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U.S. Department of Labor Employment Workshop Transition from Military to Civilian Workplace
U.S. Department of Labor Employment Workshop
Transition from Military to Civilian Workplace
Welcome
• Icebreaker
• Logistics
• Prerequisites – Preseparation Counseling
– MOC Crosswalk
– Personal Finance
• Required items – VMET, Career Interest Inventory Results, 12-month
budget
2
Purpose
This course provides the tools for transitioning Service members to make an informed career decision based on best practices for job search and current industry hiring standards.
This course is a required step to complete Career Readiness Standards for the Capstone event.
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Course Overview
Section 1: Transition Planning
Section 2: Career Exploration &
Validation
Section 3: Job Search Plan
Section 4: Build an Effective
Resume
Section 5: Federal Hiring &
Resume
Section 6: Skilled Interview
Section 7: Interview Post-
Analysis
ITP Employment Section
Thank you for your Service!
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Military Transition
• Attending this workshop will give you the advantage.
• Good jobs are difficult to find.
• Looking for work is a full time job.
• You are selling and marketing yourself in a competitive environment.
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Section 1 Transition Planning
• Complete Individual Transition Plan
• Develop Job Search Plan: Personal Assets
• Create a Career Catalog
• Complete Master Application
• Complete Transferable Skills Inventory
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Veteran Unemployment
2013 Statistics
• Annual veterans’ unemployment rate in 2013 was 6.6%.
– Young male veterans (those ages 18 to 24) who served during Gulf War Era II had an unemployment rate of 24.3%, higher than that of young male nonveterans (15.8%).
– Female veterans who served during Gulf War Era II had an unemployment rate of 9.6%.
Source: BLS 2013 Employment Situation of Veterans; www.VA.gov 7
Homeless Veterans
2013 Statistics
• On a single night in January 2013, 57,849 homeless veterans spent the night on the streets of America.
• An estimated 136,128 veterans spent at least one night in an emergency shelter or transitional housing program in one recent year.
Source: BLS 2013 Employment Situation of Veterans; www.VA.gov 8
Why Are Veterans Homeless?
• Male veterans are twice as likely to become homeless, and
female veterans are four times more likely to be homeless as their non-veteran counterparts.
• A large number live with post traumatic stress disorders and addictions acquired during or exacerbated by their military service.
• Lack of family and social networks due to lengthy periods away from their communities of origin.
• Government money is limited and serves only 1-in-5 of homeless veterans in need.
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Prevention of Homelessness
• Military service separation process
– Participate in “Preseparation” counseling process
– Participate in Department of Labor Employment Workshop
– Know about your VA Benefits
• Obtain a job and income
• Seek early assistance for mental health and substance abuse issues
• DOL/VETS Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program (HVRP)
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HVRP
Homeless Veteran Reintegration Program
• Funded by U.S. DOL/VETS
• This program provides employment, training and supportive services to assist in reintegrating homeless veterans into meaningful employment within the labor force.
• The objective of HVRP programs is to enable homeless veterans to secure and keep jobs that will allow them to re-enter mainstream society as productive citizens.
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Create a Career Catalog
In your career catalog you will have copies of: • Records
• Master Application
• Work Samples, if applicable
Among the types of records you should collect in your career catalog are: • Military Service
• Personal Identification
• Work Experience
• Education & Training
Pages 14-15 12
Personal Branding Marketing Plan
• Product
– What skills, knowledge and experience do I have to offer?
• Promotion
– What will I use to show how I can benefit and bring added value to an employer?
• Pricing
– How much are my skills, knowledge, experience and added value worth in the marketplace?
• Packaging
– How can I use my Professional Introduction, resume, interview, appearance, etc. to establish, maintain, and sell my brand?
• Perfect Fit
– What combination of location, environment, company, values, etc. would be best for me and an employer?
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Understand Your Skills
• Use your VMET to identify skills.
• Utilize MOC Crosswalk results.
• Identify and list all of your skills gained through: education, military service, previous jobs, hobbies, interests, participation in professional organizations and community activities.
Activity: Complete skills inventory Pages 23-32 14
Explain Your Skills
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Activity: Write an accomplishment statement using STAR
STAR Statements
• Accomplishments sell your potential; lead with results
– Managed and maintained logistical resources in excess of $15 million over 43 geographically separate locations producing a savings of 28% annually.
– Spearheaded one-of-a-kind action team to control outside
costs; resulted in 17% cost reduction in radiology and 26% cost reduction in physical therapy in 1 year.
