New Technology and a Man on a Mission Are Helping Vets Get the Careers They Deserve
Around 200,000 veterans come home every year. Most of them are men and women with extraordinary training. For years they've been entrusted with the lives of others, with our security and with millions of dollars in equipment. Return to civilian life is difficult for most. There are many reasons for this, but one of the main obstacles is being tackled by a man on a mission and great new technology.
Austin, TX, June 28, 2017 (Newswire.com) - We love our vets in this country, but how can we go beyond merely expressing our gratitude with words? How can we give back to those who’ve done so much for us?
Around 200,000 veterans come home every year. Most of them are men and women with extraordinary training. For years they have been entrusted with the lives of others, with our security and with millions of dollars in equipment. Their return to civilian life is difficult for most. There are many reasons for this, but one of the main obstacles is being tackled by a man on a mission and great new technology.
"After an initial meeting with the transition office at Fort Hood about the numerous challenges that transitioning soldiers faced as they were leaving the Army, it opened our eyes and was a problem we knew we had to try to fix. In addition to helping the Veterans directly, we are working with hiring companies who see the value in what a Veteran can bring to the table and who are looking to hire them. By building up both the supply (Veterans) and the demand (jobs), we can work to match them together to help get more people hired."
Burton Roberts, CEO
In a Veterans Employment Survey that measures the experiences of post-9/11 veterans, the vast majority, an amazing 98 percent reported at least one service-related challenge in entering or re-entering the civilian workforce. The survey found that finding that first real job as a civilian was the top challenge in transitioning to the civilian world.
Most stories echo the story of Mark Dennis, who served his country in the U.S., Mexico, Germany, Turkey, Greece, Saudi Arabia and Iraq for a total of 18 years.
"My biggest challenge in finding civilian work was trying to figure out what I could do. I didn’t have a college degree at the time and I didn’t have a skilled trade like welding.”
Like most fellow vets, Mark had tremendous skills. Most importantly, he had the training, character and discipline that was worth its weight in gold in civilian life.
"I was always on time, which means at least 5 minutes early. I did what I was told and didn’t give my supervisors any grief. No matter how stressful it got in the office at any of my jobs, I had the attitude that there was no need to worry or stress out because no one was gonna die. I was able to take direction and supervision without becoming defensive. I learned to work long hours and miss holidays with family. I was able to work with all types of people, to be a part of a team in working on projects, without having an ego problem and thinking only of how I can succeed. My thought was ‘how can the company succeed.' I gave credit freely to my subordinates and co-workers if they had done something good or came up with a better idea or plan. If things went south, I was willing to take the blame. That’s what they teach you in the military. I learned how to be a leader.”
Retired four star General Raymond T Odierno, former U.S. Army Chief of Staff, served for 39 years. He now serves as senior advisor at JP Morgan Chase and has valuable insight into both the military and the corporate worlds.
"There are many misconceptions about the military, and we need to look at the bigger picture. For example, when we analyze how being an infantryman could translate into a being high-performing employee in the private sector, we need to look at the tremendous traits that military veterans provide. You have somebody who is physically and mentally strong, who displays moral and ethical courage during the most stressful situations. They have a strong grasp of leadership fundamentals and significant experience leading others. They are able to quickly assess risk and adapt in a variety of situations to include incredibly chaotic and sometimes life and death situations.”
It seems that the loss every single year is not just for the 200,000 vets ( a million over five years) and their spouses. Our nation is missing out on hundreds of thousands of exceptional workers. We’re missing out a national treasure trove of human resources.
Enter Burton Roberts is CEO of Applicants Plus for Veterans. A serial entrepreneur, Roberts is working on his 5th business, although this one is more than a business — a mission to help veterans find the careers they deserve. Before launching Applicants Plus, Burton was the founder of Dream Jobbing, connecting people with unique and inspiring job experiences. He also created Around The World Productions, an award- winning creator of interactive multiplatform content. Burton has also hosted a variety of TV shows and created the Yacht Channel, one of the first HD channels dedicated to the world of yachting.
"After an initial meeting with the transition office at Fort Hood about the numerous challenges that transitioning soldiers faced as they were leaving the Army, it opened our eyes and was a problem we knew we had to try to fix. In addition to helping the Veterans directly, we are working with hiring companies who see the value in what a Veteran can bring to the table and who are looking to hire them. By building up both the supply (Veterans) and the demand (jobs), we can work to match them together to help get more people hired.”
With Applicants Plus for Veterans, Burton Roberts is combining the power of media and hi-tech in a platform to help bridge the “lost in translation” gap between vets and employers. Job applicants use a Career Guide for Vets, a proprietary technology that doesn’t require vets to explain how the military job might translate in the civilian world. The technology also allows companies to clearly see the candidates skills, personalities and work culture preferences. The science behind the Applicant Plus technology dramatically decreases turnover and financial losses incurred by companies through ineffective hiring practices while increasing both revenue and team effectiveness.
Roberts is on a mission to get thousands of veterans the jobs they deserve with the help of Corporations, other Vet organizations and great technology.
“As a proud American I cannot be more thankful for those who serve. I see this as my chance to give back and say thank you.”
Submitted by Third Drive, www.3rddrive.com
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