RSSIssue 7:12, Friday, December 1, 2006
www.vetjobs.com
The Veteran Eagle is a newsletter for veterans, transitioning military, their family members and friends and supporters of VetJobs.
VetJobs is exclusively sponsored and partially owned by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. VetJobs is the only job board endorsed by the Vietnam Veterans of America.
This month’s Veteran Eagle is sponsored by: BNSF and TECHEXPO
Contents:
1. Message from the Top
2. VetJobs Recommends
3. WEDDLE’s Survey
4. Career Call on Radio Sandy Springs
5. Toys for Tots
6. Heritage Foundation Finds Military Better Educated
7. New College Graduates See Higher Starting Salary Offers
8. A Program to Support Women Vets in Transition
9. Military Related Job Fairs for December
10. National Guard and Reserve Mobilized as of November 15, 2006
11. Significant Events this Month in Military History
HAVE YOU REFRESHED YOUR RESUME SO EMPLOYER KNOW YOU ARE AVAILABLE? With a tight labor market, most employers will not look at a resume over 30 days old. You need to refresh your resume at least every two weeks!
Thank you for reading this VetJobs Veteran Eagle newsletter. If you like the newsletter and what VetJobs, the VFW and VVA do to assist veterans and their family member find employment, please go to www.weddles.com/jobpoll.cfm and vote VetJobs for the WEDDLE’s User’s Choice Award!
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1. Message from the Top
VetJobs is now in its eighth year of service to veterans and their family members! Over the last seven years VetJobs has been able to assist tens of thousands of veterans find a job with thousands of employers who have used VetJobs! The renewal rate by employers remains well above the industry average and more employers are joining the site every month. Importantly, VetJobs has been voted to the WEDDLE’s User’s Choice Award, the only military related site to be voted to this pinnacle of success three years in a row! The WEDDLE’s award marks VetJobs as one of the top job sites on the Internet! We appreciate your using VetJobs to assist you in your career and find employment!
December 7 is National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. Let us never forget that 65 years ago Japanese planes attacked the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor and Hickim Air Field, killing more than 2,300 Americans. The following day President Franklin Roosevelt, addressing a joint session of Congress, called December 7, 1941, “a date which will live in infamy.” Declaring war against Japan, Congress ushered the United States into World War II and we as a country abandoned isolationism. Our parents and grandparents became the “greatest generation” for liberating the world from the threat of Nazi domination. Today our youth defend us from a new threat of tyranny from Islamic religious zealots whose sole goal is world domination by their fanatical religious beliefs. Keep our military that fight for our freedoms in your prayers this holiday season.
On December 13 we celebrate the 370th birthday of the National Guard! The National Guard traces its origin to an event in 1636 when the first muster of three militia regiments took place in Salem, MA. The National Guard is an integral part of today’s military and is active in nearly 100 countries around the world. The National Guard has been called up for combat more times in the last decade than in its entire history. So if you meet a member of the National Guard, say Happy Birthday!
On the job front, the economic news only continues to get better. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), unemployment rates were lower in October 2006 than a year earlier in 288 of the 367 metropolitan areas. Sixty-one metropolitan areas registered jobless rates below 3.0%. The national unemployment rate in October fell again from 4.4% to 4.1%, not seasonally adjusted, down from 4.6% a year earlier. Among the nine geographic divisions, the Mountain area again posted the lowest unemployment rate (3.8%), followed by the South Atlantic (4.0%), and Middle Atlantic and West North Central (4.2% each). The East North Central again reported the highest jobless rate at 5.1%. With normal unemployment being 5.0%, these statistics mean we have many more jobs available than the people to fill them in the United States.
Additionally, Americans remain highly confident about the nation’s housing prospects, with more than four out of five homeowners expecting the value of their home to appreciate over the next five years and nearly seven out of 10 calling it their most valuable investment, according to results from a new nationwide survey. “The poll clearly debunks the more sensational media reports speculating on the demise of the housing market,” said David Pressly, president of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Statesville, NC. “It is interesting to note that other polls conducted by major news organizations have come up with similar results, indicating that despite the current housing market downturn Americans resoundingly believe that buying a home is the best investment they can ever make.”
Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas President Richard Fisher stated on November 13 that U.S. employers were witnessing a clear shortage of workers, and he warned that this was pushing up wages. He pointed out that companies are suffering from a shortage of skilled and semi-skilled labor. Fisher said hourly wages for some types of workers in Texas were up sharply and employers were now having to pay bonuses just to get people to show up for work. Fisher specifically mentioned welders, plumbers, truck drivers, and workers in the hospitality industry as jobs which are going begging nationwide. And as Article 8 below discusses, the demand and salaries for recent college graduates is up. All this activity is typical of what happens in a post-recession period.
What all this means to you is if you are looking for a job, now is a GREAT time to be in the market. And from the WEDDLE’s survey cited below (Article #3), job boards, especially niche job boards, and networking are the best ways to find a job.
Finally, I want to take a moment to note the passing of a great mind and friend, Roger Herman. Roger traveled the country and world delivering motivational speeches, untangling clients’ business problems and helping them chart new strategies in a turbulent business world. Having served in the Army, Roger was also a patriot. In his spare time Roger was the President of Employers United for a Stronger America (www.employersunited.org), the non-profit that supports the National Committee for Employers Support of the Guard and Reserve (www.esgr.com). Roger was also a well established futurist and early on saw trends affecting business and the economy. He was a prolific writer producing books like “Keeping Good People”, “The Process of Excelling” and “Signs of the Times”. He will always be well known for his ground breaking book, “Impending Crisis, Too Many Jobs, Too Few People” which he co-wrote with his wife Joyce Gioia and Tom Olivo. Roger foresaw the labor shortages we are facing today long before most knew what was happening. Roger’s contributions to business and to veterans will be missed.
On behalf of the staff of VetJobs, we wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukah. Amid the hustle and bustle of this season, take time out to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas and Chanukah. And keep the men and women of our military forces in your prayers. They go into harms’ way to safeguard the freedoms we enjoy as Americans.
If you know of any companies that should be hiring veterans and transitioning military and their family members, please send in the referral so we may contact the company.
As always, if there is anything we at VetJobs can do for you, please do not hesitate to call or email.
And remember, Freedom Is Never Free – Support Our Armed Forces and Veterans
Best regards,
Ted Daywalt
President
/—December Veteran Eagle sponsor is BNSF Railway—-\
BNSF Railway Company is actively seeking applicants with military experience. At BNSF, we salute those with service, value their skills and welcome the unique experiences of our service members. From skilled craftsmen to first-line supervisors, we filled over 3,000 positions this year and expect to surpass that amount in 2006. BNSF offers challenging and rewarding career opportunities for those in transition from military to civilian life as well as veterans, retirees and members of National Guard and Reserve components.
For more than 150 years, BNSF Railway has been quietly delivering cars, coal, clothing, games and nearly anything else found in homes and businesses. Today, our focus is on using speed, agility and resourcefulness to help expand the global marketplace for goods and services. Through world-class people, processes and technology, BNSF Railway provides an easy, relevant choice for all types of shippers in a wide variety of locations. If you are seeking a challenging and rewarding career that appreciates your military experience, then visit http://www.bnsf.com/careers/military/index.html.
\—–Please visit your December Veteran Eagle sponsor BNSF Railway—–/
2. VetJobs Recommends
From time to time we come across a book or movie that deserves recognition in the veteran community. This month we want to highly recommend the book: “Medal of Honor: Portraits of Valor Beyond the Call of Duty”.
This revised and expanded edition, published by the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation, features the contemporary portraits and gripping stories of 138 living or recently deceased recipients of the Medal of Honor as captured by best selling author Peter Collier and award winning photographer Nick Del Calzo. The book culminates with a moving piece on the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington Cemetery. Many Americans are not aware that the remains interred there, “known only to God”, have been bestowed with the Medal of Honor. Adding to the book’s stature, Former President George Bush wrote the forward and Tom Brokaw, Senator John McCain, and noted historian Victor Davis Hanson provide powerful essays in which they write about the recipients and what the recipients represent.
