Military Transition News – March/April 2016, Transportation issue

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The Essential Military-to-Civilian Transition Resource March - April 2016

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Start Your Engines: Jobs in Auto Manufacturing Abound

by Heidi Lynn Russell Contributing Editor

O

ver the long term, car sales are linked to population growth.

People need cars to get to work, shop and take care of their families.

So along with the projections for strong and steady U.S. population growth over the next 10 to 20 years, there are projections for increased car sales.

For job hunting veterans, this translates into a bevy of career options within the automotive manufacturing industry say spokespeople from Toyota, Tesla and Nissan. These three companies are hiring and they’re interested in hearing from you.

Veterans have found tremendous success at all levels of Toyota’s North American organization, from hourly “team members” to senior executives, says Shawn Daly, Toyota’s Bodine Shawn Daly Aluminum Plant Manager, in Jackson, TN. “(Veterans) are experienced in data-driven analysis teaching and coaching data-driven problem solving. Of course, this helps them to solve problems more effectively, but more importantly it enables them to be more effective in coaching our team members,” Daly says.

Tesla’s military recruiting efforts

are building momentum, with veteran numbers averaging six percent of the employee population, says spokeswoman Alexis Georgeson. Tesla is “aggressively hiring” and plans to bring on talent to feed the Tesla Factory in Fremont, CA and the Gigafactory in Nevada.

“Veterans are a wonderful fit at Tesla because of the advanced technical, electrical and mechanical skills they learn while in the service. Veterans also bring integrity, discipline, teamwork and leadership skills that fit well in the Tesla environment, where we encourage employees to think outside the box while working hard towards a common goal to

transform transportation,” she says.

With the increased focus on autonomous driving, companies like Nissan will continue looking for talent to help make it a reality, says Darla Turner, Manager, Corporate Communications. Nissan North America Inc. expects to see at least 120 veterans hired throughout 2016. “Veterans bring a disciplined approach to problem solving and a calm outlook that helps them work through stressful situations,” Turner says.

Here are the types of opportunities at each corporation, along with tips on how to break into a thriving career in the auto manufacturing arena.

Types of Opportunities In the auto manufacturing industry, you’ll find a wide variety of opportunities that directly align with the skills needed in most military occupations.

At Nissan: “We have veterans represented in almost every area of the business and the opportunities are endless,” says Turner.

Some examples of roles where continues page 2

Transportation Logistics: Veterans Ready to Roll into this Accelerating Field

by Sarah Whitman Contributing Writer

U

PS believes that hiring veterans is not only the right thing to do, but also the smart thing to do. That’s because veterans and those currently serving in the military have always contributed to the success of the 109-year-old company.

“Veterans help make UPS a

more competitive and successful company,” says Lloyd Knight, Director of Government, Aerospace and Project Cargo for UPS Supply Chain Solutions. “Hiring veterans is an investment in our business.”

UPS currently employs 25,000 veterans, reservists and National Guard, making up about eight percent of the company’s 435,000-person work force.

With a company of UPS’s size,

responsibilities can vary widely, from loading trucks to flying planes to even working as pharmacists. Although Knight can’t pinpoint exactly how many of those veterans are working in logistics-specific roles, almost all of the company’s employees fulfill some type of logistics duty, given that UPS’s mission is to continues page 4

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Transition Talk: The Value of Online Company Reviews ....................page 3

Feature: Military Leadership in Action ...............page 8

Career Coach’s Corner: 9 Tips for Résumés ..... page 12

Finance: 5 Steps To An Easier Tax Return ......... page 17

Job Fairs: Calendar of Opportunity ........ page 18

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“Start Your Engines: Jobs in Auto Manufacturing Abound” continued from page 1 veterans have been the most successful are in finance, engineering, human resources and manufacturing. In finance, you’ll find jobs that use your skills in building forecasts and managing budgets.

Engineering is an area of opportunity as well.

“While a military engineer may be building bridges or fortifications, our engineers are building cars; the end result is different, but the skills needed are the same,” Turner says.

In human resources, employees are responsible for training and development, personnel issues, organizational planning and recruiting.

“Additionally, our manufacturing positions allow many veterans to excel in the hands-on environment they prefer,” she says.

At Tesla: Maintenance technicians with experience from the aviation, nuclear Navy and other complex technical specialties tend to quickly learn how to maintain Tesla’s systems. Pneumatic, hydraulic and electrical troubleshooting skills learned in the military can be applied in new ways to maintain Tesla’s state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment, Georgeson says.

Junior military officers and senior noncommissioned officers with team leadership experience do well as Production Supervisors. “The Production Supervisor role provides a great opportunity to learn Tesla manufacturing: terminology, techniques,

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standards and other fundamentals. If these new leaders perform well and earn a reputation for engaged, productive teams, they have the opportunity for career advancements in many directions,” she says.

Most junior enlisted service members are a great fit for Tesla’s Production Associate positions. Production Associates can advance to Lead and Supervisory positions.

“If they have a passion for Tesla’s mission, know how to use basic power tools and can follow instructions, Tesla can teach them the rest. This is a hands-on role that requires attention to detail and the ability to repeat a manufacturing process with minimal defects,” Georgeson says.

At Toyota: “We work in a fast-paced, hightech manufacturing environment. Our plant produces more than 8,900 engine blocks and transmission cases per day (roughly one every 10 seconds) using computer-controlled equipment, industrial robots and advanced quality control systems. Military veterans are comfortable working in a fast-paced environment and accustomed to working with advanced technology,” Daly says of the Bodine Aluminum Plant.

The Bodine plant has hired veterans in the past year as Production Group Leaders or Equipment Maintenance Group Leaders.

