Soft Skills: What are they and Why do you need them?

by Barbara Adams, CPRW, CEIP, MFRW, MMRW, MFCA-T
www.militaryresumewriters.com and www.careerproplus.com

You've surely heard the term before and you probably have some idea of what "soft skills" are. Over the past few years, people-oriented soft skills have been a hot topic in the HR community. To be more precise, HR folks talk a lot about the difficulty of finding candidates that possess soft skills along with the requisite "hard" technical knowledge that they need to succeed. Let's give the phrase a solid definition. Soft skills fall into six specific categories: 1. Communications - active listening skills, and the ability to speak and to write with an emphasis on conveying ideas and opinions in a clear, professional, and polite manner. 2. Decision-making ... Read More

VA hospitals across the country have more than 3,000 unwanted jobs

By NIKKI WENTLING - © STARS AND STRIPES, reprinted with permission All rights reserved

WASHINGTON — Thousands of jobs at Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals across the country remain vacant because VA leaders contend they can’t find qualified candidates who want them, an agency report released Thursday revealed. Directors for 140 VA hospitals reported a total of 3,068 staff vacancies that they are struggling to fill because of a severe shortage of candidates, according to an annual VA Office of Inspector General report on staffing problems. For the first time, the report included a breakdown of shortages for each hospital. However, the numbers don’t include all vacancies, but rather the ones the hospitals can’t fill. ... Read More

Fort Bragg soldiers to benefit from new trades program

By AMANDA DOLASINSKI - The Fayetteville Observer, N.C - © Stars and Stripes - reprinted with permission

Soldiers at Fort Bragg who are leaving service are eligible for a new program that will train them for construction jobs – an industry that has been dealing with a shortage of workers. Through a gift from the Home Depot Foundation, Home Builders Institute has launched a program at Fort Bragg to train soldiers transitioning out of service for jobs in the construction trade. The Home Depot Foundation's $50 million pledge aims to train 20,000 tradesmen by 2028. "This is a great way for them to have careers," said Heather Prill, senior manager of national partnerships for The Home Depot Foundation. "They've done so much for our ... Read More

Grants available for organizations that help homeless veterans

WhiteHouse.gov

ENHANCING OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR NATION’S MILITARY FAMILIES: Today, President Trump issued an executive order to enhance opportunities for military spouses looking for employment in the Federal Government. President Trump has issued an executive order “on Enhancing Noncompetitive Civil Service Appointments of Military Spouses.” The order: requires Federal agencies to promote the use of noncompetitive hiring authority that currently exists for military spouses to the greatest extent possible;directs the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to educate agencies regarding the use of the noncompetitive hiring authority, and ... Read More

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TAOnline Virtual Career Fair * The Big Virtual * October 2018

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Corporate Gray Military-Friendly Job Fair * June 22, 2018 * Springfield, VA

You're invited to interview with dozens of military-friendly companies at the June 22nd Corporate Gray Military-Friendly Job Fair at the Waterford Reception Center in Springfield, Virginia. Meet face-to-face with representatives from Lockheed Martin, Booz Allen Hamilton, Leidos, ARServices, ACT I, U.S. Postal Service, Edward Jones, U.S. Secret Service, Fulcrum IT, and more. Job fair hours are 9 am to 12 noon, with an Employer Panel discussion for job seekers from 8 am to 9 am. To ensure you receive the job fair Employer Directory in advance, pre-register at http://corporategray.com/jobfairs/397. And if you upload your resume, the participating companies will have early access to your credentials. While especially for transitioning service members and veterans, this job fair is free and open to all job seekers.

 


Military Officer Job Fair * July 27, 2018 * Arlington, VA

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Soft Skills: What are they and Why do you need them?

by Barbara Adams, CPRW, CEIP, MFRW, MMRW, MFCA-T
www.militaryresumewriters.com and www.careerproplus.com

You've surely heard the term before and you probably have some idea of what "soft skills" are. Over the past few years, people-oriented soft skills have been a hot topic in the HR community. To be more precise, HR folks talk a lot about the difficulty of finding candidates that possess soft skills along with the requisite "hard" technical knowledge that they need to succeed.

