IN OBSERVANCE OF ARMED FORCES DAY, MAY 18th CivilianJOBS.com’s
The Essential Military-to-Civilian Transition Resource
Military-Minded
The makings of a great place to work
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ack in the 1990s, when every geek with an elevator pitch was blowing hot air into the bursting dot-com bubble, companies were scrambling to prove just how cool it was to work for them. “You can play Hacky Sack on the job!” “We have a pool table in the employee lounge!” “You can take naps after lunch when you work here - we’ll even supply the cot!” “Free gym membership if you sign on the dotted line!” “Work for us and we’ll walk your dog!” “We’ll walk your dog and babysit the kids if you work for us!” The competition for talent was ferocious, and organizations were willing to do just about anything to fill their empty cubicles - mostly, by rarely discussing the actual work. As we know all too well, when it comes to finding a job, it’s no longer a buyer’s market. But savvy organizations know that recruiting and retaining talent is an expensive enterprise, and one of the most effective ways of attracting and keeping good people on board is by being a great place to work. Leslie Caccamese would know. As director of strategic marketing and research at the Great Place to Work Institute in San Francisco the firm behind Fortune Magazine’s annual “100 Best Companies to Work For” list - she’s in the business of, well, great places to work. What’s encouraging is that not only are there lots of organizations out there that are focused on offering positive work environments, a growing number of them are committed to providing great workplaces for transitioning veterans. She points to several companies such as Capital One, Chesapeake Energy and Accenture, which have programs in place to support their veteran employees in a variety of
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May - June 2013
militarytransitionnews.com
by Carolyn Heinze, Contributing Editor
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ways through networks, mentoring programs and even dedicated military relations departments. Caccamese notes that one way to discern whether or not a company is truly military-friendly is how they handle the salaries of those who, while on the civilian job, get called back into active duty. “A lot of organizations will offer differential pay, so if an employee who is a military member gets called back into active duty, they will pay the difference between their military salary and their usual company salary until they return,” she explains. “Some might cap it off at 12 months, some might not offer it, but I have to say that more often than not, I’m seeing this military differential pay being offered as well.” Another interesting development, Caccamese points out, is the number of companies that are offering career development services to transitioning vets. This doesn’t result in an outright hire, but it does provide ex-military members with some insight into the civilian workplace. Scripps Health in Southern California, for example, has a military mentoring program that enables veterans and their families to job shadow as a means of exploring whether or not they are suited for a career in healthcare. Intel’s employment readiness training programs assist veterans in honing their resume-writing and job interviewing skills. And, Ernst & Young encourages veterans to consider starting their own businesses through its Entrepreneurship Boot Camp. Veterans can also glean clues from the job postings themselves notes Patricia Dorch, the Murrieta, California-based author of continues page 9
VALUING VETERANS:
Companies Targeting the Best Announcing the 2013 Most Valuable Employers (MVE) for Military® by Heidi Lynn Russell When you get right down to it, employers of military veterans, companies like those that make up the 2013 MVE for Military list, become much more than a source of a paycheck. Ask veterans what they value most, and they universally cite examples of how their employers cared for them - not just as military service people, but as individuals. Take Shane Roach of Antioch, TN, who is a route manager for Waste Management. He’s also active with the 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, Tennessee Army National Guard. He’s been with the company for 14 years, during which time he has had two deployments: 2004-2005 and 2009-2010. “During the first deployment, our AVP (assistant vice president) sat down with me and the district manager and told me not to worry about my job. He would find a position for me to do once I returned. He told me with a firm voice that if myself or my family needed anything while I was gone to call him. While I was deployed, Waste Management made up the difference in my pay, which most non-government employers did
not, bought Christmas gifts for my wife and my two children, sent several care packages and stayed in contact with my wife weekly,” Roach says. And it’s not just during deployments that these employers come to veterans’ aid. Many military service people note that the opportunities for training and career advancement are rife. Kristopher Markham is a driver for TMC Transportation and a U.S. Army veteran. “When I first heard about TMC and how they work with veterans and are very friendly to what we do and have done, I was very excited to be on board with that. I learned I can use my VA benefits to work on a one-year Drivers’ Apprenticeship and get paid through the G.I. Bill while doing it. It’s a great feeling knowing you work for someone who appreciates everything you do. It makes going to work every week that much easier.” Dave Gibson, a Program Manager for URS Federal Services, knew that when he
exited the Navy, he wanted to continue to serve the United States. “URS offered the right mix of projects and opportunities that I was not only able to apply my training and experiences from the military, but also enough new and interesting projects that I was able to continue growing personally. URS has been a great company to work for. The company really understands and put stock in the experiences and training we received while serving,” Gibson says. But don’t just take their word for it. To the many MVEs who hire veterans as part of their HR model, we thank you. Congratulations to the CivilianJobs.com 2013 MVEs for ensuring that your corporate culture honors those who have served.
Continue to page 10 to see how the Most Valuable Employers of 2013 are matching their words of military support with action.
"We are proud to be a part of this effort. From our perspective, we see hiring veterans as a powerful business opportunity. Military experience provides a solid foundation and skills that carry over to duties and responsibilities in the civilian workforce. We salute all the winners of CivilianJobs.com’s Most Valuable Employer Award." - John Finneran, General Counsel of Capital One and a Navy veteran
INSIDE THIS MONTH’S MOST VALUABLE EMPLOYER ISSUE Transition Talk:
Spouse Series:
Career Coach’s Corner:
Job Fairs:
2013 MVE Profiles:
Two jobs, same company. ....................page 3
Seven resume mistakes ...............page 6
Do you fit the profile? ..................page 17
Mark your calendar ........page 18
Veteran-focused companies ........page 10