Group Leaders are first line supervisors who ensure the training and development of team members and lead them in achieving

targets in safety, quality, productivity and cost. Toyota has also recruited veterans in positions in Safety, Engineering, Human Resources and other areas, Daly says.

Toyota has 10 plants in the United States.

In addition to the plant in Jackson, TN, there are plants in Alabama, California, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia.

Finding Your Dream Job in Auto Manufacturing A job is more than your daily tasks – it’s also about your work environment. Auto manufacturers agree that when seeking a job in their industry, it’s important for veterans to understand a potential employer’s mission and values – and also to ensure that they offer the support to the transitioning military community.

Toyota takes “extraordinary measures” to protect job security. “So while some other manufacturing companies have frequent layoffs, Toyota has avoided them,” Daly says.

The company also provides several training courses for new team members to transition to their role, including classroom and hands-on training. In addition, most new members are paired with a peer for several weeks to help familiarize them with Toyota’s systems and practices.

When Tesla hires veterans, it gives them access to a Veterans Program mailing list, which includes information about events and activities for vets. Tesla holds an annual Veterans Day celebration and other activities throughout the year as well.

Tesla’s corporate culture focuses on the potential for growth and advancement.

“Employees don’t necessarily need to stay in the same field as their current role and have the freedom to explore other career paths as long as they have the skills and experience

Mar/Apr 2016

"While a military engineer may be building bridges or fortifications, our engineers are building cars; the end result is different, but the skills needed are the same."

- Darla Turner, Manager,

Corporate Communications, Nis­san North America Inc.

required,” Georgeson says.

Nissan has an employee-led “business synergy team” that is specifically designed for veterans and veteran supporters. The team provides an opportunity for veterans to mentor and support one another, as well as give back to veterans in the community.

Turner advises job seekers to use this as a litmus test for how an employer values and supports veterans: “Look for employers that are recognized by the Veterans Administration, ESGR or other military organizations. In November 2013, Nissan affirmed its support for National Guard and Reserve employees in Franklin, TN where the executive leadership team publically signed a ‘Statement of Support’ for employees in the armed services,” she says.

Heidi Lynn Russell writes about employment and business issues.

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Transition Talk

Publisher Garrett Reed Managing Editor Kathy Scott Art Director Alec Trapheagen Contributing Editors Janet Farley

Heidi Lynn Russell

Tom Wolfe Director of Technology Don Nowak Senior Consultant Brett Comerford Consultant Tucker Harrell Account Representative Erin Feeley Account Representative Jillian LeBlanc Account Representative Joe Mirabella Account Representative RW Moore Account Representative Glen Nelson Account Representative 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. ©2007-2016 Civilian Jobs, LLC. All rights reserved.

Military Transition News and CivilianJobs.com are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Bradley-Morris, Inc. (BMI), the largest military-focused placement firm in the U.S. Top right cover photo: U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Mark C. Olsen/Released

by Mike Arsenault Vice President of Candidate Services

Bradley-Morris answers questions from transitioning military job seekers.

Q:

I have an interview coming up and frankly, I don’t really know if I want to go. I did some research online to find out as much as possible about the company and the reviews are not good – bad pay, no advancement, unmotivated workforce, etc. The interview was set up by a good friend and I don’t want to seem ungrateful, but I feel like I have all the information about the company I need and it’s telling me to run! I don’t want to waste their time or mine, but I’m not sure how much weight I should put into online company reviews.

A: That’s a great question for many reasons. First, let’s

start with the obvious. Several studies exist that claim online reviews skew people’s purchasing decisions. If you do your research before making an important choice - for instance, choosing your first civilian job - you may even put more weight into what you’re reading.

So to answer your question simply, yes, I would give some credence to what you’re reading online, especially if there seems to be a pattern of similar comments. However, this advice comes with a few important caveats.

One of the first things you need to remember when assessing how much value you give reviews is what the context is of the statements. Remember, unlike product reviews, we’re dealing with people’s personalities. I’ve had teachers, bosses and commanding officers that provided me with outstanding experiences and lessons. However, sometimes those same people were not universally liked because of hard decisions they had to make with others who weren’t cutting it.

This brings us to another consideration.

Who do you think will leave more reviews, disgruntled employees or satisfied ones? We might expect that the satisfied ones are too busy doing their jobs to leave reviews. Further, it has been reported that some companies with bad reviews urge employees to go leave good reviews to balance the negative ones out (whether the employees really want to or not!).

Finally, you should also be aware that part of the business model of some of the review sites is to contact companies with negative reviews and (for a fee) help them improve their reputation.

With all this being said, my advice would be to go to the interview. You will be better able to make up your own mind after talking to the hiring manager. They should be well aware of the negative comments/reviews. If the interview has gone well, don’t be afraid to ask about it when it’s time for your questions towards the end of the interview. You can try to determine if there was some specific reason, e.g., management changes, different ownership, new policies, etc. that may have been a driver of the negative comments.

Worse case, consider it to be practice for other interviews ahead. But you may find that, despite some negative comments online, the company and the job are just what you’ve been hoping to land.

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.

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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.

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“Transportation Logistics: Veterans Ready to Roll into this Accelerating Field” continued from page 1 serve the logistics needs of its customers.

Skills That Make Veterans a Good Fit for Logistics Work Because U.S. military organizations operate some of the most sophisticated supply chains in the world, it’s likely that many veterans have gained supply chain and logistics-related experience but may not be fully aware of the transferable skills they already possess. The American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS), the largest professional association in the world for supply chain management, publishes competency models for a variety of supply chain roles. APICS Chief Executive Officer, Abe Eshkenazi (CSCP, CPA, CEA) says these models define the knowledge, skills, abilities and traits required to perform critical work functions or tasks for specific job roles, and are a good starting point for someone interested in learning about the skills required for various supply chain and logistics roles.

