Face to Face Job Searching Techniques for Veterans

By Ginny Estupinian

 

Mostly everyone will agree that in this day and age you have to stand out in order to be noticed. Nothing is closer to the truth than when you are searching for a job. This is one problem that many people experience when they mail or email in their resume. It shows up with a ton of other applicants, and the person that is reviewing them always has a hard time trying to decide which ones to call in for an interview. That is why at times showing up to a potential employer may be your best bet to finding a job.

 

In reviewing a lot of information about job searching it appears that most experts agree that you have a better chance of landing a job by simply going to a prospective employer with your resume and talking to them.  You might remember that in my previous article I discussed the importance of having your “elevator speech” perfected before you talk to anyone about a job. Well, this is one of those times that being prepared will make a difference.  That being said, you do not want to simply show up, hand your resume to a prospective employer, and spew out your speech. Instead begin by introducing yourself and ask a question. A simple question could be, “Do you have any job openings at this company”? Or “do you have a need for someone who can _____ (put in what you can do for the company)”? Next, when the prospective employer asks what you do, you can then give them your prepared speech. The point is that you need to be prepared because the vast majority of applicants are not prepared. They simply will either email or snail mail their resume in hopes that someone will pick their resume up and call them for an interview. If you want to take control of the process then it will be necessary for you to differentiate yourself from the pack enough so that you are the one that peaks their curiosity. In subsequent writings I will cover a few ideas on how you can be further prepare for that initial meeting.

Ecstasy Used to Help Veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

By Ginny Estupinian

 

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD, is one of the most debilitating mental conditions that war veterans often experience. As the latest information from the Veterans Administration continues to show, untreated veterans suffering from PTSD have committed suicide.  A new study called the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) is a new drug approach to treating PTSD. The study will use the drug commonly referred to as ecstasy as a way to help patients work through their crippling traumas. According to MAPS, the protocol has shown some previous positive results in helping people deal with anxiety related problems. Of course there is a significant amount of controversy surrounding the use of this drug due to its popularity as a recreational and illegal substance. However, as some researchers have stated, when it comes to medical research and finding solutions for people who suffer from PTSD, we have to be able to distinguish drug policy from medical treatment.

 

It is fantastic that research is being conducted that addresses the need to help veterans with PTSD and potentially reduce the growing suicide rate among veterans. It is important to note that the use of medication alone is not sufficient enough to help veterans integrate trauma into their normal lives. The research being conducted highlights the need to combine medication with psychotherapy such as cognitive behavioral therapy.

New State Laws Are Enacted to Protect the Jobs of Veterans

By Ginny Estupinian

 

Iowa announced last week that it has a new law on the books that provides guarantees veterans will have their job back at the same rate of pay when they return from their service. The reason that this state law is important is that it allows the attorney general of the state of Iowa to step in at a local level thus providing for a more effective and timely response.  The problem is a serious one because in the past veterans have found that at times when they returned to work their jobs were often taken and although they might be offered a different job it was at a lower rate of pay. Having to go through a federal agency to get your job back is not only cumbersome but it may take a long time. However, the statistics show that many employers do live up to their responsibility of preserving a job for their employees that serve in the arm forces, but there are always a handful that try to take advantage. This new law will continue to provide safeguards for those that serve in our arm forces.  

How Veterans Can Use Networking To Get Civilian Jobs

By Ginny Estupinian

 

Last week the Department of Veterans affairs produced a report that showed that veterans who had been discharged from active duty since 1990 were facing difficulties obtaining civilian jobs. 18 percent of the veterans who had been discharged within the last one to three years were now unemployed. Furthermore, the report pointed out that one out of four veterans who did find jobs earned less than $21,840 a year. One reason that was cited for these numbers is the lack of civilian networks and mentors to help these veterans understand how to get along in the civilian workforce.

 

If you take into account all the advice on finding work, and read most of the top books on the subject, there is one thing that keeps being brought out time and time again. That is that networking is the best way to find work. Yet, very few people know how to properly network. Often, folks think that networking is only for professionals and business people. The fact is that networking is for anyone that is seeking to connect and share information with others.  One way to begin to network is by making a list of all the people that you know. Make sure that this list includes everyone that you know such as doctors, dentists, ministers, school teachers and principals to name a few. Think about people that you know that are influential and know a lot of other people.  Next to each name put down what they do and who they would know. At times we all leave out people that could help us simply because we have not taken the time to sit down and write the names and numbers. We try to do this all in our heads and miss some great opportunities in the process.

 

Next think about what you are looking for and be very concise. Telling someone that you are just looking for a job is too vague. You need to make it very easy for the person that you are going to talk to be able to help you. You need to be as specific as possible. What type of work are you looking for? Where are you looking to work? Are you willing to relocate?  As you can see, in some cases the process begins by knowing what you want first before asking others to help you.

 

Sales people often refer to this concise statement as the “elevator speech”. In other words what could you say to someone that would tell them what you do in the time it takes for an elevator to close the doors and move up one level?  Just imagine how effective your communication will be when you get a hold of someone on the phone (or in person), and you simply and effectively tell them what is you are looking for in the way of a job. By taking the time to develop your statement you will be making it easy for your contact to either help you or refer you to a person that can help you move closer to the job you are looking for. There are many more techniques available and I will try to cover them in subsequent postings.

