning Club, Bldg. 128, Morrison Rd. POC: CivilianJobs.com (866) 801-4418

Date: November 12, 2015 Location: Belvoir-Springfield, VA 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

American Legion Post 176, 6520 Amherst Ave. Sponsor: POC: Janet Giles, www.JobZoneOnline.com, Date: Janet.Giles@JobZoneOnline.com - (434) 263-5102 or (540) 226-1473 Location:

Date: December 1, 2015

Location: Ft. Hood, TX - 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Club Hood, Bldg. 5764, 24th St. Sponsor:

Sponsor: POC: CivilianJobs.com (866) 801-4418

Date: Location:

Date: December 3, 2015

Location: Fredericksburg Expo Ctr. and

Conference Ctr. Sponsor: 3 p.m. - 7 p.m.

2371 Carl D. Silver Parkway, Fredericksburg, VA

Date: Sponsor: POC: Janet Giles, Location: www.JobZoneOnline.com, Janet.Giles@JobZoneOnline.com - (434) 263-5102 or (540) 226-1473 Sponsor:

Date: December 9, 2015 Location: Ft. Campbell Winter Job Fair Date: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Location: Cole Park Commons, 1610 101st Airborne Division Rd.

Sponsor: POC: Sean Solorzano (270) 798-6507; sean.p.solorzano.civ@mail.mil Sponsor:

Date: December 10, 2015

Date: Location: Ft. Bliss - SFL-TAP 8 a.m. - 1 p.m./Ctr. Bldg. 503A, Location:

1st Floor Open Area

Pershing Rd. Sponsor: Sponsor: POC: Zulemma Carranza,

M.A./LNO - (915) 568-4210; zulemma.carranza.ctr@mail.mil

Date: Location:

Date: December 10, 2015

Location: Ft. Knox, KY - 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Sponsor: Saber and Quill,

1118 Chaffee Ave. Sponsor: POC: CivilianJobs.com (866) 801-4418

January 27-28, 2016 National Summit Ft. Stewart, GA - Stewart Club 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

1020 Hero Rd., Bldg. 405 POC: Leonard Sims (912) 767-7940 February 4, 2016 Ft. Stewart, GA - Stewart Club 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

1020 Hero Rd., Bldg. 405 POC: CivilianJobs.com (866) 801-4418 February 24, 2016 Ft. Carson, CO 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Double Tree Colorado Springs POC: CivilianJobs.com (866) 801-4418 March 2, 2016 Ft. Bragg, NC - 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Conference and Catering Ctr., Bldg. 5-5348, 2658 Reilly Rd. POC: CivilianJobs.com (866) 801-4418 March 8, 2016 Norfolk, VA - 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Old Dominion University Ted Constant Convocation Center POC: CivilianJobs.com (866) 801-4418 March 9, 2016 Ft. Lee, VA - 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

The Regimental Club, 2609 C Ave. POC: CivilianJobs.com (866) 801-4418

For more job fair dates and locations, go to CivilianJobs.com

Bradley-Morris, Inc. (BMI) is the largest military-focused recruiting firm in the U.S. that for over 20 years has specialized in placing prior military job seekers with Fortune 1000 companies.

CivilianJobs.com helps military-friendly companies who actively recruit candidates from the military by offering cost-effective and customized solutions to meet their hiring needs.

NEWS Military Transition News is a bi-monthly publication providing military job seekers with relevant career and transition advice. It is distributed in print and online to over 500 military bases.

MilitaryResumes.com provides professional resume writing and consulting services for transitioning military, veterans, and their spouses seeking a civilian or federal career.

Essential Events and Travel, Inc. provides expert event planning services for corporate events and meetings. We excel in managing specialized events.

HireMilitaryBlog.com is a blog dedicated to educating and assisting employers (HR Recruiters) with sourcing and hiring candidates with prior-military experience.

MilitaryTransition.com is a blog devoted to providing transition assistance information and tools to service members transitioning from the military to a civilian career.

LARGEST MILITARY FOOTPRINT

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NEWS

Your Career Transition Alphabet Part One: A to O career coach’s corner

by Tom Wolfe Career Coach and Contributing Editor

A

ccording to lexicologists, there are more than 20 alphabets in use in the world today, the most common of them being Latin, Greek, Cyrillic, Armenian, Georgian and Korean. Today, I will introduce you to a new one, the Military to Civilian Career Transition Alphabet.

Appearance. When you interview you must make a good impression. Being memorable is a key component of a successful interview. Your appearance will be part of that memory. Wearing appropriate interviewing attire and your personal grooming is critical. Military personnel are known for being squaredaway and having pride in their appearance - make sure you live up to that standard.

Body Language. In addition to the message your words convey, consider the message delivered by your body language.

Your eye contact, the way you sit in your chair, gestures, mannerisms, handshake and posture will all send one of two signals to the interviewer. Are you nervous, fidgety, tense, unsure of yourself and/or lacking confidence? Or are you self-assured, friendly, approachable, relaxed and self-confident?

Cover Letters. A resume cannot say it all. Frequently there is additional information required and a cover letter is an important tool in this regard. Use a cover letter to bridge any gaps between your resume and the targeted job. A cover letter that is carefully crafted will have four components expressed in four paragraphs: impetus (what caused you to apply for this position?); focus (call attention to the content most relevant to the job); amplification (provide additional information not already apparent on the resume); and action (what will you do next to follow up on submitting the resume?).

