MilitaryStars Blog

New Career Aid For Chicago Military

We will be proudly heading to Chicago for the first time in less than a year - check MilitaryStars.com in September for details!  Easter Seals' new local veteran employment campaign trains Chicagoland employers on the reasons they need to hire military.  Easter Seals rightfully is known for everything they do for children in need; their services also include programs like this for adults.  Thanks to them this holiday season for reaching out specifically to the veteran population! 

Phoenix Hiring Event Recap and Thanks

I ran support for our Phoenix event last week - it was my first time there, and a total thrill to be able to meet with so many of you!  We were shaking a lot of hands from the very beginning of the day, which is always the best, purest motivation we can ask for and a major honor.  From the groups of young Marines to the veterans of many conflicts, your preparation, intelligence, and personalities made a huge impression on our client employers.  We had another team in Raleigh that same day and heard great things from that coast as well.  Thank you all for giving us the opportunity to meet with you, listen to you, and lead you to civilian employers who honor your service and need your skills.  Have a great week! 

Federal Careers Are Made For Veterans

Veterans now make up over a quarter of the federal workforce, compared to 8% of the overall civilian workforce.  This number has been increasing in recent years, and we are honored to have federal employers nationwide at our events proving year-round that they are dedicated to putting veterans on their team!  MilitaryStars federal clients include the Secret Service, the FBI, the IRS, US Customs and Border Protection, the US Department of State, the TSA, the Department of Homeland Security, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and more!  The link (Federal Times) provides great examples of why veterans make stellar federal employees, and how those same qualities transfer to private employers like Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, both also longstanding MilitaryStars clients.  For help on navigating the federal application process, check out the FAQs linked from the IRS logo on the right corner of our site!  

Supporting Veterans Year-Round

We are thrilled to be heading to Raleigh for the first time on Thursday, and from this piece in nearby Greensboro, it sounds like Tar Heel veterans need some support.  I greatly appreciate that the article, written before Veterans' Day, notes that the public show of pride on the holiday needs to be an attitude all year round.  Our team and our client employers feel the same way, and no matter what you read in the business section, great careers are available right now for current and prior military!  Stay positive and have a great week! 

Service Dogs Helping Veterans Heal

This is one of the most inspiring articles on PTSD I've ever read, so I'm happy to share it here.  Several organizations have teamed with the Military Advanced Training Center at Walter Reed to provide service dogs to severely disabled veterans.  You'll be touched at how prototypical tough guys find the strength to ask for help and are rewarded through a bond with one of these animals, and you'll be amazed at what the dogs can do - one alerts its master before he has potentially serious seizures.  All involved describe how the pets have improved their lives; huge thanks to everyone contributing to this idea!

Veterans' Day

Last week, I was in New York City running support for one of our events.  I spoke with veterans of every age and background, and many men and women who were still in the service.  We smiled, laughed, shook hands, some of us got to hang out at the social hour over drinks.  Everyone coming in from the rain looked soaked, and still apologized when they offered me a handshake with a wet hand.

Many times I've corresponded with veterans-to-be overseas; they're supposed to get back sometime around an event date in their home of record, and want to know what else they can do in case they miss it.  And they thank us.

Whether you've been out for a while and are wondering if you're welcome at an event like ours (you certainly are), or you're just about to get out and are wondering what to bring (a dozen resumes and a positive attitude) - thank you from each and every one of us here and our friends and families.  We look forward to seeing you soon and showing you thanks by setting you up for career success!

 

MilitaryStars Client is #1 Military-Friendly Employer

That would be Johnson Controls, in GI Jobs' famous annual Top 50 Military-Friendly Employers list.  Great quotes from an HR exec at the company, who notes that "Johnson Controls is committed to ensuring military personnel know how much we want to hire them."  They attend our events nationwide so we know how true that is, and congratulate them on the honor!  When we say we will put you face-to-face with truly military-friendly employers, this is exactly what we mean!  Have a great week.

Vote

Hope you voted, today or in advance, or plan to later!  Down here in Florida, despite some predictions, things ran very smoothly and quickly in our corner of the state.  Veterans' issues have been at the center of the discussion throughout - let's hope it stays that way, and remember they are always front and center for us!     

Military Savings From A MilitaryStars Client

We recently were honored to have the Home Depot as one of our client employers at our San Francisco event, and it was great today to see their new initiative for Veterans Day.  This Thursday through next Wednesday, all current or prior US military and their families get 10% off all purchases at Home Depot.  Provide proof of military service at the checkout and you're all set.  That is a truly military-friendly employer with a military-friendly customer policy, too!  Hope it helps and have a great week!