Industry Spotlight: High-Tech

The high-tech industry requires a technologically savvy workforce that adapts quickly, and what group is more adaptable than veterans? Veterans comprise a state-of-the-art workforce with technological training in building, installing, and maintaining complex technology, as well as on the most advanced computer systems available, all in a fast-paced, demanding environment. This expertise coupled with veterans’ inherent strong values, leadership, innovation, and commitment, make veterans an outstanding source for technological talent.

Johnson Controls, an automotive, building, and power technology company, employs many veterans. In fact, they ranked 6th on the 2010 G.I. Jobs Military Friendly Employers list. According to Darryll Fortune, Director of Global PR, there are plans to increase their workforce from 140,000 to about 200,000 over the next three to four years. Fortune states that they plan to hire veterans for many of these new positions.

Varian Medical Systems, an electrotherapeutics company, also recognizes the value of veterans in their industry. Eric Bodtker, Staffing Manager, says, “The military gives vets responsibility for lives and expensive equipment.” With previous responsibility like that, veterans are well-suited for the demands of this industry.

Another example of how veterans excel in this industry can be found among the ranks at Applied Materials, ranked 20th on the list of military-friendly companies. Rudy Soto, Engineering Manager, credits his eight years in the Marines for his success in the high-tech industry. “Veterans understand leadership and teamwork…I’ve been out of the Marine Corps for 15 years, and I still use the troop leading steps [from the military] on a daily basis,” Soto explains.

Evidence of the prosperous nature of this industry can be found in virtually every home and office throughout the world. Our increasingly technological world demands a workforce ready to adapt to any challenge and bring innovation and new ideas. Veterans represent exactly that type of workforce.

Ten Tips for Hiring the Right Candidate with Skills for the New Economy

In today's constantly changing workplace, you need to ask the right questions to learn if a potential employee has the attributes you need to grow under potentially volatile business conditions.

Desirable candidates must be flexible and eager learners in order to adapt to the constant reorganizing, fragmenting and reconceptualization in today’s business world.

Here are some questions you should seek to answer of potential new hires:

1. Is the candidate highly adaptive? The capacity to take on new roles and adopt new ways of thinking is critical with a bumpy economy.

2. Do they ask great questions? This tells you a lot about how a candidate thinks and if they will be able to see and solve problems in the market as they occur.

3. Are they voraciously curious? An employee who is curious and a great learner is the key to breakthrough thinking.

4. Can they see patterns in disparate information? This ability needs to be something you look for in each potential hire.

5. Are they team players? Search for candidates who know that their thinking and creativity is improved by collaboration and team efforts.

6. Are they good resource managers? As the world downsizes, knowing how to make the most out of less is a critical new skill.

7. Are they enthusiastic about people and relationships? Enthusiastic people create positive feelings and produce productive energy for their projects and initiatives. The positive impact they have on others is essential in today’s business world.

8. Can they admit to mistakes? Great learners make a lot of mistakes but are always able to take away important lessons from them. Take it as a warning sign if they can’t easily describe their past errors.

9. Do they see learning as pleasure? Great candidates are eager and rapid learners.

10. Is this the kind of learner you want on your team? Remember, you are hiring the person, not their skills. No candidate is perfectly qualified for the position. Look at the actual person in front of you. Are they someone you would want on your team during a business crisis or downsizing?

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Fortune 500 Companies Find Value in Veterans

Just about everyone is familiar with the Fortune 500, the annual ranking of top American companies in terms of gross revenue. What you may not be familiar with is the role that veterans play in companies at the top of the list.

Coming in at #1, the most profitable company last year was ExxonMobil. Up from the number two spot with profits in excess of $45 billion, Exxon has actively sought to hire veterans to fill a wide range of positions ranging from Machinists and Maintenance Mechanics, to Foremen and Supervisors, to Engineers and Project Managers.

