Interested in pursuing a higher-level education? Going back to school is often an option considered by veterans about to start the civilian job search. Unfortunately, many are unaware of how to utilize the education benefits given to them by the military for themselves, or their family members. Understanding the jargon associated with the various GI bills may be confusing to follow. This article is the first of two in this series and serves to explain the Post 9/11 GI Bill in as simple terms as possible. Additionally, it is designed to provide you with the necessary resources to evaluate your qualifications and learn more about your available benefits. This post is not all inclusive, and it is important to cross-check your qualifications and eligibility for all benefits and programs. A Brief Summary: As outlined on My Army Benefits, the Post 9/11 GI Bill is “an education benefit program specifically for military members who served in active duty on, or after, September 11, 2001.” The program awards benefits based on an individual’s time spent with the military, and may include coverage of tuition and associated fees, a housing allowance, a stipend for books and supplies, Yellow Ribbon Payments, and transferability to either a spouse or children. The benefits are available to be used by the veteran up to 15 years after separation from the military. Reservists and National Guard Members are eligible for the same benefits as Active Duty members under the Post 9/11 GI Bill, a change from the past. […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Chillicothe, OH (May 1, 2014)–In celebration of Armed Forces Day on Saturday, May 17, Military Veterans Resource Center (MVRC) invites Ohio’s veterans and the general public to our first annual “Veterans Golf Free Day.” The event will take place at the Forrest E. Everhart Golf Course on the Chillicothe VA Medical Center’s campus, located at 17273 State Route 104, Chillicothe, OH 45601. Because we are anticipating a large turnout, participants should contact Randy Post at the golf course at 740-774-VETS to schedule their tee times, which will start at 8 a.m. and end at 2 p.m. “Veterans Golf Free Day” will include 9 holes of golf, the use of a golf cart and lunch for all eligible veterans and military members. In addition, there will be door prizes provided, along with a 50/50 raffle later that day. Veterans and active service members just need to show proof of military service to golf for free. Non-veterans will pay the regular course fees, and lunch will be included. “MVRC is excited about hosting our first ‘Veterans Golf Free Day,'” says Len Proper, Military Veterans Resource Center’s Executive Director. “We’re hoping for a great turnout of both veterans and the public to help us honor and support the men and women who have faithfully served our nation.” If you or your organization is looking for a way to acknowledge and thank Ohio’s veterans, Military Veterans Resource Center is accepting donations to help support our veterans in this event. For more […]

It would seem a “veteran-friendly employer” fad has taken over the U.S. job market. Many companies advertise for veteran hires directly on their websites or in their stores. Others have launched campaigns promoting their commitment to hire “100,000 veterans by 2019.” Veteran job seekers should have a lot of options, right? Businesses do want to give back to our veterans. But the truth is that we have an unstable economy where multiple candidates vie for the same job. When it comes down to making the hiring decision, many employers will be influenced by more than their sense of patriotic duty. If you’re a veteran job seeker, what can you do to be a more attractive hire than your civilian competition? This isn’t a trick question, because you’ve already got what it takes to be an attractive hire. In a study entitled “Employing American’s Veterans: Perspectives from Business,” authors Margaret Harrell and Nancy Berglass interviewed 69 companies and found that when the companies hired veterans, they benefitted from the vets’ military training, skills, and experiences. People who served in the military gained a universal set of skills companies across the board look for in potential hires. We’ve compiled a list of 5 of those top skills. If you want to be a competitive job seeker, be sure to emphasize some–if not all–of these skills in your applications and interviews. When you do, you’ll show employers you’re a well-rounded candidate who has a lot to offer. 1. Leadership skills If you served […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Chillicothe, OH (May 6, 2014)–Military Veterans Resource Center (MVRC) invites all veterans looking for a new career to attend our free Veterans Career Workshop on Thursday, June 5. This career workshop will take place at MVRC’s Chillicothe office, which is located at 1786 North Bridge Street. It will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and lunch will be provided. This personalized, interactive workshop is designed to improve veterans’ job search skills. MVRC career specialists will lead the workshop and will teach cover letter and resume writing. Local employers will also attend to conduct practice interviews. If veterans have a resume, they should bring it, as they will spend time revising their current resume or writing a new one. The Veterans Career Workshop will be a group setting, but participants will receive individualized attention. The career specialists will work with veterans one-on-one to address their questions and help make sure they are better prepared for their job search. Seating is limited to 12 people, but walk-ins may be accepted depending on space. Register now to be sure of a seat by contacting MVRC career specialist Dennis Lambert at 740-571-4555, or dennis.lambert@milvetsrc.org. Military Veterans Resource Center is a non-profit organization that provides personalized career services to veterans who served honorably. MVRC works with veterans one-on-one to identify the obstacles preventing them from gaining employment and helps them access the resources to overcome those obstacles. These resources include job-readiness coaching, skills training, counseling, or supportive services and may be […]

