Military Transition: Your Next Assignment

What you don’t do in the military: write resumes, interview for a job (normally), and you never negotiate salary and compensation. What you will do during your transition is write resumes, interview for a job and negotiate salary and compensation.

Can you imagine negotiating compensation for your next tour of duty? “Ma’am I am really interested in your offer but can you arrange for me to telecommute on Fridays and get me a free membership at the country club?” And that is not the only hurdle you may have to overcome…some employers have a few ill-perceived notions about you and the military:

• You are rigid
• You don’t understand profit and loss
•  You have had unlimited resources
•  Leading is easy because you just give orders

These misled perceptions can create barriers, but a well prepared and focused resume will dispel all of these notions and set you up for success.

In the latest installment of the eMajor College to Career Webinar Series Randy Blackmon, retired U.S. Navy Captain and eCore/eMajor Senior Enrollment Manager, discusses this and other tips to help military members transition to the civilian workforce.

Non-Traditional is the New Traditional

Cathy is a 56 year old grandmother of 8
and is completing her degree online through
USG eCore at Dalton State College.

Asked to picture a college student who makes up the majority population attending classes and most would describe that person as being "fresh-out-of-high-school" or in the 18-22 year old range. Perhaps up until the year 2000, that picture was (mostly) accurate. But these days, college students are older and have either not attended college or are returning after an absence. The nontraditional student now makes up 73% of all students enrolled in undergraduate programs.

The broad definition of an adult learner or "non-traditional" student is anyone who is 25 years old or older. But age is just one of the descriptors that captures an ever expanding group (some 8.4 million) of adult students who often have family and work responsibilities as well as other life circumstances that have interfered with their educational goals. 





Those who fall into the nontraditional learner category meet at least one of the following common characteristics: They

• have delayed enrollment into post-secondary education
• attend part time
• are financially independent of parents 
• work full time while enrolled
• have dependents other than a spouse
• are a single parent
• have a G.E.D. or High School Equivalency certificate  

Why the growth in nontraditional student population? Many professionals realize that career growth, higher earnings and the chance to maximize their potential are either slowed or are non-existent without at college degree. 

Given that so many adults are furthering their education, the importance of the University System of Georgia's efforts to provide quality, flexible opportunities—such as distance learning, accelerated course formats, and prior learning assessment (PLA)—is profound. These programs are increasingly commonplace today, allowing for greater access and completion rates. In fact, the Lumina Foundation found that the number one factor contributing to an adult learner's persistence and achievement in Higher Education is the availability of online courses and resources.

What does this mean for those out there considering starting or returning to college later in life? It means you are not alone - you are actually in the majority right now! So brush off that thinking cap of yours and join the 8.4 million other adults who are advancing taking charge of their futures through higher education. 

Need help getting started? Georgia has a great resource for adults returning to school called Go Back. Move Ahead. Here, you can browse all of the adult-friendly programs in Georgia, and get in contact with a representative that can help you navigate the enrollment process. 

                                                    

How to Master the 3 Stages of Interviewing

Dress appropriately for the interview. 

Much information is available regarding interviewing and how to be a top notch interview candidate, but one must avail toneself of the most relevant information. Knowing the phases of the interview process and some key strategies will help you better prepare and will ultimately put you on the "short" list with potential employers. Seems simple, but you have to be diligent with all 3 phases of interviewing (before, during and after).





Before:
Preparation is twofold. Thoroughly research the organization, specific department, and the job role. This requires significant time and energy. At the same time, you will be doing some self-reflection to determine if this is a proper fit for you. Prepping the resume for EACH  job that you apply to will help you define and determine your skill sets to see where you may be lacking for the industry or job, and can also help you appropriately articulate your strengths. You know your resume is done well if you get called for an interview. You should spend ample time reviewing interview questions so that you are comfortable with how to "sell yourself."