UPS’s Knight, a mentor for America Corporate Partners and a volunteer for Hire Heroes USA, notes UPS’s core values include integrity, teamwork, service and safety - qualities that are often engrained in service members and that translate easily to logistics roles in the private sector. In addition, he has found that many veterans are highly skilled and have received world-class leadership and management training, making them a great fit for logistics work.

Logistics Workforce Trends According to the U.S. Roadmap for Material Handling & Logistics, there is a strong need to develop the U.S. workforce to meet the needs of the logistics industry, which is a rapidly growing employment sector.

Eshkenazi says APICS research shows that there are about 300,000 logistics professionals in the United States, and the field is growing at four percent annually. He says the Bureau of Labor Statistics also pegs transportation and logistics as the second largest employment sector in the United States with more than six million people.

Additionally, according to the Georgia Centers for Innovation (http://www.georgia. org/business-resources/georgia-centers-ofinnovation/), the field will generate 270,000 new jobs annually through at least 2018. At the current job creation rate, that represents more than 10 percent of all new jobs in the U.S. for the next few years.

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Advice for Transitioning Veterans For transitioning veterans who want to take advantage of these opportunities, Knight advises starting the transition early and allowing time for research.

“There are a lot of resources out there, so finding the best one that can help your specific transition takes time,” he says. He also cautions service members not to pay for transition services, recruiters or resume writers because there are many nonprofits that can provide highly effective services for free.

In addition, he says many service members create a great resume but fail to tailor it to the specific position they are applying for. “You greatly lower your odds of moving from the resume review stage to the interview stage if you do not tailor your resume,” Knight says.

He has also noticed that transitioning service members sometimes fail in translating their skills. “The overuse of military acronyms, jargon and terminology hampers a successful job search more than a lack of required skills,” he says.

Eshkenazi advises transitioning service members to create education and career plans that include gaining knowledge of the transportation, distribution and logistics fields.

“They should also identify any gaps in their skills and complete professional development activities, including certifications programs, to address them,” he says.

“Through this process, they’ll be more attractive candidates and, once hired, they’ll be promoted and start on a path to management and leadership positions.”

Eshkenazi points out that women are underrepresented in the supply chain, logistics and manufacturing workforce. He believes that with manufacturing facing an estimated two million worker shortfall over the next decade, it’s a good time for female veterans to seize opportunities in these roles.

How UPS is Paving a Path for Veterans UPS uses a wide range of tactics to recruit veterans. As the UPS Veterans Business Group Co-Chair in Atlanta, Knight networks with several veteran-affiliated nonprofits including American Corporate Partners, Hire Heroes USA and Hiring our Heroes, along with government agencies including the VA and the DOL. This networking helps UPS recruit candidates and educate them on the company’s history, mission and culture before they apply. “Our approach is to establish relationships with groups that have a direct connection to the DOD, DOL, VA and the larger VSOs such as American Legion, VFW and PVA,” Knight says.

In March 2013, UPS announced its involvement with the White House Joining Forces initiative and made a “Commitment to Veterans” by pledging to hire 25,000 veterans over a five-year period and to serve 25,000 employee volunteer hours with various Veteran Service Organizations. In April 2014, the company doubled its “Commitment to Veterans” and pledged to hire 50,000 veterans and serve 50,000 volunteer hours by the end of 2018.

“Our military outreach program will enable UPS to benefit from the strong leadership, technical and problem-solving skills of the men and women who have served in the armed forces, while at the same time fulfilling our corporate responsibility to provide employment opportunities and decrease the high unemployment rates for veterans,” Knight says.

But an effective veteran outreach is about more than just hiring veterans. That’s why UPS’s veterans initiative has four focus areas - employment, engagement, recognition and reputation.

“We are trying to increase the number of veterans who work at UPS and also trying to get our employees more engaged through our community service program with veteran- and military-connected activities,” Knight says. “We also want to improve the recognition of our UPS employees who have served our country in the military, and we want to enhance our reputation as a militaryfriendly employer.”

Veteran Business Resource Groups (BRGs) are a part of that goal to help veteran employees develop skills and learn more about UPS. BRGs are UPS employee groups that serve as an extension of the company’s broader Diversity & Inclusion strategy. “We have a broad scope, including employee recogni-

tion, employee mentoring, assisting service members with their transitions, assisting veteran-owned businesses, service-related activities and educating our non-veteran employees on the U.S. military,” Knight says.

See the Military Transition News January/ February 2016 article on Veteran Employee Resource Groups for more (http://www. civilianjobs.com/jan.feb2016_employment_resource_group1.htm).

Why Veterans and UPS are a Good Match Knight says UPS believes a responsible corporate citizen supports the nation’s military and that UPS could not exist without a strong military that assures a stable economy and smooth global trade. That’s why UPS aims to create an environment that demonstrates internally and externally that it welcomes and values people who have served in the military.

“Employees who have served in the military, or are currently serving in the military, have always contributed to the success of UPS,” he says. “People who have served in the military make great UPS employees.”

Likewise, for veterans looking to start a logistics career, what better place to do so than a logistics company with 535 facilities in more than 120 countries?

Chester Montgomery, UPS SCS Government, Aerospace and Project Cargo (GAPC) Specialist is just one of many veterans who have parlayed their military logistics service into a civilian job. “During my time in the U.S. Army, I worked as a Transportation Coordinator where I planned and oversaw the movement of vehicles, personnel and cargo worldwide,” says Montgomery, a U.S. Army First Sergeant (1SG) Retired, Senior Transportation Sergeant. “Working in the logistics field gives you the opportunity to help others. Some examples are providing humanitarian aid, helping to ship school supplies and medical equipment. Having someone thank you for helping them is one of the greatest rewards you can ever have.”

Sarah Whitman is a Cincinnati-based freelance writer and editor. She frequently writes about career advice, creativity and design. You can connect with her via LinkedIn @SarahMWhitman.