If you’re an employer who’s interested in hiring Ohio’s veterans, let me start by congratulating you on this business move. When you hire a veteran, you’re gaining a highly skilled and motivated employee who will do what it takes to help your organization succeed. You’ll also find a veteran’s work performance often outmatches that of your civilian employees. Now comes the tricky part. How do you go about hiring a veteran? How do you reach out to veterans who are qualified for a position with your company and let them know you want what they’ve got? Military Veterans Resource Center can help. At MVRC, our goal is to help veterans find gainful employment so they may become productive, self-reliant citizens. We know that in order to accomplish this, it’s critical to develop relationships with veteran-friendly employers and create opportunities where they can connect with job seeking veterans. The following is a list of six ways we currently help companies hire vets. If you’re in the business of hiring veterans–we’re happy to provide these services for you. 1. Career Fairs MVRC hosts several career fairs each year where employers can participate at no cost. The career fairs are open to all veterans, but we make sure our clients are prepared, professional and ready to interview. Past participants have said MVRC career fairs are some of the best they’ve attended, and oftentimes employers leave with 15-20 interviews lined up. 2. Private Hiring Events For each private hiring event, we invite 2-3 companies […]

Chillicothe, OH (May 21, 2014)–“Thank you for remembering us”–words Military Veterans Resource Center (MVRC) staff heard over and over again from Saturday’s “Veterans Golf Free Day” attendees. As a way to support and celebrate Ohio’s military members on Armed Services Day, MVRC hosted the first “Veterans Golf Free Day” at the Forrest E. Everhart Golf Course in Chillicothe, Ohio. The day started bright and early at 8 a.m., and even though it was chilly, 92 veterans came out for the festivities. “We wanted to show our appreciation for the men and women who faithfully served our nation,” says Military Veterans Resource Center Executive Director Len Proper. The event included 9 holes of golf, use of a golf cart, and lunch, and it was free for veterans and active duty service members. Businesses and restaurants like Kroger, Lowes, Bob Evans and Applebee’s also donated gift cards in support of the event, which were given away as door prizes to every Golf Day participant. Because of the “Veterans Golf Free Day’s” success, Military Veterans Resource Center plans to host similar events in the future. A “Veterans Run Free Day” event is in the works for the Fourth of July, and a possible “Veterans Volley Free” volleyball tournament later in the year. Find out more information about MVRC’s upcoming events by visiting us at www.milvets.org, or calling us at 614-230-0662. Military Veterans Resource Center is a non-profit organization that provides personalized career services to veterans who served honorably. MVRC works with veterans one-on-one […]

