Dr Hannah Hartwell Learning & Development Executive
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We made it! Onward to 2023! Theres excitement in the air when the new year begins. Part of that excitement comes from a fresh beginning and needed changes. Some feel inspired to make those changes into New Years resolutions.
As leaders, we, too, need to keep ourselves developing professionally. Its helpful to have goals that vary from previous years. Based on my interactions with executives and various leadership roles for professional associations, I recommend the following three resolutions:
1. Industry trends: Learn and share from colleagues who are doing similar types of work. Get acquainted with thought leaders within your field and have conversations. Consider applying what you learn to your existing workload.
2. Internal networking: Get to know your colleagues within different teams, departments, subsidiaries, and even new hires. Theres so much value in expanding your own knowledge with the intricacies of what your company does and sharing that with your team.
3. Rotational mentoring: Mentoring relationships should be mutually beneficial. Traditionally, mentoring is considered only beneficial for the mentee. Everyone can benefit from a different perspective. Consider partnering with a shorter-term mentor every six months to maximize your impact on the company.
Percy Leon Digital Media Content Executive
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As executives, 2023 should be a year of new beginnings and new resolutions. Its time to make some big changes that will benefit our careers and help us become better leaders in the new year.
One resolution executives should make is to stay organized. Whether its setting reminders for meetings or creating a system for filing reports, staying on top of everything you have going on will help keep your career running smoothly.
Another great New Years resolution every executive should consider is to create goals and stick to them. Goals can be anything from increasing sales numbers in the new quarter to creating a new team within their department. Having defined goals that you are committed to achieving gives you something tangible to reach for and makes it easier to stay motivated.
Executives should also make a resolution to take care of themselves. This means taking time out of the day to relax, get some exercise, or even just spend time with friends and family. Taking care of yourself helps you be more productive at work and it can help reduce stress levels that may have been building up over the past year.
Make it a goal to stay organized, create and reach new goals, take care of yourself, and continue learning new things. These resolutions can help you have a successful new year ahead!
What Employers Should Keep In Mind About Hiring Veterans
Although veterans can and will adapt to post-service life, employers should recognize this group is making a major change. Its important to be respectful of the extreme culture shift veterans undergo when re-entering the civilian workforce.
The first post-military job is the hardest transition, Jackson said. The civilian work world has a different culture, vocabulary and expectations, which will need to be learned. Transitioning veterans have already shown they can learn a new language and culture military jargon, dress and behavior, etc. There is a steep learning curve, but this is a talented and agile demographic.
Employers should also recognize that seemingly unrelated military skill sets can, in fact, be translated to a business environment. While veterans skill sets might not be a direct match for your open position, their technical aptitude will allow them to develop the skills quickly, said Pat Dean, senior recruiting manager at Caterpillar Inc.
Many military specialties are combat-related, there are many skills and experiences that every veteran possesses that translates well to the business world, Cecin added. Try to discover the specific duties veteran performed in the service they may surprise you with their versatility.
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Government Resources For Hiring Veterans
In addition to informational resources for veterans, the government provides financial resources for employers looking to hire vets as well. The Work Opportunity Tax Credit and Jobs Act is a federal tax credit available to employers for hiring veterans and individuals from groups who have consistently faced barriers when looking for employment.
Qualified veterans fall under this category. A qualified veteran who is eligible for WOTC has a service-connected disability, is unemployed or is receiving SNAP benefits. WOTC can reduce an employers federal income tax liability by 40% of up to $6,000 of wages per veteran hired. It requires little paperwork and the certification process is uncomplicated.
A qualified veteran, however, differs from a protected veteran. According to the Department of Labor, someone in the following categories may be classed as a protected veteran:
Protected veteran status ensures that covered veterans are protected from discrimination based on military service, and they are entitled to reasonable accommodations if they suffer from a service-connected disability.
Did you know?: The government facilitates veteran employment through informational resources and annual federal tax credits of up to $2,400 for every veteran you hire.
Why Should Small Businesses Hire Veterans
Veteran unemployment in the U.S. is a problem that todays employers need to help solve. Although the Bureau of Labor Statistics has cited a steady decline in the veteran unemployment rate, which reached 4.4% in August 2021, this group historically experiences higher unemployment and poverty rates than nonveterans.
This is not only an economic issue but a national security issue, Morton told Business News Daily. If this generation of veterans believes that there wont be employment opportunities for them, the next generation for the all-volunteer force will be hesitant to answer the call to service.
But hiring veterans isnt just for the good of the community its great for employers, too. Service members are well equipped to handle the modern business world because of their military training and background.
As Army veteran and entrepreneur Jerry Flanagan puts it, because veterans possess and encompass the military-bred qualities of respect, integrity and trust, they offer employers characteristics that can be difficult to come by in todays corporate world.
Below are some of the key strengths a veteran can bring to an organization.
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Sarita Kincaid Tech Media & Influencer Relations Executive
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Over the past few years, weve faced a variety of unprecedented workplace challenges. One of those is the recent trend of “quiet quitting” which is defined by Investopedia as doing the minimum requirements of one’s job and putting in no more time, effort, or enthusiasm than absolutely necessary.”