During:
Ask yourself if you "look the part," during the interview. Are you equipped with Skype, conference calling, or other possible mode of connection with the interviewer if that is part of the process?  Have you paid special attention to proper grooming, hygiene, dress and manners for the face to face interview? Are you leaving a positive impression on everyone you have encountered in the process, including the administrative assistant who checked you in?

After:
After-the-interview practices can carry you over the top as a candidate and can, in some cases, salvage a poor or botched interview experience.  The same day that you have a phone or face to face interview - sit down and pen a hand-written thank you. Purchasing a box of 10 generic thank you cards at the Dollar Store to have on hand for all professional encounters will demonstrate proper etiquette and gratitude for time each person spent with you. The thank you should be sincere and mention specific talking points discussed during your call or face to face meeting. With a quick website search - you can locate the correct spelling of the persons' names with whom you spoke, their titles, and a mailing address.  An email can also be sent and is absolutely better than no acknowledgement at all.

For more detail on these and other interviewing tips click here to view the 15 minute archived webinar. The internet is full of great material that covers all aspects of the phases of the interview process. Plus, be sure to check in with your home institution's Career Services Department for direct assistance with resume assistance, interviewing practice, employer networking opportunities and career fair information.

Success can be yours! "Success is where preparation and opportunity meet." Bobby Unser

Get the Job you Want! Four Steps to Using LinkedIn in your Job Search

If you are currently, or soon-to-be in the market for a new job, then you have probably heard the saying – it’s all about networking. Employers today receive stacks and stacks of resumes for open positions, making it harder and harder to stand out as an applicant.  Sure, you may have impressive work experience and a killer cover letter, but odds are that there is at least one applicant in that stack who already has name recognition within the company – and that person is much more likely to get an interview. When searching for a job – it’s all about who you know. If you don’t know the right people, and the right people don’t know you – then you need to change that. The way to do that is through networking.

Ten years ago, networking had a completely different meaning than it does today. Sure, joining and being active in professional groups is great, but today we have a much more powerful professional networking tool right at our fingertips – LinkedIn. To a beginner, LinkedIn can be a bit overwhelming. You may have already created an account, even added “connections,” but are still unclear about how this platform can actually help you get a job. The key is – you have to be strategic in your approach. Here is my four-step process to effectively using LinkedIn in a job search.

Step 1: Start with a complete, professional profile.

This is NOT the first impression you want to
give employers on LinkedIn.

First things first – you have to have a complete profile to be taken seriously on LinkedIn. Think of your profile as your digital resume – it is the first impression you are giving to potential employers, and it should reflect your PROFESSIONAL brand. Just like your real resume, you don’t want to leave the crucial parts empty. The main components of the LinkedIn Profile are:

•  Profile Photo: Starting at the top, you need a professional – looking photo of just you. Again, this is not the appropriate place to use your St. Patrick’s Day photo, or a photo of you and your kids. Remember – you are branding yourself professionally. The photo should be high resolution, and in a professional setting.
• Contact Information: Some people are hesitant to post contact information on social networks. But, if you are trying to appeal to potential employers, you want them to be able to contact you if they see something they like. Even if you only share an email address, you should have something here. Another great tip – you can customize your profile’s URL so that it is easier to share in job applications. Once you get your profile completed, you are going to want to share it as much as possible!
• Employment History and Education – You can use the same information from your resume here. Several Companies and Universities have LinkedIn Pages, so link to those in your profile so that the logos will show up, and other employees/alumni will then be included in your “network.”
• Recommendations – This a way to enhance your resume by asking coworkers and supervisors in previous positions to write a recommendation specifically related to your work at that company.
• Optional Areas: You can also add areas for volunteering, projects you’ve worked on, certifications, specific interests you have, and many other things.

Step 2: Build your Network through Groups

Once you have your profile completed, it’s time to start building your network. You’ve already done some networking by connecting with others at companies you’ve worked at and schools you’ve attended. Another great way to extend your network is by joining groups. You want to join groups that are relevant to you both by your background and your professional interests – so if you are seeking a job in Human Resources, look for HR industry related groups to join. This will help you to stay in the know in that industry, and will also extend your network to include people already working in the field. Also, if there is a specific company you want to work for, look for groups related to them that you can join.