Second on the list is the retail chain Wal-Mart. Although down from their previous number one spot, they still managed to rake in more than $13 billion in profit last year. Wal-Mart places great importance on hiring veterans. Steve Ruggiero, a combat veteran, became a Developmental Store Co-Manager with Wal-Mart after serving for six years as an Army officer where he was Company Commander and an Instructor. And, although this former Army officer had not considered working in retail before discovering the Wal-Mart opportunity, the job description certainly met all of the criteria he was looking for in a new career.

“I am in a strong management role, there is plenty of opportunity for upward mobility, the company is strong and has a great culture, the compensation is great, and I am working in my location of choice,” explains Ruggiero. Ruggiero is one of many veterans that Wal-Mart has utilized to fill Store Manager positions throughout the country.


Up from number five, ConocoPhillips ranked as number four this year. As a Commander in the Navy, George Rissky, found that his new position as a Standardization Engineer “draws upon all the skills I developed in the Navy, particularly my leadership and coordination of functional teams, as well as my analytical and engineering background.” Rissky’s nine years of leadership experience in the Navy where he served as an Executive Officer, Director of Effects and Analysis, and Director of Warfare Requirements made him an excellent fit for the ConocoPhillips position he currently holds.


Rissky is pleased with his new career and sees great potential for growth with Conoco. “The position is exactly what I was looking for – an exciting opportunity to get in on the ground floor of a company that offers me challenging work with growth opportunities for the future. This job is one where my abilities will be appreciated and have an immediate, positive impact,” says Rissky.


Rounding out the top five is General Electric. Posting profits in excess of $17 billion, GE frequently looks to veterans for quality employees. One such success story is Navy Petty Officer First Class Joseph Palmer who now works for GE Energy. Palmer believes that his position as a Field Engineer for electrical distribution systems is exactly what he was looking for, and is a direct translation of his military experience into a civilian job. While in the Navy, Palmer served as an Electrical Assistant, Performance Monitoring Team Pearl Harbor, and as an Electrical Division Team Member on the USS Ohio Submarine.

General Electric is so dedicated to the hiring of veterans that they have created the Junior Officer Leadership Program (JOLP). In this program, veterans perform three eight-month rotations in several different business areas in GE Infrastructure's Energy, Aviation, and Oil & Gas teams. GE offers this program to veterans with a technical degree, a highly competitive undergraduate grade point average, broad responsibility and leadership experiences and at least four years of commissioned service. These veterans start their careers in a two-year cross-functional rotational training program, which includes both on-the-job and formal classroom training.


More and more veterans are making the transition from military leadership to corporate leadership, enabling change and growth at America's top companies and throughout the nation. Click here to read more about the Fortune 500.

The History of Veterans Day

Veterans Day gives Americans the opportunity to say thank you to all active duty military personnel and veterans who have selflessly served our country.

However, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs, many Americans confuse Veterans Day with Memorial Day, and aren't sure about the difference between them.

Here is a brief history of Veterans Day, found at military.com:

Veterans Day, formerly known as Armistice Day, was originally set as a U.S.
legal holiday to honor the end of World War I, which officially took place on
November 11, 1918. In legislation that was passed in 1938, November 11 was
"dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be hereafter celebrated and known
as 'Armistice Day.'" As such, this new legal holiday honored World War I
veterans.

In 1954, after having been through both World War II and the Korean
War, the 83rd U.S. Congress -- at the urging of the veterans service
organizations -- amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word "Armistice"
and inserting the word "Veterans." With the approval of this legislation on June
1, 1954, Nov. 11 became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.

In 1968, the Uniforms Holiday Bill ensured three-day weekends for federal employees by celebrating four national holidays on Mondays: Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Columbus Day. Under this bill, Veterans Day was moved to the last Monday of October. Many states did not agree with this decision and continued to celebrate the holiday on its original date. The first Veterans Day
under the new law was observed with much confusion on Oct. 25, 1971.

