© 2012 The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) Developing Military Hiring Programs – an Overview Tweeting this session? Use #HireAVet 1

Meet Your Presenter: Lisa Rosser Recently retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in US Army Reserves 22 years of active & reserve military service Background in telecommunications, operations, and human resources Masters in Human Resource Management Formerly an HR business consultant for a Global Fortune 500 consulting firm (8 years) © 2012 The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) 2

Components of Military Hiring Programs © 2012 The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) Present the Business Case (get support => staffing, funding, budget)Identify Champion, Program Mgr (Dedicated Recruiters & Advisory Team) Skills Crosswalk Outreach StrategyRetention Program Training Program Education (Leadership, Recruiters, Hiring Managers, Supervisors etc.) Sourcing Strategy 3

What are the main reasons employers give for not including veterans in their workforce planning? © 2012 JupiterImages I don’t think they have the skills to do what we do here I can’t figure out what they know how to do from reading their resumes I need someone with more technical experience My positions require certain certifications or credentials We’re more focused on women & minorities right now They don’t have a college education I need someone who can lead, not just follow orders I don’t have the budget for niche job sites or placement firms I’m not risking bringing PTSD into my workplace Why bother? They’re just going to get called up anyway © 2012 The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) 4

Reason #1 The reason I don’t recruit military? I don’t think they have the skills to do what we do here. © 2012 JupiterImages © 2012 The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) 5

What Comes to Mind When You Think About What We Do In The Military? Photo Courtesy of U.S. Army Photographer: Staff Sgt. Mike Pryor Photo Courtesy of U.S. Army Photographer: SPC Jeffery Sandstrum © 2012 The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) 6

Veterans Have the Skills you Want to Hire The military has over 7,000 job positions across more than 100+ functional areas and 81% of these jobs have a direct civilian equivalent. Welders Air Traffic Controllers Lawyers Doctors Nurses Supply Chain / Logistics IT / Computer Telecommunications Media/Graphic Arts Police / Security Transportation Construction Human Resources / Training / Recruiting Food Service Foreign Area Specialists Contracting / Purchasing Postal Operations Finance / Accounting Marine Specialties Engineers Material Handling Medical Specialties Machinists Mechanics Intelligence Plumbers Pilots Satellite HVAC © 2012 The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) 7

Veterans Have the Skills you Want to Hire, cont. Just by serving in the military, veterans gain skills that are transferable: Project management Personnel management Training/instruction Counseling Operations Interpersonal communication Leadership Problem solving / decision making / trouble shooting Process improvement Requirements gathering © 2012 The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) 8

Reason #5 The reason I don’t recruit military? Many of my positions require candidates to have professional certifications or licenses. © 2012 JupiterImages © 2012 The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) 9

Special Programs Exist to Help Service Members Obtain Civilian Credentials Military programs fund some or all fees for professional credentialing exams for enlisted members –Army Credentialing Opportunities Online (COOL) –Navy Credentialing Opportunities Online (COOL) –Air Force Credentialing and Education Research Tool (CERT) © 2012 The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) 10

Elements of the Business Case for Actively Recruiting Veterans / Veterans with Disabilities © 2012 The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) © 2012 JupiterImages Corporation 1.Veterans have the skills you need & are an under-tapped resource with a huge pipeline 2.Compliance – Office of Federal Contractor Compliance Programs (OFCCP) 3.Tax credits & other cost savings 4.Business development 11

Financial Incentives / Cost Savings Realized for Recruiting Veterans / Veterans with Disabilities © 2012 The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) © 2012 JupiterImages Corporation 1.Employment tax credits a)Federal - Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) b)State – varies 2.Funds for training a)State Workforce Investment Act (varies) b)GI Bill 3.Tax credits for accommodations (small businesses) 4.Relocation benefits 5.Security clearances 12

Cost Savings: Work Opportunity Tax Credit © 2012 The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) 13 Maximum WOTC for Hiring Veterans Qualified Veteran CategoryHired on or before November 21, 2011 Hired after November 21, 2011, but before January 1, – Food stamp program$2,400 2a – Disabled and hired within 1 year active duty $4,800 2b – Disabled and unemployed ≥ 6 months $4,800$9,600 3 – Unemployed ≥ 4 weeks but < 6 months $0$2,400 4 – Unemployed ≥ 6 months$0$5,600 Go to and search on “WOTC” for details on how to attain the credithttp://blog.thevalueofaveteran.com/ 13