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Where America’s military Connects With Civilian Careers Spouse Series: Minimizing Transition Stress

by Janet Farley Contributing Editor

I

t’s nearly spring and you know what that means. Permanent change of station (PCS) season is right around the corner. The more industrious among us have already started the arduous process of spring cleaning in a valiant effort to organize our lives and bypass future excess household shipment weight charges.

For some, however, the next move won’t just be to a new duty station. It will be to a brand new civilian life altogether and that can be a scary prospect for everyone in the family.

According to the 2015 Military Family Lifestyle Survey conducted by Blue Star Families, 28 percent surveyed described the overall transition process from active duty to veteran status as difficult or even very difficult. It’s no wonder, right?

A transition out of the military is rather like the ultimate PCS move, isn’t it? There are a million and one things to consider and to plan for. The biggest fear for many is living with all the unknowns.

• • • • • • •

Where will you move to?

Where will you work?

Where will the kids go to school?

Will you have continued healthcare coverage?

What happens to your education benefits?

Can you even afford to get out of the military?

Have you planned well enough to move on professionally and personally?

So many questions. So many fears. So many unknowns.

The truth is that it takes great courage to make any kind of big life change and getting out of the military lifestyle when you are used to it is a whopper of one. You can, however, minimize transition stress, of the planned or even unplanned variety, by the following: Forgo denial. You may not want to get out but you may not have a choice. The truth of the matter is that everyone ultimately transitions out of the military lifestyle sooner or later. If you are facing a transition, whether planned or not, accept it for what it is. Pretending it isn’t going to happen or you’ll get a last minute reprieve won’t help you or your family to best deal with reality.

Get a job. Unless you have squirreled away a comfortable nest egg or you’ve hit the lottery, the bills are still going to need to be paid. In the survey noted above, 40 percent described employment transition as difficult or very difficult. I’m going to go out on a ledge here and vote for very difficult, particularly if you and your uniformed spouse have not prepared good resumes or researched the requisite job markets.

While it’s true getting a job seems to come easier to some than others, one thing is for sure. You have transition resources, both on and off the installation, available to you.

Use them. Even if you think you know it all, you will both benefit from the networking piece that comes along with it.

Get smart about your benefits. Identify and learn all you possibly can about your various potential benefits and entitlements.

Some of them may have a limited shelf life so you want to know that now before you lose the opportunity to use them. To begin learning about them, visit the transition assistance program (TAP). Yesterday.

You can find the TAP on your military installation or online at https://www. dodtap.mil/.

Save money now. You may have a retirement or disability check to look forward to but those things may take time to kick in. On the other hand, you may not have anything like that to count on in your specific situation. Either way, cash flow can be a critical issue as you move from a military life to a civilian one. It will be a smoother transition for everyone in the family if you’ve adequately saved for it. This is that rainy day everyone warned you about.

Be prepared. Visit the financial readiness program on the nearest installation if you want or need more information on how to do this.

For more excellent tips to help the whole family make the military to civilian transition, read 10 Tips for a Successful Military to Civilian Transition in Corporate America: www.Bradley-Morris.com/ MilitarytoCivilianTransition.html.

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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Military Leadership in Action: A Q&A with Army Ranger Ben Faw

by Bobby Whitehouse Contributing Writer

B

en Faw is a tech leader in San Francisco.

His background includes serving as the Marketing Solutions Account Executive at a leading tech company as well as earning a Harvard MBA. Now, Ben is part of a group of innovative investors who started BestReviews (www.BestReviews.com).

Ben is also a military-experienced graduate of West Point, Airborne Ranger and a member of the Top 40 Under 40 Military Class of 2013. Ben recently sat down to speak with me Ben Faw about military experience and the technology industry.

Q.) What were the biggest leadership lessons you learned at West Point that you use in tech business today?

Leading by example, putting other people and their efforts first, prioritization and time management are lessons drilledin at West Point through daily repetition.

These have proven to be valuable life skills for success in every environment I have been in so far. West Point, and the other service academies, offer a unique environment for soft-skill development.

Q.) How do those lessons compare or contrast with those learned at Harvard Business School?

HBS put a big focus on leadership that reinforced the lessons from West Point but also helped to refine them to a business setting. If an MBA went into the military, they would still need to learn the military’s way of execution. The same holds true in business. We have these great soft-skills but to scale a sustainable competitive advantage in the corporate side, you must be able to speak the language. HBS gave me the opportunity to ponder the idea of creating what I had in the military in the private sector.

Establishing a peer group of trusted advisors, an activity encouraged at West Point and HBS, has been a major pillar in my personal and professional business success. To this day, my network fields questions, provides feedback and allows me to learn vicariously through the experience of others.

Q.) What do you think about military backgrounds fitting into technology companies?

I’ll start with the challenges and they are three fold. First there are few military-experienced leaders in technology compared to traditional business – the mid-level managers that I’m sure you’re familiar with – who have crossed the chasm and champion military-experienced hiring.

Second there is a concern on technical with Corporate America’s CEOs about in a tangible revenue generating action.

The second and possibly even more skills, the military doesn’t produce soft- hiring military?

Digging deep, I believe there are two overlooked is resilience. In business the ware developers and that is the bulk of a factors that are huge in business that challenge in innovation is putting someone tech company’s initial hiring. And third, most CEOs miss when it comes to hiron a project that will fail 20 or more times since most of the initial growth excludes ing military.

The first is innovation.

The before they succeed.

But you don’t see this veterans it creates a negative feedback loop military-experienced leader is wrongfully on position descriptions.

Business leaders where the growing employee networks do stereotyped as a one dimensional playneed to assess how much rigor is involved not include veterans. follower who cannot think outside the box in a project and in cases where it is most Fortunately, the other side of the coin when the reality is, as you well know, most required.

