What advice do you have for transitioning and unemployed veterans? I recently began a position working as a workforce coordinator helping homeless, unemployed veterans transition back to the workforce and to regain their independence. I feel well prepared for the position but I was wondering if anyone had any specific advice, resources, etc. that would be of use either to myself or the veterans I am working with?

What advice do you have for transitioning and unemployed veterans?

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SrA (Join to see)

Edited >1 y ago

Posted >1 y ago

Often, the amount of information and services available can be quite overwhelming. First things first, find out what the veteran needs - employment, housing, education, etc. You are a network to the veteran you serve. Utilize people you know and organizations that you are affiliated with to help connect the veteran to what he/she needs. Know what's in your community as well as online.

There are so many discussion groups on LinkedIn centered around veterans and the military community. Also, start subscribing to mailing lists that provide veteran services, information and events.

For example, I subscribe to many LinkedIn military-only discussion groups and the California State Veterans Newsletter (CalVet), and I am affiliated with the local veterans organizations in my community such as The Vet Center and the Employment Development Office, Veterans Division as well as the local Dept of Veterans Affairs Health System in LA.

Of course, maximize RallyPoint and connect with other service members and military organizations on here as well so that you can further expand your network and continue to serve other veterans in a larger capacity.

Also, if you know veterans in California, please feel free to refer them to me for assistance, information and resources.

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SrA (Join to see)

>1 y

Dear SPC from Mountain View, there are a couple of links that may be helpful for Guard/Reserve personnel that you may want to refer to for more information on assisting NG/RS:

http://www.benefits.va.gov/guardreserve,

http://www.calguard.ca.gov/

Home

State of California

National Guard and Reserve Home

Benefit info for national guard and reserve members

National Guard and Reserve Home

Benefit info for national guard and reserve members

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1SG (Join to see)

Posted >1 y ago

SGT Elphick,

http://www.facebook.com/Service2School

Try this site a good friend of mine swears by it!

Good luck and thanks for you service!

V/R

1SG Haro

Service 2 School

Our mission is to help every military veteran transitioning to school win admission to the very...

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Elizabeth Malkin

Posted >1 y ago

SGT James Elphick, good for you for taking on your new role. We need many more men and women like you! RallyPoint has started to build out an 'Essential Support' page which you can find here: https://www.rallypoint.com/resources/essential-support

If any of those resources are helpful for you or for others that you work with then please feel free to use them. Similarly, if/ when you come across resources in your job that would be valuable additions to this page for our members then please do let us know!

RallyPoint - The Professional Military Network

Our servicemembers and veterans value their privacy. Please confirm your service on the next page for free, permanent access to your military network.

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SGT James McCue

Posted 10 y ago

I am an unemployed National Guardsmen/recent college graduate.

The problem I learned is that we live in a saturated environment of college graduates. As a vast majority of troops do not possess a degree, I always stress it to my soldiers. A bachelors is the new high school diploma/GED.

However, I do notice a shortage in trades, such as welding. A great lesson I learned from one of my privates is that college is not for everyone, and learning a trade such as welding can lead to great results.

While this my be irrelevant to your situation, this is what I have learned in during my job hunt.

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SPC Michael Gutowski

10 y

My only advice is that if one wants to work one will.

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SrA (Join to see)

10 y

This is true, McCue. I was a vet without a degree for a long time so I understand that many veterans face this dilemma regarding going to school and obtaining a degree and still not be guaranteed a job. On the other hand, the skills trades and vocational training is at a demand right now, I agree. Recently, many solar companies are looking to train and hire veterans here in SoCal, among other trades. My sister will be going to CDL School soon. It's worth looking into.

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PO3 James Ducat

10 y

I find with the amount of people who have attended college since 2004, that the market is overly saturated with college diploma's that mean nothing. A degree means jack if there isnt any experience to back it up. There is a huge hole of skilled labor that do not need a degree. Welders, steel workers, construction skills, these are far and few between from where they were 10 years ago. Even truck drivers, there are so many jobs in the trucking field that if a veteran gets their CDL and has a clean record, they can virtually write their own ticket making anywhere from 50,000 to 100,000 a year.

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SP5 Rod Cross

>1 y

Waste Management, Inc offers a wealth of employment opportunites for qualified personnel tranisitioning from the military. Candidates interested in seeking employment should visit our website at http://www.wmcareers.com. They may also contact Rod Cross at [login to see] .

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PO1 Danilo Banta

Posted 10 y ago

Greetings SGT Elphick,

As veterans, we have a lot of training that makes us favorable entrepreneurs. Discipline, leadership, strategic planning, follow up, and higher risk tolerance are attributes that give us an advantage over the non-veteran demographic. I forgot the actual statistics, but veterans have a high success rate in starting businesses. With todays technology, there are many different opportunities online to make income especially with todays global economy. I'm actually in the process of putting together a blog/resource site for entreprenuers in which I will be providing strategies, tips, and resources on building online businesses. How many would actually be interested if I made a resource site specifically for veterans?

V/rDanilo Q. Banta

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SrA (Join to see)

10 y

Hey Banta, I am interested in this resource site you're putting together. Please let me know when you have it together. I am a budding entrepreneur!

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SSG Maurice Wright MS/MBA

10 y

Marilyn what type businees opportunity are you looking for, I may can help

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PO1 Danilo Banta

10 y

Hi Richards! Haven't been able to put it together yet, but I'm about to launch my virtual assistant and social media marketing site. Feel free to visit if you please. I'm still working on it but it's http://www.cyberdelegate.com. Thanks!

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SP5 Rod Cross

Posted >1 y ago

Waste Management, Inc offers a wealth of employment opportunites for qualified personnel tranisitioning from the military. Candidates interested in seeking employment should visit our website at http://www.wmcareers.com. They may also contact Rod Cross at [login to see] .

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SSG Mike Angelo

Posted 10 y ago

My advice is...While interviewing or counseling veterans, work on a specific life structure, a daily plan, a work plan, or a leisure/fun plan. Vets need structure to stay busy and promote a healthy life style. IMO

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SrA (Join to see)

10 y

I agree. Structure. I have to have structure, or at least organized chaos if you really think about it because of all the bureaucracy you deal with...but that's another discussion...

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TSgt Kevin Buccola

Posted 10 y ago

Need to use all available resources - TAP programs, vaforvets.va.gov, https://www.hireheroesusa.org/; VAcareers.va.gov;

Home

Hire Heroes USA is dedicated to creating job opportunities for veterans and their spouses through military transition training and corporate partnerships.

Home

Hire Heroes USA is dedicated to creating job opportunities for veterans and their spouses through military transition training and corporate partnerships.

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SSG Mike Angelo

Posted 10 y ago

engage in the conversation. Get a library card. Collaborate with neighbors. Meet new acquaintances. Do not isolate yourself, because if you go before a civilian judge, isolation is a red flag for idleness and civilians are goofy about people who have alot of time on their hands and are too quiet.

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