An uplifting 90 minute DVD on the Medal of Honor is included as a special bonus to this edition. The DVD includes an introduction narrated by Tom Brokaw, perspectives on courage and selflessness by the living recipients, and eleven individual stories told by the recipients themselves. This is the most complete and comprehensive compilation of contemporary portraits and recounted stores of America’s most revered heroes, and the only one every sponsored officially by the Medal of Honor Foundation. Part of the proceeds from the book is used to support the Foundation’s work. The book is available at Amazon.com, bn.com, booksamillion.com and in local book stores.
/—December Veteran Eagle sponsor is TECHEXPO Top Secret—-\
TECHEXPO Top Secret¹s first job fairs of 2007 are Tuesday, January 9th at the Ritz-Carlton in McLean, VA; and Wednesday, January 10 in Baltimore at the BWI Marriott. Interview with leading government contractors. Full schedule, event details, & pre-registration on http://www.TechExpoUSA.com For professionals with active security clearance only. Free admission.
\—–Please visit your December Veteran Eagle sponsor TECHEXPO Top Secret —–/
3. WEDDLE’s Survey
WEDDLE’s continuously conducts both primary and secondary research on Best Practices in employment excellence and HR leadership. WEDDLE’s recently asked the visitors to their web site to indicate where they expect to find their next job. A total of 1,270 people participated in the survey. Here’s how the candidates thought they would be successful in future job search campaigns:
57.6% Responding to an ad posted on an Internet job board
16.8% Networking at business and social events
7.2% Responding to an ad posted on an employer’s Web-site
7.6% Sending a resume to an employer by mail
3.9% Receiving a call from a headhunter
1.9% Receiving a call from a staffing firm
1.9% Attending a career fair
1.6% Responding to a newspaper ad
0.7% Joining a social networking site
4. Career Call on Radio Sandy Springs
Career Call is sponsored by VetJobs. Each program is aired Sundays at 3:00 PM EST. Be sure to tune in on the Internet for these exciting programs at www.radiosandysprings.com. If you have a subject you want covered in the program, email your suggestion to info@vetjobs.com. Your career is your choice, so make the right call – listen to Career Call on Radio Sandy Springs!
5. Toys for Tots
Marines and Sailors around the world are working together during the U.S. Marine Corps “Toys for Tots” 2006 campaign, underway from now until Dec. 18 in all 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. For more information, including finding your local Toys for Tots campaign office, visit www.toysfortots.org,
6. Heritage Foundation Finds Military Better Educated
A recent Heritage Foundation study found that those enlisting in the military tend to be better educated than the general public and that military recruiting seems to be more successful in middle-class and wealthy neighborhoods than in poor ones. According to the study, 97 percent of military enlistees were high school graduates versus 80 percent of Americans in general. The study also concludes that the average reading level of military personnel is a full grade level higher than that of the general population.
7. New College Graduates See Higher Starting Salary Offers
While employers do not plan on using signing bonuses to entice college graduates from the class of 2007, most employers do plan to increase their starting salary offers. Results of the National Association of Colleges and Employers’ (NACE) Job Outlook 2007 survey found that 46.4% of respondents expect to use signing bonuses to attract Class of 2007 graduates – roughly the same percentage who used them with the Class of 2006. Bonuses range from $1,000 to $10,000; the average offer being $3,568. However, more than 60% of those who are offering bonuses say they’ll offer less than that average.
8. A Program to Support Women Vets in Transition
Women Joining Forces (WJF) was created to support women veterans as they transition from the military into the civilian workforce. As a leading and expert on work life effectiveness and career transitions for workingwomen, the organization is uniquely positioned to support the professional needs of women veterans as they return to their lives. Through WJF, transitioning veterans receive a one-year dues waiver for membership (veterans receive a 50 percent discount). This site is customized to highlight employers’ practices and benefits that support both women and veteran friendly workplaces. Veterans are able to create profiles online at http://careers.bpwusa.org. Women veterans interested in learning more about WJF or want to apply for membership are encouraged to visit www.womenjoiningforces.org.
9. Military Related Job Fairs for December
VA, 12/3 & 4, Bradley-Morris Hiring Conference for Transitioning Military, Norfolk, VA, register online at www.Bradley-Morris.com for more information.
CA, 12/3 & 4, Bradley-Morris Hiring Conference for Transitioning Military, San Diego, CA, register online at www.Bradley-Morris.com for more information.
TX, 12/4, Orion International Military Hiring Conference, Dallas, TX, register online at www.orioninternational.com for more information.