Air Force Reserve veteran Glynda Finister has big plans for her future. She’ll soon start work as an Insurance Agent for Washington National Insurance Agency–where she’s already on track for a management position. She’s back in school taking IT courses and pursuing several business certifications. She’s also in the process of re-launching her health care recruiting business. Finister is charging full speed ahead, but her road to success hasn’t been easy. In fact, it all started when she lost her job. “I was the Assistant Vice President of a Fortune 500 company, and then I was laid off in 2005,”  says Finister. After working 26 years in the finance industry and earning a six figure salary, she should have been entering the golden years of her career. Instead, at age 47, she was starting over. Yet, Finister wasted no time planning her next move. Tired of the travel demands of her former job, she wanted something close to home with decent pay, and she decided to look into the health care industry. “I decided to start a work-from-home business as a Health Care Recruiter, and I recruited critical care nurses,” says Finister. She quickly found she was well-suited for the health care field and enjoyed the work, but after a few years her business started to fail. “Because of the Great Recession I ran out of capital to run the business and started downsizing.” In 2010, Finister finally had to put her entrepreneurial dreams on hold, and for the next […]

The transition from military life to civilian life can often be a difficult one. What were once ordinary tasks and routines can seem difficult and stressful. Of those stressful situations, the job hunt can be one of the hardest to adjust to. The extra stress added on you during a job search may also put additional strain on your relationships, both romantic and amicable. During the transition, you go from having a strict and determined military schedule to complete uncertainty. Your schedule may alter dramatically or disappear altogether. It is not uncommon to feel depressed and misguided. Some of these lost feelings may come from the tightening of finances, or the loss of regular income. These factors not only take a toll on your mental health, but on the health of your personal relationships. The following three steps take tips from a Monster community post and a Forward First Coaching article to provide advice on how to keep strong relationships and create support systems during periods of unemployment. Step One is to anticipate the possibility of unemployment. For veterans, it is possible to acknowledge that the transition from military to civilian life may contain unemployment. Use this foresight to your advantage. Sit down and talk with your family about the current financial situation and how it may change in the future. While it may seem uncomfortable to talk about your finances now, open communication can help to reduce strain on relationships and avoid stress later on. Step Two is to […]

To get far in any career field, you need to be an effective communicator. I’m not talking about livening up your presentations to keep your colleagues from boredom. Effective communicators are valuable employees who have a trustworthy image, work well with team members, and excel at given tasks. As a veteran seeking employment, you’re already an effective communicator because of your military training. However, as you go in for interviews with potential employers, you’ll find the civilian style of communication differs from military communication. To help you make the adjustment to the workforce, this article demonstrates how to successfully translate your communication skills to a civilian work environment. With a few tweaks to your current skill set, you’ll be a highly competitive job candidate! What to Expect from Civilian Employers: First, you need to know how civilians communicate to accomplish a task. This list highlights some of the key changes in communication style you can expect at your new job. 1. Who You Communicate With Military members are accustomed to a chain of command where orders are delivered in a top-down fashion, but a company’s structure is less rigid than the military. When working on a project, you may need to seek input from a team of co-workers and receive approval from multiple supervisors. Expect to collaborate with a lot of people who fulfill a variety of roles in the company. 2. Pace In the military, you were expected to follow an order as soon as it was given. Failing […]

In appreciation of Ohio’s military members and their families, the Columbus VA  and the Columbus Zoo are partnering for the Welcome Home event on July 5th, where free Zoo admission will be offered to active and retired military members and their immediate families. Just show proof of service at the Zoo’s main entrance to receive the free tickets. The parking fee will still apply. The event will also feature a special Welcome Home Activity and Lunch area at the Zoo’s Water’s Edge Event Park from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm. Stop by for food and live entertainment! Military Veterans Resource Center and other veterans organizations will have booths stationed throughout the Welcome Home Activity area where service members and their families can receive goodies as well as information on community resources and VA health care and benefits. Be sure to check out the MVRC booth, where representatives will be on hand to pass out giveaways and to share the career services we offer job seeking veterans. If you can’t make the Welcome Home event on July 5th, you can still enjoy a free day at the Zoo with your family. Monday, June 30th begins Military Family Free week at the Zoo, which lasts until Sunday, July 6. All active and retired military members and their immediate families will receive free Zoo admission that week when proof of service is presented at the Zoo’s front entrance. Military members and their families can also receive discounted Zoombezi Bay admission. Visit the Columbus […]

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 […]