Career Advice - The Voice of Job Seekers

Career Transition Strategies for Military Veterans

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This Veterans Day episode is dedicated to all of you who served our country. We thank you because you sacrificed your comfort, family, and yourselves to make sure that the rest of America can enjoy their freedom that we often take for granted.

The transition back to civilian life is not an easy task. For many veterans, transitioning back to the civilian job market is a nightmare. Are you a military veteran challenged by the competition or the lack of career resources? What is the toughest part of your career transition from serving to civilian?

There are three ways you can let me know:

Blog: TheVoiceofJobSeekers.com (Use the send voicemail feature)

Email: mark@thevoiceofjobseekers.com

Voicemail: 708.365.9822

My guest today is Patricia Frame (@2Patra). As an Air Force Veteran herself has extensive experience as a Human Resource expert. She has trained more than 1,800 hiring managers in effective hiring and talent management processes and actions. She was recommended as a guest from Susan P. Joyce, a guest back from late summer. Patricia is the founder of PatraFrame.com and Veterans’ job expert at job-hunt.org.

Here are a few of the highlights from our conversation:

One of the differences from past military transitions is now career training is provided for all Veterans’ before leaving the military. The bad side that too many Veterans wait for the training and not doing anything for their job search before instruction begins
Patricia noted that many Veterans’ miss the intense camaraderie they experienced through combat making it hard to transition back to civilian life. Very few civilian workplaces can replicate the teamwork a Veteran experienced before leaving
One of the common mistakes Veterans’ make on LinkedIn is posting their military pictures. She said that is an indication that they are not ready for a career transition back to the civilian world. Employers also pick that up all because a soldier wants people to see their “fruit salad (military ribbons and décor)” and rank
Patricia stated that people need to think of their LinkedIn profile as an advertisement. For example putting “Retired” sends the wrong message to recruiters and employers. We agreed that a common error among Veterans’ is not speaking the language of civilian employers
Don’t forget the importance of showcasing soft skills and achievements through writing and speaking, especially when the job you performed was classified

Resources mentioned:

Type “Troops to…” in the Google search engine filled by the profession you desire will populate with many choices (many of them free). Training is often sponsored by companies and trade associations

Microsoft (free training available)

SAP (Veterans to Work program)

General Electric Syracuse University for Veterans and Military Families

Veterans Tuition Credit Program

American Corporate Partners (mentoring and career advice)

BPW

Joining Forces

Next week I will have a PDF with additional resources to find listings, programs, and directories to help those veterans that need additional help! Email me at mark@thevoiceofjobseekers.com to be put on the list.

Have a great week!

About Mark Anthony Dyson

I am the "The Voice of Job Seekers!" I offer compassionate career and job search advice as I hack and re-imagine the job search process. You need to be "the prescription to an employer's job description." You must be solution-oriented and work in positions in companies where you are the remedy. Your job search must be a lifestyle, and your career must be in front of you constantly. You can no longer shed your aspirations at the change seasons. There are strengths you have that need constant use and development. Be sure you sign up to download my E-Book, "421 Modern Job Search Tips 2021!" You can find my career advice and work in media outlets such as Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, Glassdoor, and many other outlets.

by Mark Anthony Dyson

Your Career Trajectory, and a Business That Will Pay You Back

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This episode should equip your career in two ways:

It will stimulate your thoughts to create a business as an option to finding a job, and for some that aspire to be entrepreneurs it might be the best career option
You will be motivated to look way past your next job, add new critical feedback to your personal brand, and clarify your career trajectory

David Van Rooy (@dlvanrooy), author of Trajectory: 7 Career Strategies to Take You From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be, is Senior Director of International Human Resources Strategy & Operations at Walmart. In his prior role at Walmart, he was responsible for the world’s largest performance management and employee engagement programs, covering nearly 2.2 million employees globally. David received his doctoral degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Florida International University (FIU). Much of his work was covered by many national and international outlets including USA Today and CNN.