Now that I know why I should be recruiting veterans – how can I identify which veterans will be a good fit for my positions? © 2012 BigStock Photo © 2012The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) 14

An All Too Common Scenario An Army First Lieutenant approaches a recruiter at a military career fair… The recruiter says… © 2012 JupiterImages Corporation “ Let me take a look at your resume. Why don’t you tell me a little bit about your experience and what you think you can do for our company.” © 2012 The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) 15

An All Too Common Scenario, cont. The applicant replies: “ I’m a 90A, and I just finished up as the S1 for the 728th. I ran the battalion PAC and was responsible for OERs, NCOERs, awards and all eMILPO actions. Until we came out of the box in October, I was XO for the 308 th Quartermaster Company. Before that I was a combat transport platoon leader in charge of 45 soldiers and 13 HEMTTs and generators. My ETS date is in two months, so I am really eager to find out what the ‘real world’ has to offer and where I might fit in. All of my experience is listed in my resume. Do you have any positions for someone like me?” © 2012 JupiterImages Corporation © 2012 The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) 16

An All Too Common Scenario, cont. Do you have any idea what the lieutenant just said? © 2012 JupiterImages Corporation © 2012 The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) 17

First two questions to ask… What is your grade? What is your Military Occupational Code? © 2012The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) 18

Officer and Enlisted Grades A few things to understand about “grades” versus “ranks”: Grade structure is common across the Services Rank equivalent to those grades may differ from Service to Service ServiceRankGrade ArmyMajorO-4 NavyLieutenant Commander O-4 Air ForceMajorO-4 Marine Corps MajorO-4 © 2012The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) 19

Example: Grades and Descriptions CategoryGrade Range General Characteristics Junior Officer O1 – O3 Has between 1-4 years experience (O-1 and O-2) up to 9 years (O-3) Leads organizations of employees Mission-focused; provides prioritization and direction to the senior-level enlisted members for execution. Mid- Grade Enlisted E4 – E6 Has typically 3-15 years experience E-5 serves as first-line supervisor (3-6 employees); oversees and directs day-to-day tasks of junior enlisted; E-6 typically supervises 1 or more E-5’s Responsible for individual training and the development, maintenance, and utilization of the junior enlisted member’s potential © 2012The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) 20

There are Tools to Help You Translate the Military Jargon O*Net Online can help you decipher these resumes and cross-reference your hiring needs with military skills © 2012 The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) –Can search by Military Occupational Code (MOC) (i.e., 90A) –Can also search by military job title (i.e., “Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Operator” –Can crosswalk military occupation to civilian equivalent 21

Use the Military Recruiting Sites for More Info on MOCs (particularly combat arms MOCs) © 2012The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) 22

© 2012 JupiterImages Corporation Now I’ll feel more confident reading the resumes and speaking with service members… Where can I find veterans to recruit??? © 2012The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) 23

Almost a Dozen Approaches to Finding Military Talent – Many are Free or Low-Cost Military placement firms Military job boards Military career fairs Military publications Military professional associations Military post/base transition centers National Guard and Reserve units College Campuses Government resources Non-profit groups Social networking sites © 2012The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) 24

Military Job Boards Companies that host military job boards offer some or all of these services: Ability to post jobs to their web site Access to resume database Opportunities to exhibit at military-specific career fairs Opportunities to advertise your company either through web site banners and/or printed publications © 2012The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) 25

Military Career Fairs (Virtual & Physical) © 2012 iStockPhoto © 2012 The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) 26

Military Transition Publications © 2012The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) 27

Military Post/Base Transition Centers Each service calls its transition center something different: Army = Army Career and Alumni Program (ACAP) Navy = Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC) / Transition Assistance Program Air Force = Family Support Center (FSC) Marine Corps = Marine and Family Services / Career Resource Management Center Coast Guard = Work Life Staff Transition Relocation Manager © 2012The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) 28

National Guard and Reserve Units The Army Reserve has a special program called the Employer Partnership of the Armed Forces to assist employers with finding Army National Guard and Army Reservists to fill open positions Provide URL to your career website or post jobs individually © 2012The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) 29