Finally on September 20, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed a law which returned the annual observance of Veterans Day to its original date of Nov. 11, beginning in 1978. Since then, the Veterans Day holiday has been observed on Nov. 11.

Hire a Hero, Hire a Vet would like to express our thanks to all veterans for your service to our country. Your bravery and sacrifice is greatly appreciated!!

Thank a Veteran on Veteran's Day

Have you thought of how to best say “thank you” to the veterans in your organization tomorrow?

Here are just a few ideas:

● Honor your veterans with an informal morning get-together with coffee and donuts, and invite someone to say a few words of thanks.

● Send an email to your entire staff recognizing Veterans Day and thanking the veterans in your workplace. Don’t forget to include veterans who are family members of your employees, as well.

● Simply shake a veteran's hand, and say, "Thank you."

What will you do to thank the Veterans in your organization on Veteran's Day?

Veterans Day Freebies and Discounts

Many businesses and retailers take the opportunity to recognize Veterans with Veterans Day discounts and giveaways. Here is a list of freebies and discounts we're currently aware of, to share with the veterans in your organization.

Restaurants

Wednesday, November 11: Applebee's - Veterans and Active Duty Military Eat Free
Veterans will need proof of Military Service, which includes ID cards, an LES, veteran organization card, photo in uniform, wearing uniform, DD214, or citation or commendation.
There is a limited free menu. For more info: http://www.applebees.com/vetsDay/default.aspx


Wednesday, November 11: Uno Chicago Grill - Free entree or individual pizza with the purchase of an entree or pizza of equal or greater value.
Veterans or active Military can either come in uniform, bring a picture of themselves in uniform, or with a Military or veteran's ID. For more info: http://www.unos.com/vet1.html


Monday, November 16: Golden Corral - Military Appreciation Monday Free "Thank You" Dinner from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
No identification is required. For more info: http://www.goldencorral.com/military/



Amusement Parks

November 6 - 11: Colonial Williamsburg - Free Admission for Veterans
Free admission passes will be issued to active duty military, guard and reservists, retirees, veterans, and their dependent. The service member does not need to be present, and free passes will be provided to immediate family members of currently deployed troops with appropriate identification.
Veterans will need to bring a copy of honorable discharge paperwork as identification of service.
On Veterans Day, a military parade honoring America's veterans will be held at 4:30 p.m. and will begin at the Capitol.
These tickets are available only at Colonial Williamsburg on-site ticket sales windows. For more info: http://williamsburgsrealestate.com/2009/10/12/veterans-day-209-in-colonial-williamsburg-free-admission-for-military/


November 1 - 26: Knott's Berry Farm - Veteran's Promotion, Free Admission
Free park admission for service member and a guest. Up to six additional tickets can be purchased for $15 each. Military ID or DD214 required for discount. For more info: http://www.knotts.com/public/admission/prices/deals.cfm


Retail

November 6 - 11: Lowe's - 10% discount for veterans and their immediate family members
The discount is available on in-stock and special order purchases up to $5,000. Veterans will need to present a valid military ID or other proof of service. Excluded from the discount are sales via Lowes.com, previous sales, and purchases of services or gift cards.

November 6 - 12: Home Depot - 10% discount for veterans and their immediate family members
The offer is valid on purchases of up to $2,000 for a maximum of $200 at The Home Depot stores, The Home Depot Design Center locations, Yardbirds, and EXPO Design Center(R) locations.

Wednesday, November 11: Dollar General - 10% discount for all veterans, active duty military, National Guard and Reserve, and their immediate families
The Dollar General Veterans Day coupon can be found in the Nov. 1 Dollar General advertising circular in stores or by asking a Dollar General sales associate for the coupon.


Please note: This is not an endorsement for any of these businesses and or their products. Hire a Hero, Hire a Vet does not benefit in any way should you or your employees choose to take advantage of them. We simply wanted to make it easier for you to help recognize the Veterans in your organiation!

Are you aware of any others? Please comment and let us know so we can keep adding to the list!