I bet that if corporate America put is the growing number of militaryvets operate in an autonomous, austere more veterans in charge of their impossible experienced leaders in tech with some of the most established and branded tech environment where change frequently projects, innovation would accelerate in companies leading the trend. There are challenges the playbook. This is a lot like their business. great fits for military-experienced profes- making money in tech. There is no estabBobby Whitehouse, a U.S. Navy veteran sionals in tech in the traditional roles of lished play book and innovation is critical to success.

I recall in my previous role, and Client Partner at military recruiting finance, marketing, sales and customer coming in as an outsider and applying my firm Bradley-Morris, Inc. (BMI), has support. Areas where getting stuff done innovation, I revamped priorities around more than 15 years of experience helping quickly, autonomy and leveraging the other business accounts and established best employers hire military for their civilian soft-skills are where vets crush it. I also see practices – military-leader 101 stuff – that jobs.

Images courtesy Ben Faw. a lot of potential on the product side for the in a couple months, made the company same reasons.

Q.) Why are military-experienced millions in revenue. This is a real example where my military innovation, applied to leaders a good fit for tech companies?

In addition to the previously discussed the business moved the needle forward soft-skills, militaryexperienced leaders are loyal. This is a huge differentiator between them and the standard applicant pool. The current normal in tech is to have your people move across the street every couple of years where veterans tend to be in it for more than the money. If more technology companies opened their doors to veterans, I believe the veteran pool would reciprocate that loyalty.

Q.) Do you believe your military background had anything to do with starting your company?

Sure. The culmination of experiences that made the timing right for me to step into this venture began in the military.

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“C”: Connect. Connect. Connect.

In a job search, one can never Connect too much. It’s also important to remember that you must be easy to connect with as well.

Connect: Make sure you have a professional email address for your military to civilian career search. Use your first and last name. It’s not easy these days to get the user name you would like, but you have several options. First, play around with underscores and dots at sites like Google and Yahoo, attempting to secure your professional email: Joe.Smith@gmail.com, Joe_Smith@gmail. com, JSmith@gmail.com, J.Smith@gmail. com, or J_Smith@gmail.com. Don’t use a family account: TheSmiths@gmail. com, KarenandJoe@gmail.com. Don’t be cute: TopDog@gmail.com, FoxyMarine@ gmail.com or LovetheLadies@gmail.com.

Connect: Join LinkedIn. Join Groups. Connect with people in groups. Connect with CivilianJobs.com on LinkedIn. Connect with other veterans. Attend mixers. Join professional business groups like the Rotary Club or Kiwanis.

Connect: Work backward. Instead of looking for a company that might be hiring someone of your skill set, research

companies that interest you. Review their job opportunities and contact the hiring manager. You might even ask if they have a special initiative for hiring veterans. If so, ask to speak with their contact.

Connect: Write a personal handwritten thank you note to whoever interviewed you. Personal notes are rarely done anymore. A brief email directly after the interview is fine, but if you want to stand out, a personal handwritten note will do it - don’t forget to check your spelling!

LACEY, Veteran Recruiter

See the full Transitioning A to Z list at: http://bit.ly/TransitionAtoZ.

NAVY MING-WA, Transmission Manager

We’ve Got Your Six Resilient. Adaptive. A problem-solver. Your military training and experience has taught you how to be your best. Now bring those skills to Xcel Energy and we’ll give you our best—a purposeful career with top benefits, transition support and advancement opportunities.

“M”: Mind your Move Don’t automatically use your military Move to go back to your home of record.

There is no better way to expand your job possibilities than to open yourself to new geographies. Consider some new states or regions to live in, then wait until you have a job in what could potentially be a new location.

A huge advantage for a military-experienced job seeker is that many times, their military move can pay for relocation to the city of their new job. For a company that might otherwise have to pay for a civilian to relocate, this could be the leg up you need.

KIM, Marketing Portfolio Manager

What makes Xcel Energy best for veterans and active reservists?

• A dedicated, veteran liaison who provides guidance.

• Ongoing transition support—a special on-boarding program for new hires, a veteran employee group, quarterly training for hiring managers and a customized transition program just for you.

• A wide range of positions across the company —in the office, in the field or on the lines.

• Apprenticeships that allow you to get paid while you learn.

Explore the possibilities today at xcelenergy.com/Military. © 2016 Xcel Energy Inc.

by Military Transition News Staff

MARIO, Compliance Training Consultant

ARMY

In the upcoming issues of Military Transition News, we are reprising the A to Z list of everything a service member needs to know about transitioning.

Two of the “greatest hits” are the letters “C” and “M”.

ARMY

Transitioning A to Z: "C" and “M”

AIRFORCE

www.Bradley-Morris.com/Apply 800-330-4950 ext. 2105

5x6.625_2016_VetRecruting_P01.indd 1

1/26/16 2:54 PM

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I

t was a tall order.

Sitting in front of job coach Michelle Morettini was a combat veteran, and he had an unusual request. He possessed a wealth of foreign travel experiences, but he’d had enough of high-risk, dangerous duties in his life.

What did he really want?

It was simple: To apply his international expertise derived from military missions … to the insurance industry. However, would a potential employer take him seriously?

Absolutely. Many veterans don’t realize that employers are salivating for your globe-trotting knowledge, says Morettini, Manager of Outplacement Services for Michelle Morettini The IMPACT Group, a global HR service provider in St. Louis.

Not only that, most veterans can move with ease through a variety of cultures due to their foreign travel experiences, giving them a competitive advantage over civilian job seekers, says Steven Rothberg, President and Founder of College Recruiter, an interactive recruitment media company used by college students and Steven Rothberg recent graduates to find careers.

