WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE!!!

Yesterday I said that I would talk about at home jobs for veterans, but as those of you who read my blog on a daily basis know, I am prone to shift course depending on what I read or think about throughout my day.  I did share with you about the services that are offered through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014, as well a link to learn more, www.doleta.gov/wioa, and to find your local office.

However, as I was thinking about one of the biggest barriers I had to employment when coming out of the military it had more to do with who I was and how I interacted with others than on actually being able to find a job.  I’ve been out for quite a few years now so I have assimilated somewhat to the life of a civilian.  To this day I still can’t carry my purse on my right shoulder.  I’m so used to keeping that hand free for saluting. JAs I thought about when I first came out of the military I started to remember some of the things that people would say to me regarding my behavior.  Some of the things they noticed were small, such as the way I walk, shoulders straight, some of them were a lot more serious and had a larger impact on my ability to hold onto a job.

I remember one of my first jobs when I came out was working at the American Red Cross in Virginia Beach, VA, as a temporary employee.  I had made friends with a young lady and over the course of time we because quite close.  One day we were out to lunch and she just stopped and looked at me.  I asked her what was wrong and what she said had a profound effect on me.  She looked me in the eyes and asked me, “Why is it that you cuss so much?  You really don’t have to say those types of words to get your point across.”  I was truly dumbfounded.  Having been in the Navy, I literally cussed like a sailor.  It never occurred to me that this type of language was unacceptable because it was pretty much second nature for me to pepper my speech with a few well-placed cuss words.  I’m not going to say that this was the moment I used my last cuss word, but it was the moment that I became more aware of the differences between military and civilian life.  I truly think this was one of the reasons that when the job I was doing became permanent they didn’t offer it to me, even though they all felt that I was doing a great job.

While that may seem a petty reason to some of you, as it has been shown in study after study, being able to fit into the culture of a company is very important.  You either adapt, change the culture, or leave the company.  When I first came to my current company we had an open position that we were interviewing for.  One of the interviewees was an ex-Army guy and the other was not.  After we completed the interviews I wanted to go with the ex-military guy but the other two in the room did not.  They felt that he was too rigid and didn’t have much of a sense of humor or personality, both of which are very important for the job that we were recruiting for.  I tried to explain to them that he was conducting himself in the manner of a disciplined, career soldier.  Unfortunately, I couldn’t get them to change their minds.  They ended up hiring the other guy and firing him after only a couple of months.  Unfortunately, all too often veterans are passed over because of the perception of employers, and those characteristics that are unique to us.   

I came across an organization that is doing great work to help veterans transition into civilian life and gain employment.  Their websites are PatrioticHearts.org and HirePatriots.com.  Please visit them to see if there are any services they offer that may be of assistance to you.

Also, if anything I am saying is helping or hurting you please leave me a comment.  I appreciate all feedback whether it is positive or negative.

As always, thank you for your support.

TTYL- Be blessed.