– Developed a robust training curriculum; implemented,
trained and evaluated training given to 200 personnel annually …(Complete this statement)
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Section 2 Career Validation & Exploration
• Research Industries, Occupations, Trends
• Identify Job Search Assistance Resources
• Develop Job Search Plan: Essential Tools
• Develop Job Search Plan: Target Employers
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Employment Data
• Bureau of Labor Statistics
www.bls.gov
• American Job Center
www.careeronestop.org
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Job Search Assistance • American Job Centers and State Workforce Agencies
www.careeronestop.org
• Workforce Investment Act (WIA)
• Office of Apprenticeship (OA), U.S. Department of Labor
• Private Employment Services
• College/University/School Career Services
• Military and Professional Associations and Organizations
• Phone and/or Industry Directory
• Industrial and Craft Unions
• Job Fairs and Hiring Events
• Chamber of Commerce
• Military and Family Support Centers Pages 46-49
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Essential Job Search Tools
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Target Employers
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Informational Interview
The best way to get a job is to ask for job information,
advice, and referrals; never ask for a job.
• Engage prospects in the 5 R’s of
• Reveal useful information and advice
• Refer you to others
• Read your resume
• Revise your resume
• Remember you for future references & job opportunities
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Fact Finding Calls
Calling a company to obtain information can result in valuable insights. Just make sure that you’re prepared!
• Research the company
• Write a script/outline
• Take notes
Pages 58 – 65
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Speak the Employer’s Language
• Translating military to civilian is difficult but necessary.
• Research the company and analyze the job posting to decide what “language” an employer speaks.
• Communicate the skills and experiences you bring to the table—and what you can offer an employer. Speak the employer’s language.
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Business Concepts
Read Business
Publications
Watch Business
News
Join Professional Networking
Orgs
Attend Courses
Mentor for Business & Profession
Account-ability
Partner
Develop Understanding of Business Concepts
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Professional Introduction
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Section 3 Job Search Plan
• Set Goals
• Schedule
• Network
• Utilize Job Search Method
• Analyze Job Postings
• Complete Application Forms
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Short-range, Medium-range and Long-range Goals
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Career Goal
Next Level
Entry Level
Skills Required
Experience
Education Required
Setting Goals
Specific
Measurable
Adaptable Realistic
Trackable
SMART GOAL
30 ACTIVITY: Draft a short and long-range goal
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
8-10 8-10 8-10 8-10 8-10
Review Job Postings
Research Companies
Review Job Postings
Interview Review past week
10-12 10-12 10-12 10-12 10-12
Target Resumes Practice Answering Questions
Play Golf (network)
Send Thank you, Analysis
Review Skills, add more
12-1 12-1 12-1 12-1 12-1
Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch
1-4 1-4 1-4 1-4 1-4
Complete online application, Calls
Interview, Network event
Send Thank you, Analyze Interview
Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook
Target Resumes
4-5 4-5 4-5 4-5 4-5
Plan for tomorrow
Plan for the week
Cook Dinner with Friends
Walk Clean Office
Create a Schedule
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How Job Seekers Look for Jobs
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Average number of methods used: 2.03 32
How Employers Look for Employees
Source: Bureau Labor Statistics 33
Networking
• Face-to Face
• Online
• Social Media
Activity: Identify network contacts Pages 88 – 92
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Veterans Employment Center https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits/jobs
• The single federal portal for connecting Veterans to meaningful career opportunities
• Incorporates Department of Labor tools
• Search private and public jobs
Page 93 35
Job Search Plan
Network
Online
In Person
Effort
Organize
Schedule
Focus Target
Employers Resume
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Analyzing Job Postings
Job postings provide information about the types of positions available, the skills required and the language an employer speaks.
Analyze postings for:
– Experience needed
– Qualifications
– Salary
– Skills
Page 93 37
Application Forms
• Read the directions
• Fill out application forms completely
• Utilize your master application
• Safeguard your right to privacy
Pages 94-96
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Section 4 Effective Resume
• Understand the Resume Reader
• Target Resumes and Master Resume
• Sections of a Resume
• Prepare References
• Resume Types
• Resume Formatting
• Resume Review
• Cover Letter
• Salary History
• Veteran Employment Center (VEC) - Resume 39
Effective Resume
Interview
5-10 Called
20 Reviewed
100 Scanned
Resume Screening Process
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Step
On
e Identify
Career & Job Positions
Step
Tw
o
Resume Type -Chronological
-Functional
-Combination
-CV
Step
Th
ree Customize
Master Resume
with
Keywords
Effective Resume
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Sections of a Resume
1. Contact Information
2. Career/Job Objective Statement
3. Summary
4. Areas of Expertise
5. Experience
6. Employment History
7. Education/Training
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Contact Information
Make sure your information is current and accurate:
Lynn Gweeney 234 Brook Avenue, Englewood, Colorado 12345
(123) 456-7890
Page 117 43
Career/Job Objective Statement
Well-written career objectives are
• Concise, short and to the point
• Answer the question “For which position are you applying?”