“If you’re looking at the average soldier transitioning out, who is 22 to 26 years of age, and if you compare that to a non-military veteran of similar age, the non-veteran is likely to have had no exposure to international relations or to people that reside outside the United States. We are a very parochial country and inwardly focused,” Rothberg says. “If you’re a soldier at a forward base in Afghanistan, you’ll understand significant cultural differences, and employers want to know about that.”

But how should you bring up your time abroad and/or foreign language mastery during the job hunt? Here are tips from Morettini and Rothberg on the best ways to highlight it to recruiters.

During a Job Interview Connect the dots. Explain how your foreign experiences relate to the employer’s operations or the position for which you are applying. “Be very specific and say, ‘Here are things I experienced. The way I can tie it to your operation is…’ Draw a parallel,” Morettini says.

Maybe you were stationed at a Naval base in Japan. The skills you’ve picked up in understanding the culture – maybe even the Japanese language – are invaluable to an employer, Rothberg says. “So even if the position is in Korea versus Japan, you would be more qualified than the average 22- to 26-year-old with little to no international exposure,” he says.

Highlight unusual experiences. Suppose your team met with a war lord in Afghanistan and had a meal together to negotiate a situation.

“What 21-year-old has tea with the CEO of General Motors? Having tea with a war lord who oversees an organization of about 5,000 people – that’s an amazing experience where most civilians are like, ‘Wow! This person is skilled beyond their years!’” Rothberg says.

“Veterans can be intimidated when they walk into an interview. They feel their skills are lacking, when actually they are exceptional.”

Emphasize your knowledge of second (or third or fourth) languages. In the past 20 years, the folks at College Recruiter have seen a “significant increase” in the value that Fortune 1000 firms place on job seekers who speak more than one language.

“If you speak a second language, you can be trained easily to speak a third. If they’re doing business in Russia, they’ll hire the person who speaks both. But what if they can’t find that person? If everything else about you is perfect, but you speak Spanish, there’s still an excellent chance they will hire you and train you to speak Russian. We didn’t see that 20 years ago,” Rothberg says.

In Your Resume and Cover Letter Travel goes to the top. Foreign language, your experiences and familiarity with cultures should go in your “Summary” section in your resume, Morettini says.

Introduce it early in the cover letter as well.

“Capture the reader’s attention, especially on the resume. After you mention it in the ‘Summary,’ your experience should be reinforced or reiterated through specific examples in the experience section,” she says.

With cover letters, keep in mind that the best ones are not necessarily formulaic.

“What we tell people is to research and find out what’s important to the company targeted. If it’s language, that should go in the first sentence or two. If language is less important, still talk about it, but don’t lead with it. If you’ve been to various global locations, put it towards the top, though,” she says.

Discuss how quickly you learned another language. If you speak Arabic and Farsi, make sure you include that in the cover letter and that you have the ability to pick up foreign languages quickly, Rothberg says.

The ability to learn quickly is going to be greatly valued by a multi-national company.

They may start you in Switzerland and move you to Düsseldorf and then Helsinki if they know you can adapt to cultures and languages,” he says.

On Social Media Post regular status updates on LinkedIn. Active profiles rank higher in employer search results, Rothberg says. To gain attention to your profile, post status updates about something that might be of interest to an employer in the country that you’d like to target.

“If you’re looking in Switzerland and speak German, post articles or a paragraph about something to do with Switzerland or the German language. When the employer is searching for a ‘military veteran who knows German,’ your profile will hopefully be a result,” Rothberg says.

Your post doesn’t have to be about business, either. Find articles about the country’s unemployment rate, a festival or natural disaster, for example.

“That will show those companies in that country that you’re interested in their country,” Rothberg says. “Once you make contact, they will Google you. And when they search your name, the number one result will be that they see you’re interested in the topics they’re interested in. They will be in a position where they can’t wait to interview you.”

Heidi Lynn Russell writes about employment and business issues.

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Make Your Military Résumé a Winner by Answering These 9 Questions career coach’s corner

by Tom Wolfe Career Coach and Contributing Editor

A

winning military résumé presents your past experience in a way that also indicates your future potential. It grabs and holds the attention of the reader and makes him or her want to know more. To know more requires a conversation and that conversation is an interview. Simply stated, a résumé is an interview generation tool and, like any tool, it must be well-cared for and appropriate to the task. How well does your military résumé measure up to that standard? Answer these nine questions and modify it accordingly.

1. Is it easy to read? When first viewed, your military résumé must send the signal that it will be easy to read. This signal involves length, format, font, borders, margins and white space. It must pass the seven seconds test, specifically the reader will pay close attention for that amount of time, at which point he or she becomes either interested enough to keep reading or loses interest and moves on the next one in the pile. White space, i.e., the absence of ink, is critical. Edit out all unnecessary words; choose a font style and size that is easy to read; minimize the use of text boxes, borders and other graphics; dump personal pronouns; cut out adjectives and adverbs whenever possible. Consider using bullets, a technique that will not only make the information easier to find but will also make it easier to read. Make sure it is free of military jargon, acronyms and phraseology.

2. How long should it be? This question is up for debate, but here is my take: you get one page for every 10 years since high school or college but no more than two pages. If you go to a second page, make sure the most important and/or relevant information is on the first page or the reader may never turn to page two. If two pages is impossible, consider using a stand-alone résumé supplement or addendum. A well-written cover letter can often eliminate the need for a third page.

3. What style is best for you? There are three styles from which to choose. A chronological format displays the information in reverse chronological order and grouped within sections, the most common of which are contact information, objective, education/training, experience/achievement and additional/personal information. The

functional focuses on consolidating specific and similar skills under functional headings, independent of the timeframe in which they occurred. Typical functional headings include Project Management, Command and Control, Operational Leadership, Customer Service, Quality Control, Training and Development and Process Improvement. The hybrid chrono-functional version is good for military personnel with more than 10 years of service. Use the functional format and add an abbreviated reverse chronological experience section, listing only the primary job titles and the years in which these assignments were held. In general, however, the vast majority of military job seekers will want to opt for the chronological format.