Let's give the phrase a solid definition. Soft skills fall into six specific categories:

1. Communications - active listening skills, and the ability to speak and to write with an emphasis on conveying ideas and opinions in a clear, professional, and polite manner.

2. Decision-making and problem-solving - the ability to analyze and make a determination. This category also includes creativity, abstract thinking, and the ability to learn from experience (and from mistakes).

3. Self-management - the initiative required for effective work. Self-management skills include efficiency, a sense of urgency, the ability to adapt, working well under pressure and deadlines, and the ethical standards that govern personal behavior and interactions with others.

4. Teamwork - the ability to work and play well with others. Teamwork strengths include responsibility, accountability, and the ability to share ideas in a way that is positive and encouraging.

5. Professionalism - the characteristics that govern the quality of relationships with customers, peers, and managers. Attributes of professionalism also include the ability to accept direction and the sensitivity demonstrated in difficult business or personal situations.

6. Leadership - capability to see the big picture and to manage change. Leadership traits include the willingness both to lead and to follow and the ability to motivate others.

When building your resume the aforementioned soft skills are completely acceptable and I strongly advise your incorporate them throughout your resume to strengthen your value to a potential employer.

Barbara Adams, President and CEO of CareerPro Global (CPG), the parent company of www.careerproplus.com and www.militaryresumewriters.com, has been a member of the careers community for the past 20 years. Ms. Adams holds four prestigious industry certifications. CareerPro Global is the only ISO 9001-2008 Certified Career Service in the industry, as well as one of the fastest-growing Military, Federal, and Civilian Resume-Writing and Careers-Coaching companies. The team of Certified Professional Federal and Military Resume Writers at CPG assist thousands of clients in applying for and gaining employment each year. We can help you land your military to civilian job.

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VA hospitals across the country have more than 3,000 unwanted jobs

By NIKKI WENTLING - © STARS AND STRIPES, reprinted with permission All rights reserved

WASHINGTON — Thousands of jobs at Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals across the country remain vacant because VA leaders contend they can’t find qualified candidates who want them, an agency report released Thursday revealed.

Directors for 140 VA hospitals reported a total of 3,068 staff vacancies that they are struggling to fill because of a severe shortage of candidates, according to an annual VA Office of Inspector General report on staffing problems.

For the first time, the report included a breakdown of shortages for each hospital. However, the numbers don’t include all vacancies, but rather the ones the hospitals can’t fill.

A lack of qualified candidates is not the only reason that VA directors can’t fill some of their open positions. Most of the hospitals also reported they are unable to offer competitive salaries.

Undesirable hours and inflexible schedules were listed as other challenges. High turnover was a problem for about half of the hospitals.

“[One] facility stated that when a position had high turnover, it resulted in significant overtime, which resulted in even more turnover,” the report reads.

The Atlanta VA Health Care System in Decatur, Ga., reported the most shortages – 89, of which 76 are medical providers. The hospital with the fewest shortages was the West Haven, Conn., campus of the VA Connecticut Healthcare System, which reported only one job opening for a dermatologist.

Mental health providers topped the list for the most-needed occupation. Of the 140 hospitals, 98 reported a shortage of psychiatrists and 58 hospitals needed more psychologists. Other in-demand jobs included primary care doctors, human resources staff and police.

Congress passed legislation in August last year requiring the IG to report the shortages for each hospital. Each facility director provided the number of shortages as of the beginning of 2018.

“There’s no question VA needs to look at its hiring and retention programs nationwide, which is exactly why the committee required this OIG report,” said Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tenn., chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

VA Inspector General Michael Missal said the new data could help inform the VA about how to recruit for its hardest-to-fill jobs.

“This report should prompt meaningful discussions at both the local and national level about how to implement, support, and oversee staffing in VA medical centers that will result in the highest possible quality of veteran care,” Missal said in a prepared statement.

