When asked why he chose Home Depot as his employer, U.S. Army veteran Jesse Gavin discussed the company’s significance to his future. “I’ll have a foundation for understanding how to build homes, restore homes and sell them,” he said. Since separating from the military, it has been Gavin’s goal to launch his career in the real estate business. In the spring of 2014, he decided to take advantage of his Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits and is currently working toward an associate degree in real estate. Upon graduation, Gavin will be qualified to become a Licensed Appraiser with the state of Ohio and conduct home appraisals. Ultimately, his true ambition is to start his own business restoring and selling homes, and Gavin felt gaining practical work experience was essential to his success. On April 10, 2014, he began his employment at the Home Depot in Gahanna, Ohio as a Customer Associate in the lumber department. Even though he holds a part-time position, he clocks more than thirty hours each week tore through its busiest time of day.  “I help customers with projects that deal with framework–stairs, drywall, walls, windows. I stock shelves and answer questions.” Oftentimes, he finds his military training comes in handy when working long hours and meeting the customers’ needs. “The ability to transition from one thing to the next and think on your feet helps at Home Depot…You can’t just pick these skills up off the street or from school,” said Gavin. Widely recognized as one of […]

“I need a job,” said Ty Ospino, one of the first job seekers to arrive at Military Veterans Resource Center’s Veterans Career Fair on Friday, July 18. After 14 years of service in the U.S. Army, Ospino is preparing to separate from the military and hopes to find a job in research and development. As soon as the doors opened, he began making the rounds, speaking with company representatives and handing out copies of his resume. Veterans from all walks of life attended the Veterans Career Fair, some just beginning the transition and some having been retired for years.  Held at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, the event marked the second career fair hosted by Military Veterans Resource Center in 2014. Both fairs were organized by MVRC’s Dayton-area career specialist, Kelley Koons,  and attended by Ohio area employers. Even though the event was scheduled to run from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., veterans began arriving at 9 a.m., eager to meet with over 50 potential employers. Though from different industries (insurance, technology, manufacturing, government, etc.) many employers seemed to agree that passion for the work was the most desirable quality in prospective employees. “I’ll take somebody with passion over somebody with the skill set any day,” said Lori Laggett, representing LexisNexis. Representatives from UTC Aerospace Systems and Western & Southern Life also said that a candidate’s personality and ability to engage with others stands out the most during the hiring process. Popular among veterans were companies in […]

In June 2014, Governor John Kasich signed into law important legislation that will improve veterans’ access to employment opportunities and higher education. While the full effects of the law remain to be seen, it’s clear that job seeking veterans can expect to have an easier time conducting their job search. With approximately 900,000 veterans living in the state and more returning home every day, the Kasich administration realized new standards were needed to provide greater support to Ohio’s military families. The governor introduced Ohio House Bill 488 in March as part of a larger plan to stimulate economic growth in the state, and in just a few months, the bill passed with unanimous votes in the House and the Senate. Currently, the state is in the process of implementing the law. If you’re a veteran, it’s important to understand the new benefits granted to you. Rather than reading the legislation in its entirety, which you could do here, Military Veterans Resource Center has outlined the law’s important advantages for Ohio’s veteran job seekers and student-veterans. Stay tuned for these important changes coming your way soon. Job Seekers: To ensure veterans have every employment opportunity possible, the new legislation establishes a more flexible process for issuing state licenses and certifications to veterans. Previously, many veterans had skills and training gained from the military, but could not show proof of these skills to potential employers, making them less competitive job candidates. A press release recently published by the Ohio Department of Veterans […]

It’s no secret that exercising regularly is crucial to one’s physical health and can yield positive benefits such as reduction of stress, increased energy and self-confidence. It’s also no secret that trying to maintain a regular exercise routine is especially difficult during a major life transition, such as the move from military to civilian life. For the transitioning veteran, it’s increasingly important to stay active after the military (as outlined in this previous post), but it can also be difficult to find the time to dedicate towards a healthy lifestyle. The Center for Disease Control recommends 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise. That breaks down into five sessions of 30 minute workouts. Read on  for some simple ways to fit in exercise, in small and manageable bursts. 1. Choose the Stairs Over the Elevator If you’re physically able, opting for the stairs instead of the elevator can be a great way to sneak in some quick cardio. It may not seem like much, but it can help to improve your circulation throughout the day, and can elevate your heart rate to help improve your metabolism. According to Canadian Living, a 160-pound person can burn 50 calories by climbing stairs for four minutes. Multiply four minutes of stairs by 5 week days, and you could potentially burn over 12,000 calories in a year, just by making one simple switch. 2. Ditch the Shopping Cart There are plenty of ways to incorporate a few muscle-building exercises during everyday activities, no gym membership necessary. […]

Networking is something that most people do not particularly enjoy, and for the job-seeking veteran, it may seem borderline horrific. The word often brings to mind images of crowded rooms, countless handshakes, and people racing to see who can collect the most business cards–not the most pleasant of scenarios. So can you get away without networking? In short, no. Especially for the job seeker, many jobs are never posted online. They are instead listed internally within the company and require some sort of contact within the company to be discovered. Networking does not have to be gruesome activity, however. It can be a small get-together, or even an event or class that you previously had signed up for. Anytime you are meeting and sharing information with new people, you are networking. Creating a list of social contacts does not have to be difficult, though for veterans, it may involve stepping outside of some comfort zones. To help alleviate some of that pre-networking anxiety, here are four tips for successful networking during the job search: 1. Forget Your Agenda When looking for a new career, it can be easy to get obsessed with the job search. While networking can lead to fruitful connections, and even job interviews, it is important to not go into a social situation with the idea that you are there to land a job. Meeting with friends, and even socializing with strangers is very different from an interview setting, and as such, requires different behavioral etiquette. As […]