For more on military resumes, see military placement specialist Bradley-Morris, Inc.’s instructional video here: http://bit.ly/ MilResVid. 4. Should you include an objective?

Yes and no. Yes, you should include it if it focuses on a specific, targeted position for which you are qualified. You must be reasonably certain that the opening exists.

No, if you are expressing your objective in vague or general terms. Consider having two versions of your résumé. Use the one without an objective when you also include a cover letter that expresses your interest in a specific job. In the alternative, take advantage of the powerful signal that can be sent with a specifically worded objective on your résumé. An objective that takes up more than one line is not specific enough.

5. What signal are you sending? You will be hired for one of three reasons: your experience, your potential or a combination of both. To be hired for your experience, you must be the square peg that fits the square hole. It is the combination of jobs, training and certifications on your résumé that generated the interview and got you the job. You are selling your past, not your future. Hiring you is low risk, your valueadd is immediate and your starting salary will be higher. However, you may also need to sacrifice career and salary growth.

Being hired for your potential means the employer believes in your future and will train and develop you accordingly. Your past experience means little and you are basically starting over. Hiring you is risky and your future is unknown. Since your value-add is downstream, your starting salary will be lower. The employer is investing in you way beyond your paycheck. For some military personnel, neither one of those first two reasons is ideal. What to do? Compromise.

Go to work for an employer who cares about both your past and your future. To pull this off, make sure your résumé focuses not only

on what you have done but also on how well you did it. Achievement in past endeavors is a great indicator of your ability to succeed in the future.

6. Will it also succeed as a writing sample?

Most jobs require the ability to compose and present information in written format, that is, to communicate well. You will automatically be providing every interviewer with a writing sample - your résumé! That document is a direct reflection of not only your writing skills but also your preparation, thoroughness, attention to detail and accuracy. It must be letter perfect. No misspelled or misused words. No typos. No grammatical or syntax errors. Take the time to proofread it several times, frontwards and backwards and ask others to do the same.

7. Have you employed key words? Many companies use keyword scanning software to select résumés. If you have a specific job in mind, make sure your résumé contains position- and industry-specific terms. Take them directly from the job description. If your target is a company rather than a specific job, then visit the company’s web site and look for keywords in the mission statement or core values. If you have no particular company or job in mind, then choose keywords that best reflect what makes you tick and what matters to you in your job. Once you have selected your keywords, position them prominently and repeat each one if possible.

8. Include personal information? Your name and contact information must be on the resume, but how about additional personal information? You should not include vital statistics, health, religious or political information. Any reference to marital status and children on a résumé

is tricky. Some companies prefer to hire married people and some jobs put a severe strain on families. If unsure, omit it. Including things like community service, volunteerism, second language fluency, travel, hobbies and interests can pay dividends because they add a human element to an inanimate document.

They also give the interviewer icebreaker material and conversation generators.

9. Did you make any of these mistakes?

The words References Available upon Request are a waste of space. Do not include a list of references; that is a separate document.

Listing date of availability for employment is a bad idea unless it is immediate. Expressing a willingness to travel and/or relocate is fine, as long as it also happens to be completely true, otherwise you are at best wasting space; at worst being misleading. Do not include your military rank or rating with your name on the résumé. If appropriate, you can mention it in the experience section.

There is no such thing as one size fits all when it comes to résumés. I have written, reviewed, edited or tweaked over 4,000 military résumés during my career and have experienced first-hand what works and what does not. Seek the assistance of 10 résumé experts and you will end up with 10 different résumés, 11 if you include my guidance above.

Your résumé is the most important tool in your transition toolbox. Physically, it is one or two sheets of paper with 400 to 1000 words. Figuratively, it is the bridge that connects your past to your future.

Thanks for your service and good hunting!

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

Read this issue online now at Online.MilitaryTransitionNews.com

Mar/Apr 2016

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Read this issue online now at Online.MilitaryTransitionNews.com

Mar/Apr 2016

17

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5 Steps that Make Tax Season a Breeze

by Ashley Feinstein Contributing Writer

F

iling your taxes can be stressful and confusing. The key to making it manageable is organization and planning.

Below are five steps to confidently filing your taxes. The fifth step is the most important as it will make your life easier and less “taxing” in the years to come.

Step 1: Gather important information.

In order to file your taxes, you will need to have some specific information handy.

First and foremost, you will want to know your social security number as well as your spouse’s and anyone you plan to claim as a dependent. You will need your bank routing number where you wish to receive your refund, if applicable. This way, you can set up direct deposit and make it as easy as possible for the IRS to refund you.

Step 2: Compile your income information.

Next, you will want to gather all information and documentation relating to your income. This is the basis of your tax bill. If you work for a company, you will receive a W-2 Wage and Tax Statement with all of your necessary wage income information. If you are an independent contractor, you will receive a 1099-MISC form from companies that pay you.

Your wages are not the only income that’s taxable. You will also be taxed on income you earn from interest on savings. Each

of your accounts will have a 1099-INT form available with your annual interest income. If you own stock or mutual funds, you will also find a 1099-DIV form that will show the income you earned from dividends, or payout from companies that you receive as an investor.

Finally, selling a security will also affect your tax bill in the form of a realized gain or loss. When you lose money on an investment, this reduces your taxable income and therefore decreases your tax bill. When you make money on an investment, this increases your taxable income and therefore increases your tax bill. The gain or loss is the difference between the price you sold the investment and the price you bought it. If the investment increased in value, you realized a gain and if it decreased in value, you realized a loss. You can find this information on a 1099-B statement from your broker or brokerage firm. If you haven’t sold any investments, you haven’t realized any gains or losses. If an investment you own goes up in price and you haven’t sold it yet, that’s considered an unrealized gain and you don’t have to pay taxes on any unrealized gains or losses.