David explains why career trajectory is an important element to everyone, and why will it affect the outcome for someone’s career
I ask David, “Do job seekers/employees discount the value of feedback? Where should people seek feedback?”
David shares about Think Big, Act Small, Move Quick (BSQ) strategies to one’s career trajectory from his book.

Laura Humphreys (@Liber8me) is the author of the nominated small business book of the year, “Liber8me.” Liber8me exists to help small business owner operators build a business that is not dependent on their time to make money. In essence, it’s a simple, practical formula that first shifts the mindset then puts steps in place to grow with confidence. She has been a freelancer/entrepreneur for the last 24 years, and believes that “… going out on your own with a view to building a business instead of being employed by someone else is a viable option for people these days.” Her book is a “2014 Gold IPPY Award Winner”, and nominated for a “Global Business Book Award.”

These are a few highlights of our conversation:

Laura shares that she started out as a secretary and learned a lot about running a business through that experience. She built a public relations firm from scratch and sold it for multi-millions (some sources said 15 million dollars)
She shares why it is important to build a business that people can be freed financially
I asked Laura to share about this article that perfectly is aligned with the ideas from her book that was published in Entrepreneur New Zealand magazine ( The 9 Don’ts of Business), 1) Don’t start a business without knowing what you offer or what is needed 2) Don’t be afraid to hire people 3) Don’t run a business without a budget 4) Don’t let them grind you down! (Love this!)
We also talked about another blog post, “Have you created a business or a life-long job?” that resonated with me. At the end of the article, there is an profound line that reads, “Are you choosing to build a business that will pay you back or are you choosing to work for a living?” She offers insight to the advice for others to build a business that would pay he or she back

Correction: I gave a shout out to Penny Sanseveri, whom I gave the wrong company. The website is www.authormarketingexperts.com. I apologize for the error, Penny.

About Mark Anthony Dyson

by Mark Anthony Dyson

3 Ways Your Career Voice Will Be Heard

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! I won’t join any of the loud celebrations that will occur today. But I do have a few words for the loud and insidiously boisterous careerists who finding that loud isn’t working for them.

When we are told that our point is not getting across, a natural reaction is to become louder. That does not always work. Your career voice is not about volume, nor frequency (not always).

Our society has a misperception the effectiveness of a loud career voice:

We think that a loud person should be the leader
That is the person that stands out
He or she knows what they are saying
A loud person should lead, we must follow him/her

Many times, this is an anomaly. What needs to be said: Employers experience and respond the same way. Those that argue this would say that a quiet person would need to be more vocal so others will know they have the qualities needed for the job. I would agree that being vocal is necessary, but being loud, obnoxious, arrogant, and conceded do not equal qualified or attractive.

I think delivery is everything, and there are ways your career voice will be heard:

1. Don’t be afraid to make the same point twice…or more

If you have an important point to make, don’t try to subtle or clever. Use a pile driver.

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Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time – a tremendous whack!”~Wintston Churchill

Sending a message in a louder way will get an employer’s attention, but not heard. Communication 101 – unless the receives the message in the same way the sender delivers it, the fault lies with the sender.

When you interview, network, or ask for help, think of the best way the person may receive it. It’s likely that a temperate, straight-forward, and tactful approach works for most people. You may have to find three different ways to deliver it, but all of the ways must not leave anyone guessing.

2. Exude temperance

“Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone.” ~Proverbs 25:15

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Whether you believe in the bible or not, there is a lot of truth in not yelling, screaming, or cursing your way to persuasion. You stand out if you can make your point by using a disarming voice. It’s hard, but I think that the people who influenced me the most had high-levels of self control in their voice and actions.

3. Don’t give them ammo

Speak softly, and carry a big stick; you will go far ~ West African Proverb/Unknown

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This is saying that your actions will speak louder than words. Always. If you are not known for action, then your words will fall to the ground. The more you have tangible and visible results, the fewer words you have to use.

Providing an example for people through your actions give employers an idea what to expect when they work with you. Your words are measured through your actions. It is not just employers who you need to impress. You have to impress the people who refer you too.

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