Archives November 2022

America’s military veterans are among the most disciplined, talented, highly skilled, and driven people you can employ. Many people, though, have a very narrow view of what military service involves. They don’t understand what an asset these hard-working individuals can be for your business. Read on why you should choose a candidate with past military experience

If your company doesn’t have a veteran recruiting program or if you’re unsure how the skills of a military veteran might fit into your technology company, read on to learn why you should choose a job candidate with past military experience.

Skills & Experience

Choose a Candidate with Past Military Experience in: Training

Military culture stresses the importance of training, growing, and developing as an individual and part of the team. Veterans received training and education throughout their time in the military, including multiple years of leadership and management, along with technical work. They have also had to adapt to change and think critically during deployments and take on a teaching role throughout their career when needed.

Choose a Candidate with Past Military Experience in: Leadership

Typically, an officer managed more than 100 people during their time in the military, while a junior enlisted supervisor may have had as many as 25 people working for them. Real leadership experience is an essential part of military experience, and few new college graduates have taken on a leadership role in that way.

Choose a Candidate with Past Military Experience in: Communication

Effective communication is one of the most critical skills that military veterans bring to a civilian job. The ability to communicate during stressful times and to handle situations that are changing, sometimes drastically, is not something you can learn in a classroom. Military veterans have hands-on experience in managing projects with minimal resources under varying levels of stress, communicating effectively and efficiently throughout the process.

Team-Oriented

Military veterans know a lot about teamwork, and focusing on shared goals when completing a project. As more companies move to hybrid and remote work, it can be difficult to maintain that team dynamic. Vets bring their unique teamwork perspective to the equation, understanding how to keep the team united and working cohesively even when apart.

Conclusion

Recruiting military veterans for your business ensures that you get high-quality job candidates with great skills and experience. These not only prepare them for the position but ensure that they will adapt throughout their employment with you. It is a great idea to choose a candidate with past military experience. With comprehensive training, learned skills, and a proactive, positive work ethic, military veterans are invaluable assets to any company.

We believe that the skillsets learned as a member of the U.S. Military are invaluable in the modern workplace. ABBTECH^® is committed to assisting the veteran community in their transition to civilian life. Ready to hire a Vet? Get in touch with our team today!

On November 11^th, every year, we celebrate the service and heroism of our military veterans. In the United States, military veterans comprise around 8 percent of the adult population. As more veterans begin transitioning from military life to civilian, the need for employers to create a veteran friendly workplace increases.

Veterans make incredibly valuable additions to your company’s culture. They bring extensive training and education to the civilian job world. Also, along with essential “soft skills” and real-world experience veterans have valuable skills that you can’t learn in a classroom.

There are big differences between the military and civilian worlds, and making the transition successful in the short and long term may seem daunting. Read on to learn some of the many ways you can create a veteran friendly workplace.

Foster Empathy Through Education

The best way to empathize with veterans, or anyone of different backgrounds and experiences, is through education. Educating yourself and others about the struggles of veterans helps you to understand better, accept, and connect with them. The Veterans’ Administration (VA) has tools, training sessions, and information that can help you build a welcoming culture attractive to veterans.

Create Opportunities for Building Community

Many veterans have difficulty adjusting to the lack of community in the average workplace. In the military, there is a structure of personnel and families who help new members adjust. In the civilian world, that structure is rarely in place.

Facilitating mentorship at work and encouraging positive professional friendships through social activities and family-friendly events can be helpful for veterans struggling with building professional relationships at work.

Implement Veteran-Friendly Onboarding and Orientation Procedures

Coming from a world where the chain of command plays a central role, it can be difficult for veterans to adjust to the less structured civilian working world. Consider adding detailed walk-throughs to the onboarding and orientation programming and ensure all resources are readily accessible for new veteran hires to refer to later.

Also, ensure that the expectations for the job are clearly outlined. It is also important to specify any urgent or priority information for projects and roles are been well-defined. This is a good guideline for all applicants, veteran and non-veteran alike.

