UnitedHealth Group is Honoring Veterans By Helping Them Transition to Civilian Life. What advice would you give to transitioning military?

2015-11-06T10:17:22-05:00

Through a partnership with the Paralyzed Veterans of America, we are honored to be part of an effort to help veterans transition to civilian life. This partnership is focused on assisting veterans navigate the job market as well as demonstrating the important leadership role veterans play in our communities. What one piece of advice would you give to a transitioning service member?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrNAvoDW3HM

Learn more about the UHG mission: http://rly.pt/UHG-LearnMore

UnitedHealth Group partners with Paralyzed Veterans of America

Learn more about the partnership between UnitedHealth Group and Paralyzed Veterans of America at www.pva.org/united4ourveterans.

Response by Elizabeth Malkin made Nov 6 at 2015 10:19 AM

2015-11-06T10:19:48-05:00

This is great to learn about, I enjoyed watching the video as well. I didn't know that UnitedHealth Group was doing so much to help transitioning service members.

Response by CW3 Jim Norris made Nov 6 at 2015 10:49 AM

2015-11-06T10:49:16-05:00

Your military experience is useful, but not the 'magic bullet' many people have told you it will be in the civilian world. Just as promotions required schooling, certifications and recommendations - so will getting that job your looking for. Prepare to present yourself in at least as sharp a manner as you did for those promotion boards and that DA photo. Remember that all the acronyms you used to express yourself 'inside', have no place here chuck them, speak English, be prepared to explain why you are the best candidate for the job. Do your research about the company your interviewing with - show them the same respect you expect. Be professional, but friendly. Keep you answers short and absolutely truthful. No gorilla handshakes, firm but not crushing, make eye contact. Listen twice as much as you talk. Ask for someone to follow up with and do so.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Nov 6 at 2015 11:12 AM

2015-11-06T11:12:10-05:00

Network. Network. Network. We were trained to help each other on the battlefield. That same strategy works in civilian life. Join veterans groups. If one doesn't suit you, check out the others. Connect on line. RallyPoint is an excellent beginning. There are others. Always, always, always, remember that you are not alone. Also, remember that the best job opportunities are never listed in help wanted ads or on jobs-oriented websites. Indeed, many of the best jobs don't exist. They are created for the right person, but you can't find them without being referred. How do you get referrals? Network.

Response by PVT Robert Gresham made Nov 6 at 2015 11:20 AM

2015-11-06T11:20:29-05:00

I would offer the following advice to transitioning Military members:

1. GET YOUR COLLEGE DEGREE !!

2. Make sure your VA paperwork is finished, and (at least) turned in before you ETS.

3. Know (realistically) what you want to do for employment.

4. Don't count on the job that was promised to you back home. Have a contingency plan.

5. Especially junior enlisted, and junior NCOs: It's not always as easy as they make it sound to get that perfect job with your Army resume. Don't think that because you have two to three years of leadership experience, in the Military, that it is necessarily going to equate in the civilian world.

6. Have as much much money saved up as possible. The job market right now is not the very best, and many companies are not going to hire you just because you were in the Military.

7. Don't believe that four years (or more, in many cases) in a Military combat specialty, along with two years of college, is going to get you into a management job on the civilian side. Your ACE evaluation is great for college credit, it's not so great as a bullet on your resume.

8. Always be prepared for an interview. Have a suit, and wear it.

9. Try to stay upbeat and positive. It can be depressing if you don't get a job right away. Never let an employer see that side of you. Going to an interview unhappy will either NOT get you a job, or give a potential employer a "hook" to offer you less money than you may actually be worth.

10. Use whatever assistance is available to you. It's not a sin to accept the aid of a group that is there to help YOU.

Response by CPT Aaron Kletzing made Nov 6 at 2015 12:18 PM

2015-11-06T12:18:06-05:00

My advice would be to start early, connect w people who have succeeded at transitioning before you, and stay connected with the mil community when you leave because you will miss it sooner or later.

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Nov 6 at 2015 1:41 PM

2015-11-06T13:41:05-05:00

Thank you for sharing

Response by CDR Kenneth Kaiser made Nov 6 at 2015 6:44 PM

2015-11-06T18:44:28-05:00

Start planning early (about a year) start learning about civilian opportunities based upon your skill set. If you start early you could write to a few companies and find out what they look for in an ideal candidate. See if you can talk to some folks who are doing the same type of work. As I said before your first job may be a mistake. One you are overqualified for one you are being underpaid for, that sort of thing Try to build up a cash cushion so that you are not desperate when you separate. Network. Especially if you are going into a profession where there are professional organizations (eg. IEEE, Association for Unmanned Vehicles, that sort of thing. Even business organizations. That way you can meet folks in the area you are looking.) If you are separating not retiring consider reserves. You will end up in a unit with folks working in the same field you want to enter or related fields. Goodway to network.