CA, 12/4 & 5, Orion International Military Hiring Conference, San Diego, TX, register online at www.orioninternational.com for more information.
DC, 12/4 & 5, Orion International Military Hiring Conference, Washington, DC, register online at www.orioninternational.com for more information.
OH, 12/4 & 5, Orion International Military Hiring Conference, Cincinnati, OH, register online at www.orioninternational.com for more information.
TX, 12/6, Job Leader National Job Fair (NCOA), Live Oak Civic Center, 8101 Pat Booker Road, Live Oak, TX, 9:00 AM to 2:30 PM
VA, 12/6, USADefenseIndustryJobs Career Fair, Holiday Inn Express, 6401 Brandon Avenue, Springfield, VA, Noon to 6:00 PM
VA, 12/7, West Point Job Fair, sponsored by the West Point Society of DC, Army Navy Country Club, Arlington, VA, 10 AM to 2 PM. For more information and to pre-register, please visit www.wpsdc.org. Exclusively for West Point job seekers. Questions? Send e-mail to WestPointJobFair@aol.com
NC, 12/8, Orion International Military Hiring Conference, Raleigh, NC, register online at www.orioninternational.com for more information.
SC, 12/8, Joint Job/Health Fair, 263rd AAMDC National Guard Armory (old Lowes building), Anderson, SC, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM
GA, 12/10 & 11, Bradley-Morris Hiring Conference for Transitioning Military, Atlanta, GA, register online at www.Bradley-Morris.com for more information.
TX, 12/11, MilitaryStars Southwest Regional Career Expo, DFW Airport Marriott Hotel, 8440 Airport Parkway, Dallas, TX, Noon to 5:00 PM
CA, 12/11, Job Fair, MCAS Miramar, CA, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM, for additional information call 858-577-6491/6710
MD, 12/14, USADefenseIndustryJobs Career Fair, Sheraton Four Points at BWI, 7032 Elm Road, Linthicum, MD, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
NOTE: If you attend one of these job fairs, please mention you saw the event listed in the Veteran Eagle from VetJobs!
NOTE: If your organization is hosting a military related job fair, please forward the information to info@vetjobs.com.
10. National Guard and Reserve Mobilized as of November 15, 2006
Total number currently on active duty in support of the partial mobilization for the Army National Guard and Army Reserve is 78,964; Navy Reserve, 5,288; Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 6,008; Marine Corps Reserve, 7,344; and the Coast Guard Reserve, 363. This brings the total National Guard and Reserve personnel, who have been mobilized, to 97,967, including both units and individual augmentees. A cumulative roster of all National Guard and Reserve personnel, who are currently mobilized, can be found at http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Nov2006/d20061115ngr.pdf
11. Significant Events this Month in Military History
1775 – The first official American flag (not the Stars and Stripes) was raised for the first time over the Navy flagship Alfred.
1778 – British troops under COL Archibald Campbell occupied Savannah, GA (American Revolution).
1812 – The US frigate Constitution defeats the British frigate Java (War of 1812).
1814 – Treaty of Ghent (Belgium) signed, ending the War of 1812 between the United States and England.
1846 – American troops occupied Ciudad Victoria in northeastern Mexico (Mexican War).
1860 – South Carolina secedes from the Union and South Carolina troops seize the Federal arsenal in Charleston (Civil War).
1898 – The Treaty of Paris was signed by American and Spanish representatives, ending the Spanish-American War.
1921 – The first helium-filled balloon, a U.S. Navy dirigible, flew from Hampton Roads, VA to Washington, D.C.
1941 – Japanese attack Pearl Harbor. The United States declared war on Germany, Japan and Italy (World War II).
1944 – Battle of the Bulge began (World War II).
1946 – The official end of World War II.
1972 – The Paris Peace talks temporarily fail and President Nixon orders a resumption of full-scale bombing of targets in North Vietnam (Vietnam War).
1989 – Operation Just Cause, the invasion of Panama, begins.
1991 – The USSR went out of existence after 74 years.
1992 – Operation Restore Hope – America’s intervention in Somalia began.
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Veterans make the best employees!
Freedom Is Never Free – Support Our Armed Forces and Veterans!
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