One way to minimize the taxes you pay on realized gains is to hold onto an investment for at least a year before selling it. If you buy and sell an investment in less than a year, you will be taxed at the same rate as your ordinary income. If you buy and sell an investment a year or more after buying it, you will then be taxed at the long-term capital gains rate which was 15 percent for 2015. This can significantly reduce your tax bill.

Step 3: Trim your tax bill. Once you have all of the necessary income information that determines your taxable income, you will then want to work to trim your tax bill so that you are not over-paying in taxes.

This is where tax deductions come into play. Put simply, a tax deduction is just a

reduction of your income that is able to be taxed.

Here are some items that are taxdeductible: • Interest on your mortgage or mortgages (form 1098) • Real estate taxes (form 1098) • Qualified donations • Interest on student loans • Out-of-pocket medical expenses There are many more tax deductible items that may apply to you and your life. If you are ever unsure, contact a tax professional or even do some online research to find more information. There are many tax-deductible items that often go overlooked!

There is a popular misconception that deductible expenses are essentially free.

For example, self-employed people may take taxis from meeting to meeting more often because they know these types of expenses are tax-deductible. I recommend thinking of deductible expense items similarly to something that’s on sale.

Yes, you are receiving a discount but if you weren’t going to spend on that item anyway, you aren’t saving money!

Step 4: Document your business expenses. If you are self-employed, you will want to keep track of your business expenses as well as the bills or receipts that go along with those expenses. What’s a deductible business expense? According to the IRS, deductible business expenses must be ordinary and necessary, meaning they are helpful and appropriate for your trade of business. Expenses don’t have to be indispensable to be considered necessary. You can learn more about which expenses are deductible, how to categorize them as well as how to deduct the business use of your home and car at the deducting business expense page of the IRS website (www.irs.gov/Businesses/

Small-Businesses-&-Self-Employed/ Deducting-Business-Expenses).

Step 5: Create a system for next year.

If you waited until year-end to go through steps 1-5, it most likely took you some time.

You probably had to rack your brain to remember what you were spending in January and search through old emails to find proof of your donations. To make your life easier in the coming years, you will want to create a system so that you are gathering the necessary information year round. You may want to track deductible expenses and business expenses each month. Take photos of important receipts or keep hard copies in a certain place so that you know where to find them when it’s time to do your taxes. It can also be helpful to find a resource like a tax preparation checklist (http://images.turbotax.intuit. com/iqcms/marketing/lib/TurboTax_ TaxPrepChecklist.pdf) to help you track what you need.

Avoid the tax filing frenzy with some careful preparation. Use these five steps so that you have all the information necessary to file when the deadline comes around.

Then, put together a plan so that you can make your life easier and tax season less stressful for the next year. No need to come up with a complex system. A small step in the right direction will work wonders!

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.

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May 12, 2016 Ft. Benning - 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Columbus Convention & Trade Center, 801 Front Ave. POC: CivilianJobs.com (866) 801-4418

Date: Location:

Sponsor:

May 18, 2016 Lawton, OK - 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Hilton Garden Inn, 135 Northwest 2nd St. POC: CivilianJobs.com (866) 801-4418

Date: Location:

Sponsor:

May 24, 2016 Hurlburt Field, FL 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. / Emerald Coast Convention Center, 1250 Miracle Strip Pkwy. SE, Fort Walton Beach POC: CivilianJobs.com (866) 801-4418

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

Mar/Apr 2016

19

NEWS

We want you.

Find your Career Match www.GEOGroup.com/HiringHeroes

For your leadership, teamwork, integrity and talent.

The GEO Group, Inc. (GEO) is the world’s leading provider of correctional, detention, and community reentry services.

For so many reasons, veterans are great dentists. And we’re looking for a few great dentists to lead exceptional practices. You’ll focus on your patients

To apply online, or see how your skills translate to a job at GEO, visit: www.GEOGroup.com/HiringHeroes

and we’ll help with administrative tasks, giving you more time to enjoy your family, friends and everything else you love to do.

Great Dentists Wanted.

GEO offers opportunities in

Mountain Dental Midwest Dental Merit Dental

Administration • Corrections • Food Service • Healthcare Maintenance • Programs • Transportation • And More

MN WI

Contact Midwest Dental today!

CO

IL KS

Great Dentists Wanted.

Now hiring across the U.S.

Training Approved for VA Education Benefits RECRUIT FIRE ACADEMY FIRE PROGRAMS EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES

UNEXPLODED ORDNANCE TOWER TECHNICIAN I

The time has never been better for military veterans to further their training. The Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) is committed to helping veterans make the best choices possible while attaining the maximum assistance, guidance, and support using the GI Bill and other programs. Qualifying veterans may use GI Bill benefits for certain TEEX programs.

TO LEARN HOW TO USE YOUR BENEFITS GO TO TEEX.ORG/VA Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service 200 Technology Way • College Station, TX 77845-3424

877.833.9638

ARMY

µ MARINE CORPS µ NAVY µ AIR FORCE µ COAST GUARD

C15.8370.07

OH

MO

Equal Opportunity Employer

CNC MACHINISTS

IN

NM

Visit midwest-dental.com/jobs

CERTIFIED SAFETY & HEALTH OFFICIAL

NY

MI

IA

Call Colleen Bixler at 717.847.9069

Questions? Contact Michele Dobos Toll Free: 866 301 4436 ext 5863

Mondovi Dental

PA

MA CT

Mar/Apr 2016

NEWS

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