Learn how to interview and negotiate salaries. Learn smart answers such as "Do you have any concerns or questions about my capacity or qualifications to perform this job?" when they ask you for questions you may have. Also if it looks like a dead end , it doesn't hurt to ask something like ("Now we have talked and you know me better, do you know of anyone else that might be looking for someone with my qualifications?" That gives you a chance for them to re evaluate you and a chance also for you to expand your network. There are more things but enough for now

Response by Capt Brandon Charters made Nov 6 at 2015 8:00 PM

2015-11-06T20:00:05-05:00

My advice: There are millions of veterans out there in your shoes who have transitioned. Many of them very successfully. Look to these members of the military family for advice and mentorship so you avoid the pitfalls they may have hit along the way.

Response by MAJ Hugh Blanchard made Nov 6 at 2015 9:55 PM

2015-11-06T21:55:04-05:00

Pay attention to your cash flow and your taxes, especially in the first year of retirement. My wife and I had a nasty surprise on our taxes the first year after I retired. Keep contributing to your retirement accounts after you leave military service, you'll almost certainly need more than just your military retirement pay to finance your retirement.

Response by SSG Gene Carroll SR. made Nov 6 at 2015 11:33 PM

2015-11-06T23:33:57-05:00

I would check them out, what would have to loose.

Response by COL Bill McCormick made Nov 7 at 2015 8:59 AM

2015-11-07T08:59:27-05:00

I've owned several small businesses since 1998 and reviewed thousands of resumes. Advice follows:
1. include highest security clearance eligible . follow other generic format instructions below and post for free on monster, clearance jobs, or intelligencecareers.
2. Name and contact info
3. Objective. Be broad. include what you want to contribute (skills)
4. summarize your career in 25 to 45 words. ** key responsibilities and upward evolution/ highest organizational interface **
5. High-level job chronology (go back 4-10 yrs; summarize any job history before that in one final paragraph/bullet)
Position, Organization, Description (one sentence, two max)
6. Education, schools, languages, courses, seminars, certifications, licences etc.

If you can do this in a quality, one page product ya did good! keywords matter as well so expanding to a second page is fine if it's worth the keyword substance.

Response by CPT Aaron Kletzing made Nov 7 at 2015 11:51 AM

2015-11-07T11:51:45-05:00

It's cool to see UnitedHealth Group doing stuff like this. They walk the walk when so many companies just talk about helping the military community.

Response by LTC David S. Chang, ChFC®, CLU® made Nov 7 at 2015 4:09 PM

2015-11-07T16:09:43-05:00

This is great! Glad that many are noticing the importance of helping veterans transition, and also the benefits of hiring veterans. Definitely I would recommend that transitioning veterans take full advantage of networks such as rallypoint, the VA, and other organizations that can pair you with someone that can help. I always recommend people try to find a mentor and learn as much from them. Their hindsight can you be your foresight! This can also help you determine if that is the industry you want to pursue.

Response by SSG Paul Setterholm made Nov 10 at 2015 7:53 PM

2015-11-10T19:53:16-05:00

United health uses this as a tax break, I am guessing. I do not have a high opinion of them. The CEOs annual salary is 330 million. Last year, the corporation I work for paid premiums based on an estimated 284 million. The actual cost (according to our annual reports) was 267 million. You would think our premiums would have gone down this year. They didn't. The corporation switched insurance for this year.

Response by TSgt John Temblador, PI, CIPA made Nov 12 at 2015 11:07 AM

2015-11-12T11:07:43-05:00

http://www.intouch.org/read/magazine/daily-devotions/strength-comes-with-waiting#.VkS5DNRalVg

Strength Comes With Waiting

In an effort to accomplish what is expected of us, we barrel ahead—but the Lord has a different way.

Response by SrA David Steyer made Nov 13 at 2015 2:34 PM

2015-11-13T14:34:11-05:00

Is UnitedHealth Group hiring?

Response by Cpl Dr Ronnie Manns made Nov 15 at 2015 10:24 AM

2015-11-15T10:24:15-05:00

http://mannslogistics.wix.com/mosci.