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Military.com
Rear Admiral T. McCreary (Ret.) and president of Military.com
Veterans face many challenges when they return home and start looking for work, everything from discrimination to a lack of training and skills for civilian jobs. But in the end, it’s up to vets themselves to leave the military behind and adapt to the nonmilitary work world.
That’s the message Rear Admiral T. McCreary (Ret.) who is president of Military.com sent during our live Web chat Wednesday. He took online questions from vets and their loved ones while attending the Hiring Our Heroes jobs fair event -- an initiative by NBC News and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce -- on the USS Intrepid aircraft carrier in New York.
Here’s a sampling of the Q&A:
Jeremy asked:
“Why can't veterans find jobs?”
McCreary answered:
“Vets can find jobs. It's just hard work and requires a lot of learning and patience. There are jobs out there, it’s just finding them, translating skills and learning how to job hunt.”
And he defended efforts to focus on veteran’s unemployment flight, against readers who questioned why returning military deserved more help than those who never served.
April asked:
“Why do veterans deserve any more job placement assistance than folks who have not served?”
McCreary answered:
“I don't think it’s an issue of deserving more but leveling the playing field. Most vets join right out of school and have never had to job hunt. They've lived in a unique culture and speak a different language. As a result, they don't know enough to be competitive. I think all these programs are designed to bring veterans up to speed and help them compete in the broader job market.
"That said, many feel serving ones country should offer them a little leg up when job hunting as they are behind their piers in assimilating into the corporate world. Whether that is military service of some other type of national service, most think our vets do deserve some additional help to ensure they can ‘rejoin’ society in a more normal transition.”
For more of this enlightening discussion and targeted tips for vets struggling to find job, check out a replay of the Web chat here:
Leave a Comment:
My goodness yes hire vets,but what the rest of us? I need a job to.
very insightful article. of course it doesnt make sense for military to train you for non-military jobs, much of their retention is based on soldiers staying because they dont have any outside skills.
any other knowledge bombs you want to dish out, msnbc?
I think that Admiral McCreary has it right. It is about Veteran's continuing to improve them selves – just as we have done in the military – but towards a different end. A continuing to mold one self into being a better civilian by learning how to better transition, as the 'next' duty station: How was the old adage, "the best duty station is the one we just came from, and the one we are going to."
Being a civilian requires much more patience than many Veteran's are used to, and quite frankly, have a short supply of, because it was about taking charge, and leading by example, because time was always of the essence. I too have had a difficult time in dealing with what some have called 'analysis paralysis', from the conference room to the PTA meeting; but this too can be learned. It is in this direction that initiative is our best ally, study, work hard, and be successful. We must all learn to accept that many folks do not see the world as Veteran's do, and because most have a sense of work as just 9-to-5, and because camaraderie is often not found in workplaces of today. A very strange concept for those used to working 16 hour days, going without a warm meal, and where taking a shower is a luxury. There is a difference between management and leadership, and the military has indoctrinated Veteran's with mission accomplishment – without excuses.
This transition all starts by learning what is required to be a civilian: paying taxes; getting car registrations; paying electric bills; and stepping outside of the comfort zone of the military. Many younger Veteran's – myself included – had never had to fend for themselves because they went from home, to the 'shelter' of the military, and now it is time to take on a whole new 'adventure.' This is ok to do, and in fact, not too hard, just a matter of strategy to tackle the new tasks at hand.
The best thing about being a Veteran today is that the Internet is there to help us reach out to different organizations, craft a resume on line, and quickly research employment opportunities in short order. American Corporate Partners (ACP) is an organization that I have had the great pleasure of working with, to assist Veteran's in their transition from the military back into civilian life. From resume and job placement assistance, to assigning a mentor/mentee relationship, and everything in between, and all this is done to personify the experience and to better guide the returning Veteran.
At Siemens, we work ACP to reach out to assist Veteran's because we know that returning military members deserve better, and this partnership helps us to ensure that we pay homage to the men and women that have served so graciously for their respective nation. We in turn benefit by not just finding an employee, but someone who understands courage, honor, and integrity, and those learned values that separate those just looking for a paycheck from those willing to dedicate themselves to something larger than themselves.
Regards,
Adam
adam.sanchez@siemens.com
Let me start of by saying I am a Vietnam veteran. I have worked in various Human Resources Positions since 1978. To qualify for my position I had to put forth a lot of effort to complete my education using available Veteran's Benefits. What I have noticed and experienced is that some Veterans expect to be hired for a job just because they are Veterans. I have had Veterans tell me that I "owe them a job" regardless of their ability to perform a particular job function. They get upset when I inform them they need to perform the duties of the job for which they are applying and no they can't start with the top salary. Most of these issues I encounter with the 20-early 30 age group, I call their generation the "owe me generation". They want to make the highest salary without putting forth any real effort and "constantly" remind others of their Veteran's status. It is starting to show that co-workers are starting to point out the fact that today's Veteran's "Volunteered" and yet are given priority over more qualified individuals that choose to work hard, complete their education rather that choose to join the military. Veterans need to be reminded that they have to "qualify" for the jobs they are seeking. I encourage Veteran's that I encounter to use the benefits available to them to get the training to qualify for the position they are seeking. Unfortunately, a majority don't want to put in the effort to get that free training or seek additional education but they still want the job they want and demand the pay that they want. And it is this group of Veterans that fail to assimilate that will fail.. I work with a number of very skilled and highly motivated Veterans who put forth an effort to learn new skills and have become to go-to person in a lot of instances.