Carolyn Clancy, the executive in charge of VA health care, wrote in a response that the IG report was “very informative” and would support the agency’s staffing plans. She also said the VA was working to create a permanent “manpower office” by May 2019.

The VA has made the hiring of mental health professionals an area of focus, VA Press Secretary Curt Cashour said Friday. The VA has hired 467 new mental health providers so far this year, and it’s aiming for a net increase of 1,000 providers by 2019, he said.

The VA attempted to hire 1,000 new mental health providers in 2017. The agency hired 900 but lost 945, for an overall decrease.

According to the IG report, the Cincinnati VA Medical Center in Ohio and the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston had some of the fewest shortages, with each reporting only four jobs that they were struggling to fill.

Second to Decatur, the VA Illiana Health Care System in Danville, Ill., reported the most – 83 shortages, 66 of which were medical professions. The Oklahoma City VA Health Care System reported 69.

“Appropriate staffing allows a medical facility to function at its full potential,” IG official Nathan McClafferty said in a statement. “It is critically important that VA medical facilities are properly staffed to ensure veterans are provided the best possible health care.”

A House subcommittee is meeting June 21 to discuss the IG report and VA job vacancies in general. The hearing is titled, “More than just filling vacancies: A closer look at VA hiring authorities, recruiting and retention.”

“Clinician and other medical facility staff shortages are not unique to VA, but the committee is continuing to look for opportunities to improve the department’s hiring and retention programs,” Roe said.

The VA is the second-largest federal agency, with more than 360,000 employees. As of early March, there were 33,642 job vacancies across the VA, including open positions in the health care system, benefits offices and the National Cemetery Administration.

wentling.nikki@stripes.com
Twitter: @nikkiwentling
 

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Fort Bragg soldiers to benefit from new trades program

By AMANDA DOLASINSKI - The Fayetteville Observer, N.C - © Stars and Stripes - reprinted with permission

Soldiers at Fort Bragg who are leaving service are eligible for a new program that will train them for construction jobs – an industry that has been dealing with a shortage of workers.

Through a gift from the Home Depot Foundation, Home Builders Institute has launched a program at Fort Bragg to train soldiers transitioning out of service for jobs in the construction trade. The Home Depot Foundation's $50 million pledge aims to train 20,000 tradesmen by 2028.

"This is a great way for them to have careers," said Heather Prill, senior manager of national partnerships for The Home Depot Foundation. "They've done so much for our country. For us to be able to do this one thing to give back is the right thing to do."

The Home Depot Foundation has focused on veteran housing issues since 2011. It began researching ways it could expand those initiatives and found the Home Builders Institute – a 50-year-old educational arm for the industry.

The Home Builders Institute trains several under-served populations, including veterans, transitioning military, at-risk youth and adults released from prison.

Both organizations recognized a growing need for skilled laborers.

There are about 158,000 skilled labor job openings across the country, according to national statistics. About 45 percent of businesses struggle to find qualified candidates for jobs.

The average age of a plumber is 56, signaling that tradesmen are retiring, but no one is in the pipeline to replace them, Prill said.

The Home Builders Institute has already launched a trades program at Fort Stewart, Georgia. The program averages about 120 graduates a year.

Fort Bragg's program started in January – and the Home Depot Foundation's pledge guarantees it will remain for at least two years.

The organizations said these types of jobs appeal to soldiers because they can work with their hands and in teams. They are also easy for people to launch their own businesses.

Program participants will complete 12 weeks of training and earn certification recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor. The program is free for transitioning service members.

"Now we're training a pipeline of students," said John Courson, president and CEO of the Home Builders Institution. "The students that finish our training on the military side, we're placing 90 percent in jobs when they graduate from the service."

The program at Fort Bragg started with carpentry, but other trades will be added as instructors join, Courson said. Those trades could include masonry, plumbing, electric and heating, ventilation and air conditioning.

Courson said soldiers are eligible to participate in the program without using GI benefits, so they can earn certification and continue their education with other benefits later.