Government Resources State employment agencies have Veterans Representatives who can assist employers with finding veteran talent: Disabled Veterans Outreach Program (DVOP) specialist Local Veterans’ Employment Representative (LVER) Search to find DVOPs/LVERs servicing your area © 2012The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) 30

Government Resources, cont. © 2012 The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) Army Wounded Warrior Program Air Force Wounded Warrior Each of the military services has a wounded warrior program, and most of them actively seek to connect with employers who are interested in hiring veterans with disabilities. Navy Safe Harbor (for Sailors and Coast Guard) Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment 31

Student Veterans The Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) is a college training program that produces commissioned officers. Graduates have many of the same qualities as Junior Military Officers (JMOs) (without the 30% finders fee that placement companies charge) – Security clearances – Leadership – High GPA’s Contact the ROTC program directly or work with your existing contacts in the college career centers © 2012The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) 32

Source 8: College Campuses, cont. Links to colleges and universities with ROTC programs: Navy Army – Air Force Note: Air Force and Navy Officers have an Active Duty commitment immediately following graduation. Army officers can choose between Active Duty or Reserve/National Guard commitment. © 2012The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) 33

Source 8: College Campuses, cont. Check to see if your local campuses (or any campus you normally recruit from) has a Student Veterans of America chapter To communicate your job openings / internships / campus visits, contact the operations director at © 2012The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) 34

© 2012 The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) 35

Great! Now that I know where to find veterans – how do I get them interested in working for my organization? © 2012 Jupiter Images © 2012The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) 36

Components of Effective Marketing to Veterans © 2012 The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) © 2012 JupiterImages Corporation 1.Customized marketing collateral 2.Designated info for military on career website 3.Means to build a relationship with your military recruiting team 4.Opportunities to learn about your organization and how their skills will be of use 5.Global outreach – in person, in print, and virtually 37

Website – Designated Information Page © 2012 The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) © 2012The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) 38

Website – Designated Information Page, cont. © 2012The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) 39

Website – Cross-Reference Your Needs With Their Skills © 2012 The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) overviews/military-experience/career-opportunities/ Display in a matrix format 40

Website – List Upcoming Career Fairs © 2012The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) 41

Build the Relationship – Make it Easy to Contact Your Military Recruiting Team career_paths/junior_military_n cos.aspx © 2012The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) 42

Build the relationship – Virtual Open House Specific time for those with a military background to chat with recruiters © 2012The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) 43

Use Social Media to Build the Relationship The wall is your recruiter’s opportunity to engage veterans by: Answering questions from veterans and directing them to where they can get more info on your website/career page Congratulating new veteran hires Highlighting veteran employees (testimonials or recognition of length of service i.e., “Congratulations to Joe Smith, XYZ Company’s distribution manager in Seattle on being selected for promotion to Staff Sergeant in the US Army Reserve!”) Stats on your veteran hiring or awards won (i.e., “GI Jobs just named us a “Top Military Friendly Employer” for the 2 nd year in a row!” or “Did you know XYZ Company hired over 400 veterans in 2011”? © 2012The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) 44

Use Social Media to Build the Relationship, cont. How to build your Military Career page following: Once you have created your separate Facebook profile just for recruiting, (i.e. “Military Recruiter Lisa at XXY Company”), “Like” your XYZ Company Careers for Military Veterans” page and make sure the URL is in your profile info Search for other military groups to “like” on Facebook (stick to official ones first – the services, military associations, military recruiting battalions, etc.) Promote your new Facebook page at military career fairs, through Twitter feed, send announcement/poster/marketing material to military transition centers, One Stop centers (LVERs/DVOPs) and announce in military-focused LinkedIn Groups © 2012The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) 45

BONUS: Everyone who attended today’s session receives a FREE copy of my employer’s guide to recruiting and retaining military You are also invited to attend an upcoming FREE “Ask the Military Hiring Expert” session, offered twice a month To see list of upcoming sessions go to: © 2012 The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved) 46

Now – Go Hire Some Veterans! © 2012 JupiterImages © 2012 The Value Of a Veteran (all rights reserved)

We specialize in helping companies develop military hiring strategies. Make the business case Sourcing Marketing Resume Translation & Interviewing Retention We do this through: Workshops (public, onsite, virtual) Individual web seminars (pre- recorded & live) Consulting Hiring guide (PDF download) 2x monthly “Ask the Military Hiring Expert” sessions (FREE!)