Documentation. When it comes to paperwork, the resume gets all the attention, but there is more to consider.

Cover letters, reference lists, performance evaluations, college transcripts, writing samples, your DD214, certificates of qualification, diplomas, citations, awards and more. Gather it all together, organize it logically and be prepared to provide it when asked.

Empathy. Most of what you focus on in your search is selfish in nature. However, you must also keep in mind what matters to the potential employer and the interviewer.

This is called interviewing empathy and it is critical to interview success. What matters to the interviewer? What are his or her hot buttons? Is the interviewer dealing with deadlines or other time-sensitive issues?

Building empathy creates likeability and being likeable enhances your chances.

Filters. Interviewing is a basically a dual filtration process. When inserted into any system, a filter will have both a quantitative and qualitative impact.

Although the primary goal is to eliminate unwanted elements (enhancing quality), there is a subsequent reduction in rate of flow (quantity). Companies use filters in candidate selection and you will use them to hone in on the right job for you.

Both parties will apply the most critical or non-negotiable filters first. By being as (truthfully) flexible as possible, you increase the odds of passing through these filters.

Grade Point Average. Your GPA or any other measurement of academic performance is a very common candidate selection filter. There are three reasons for this. One, if all of the applicants have one, then it is a convenient way to compare them. Although not necessarily accurate or fair, it is easy. Two, the GPA can be an indicator of brainpower, although that too is suspect. Three, a candidate’s GPA could correlate to his or her potential for development. If your GPA is good (3.0+ undergrad; 3.5+ grad), do not worry about it. If it’s not so good, then make the interviewer aware of what you do have that may be a better indicator of your smarts and potential.

Health. Career transition is hard work.

This will be a very stressful time in your life. The learning curve is steep and the unknown can be intimidating. Rejection is commonplace. It is easy to get frustrated, down on yourself and perhaps even a little depressed. Your mental health can impact your physical and emotional health.

Dedicate at least 30 minutes of every day to your mental and physical well-being.

Exercise, eat right, get off the grid, power down, relieve stress, do volunteer work, give back to your community. These activities will make you feel better about yourself and help you stay energized and positive.

Interviews. You applied for a position that appears to meet your needs and the company responded with an invitation to interview for the job. Both parties have

passed through each other’s filters, at least the ones that can be applied before actually meeting face-to-face. This meeting allows the interviewer to add your personality, style and attitude to the equation and gives you the opportunity to sell yourself for the job.

Job Fairs. A great way to jump-start your search is to attend a job fair or hiring conference where you can participate in multiple initial introductions or even interviews in a single day. These events are typically held in hotel ballrooms or conference centers. Cost of attendance is minimal if not free. These events can be sponsored by private companies, placement agencies, veteran services organizations or government agencies such as the VA or DoD. Knowledge. To interview successfully you must present yourself as an excellent fit for the opportunity. That presentation depends on your ability to match what you bring to the table with what the company needs in the job. This requires insight on your part, specifically knowledge of the company and the industry it represents, knowledge of the targeted position and self-knowledge. Which is most important?

Self-knowledge. Why? No matter how well-versed you are in the first two, how can you possibly sell yourself for the job if you do not know yourself well enough to present the relevant information and hit the interviewer’s hot buttons?

Location. Where are you living now and where do you want to live? The answers to those questions influence the tactics and parameters of your search. If you are stationed in the same town in which you intend to find a job, then your search is simplified. If you are open geographically for the right career, then your search is more complicated but will almost certainly result in more opportunities. The location of the job is a common filter for both you and the employer. You should identify early on where you prefer to live and structure your search accordingly. If you have the luxury of flexibility, use it to your advantage. If you do not, then don’t waste time pursuing jobs in towns where you will not reside.

Manners. Job hunting and interviewing involves much personal interaction. An interview allows both you and an employer

to add personality to your resume and the employer’s working environment. Much like the rules of dining etiquette or military etiquette, there are rules of job search etiquette. These rules revolve around common courtesies, good manners, politeness, timeliness and respect. Taking the time to become familiar with these standards and expectations will go a long way toward accomplishing a successful search.

Network. When your job search ends and you will look in your rear view mirror and see a people who had an impact.

Maybe they counseled, trained, prepared or steered you. Perhaps they introduced you to their connections. They could have pushed the buttons to get you interviews or shepherded your application file through the process. It’s possible it was their endorsement or sponsorship that got your foot in the door. They could be family members, neighbors, classmates, shipmates, church congregants, club or association members, headhunters, recruiters or even random connections on a plane or the subway. Add them all together and you have your network. Identifying, expanding and developing that network in the early stages of transition is a critical component of your ultimate success.

Objective. What do you want to do? What kind of job are you looking for? Some of you have a specific answer to that question, especially when there is a direct civilian equivalent to your military specialty: you are good at it and want to continue to do it. The rest of you - the majority, in fact - are not sure. At the beginning of your search, that is okay. Think of job hunting as an information gathering process, a byproduct of which, if done correctly, will be your next job. Consider this: at the end of your search your job objective will sound exactly like the job you are about to accept.

A thorough understanding and implementation of these concepts will enhance your chances of winning interviews and landing the right job, the first time.

Please look for Part Two, P to Z, in the January/February 2016 issue of Military Transition News.

Tom Wolfe is a Career Coach, Columnist, Author and Veteran and can be found at www.out-of-uniform.com.

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