• List the specific job and company to which you are applying
Pages 118-119 44
Summary
A short paragraph used to highlight key words and marketable skills/experience, and recaps what you can offer, including:
• Specific knowledge, talent or education that “ties” you to your career interest
• Self-management skills
• Work attributes
• Soft skills
Pages 120-121 45
Tailor and Target
• Use “Personal Branding” approach to craft Executive Summary
• Keywords (company and industry specific)
• Soft skills vs. Hard skills
• Executive Resume samples
– Professional Summary, Professional Overview, Executive Summary
• STAR statements
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Area of Expertise
A list of bullet points which provide a sense of what you can do for the company:
• Highlight key skills that support job goal
• Match key words in job announcement
• Include certifications/licenses required
• List security clearance if relevant for position
Pages 121-123
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Experience
• Use civilian terms. Speak the employer’s language. Use key words
• Begin with an action verb
• Avoid “Responsible for”
• Quantify results: use numbers, percentages, statistics and examples
• Avoid personal pronouns (I, me, my…)
• Wordsmith your statements Pages 125-134 48
STAR Statements
• Accomplishments sell your potential; lead with results
– Managed and maintained logistical resources in excess of $15 million over 43 geographically separate locations producing a savings of 28% annually.
– Spearheaded one-of-a-kind action team to control outside
costs; resulted in 17% cost reduction in radiology and 26% cost reduction in physical therapy in 1 year.
– Developed a robust training curriculum; implemented,
trained and evaluated training given to 200 personnel annually …(Complete this statement)
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Education and Training
• List most recent first
• Put “attended” if you never graduated to prevent the assumption that you have a degree
• Include certifications/licenses/training relevant to job
• Depending on your background and the job for which you’re applying, Education & Training might be placed above Experience or Employment History on your resume.
Page 136 50
Resume Lab
Choose: – Style
– Formatting
Draft: – Sections
– Content in sections
– Focus on STAR accomplishment statements
Save Master Resume File: If using computer lab, email file to yourself
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Prepare References
Job seekers should have six professional references ready to provide to an employer.
• Professional vs. Personal References
• Get Permission to Use Someone as a Reference
• Keep Reference Contact Information Updated
Pages 137-140
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Cover Letters
Introduce yourself and sell the employer on how well your specific skills, abilities and attributes match the organization’s needs.
Four main components:
1. Introduction
2. Relevant Reason for Cover Letter
3. Request for Action
4. Respectful Sign Off
Pages 151-153 53
Veterans Employment Center Profile and Resume Builder
Activity
• Use your Electronic Master Resume to build your VEC resume
• Copy and paste pertinent sections as you build your profile/resume on the VEC
• Preview resume and make it public
54 Page 154
Section 5 Federal Hiring
• Federal Hiring Reform
• Job Classification
• Competitive Service
• Veterans’ Preference
• Excepted Service
• Special Hiring Authorities for Veterans
• Veterans Employment Initiative
• Finding Jobs
• Understanding the Vacancy
• Announcement
• Application Procedures
• Federal Interviewing
• Getting the Offer
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Federal Government
• Classifications
• Veterans’ Preference
• Selection Processes
• Find jobs
• Apply for jobs
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Federal Government
3 Types of Service
Federal Government Senior Executive Service (SES)
• Executive Leadership, Managerial, or Policy Making/Determining Positions above GS-15
• Scientific and Professional (ST) • Senior Level (SL)
• Operate and oversee government activity in approximately 75 federal agencies
• Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) – Leading Change, Leading People, Results Driven,
Business Acumen, Building Coalitions
× Veteran’s Preference does NOT apply
Federal Government Competitive Service
• Must go though a competitive process (examining) – Written test , evaluation of education and experience, or evaluation of
attributes necessary for successful performance.
– Job classifications, such as Wage Grade and General Schedule, determine experience and educational requirements and level of pay.