Soldiers who complete the program can work through the Home Builders Institution for job placement in North Carolina or any of the other 43 states in its network, Courson said. Graduates have reported jobs paying between $30,000 and $55,000, he said.

"We want to make sure when they train with us, they're job ready," he said.

___

(c)2018 The Fayetteville Observer (Fayetteville, N.C.)
Visit The Fayetteville Observer at www.fayobserver.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

 

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Grants available for organizations that help homeless veterans

WhiteHouse.gov

"I have pledged to our Armed Forces to have their backs, and that means providing for our military spouses as well."

President Donald J. Trump

ENHANCING OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR NATION’S MILITARY FAMILIES: Today, President Trump issued an executive order to enhance opportunities for military spouses looking for employment in the Federal Government.

  • President Trump has issued an executive order “on Enhancing Noncompetitive Civil Service Appointments of Military Spouses.” The order:
    • requires Federal agencies to promote the use of noncompetitive hiring authority that currently exists for military spouses to the greatest extent possible;
    • directs the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to educate agencies regarding the use of the noncompetitive hiring authority, and to increase awareness of the opportunities it creates among military spouses;
    • requires all agencies to report annually on their progress in advertising positions to, obtaining applications from, and hiring military spouses; and
    • directs agencies to recommend new ways to improve license portability and remove barriers to the employment of military spouses.
  • The purpose of the President’s order is to provide significantly greater opportunity for military spouses to be considered for Federal competitive service positions.
    • While the order promotes the use of noncompetitive hiring authority for military spouses, it does not require the hiring of a military spouse for an open position over other applicants.
    • Ensures that military spouses receive the consideration they deserve for government positions; at the same time, no preference-eligible veteran will be displaced or lose his or her preference or a job to which he or she was entitled as a result of this order.
  • In addition to the order, President Trump has issued a separate proclamation declaring May 11, 2018, as Military Spouse Day.

UNDEREMPLOYED AND UNDER STRESS: While our men and women in uniform serve our country on base or abroad, their spouses face many challenges to build families at home.

  • There are nearly 690,000 spouses of active duty service members, 12 percent of whom are also active duty military.
  • The military spouse unemployment rate has averaged between 20 percent and 25 percent over the past decade.
    • In 2017, the military spouse unemployment rate stood at 16 percent according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, over 4 times the 2017 rate for all adult women.
  • According to one estimate, in 2016, only 57 percent of military spouses participated in the labor force, compared to 76 percent of the population at large.
  • The higher unemployment rate persists notwithstanding a military spouse population with a higher level of education than the population at large.
  • Only 5 percent of military spouses rated themselves as financially well off, versus 50 percent who said they were comfortable, 38 percent who said they were living paycheck to paycheck, and 6 percent who were struggling financially.
  • 80 percent of military spouses who are actively searching for work have cited the job search process as a source of stress between them and their spouses in the military.
    • 47 percent of military spouses have described finding work or managing their careers as a source of stress.

OVER REGULATION AND RELOCATION: Beyond the stress of having to move frequently due to military deployments, military spouses have to deal with job searches hampered by state regulation that prevents their occupational licenses from easily transferring.

  • Patchwork state regulation of occupational licensing poses a significant challenge to military spouses, who regularly move so their spouses can continue to serve their country.
    • 22 percent of military spouses cited one of their greatest challenges their inability to transfer professional licenses from one state to another.
    • In 2016, over 30 percent of military spouses required a government license to do their jobs, versus 22 percent of all workers.
  • 77 percent of military spouses said that having two incomes is important to their family’s well-being, but only 50 percent of military families with children have two working parents.
  • 90 percent of military spouses moved at least 50 miles due to their spouse’s military career, and over 50 percent moved at least 3 times.
    • Military spouses are 7 times more likely than civilian spouses to move across state lines.
    • Two-thirds have had to quit or change jobs as a result of a move.
    • A little over one-fourth took 1 to 3 months to find a new job, 29 percent took 4 to 6 months, and 12 percent took 7 to 12 months.
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