Early Intervention Program Helps Prevent Suicide Deaths in Veterans

Ginny Estupinian

The Associated Press announced on February 11, 2008 that the state of Massachusetts has launched a new suicide prevention program directed to helping save the lives of veterans.  Many of you might have read some recent reports showing that Veterans who are dealing with post traumatic stress disorder are prone to suicide and the lack of sufficent resources to help these veterans. The new program called “SAVE” for Statewide Advocacy for Veterans Empowerment is designed to reach out to veterans and their families and discuss the benefits and services that are available.  In many states there are established programs to help veterans, but a common problem is the lack of awareness by those needing the services the most. The fact that the state of Massachusetts is investing in this out reach program is commendable and I sincerely hope that it will make a difference encouraging other states to follow their lead.

The Challenges of Making the Transition from Military Education to Civilian Education.

Ginny Estupinian

 

As most people will tell you nothing teaches you more than real world experience. Although you could spend hours reading, and even practicing in laboratories, nothing compares to doing the work in real time under real conditions. This is why the military often highlights the educational advantages of their training, and why they feel that this training should be counted as valid credits to earning a university degree. The harsh reality is that many of the thousands of veterans who attend college after tours of duty are being denied credit for the military courses and skill training that they received. This is occurring despite actions by the armed forces to obtain accreditation through the American Council on Education. While colleges regularly recognize the military transcripts they are not bound to honor the amount of credit that these transcripts claim. In a lot of cases many universities and colleges are not accepting any of the training as valid credit towards a degree. The result is that students are forced to take more courses than they had planned for and this involves extra time and money.

The denial of any credit by these colleges is simply an elitist prospective. The hypocrisy is that almost all schools provide college credit for independent study and internship or cooperative learning experiences.  When you examine the type of training and experience that military personnel receive; it is at least as educational as any independent study program and at most it is superior to what can be learned within the sanctum of the university system. In some cases these returning veterans have had to learn the task and apply the information in life and death situations. Just taking an incomplete or receiving a failing grade was not an option. Then you consider that most of the world envies the training and sophistication that our military has and provides to its personnel. To say that none of this training is worth at least some college credit is simply ludicrous. Obviously, not everything that a service person does while in the military should count as credit, but there should be a lot more counting towards a degree than is currently being honored.

So what can you do now before any real changes take place to remedy the situation between these two camps? Well, a lot of veterans are seeking out those colleges that are “military friendly” in order to maximize their credits. One such college is Hodges University. This school is actually involved in a veteran recruitment blitz.  They are not only recognizing a lot of the training but they are actively seeking ways to help veterans get the financial aid to attend the school. Hodges does this through a series of fund raisers and by developing their endowment.  

The important thing to remember is that there are ways to obtain the degree despite the challenges that are sometimes in front of us. Finding the path of least resistance is one way to move ahead and there are schools like Hodges University that are willing to help today. This does not mean that we just forget these problems but that we continue to push for the changes while moving ahead ourselves.

Is Mental Health Part of Veterans’ Health Care benefits?

By Ginny Estupinian

On February 5th the San Francisco Chronicle reported on a lawsuit that is pending in federal court wherein an advocacy group is fighting to help get veterans mental health coverage. The Justice Department is defending the suit based on their position that “the federal law providing five years of care for veterans from the date of discharge establishes verterans’ eligibility for health care , but it does not create an entitlement to any particular medical service”.  One of the most startling comments was a statement made by the veterans group stating that there was a backlog of more than 600,000 disability claims and that 120 veterans a week commit suicide. The article alluded to the fact that a majority of these cases were due to the fact that mental health usually takes the backseat to general medical services. However, the article did state that the Veterans Administration had hired nearly 3800 mental health professional in the last two years and had placed at least one specialist in post traumatic stress disorder at each of its medical centers. It is true that when we see cutbacks in the health arena it is usually programs such as mental health that are cut first. One of the reasons is that generally, unlike physical injuries that are highly visible, mental damage is hidden and at times it takes a train specialist to understand the gravity of issues that surface. Often what appears as nothing to a layperson can be a sign of significant underlying problems to a trained mental health professional. The problem is not only being able to provide these services to veterans but also finding those that need help and educating them on what options they have to deal with their conditions.  It is reasonable to conclude that the Justice Department is fighting this case simply on the grounds of money. In the end it will cost more money to provide these services in the amount that is needed for these veterans. I feel that it is money well spent.

New Training Program for Emergency Services Helps Vets’ Dealing with PTSD

Ginny Estupinian

I am very happy to read a report by the Associated Press that in Holyoke Massachusetts, police and emergency support personnel, are being trained to identify when erratic or defiant behavior maybe a result of untreated trauma. The trauma that I am speaking about here stems from lingering survival instincts or hidden brain injuries that our veterans experience after serving in a combat zone. Unless people have had the opportunity to be properly trained to understand and identify post-traumatic stress disorder, they do not fully understand what these returning veterans are dealing with.  The last thing we as a people should do is have the criminal justice system deal with the problem. The studies done on this subject clearly show that this is a mental health issue not a criminal issue. In fact the American Psychiatric Association in 1980 pointed out that they began to recognize the connection between conflicts with police and post-traumatic stress disorder. Until now only mental health professionals were the ones to receive this training, but as of today, it appears that some officials in Massachusetts have taken the first steps to begin to address the situation properly. Let’s hope that this trend will continue and other agencies around the country will follow in course.

Mileage reimbursements are increased starting Feb 1 2008

The St Cloud Times of Minnesota as well as other newspapers are reporting that veterans who drive to VA medical centers for care will see an increase in their mileage reimbursements starting Feb 1, 2008. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs reimburses veterans for their travel to obtain treatment at medical centers across the county. The department’s old reimbursement rate of 11 cents per mile, was set back in 1977 when the average price of gas was only 60 cents per gallon.  The rate will now be 28.5 cents per mile.  Ginny Estupinian