Encourage and Promote Career Development & Advancement

For veterans, the path to promotion in the civilian world can be confusing. Setting up a clear career map and review process, as well as offering professional coaching and development opportunities, enables veterans to see the path to advancement within your company and encourages them to grow and progress forward.

Ready to expand your workforce, create a veteran friendly workplace and attract skilled veterans to your company? Contact ABBTECH today!

Introducing V2JN! Every November in the United States, we honor and celebrate our veterans. We thank them for their service and offer them the acknowledgment they deserve. For many veterans, however, what they really need is a job and a chance to rebuild their lives on the home front.

ABBTECH^®, an award-winning, Women-Owned staffing firm located in Virginia, has connected strategic IT talent with high-quality jobs in high-tech, Fortune 500 companies and government agencies for nearly 30 years. In addition, ABBTECH^® launched the Veterans 2 Jobs Network™, which helps hundreds of U.S. Military veterans learn new skills and find jobs in the civilian workforce.

The Veterans 2 Jobs Network™

The transition from military life to civilian can be a difficult one. ABBTECH^® understands this and is committed to helping veterans make the transition as smooth as possible. We begin with securing the work they need to support themselves and their families. That’s where Veterans 2 Jobs Network (V2JN™) comes in.

The program assists veterans in multiple ways. Veteran job seekers get a dedicated recruiter who assists them with job searches. Recruiters review candidate resumes, referring them to the certified resume writer if it needs improvement or focus. Recruiters also help with interview preparation. This gives candidates the extra confidence boost that being adequately prepared provides.

 In addition, ABBTECH^® helps with job searches, offering over 1,200 job opportunities at various companies, from small local businesses to Fortune 500 companies. The recruiter communicates regularly throughout the entire hiring process, from initial screening and interviews through skills tests, personality tests, hiring, and onboarding.

Conclusion

Introducing V2JN, the best way to honor returning veterans is to help them successfully settle into a new civilian life. ABBTECH^®’s Veterans 2 Jobs Network™ does just that by providing information, assistance, and access to thousands of job opportunities. These are open for veterans eager to apply their training and unique skills to the private sector.   

For three decades, ABBTECH^® has provided quality IT staffing solutions for businesses in the Washington, D.C. area. If you’re a Vet looking for jobs, or if you’re a company looking to hire more of our Vet workforce, get in touch with our team at ABBTECH^® today!

If you’ve recently left the military, transitioning to your first civilian role may be difficult. Below are some tips for transitioning to your first civilian role. Even if you’ve found a job, it may not be the right fit for you; many veterans leave their first civilian job within the first year.

Thankfully, there are plenty of resources available to help veterans navigate their post-military careers. In this blog, we’ll break down some of the tips for veterans transitioning to civilian life and finding the right job.

Reach Out to Fellow Vets

Just as civilians plan for retirement and prepare to leave in advance, it may be beneficial for you to start preparing for transition out of the military as much as two years before retiring. Reach out to fellow veterans who have been on this road to retirement before you and get their advice on what to do and not to do.

Learn About Local Resources

When it comes to finding transition resources, the Department of Veterans Affairs is the best place to start. They offer a Transition Assistance Program. Other state and local agencies provide resources and options, too. Schools and churches are also good sources of information and guidance.

Research the Job Market

Finding a job you like starts with what you’re interested in and qualified for. It is good to learn about a specific industry and the career fields within it that interest you. This can help you decide what kind of job you want and whether you need further education to pursue that career. You may need to go back to school to finish your degree or start a new one. There are many programs are designed to help veterans succeed in pursuing their degrees and certification.

Working with a Staffing Agency

If trying to do everything yourself sounds overwhelming, consider working with a staffing agency like ABBTECH^®. ABBTECH^® helps Vets get back to work by finding the right jobs that match their education, experience, and skills. They also guide you through the entire process of onboarding and orientation.

ABBTECH^® has helped hundreds of veterans find new jobs and transition to civilian life. There is resume writing assistance, interview prep, a wide range of available job opportunities, and plenty of information on their weekly blog. ABBTECH^® is your strategic IT partner ready to help you transition into a new life out of uniform.

For tips for transitioning to your first civilian role, get in touch with the ABBTECH^® team!