• Category Rating – Qualified, Well Qualified, Highest Qualified
Veteran’s preference DOES apply
Federal Government Excepted Service
• Certain agencies, jobs or classification of jobs are exempt from Competitive Service hiring requirements
• Exceptions authorized by Federal law or OPM authorization
• Schedule A, B, and C Veteran’s preference DOES apply unless stated
otherwise
Veterans Preference
• Preference Eligibility (5 and 10 point preference)
• Preference Groups (CPS, CP, XP, TP)
Activity: Example of a Category-Based Referral Selection
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Federal Jobs
www.FedsHireVets.gov
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Section 6 Skilled Interview
•Summary of the Hire Process
•Types of Interviews
•Interview Stages
•Introductory Stage
•Employer Questions
•Answer Questions
•Candidate Questions
•Closing Stage
•Prepare for the Actual Interview
•Communication in the Workplace
•Listening Skills
•Employment Tests
•Find Information about a Potential Employer
•Interpret Body Language
•First Impressions
•Follow-Up After Interview
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Affirmative Action & Employment Protection for Veterans
• DOL’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) enforces laws requiring equal employment opportunity and affirmative action by federal contractors
• Veteran employment rights under Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) • Percentage of veterans with service-connected disabilities has risen in
recent years • 25 percent of recent veterans report having a service-connected disability
• ADA protections • Prohibits unfavorable treatment in hiring, promotions, job assignments,
etc. • Provides for reasonable accommodations
• EEOC ADA Guide for Veterans • www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/publications/ada_veterans.cfm
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Affirmative Action & Employment Protection for Veterans
• The Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) requires covered federal government contractors to take affirmative action to employ and advance specified categories of protected veterans, and prohibits discrimination against such veterans.
• VEVRAA “protected veterans” – disabled veterans,
– recently separated veterans (within 3 years of discharge or release from active duty)
– veterans who served on active duty during a war or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized
– Armed Forces service medal veterans
• Voluntary self-identification as “protected veteran” – Affirmative action provisions require contractors to invite applicants to self-
identify
– Takes place during pre-offer and post-offer 66
Skilled Interview
First Contact
Phone Interview
Face-to-
Face Interview
Tests Reference
Checks Background
Checks Offer &
Negotiation
Hiring Process
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Types of Interviews
• Face-to-Face • In person
• Virtual
• Panel or Committee
• Meal Interview
• Group
• Stress
• Phone Page 187-189
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Building Rapport
• Introduction
• Company History
• Info about the position
Employer Questions
• Behavioral
• Contextual
• Resume based
• STAR method
Candidate Questions
• Appropriate Questions
• Follow-up
Closing
• Ask for the job
• Thank you
Interview Stages
Skilled Interview
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Prepare for Interview
• Research
• Checklists
• Questions
• References
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Mock Interview
• Practice makes permanent
• Practice to make it skilled
• Take notes
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Dress for Interview
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Follow-up
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The art of thank you!
Section 7 Interview Post Analysis
• Evaluate the Interview—Continuous Improvement
• Evaluate Job Offers
• Negotiate Job Offers
• Communicate a Decision to an Employer
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Evaluating Job Offers
Evaluate all aspects of the job offer before responding to your potential new employer.
• Personal Preferences
• Total Compensation (Pay + Benefits)
• Industry, Company and Position
Pages 222 - 227 75
Understanding Salary Ranges
Midpoint or Market Value
Job Salary Range $90K - $120K
$100K
Beginner Range
Experienced Range $95K - $115K
Highly Qualified Range $115K - $120K
$90K - $95K
Negotiating Job Offers
• Do your research
• Know salary ranges in the area/industry
• Check local cost of living
• Negotiate in person if possible
Pages 228 - 231
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Negotiation Items
• Vacation/Sick Leave
• Flexible Work Hours
• Health/Life/Disability
• Education Assistance
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Stock Options
• Transportation
• Credit Card
• Signing bonus
• Uniforms
Salary Negotiation
Too Early
Too Late
Who are you?
You might be a fit
You’re in the running!
You’re our candidate! Offer Extended
Offer accepted!
FO&D
Best time to negotiate
Update ITP
• Next steps
• SMART Goals
• Schedule
• Additional education, certification, skills
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Course Summary
• Transition Planning
• Personal Assets
• Career Validation
• Resume
• Federal Job Search
• Skilled Interview
• Interview Post-analysis
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Wrap-up
• Expectations Met
• Evaluations
https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/tgpsp
• Comments
• Questions?
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