Step 3: Join the Conversation

You have an awesome profile, have joined very relevant groups, and have 300+ connects. You’re done, right? Wrong! Just like a physical networking group, if you sit in the corner and don’t speak to anyone – you will not be noticed or taken seriously. You have to be active and participate in conversations. A good way to do this is to subscribe to different “channels” through LinkedIn Pulse, which will funnel articles and blog posts to your news feed. You can then comment and share as appropriate. You can also subscribe to companies of interest, who often post news and updates to LinkedIn, that you can then interact with.

To subscribe to channels: Interests – then Pulse. Discover, will show you recommended people and channels to follow. Stories will show in your news feed, making it easy to comment, like, and share. This will position you to your connections as knowledgeable within the industry. Plus, it will actually help you to become more knowledgeable about current events and topics within your fields of interest.

Step 4: Find and Utilize Meaningful Connections within your Network

When you go to any networking event, you should go with a goal in mind – “I want to meet someone that works at XYZ company,” or “I want to introduce myself to someone working in XYZ industry.” The same is true on LinkedIn. Think about – where you want to work, what type of profession you are seeking, then we’re going to see who in your network has an “in” and can help you get there. To do this, we’re going to use the University Pages, and Advanced Search.

•     University Pages: The great thing about established colleges and universities is that you are automatically adopted into a vast network of students and alumni who are quite often willing to help fellow alum get a “foot in the door.” LinkedIn does a great job of helping these networks to connect digitally through their “Youniversity” section. To find yours, go to Interests – Education. Here you can search people connected with your school and look at them by industry, location, company, and in several different ways. If you have a connection to a company you’re interested in – reach out to that person!

•       Advanced Search: This feature searches for people within and connected to your network, so it is important that you have  already made those connections through groups and companies. The advanced search option givse you the ability to search your network by current and previous company, among many other things. Results will either be 1^st connections, 2^nd, or 3^rd connections, or by a group you have in common.  If a prominent 2^nd or 3^rd connection shows up – Click “shared connections” to see who you know that can introduce you to that person. REMEMBER – If you click on someone’s name and actually view their profile, they will see that you looked at them. So just be aware of that before you click onto a profile.

So now you have it, 4 steps to finding your “in” through LinkedIn. You can view our previously recorded webinar at the link below for a walk-through of LinkedIn and how to specifically access some of the functions mentioned above.

I hope you found this helpful, and I encourage you to log on, buff up your profile, and start networking!

Access a walk-through of these 4 easy steps here. 

Jessica Blakemore

Associate Director of Marketing for Collaborative Programs
jblakemo@westga.edu 

Awesome eMajor Student: Meet Zebedee Lawton

What is your occupation? I am an IT professional for Valdosta State University.

What is your college major? Finance & Office Administration and Technology.

Why did you choose this major? I chose this major because of my interest level in the Financial Field, which has been instilled since I was a teen. The technology part I started working on for Valdosta State 2 years ago and the experience has been purely golden. I love computers now.

What career path do you want to take upon graduation? Project Management, Financial Analyst or Software design.

Why eMajor? eMajor is convenient to double majors, and it gives the student the option take another class while working. It also gives students such flexible times the student can take those classes that are not offered at night or around their work schedule.

Who is the biggest inspiration for your education? My 6th grade math teacher Mr.Brown.

What is something cool you've learned this semester in eMajor? My peers are all over the States and that is truly amazing!

What three words would you use to describe one of your online instructors? instructor, understanding, equal

Where is your favorite place to visit in the USA? New York, New York

What kind of mood are you in right now, and why? Energetic, Because I am working on scholarship entries.

Your favorite study spot? Bathroom!

What is something your online classmates don't know about you? I listen to classical music.