A recent Gallup poll found that quiet quitters make up at least 50% of the U.S. workforce — probably more. Given the obvious repercussions this trend can have on both workplace productivity and employee satisfaction, executive leaders should prioritize employee communication as their number one resolution for 2023. Two easy ways to get started:
Really listening to your staff and addressing their needs will lead to a better work experience for employers and employees alike and should be at the top of every executives 2023 resolution list!
Veterans In The Labor Force: 6 Stats
Percent of veterans and nonveterans employed in selected occupational groups
Following the Current Population Survey occupational classification, out of the 10 major occupation groups, four have statistically higher concentrations of veterans than nonveterans .
For example, 11% of all veterans work in the transportation and material moving occupations group compared with 7% of nonveterans.
Women veterans have a statistically higher concentration than men veterans in professional and related occupations as well as office and administrative support occupations .
Unemployment rate for veterans 18+
The veteran unemployment rate peaked at 11.9% in April 2020. The seasonally adjusted September 2021 unemployment rate for veterans 18 years and over is 3.9%, which is 0.6 percentage points above the pre-pandemic low of 3.3% experienced in February 2020.
Unemployment rate of veterans and nonveterans by major race and ethnicity groups
In 2020, the overall unemployment rate for veterans was lower than their nonveteran counterparts . This holds true for all major race and ethnicity groups of veterans: Unemployment rates for white, Black, Asian, and Hispanic or Latino veterans were lower than their nonveteran counterparts in 2020. Among both veterans and nonveterans, the unemployment rates for Blacks and Hispanics or Latinos was higher than for whites or Asians.
In 2020, there were 158,661,000 civilians in the total labor force, and of these, 8,918,000 were veterans.
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What Is Veterans Work
Purpose of the project
There are an estimated 2.6 million military veterans in the UK and 900,000 of them are estimated to be of working age. Approximately 14,500 veterans leave the Armed Forces each year and many of those will be looking for a second career. Veterans Work is a thought leadership series that shines a light on the considerable transferrable skills that veterans possess that are valuable to employers, particularly in the context of the future of work. Through the use of data, research and first hand experiences from employers, large and small, it encourages businesses to consider veterans as part of their hiring strategy.Our aim is for Veterans Work to challenge employers to look beyond rigid hiring criteria and recognise the huge value that Service leavers can bring to business. Taking a slightly longer term view and harnessing veterans transferrable skills and behaviours, fills much needed skills gaps, positively impacts organisational culture and can pay great dividends its no longer a nice to have, but something employers cannot afford to ignore.
What do we want?
Veterans Work challenges employers to look beyond rigid hiring criteria and recognise the value that Service leavers can bring to business. Taking a slightly longer term view and harnessing the transferrable skills of veterans can pay great dividends.
It Takes Time For A Young Veteran To Find A Civilian Job
- Young veterans are more likely to be unemployed than their non-veteran peers, but this gap closes quickly with age and time since separation from the military.
- The best available evidence supports the hypothesis that relatively high rates of veteran unemployment reflect the fact that veterans, especially younger veterans, are more likely to have recently separated from a job namely, military service. Consequently, they are more likely to be engaged in job search, which takes time, especially during periods of slow economic growth.
- The available evidence lends little support to the hypothesis that veterans are inherently disadvantaged in the civilian labor market.
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Five Hypotheses For High Veteran Unemployment Examined In Light Of Research Findings
- High veteran unemployment could be caused by poor health, selection, employer discrimination, skills mismatch, or job search.
- Of these five possible causes, only job search speaks to the short-term spike in unemployment found in recent data on veterans newly separated from the military. Although they may be more likely than non-veteran peers to suffer an injury that affects ability to work, the evidence does not support this as a cause of elevated unemployment. According to the data, veterans are no more likely than non-veteran peers to have observable characteristics that would lead to difficulty in finding a civilian job . Whatever skills mismatch may exist during the transition to the civilian labor market seems to be quickly overcome with education and training. Some employers discriminate against veterans, and more research is needed to understand this phenomenon, but there is no existing evidence that employer discrimination plays a major role in veterans’ employment outcomes. Ultimately, the preponderance of evidence at this time points toward the simple explanation that veterans, being newly separated from jobs, will inevitably be unemployed for a period while they search for suitable new ones.
Jobs And Industries That Commonly Hire Veterans
According to Military Times, healthcare, information technology and defense contracting are among the top industries for veterans. Additionally, veterans may be well-suited for government work and public administration jobs. The best jobs for veterans extend beyond these industries and include computer information systems managers, operations managers and customer service representatives. You might think from looking at post-military job and industry options that veterans can find careers in any field and thats the point.
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John Schembari Senior Education Executive
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As Michael Willis states, a resolution is a decision to do something or not and, in most cases, this means developing a plan for success/impact. However, in organizational settings, most plans require the support and engagement of many employees/stakeholders.
So, for me, one New Year’s resolution that all executives should make is to be proactive in vesting others in the implementation of organizational goals. Even if you are a business-of-one, how do you get clients to invest in/value what you are creating/offering?
I heard it said recently that people change for four reasons. We can extend this line of thinking to staff/client engagement. People changeor vestwhen they hurt enough when they see enough when they learn enough and when they receive enough . This year, as I consider how to be more impactful in the delivery of my coaching services, I know that I will be reflecting upon people’s musts, wants, abilities, and dreams.
John Schembari is a current K-12 teacher/school leader academic improvement coach and former school building and district administrator. He loves to draw, travel, swing dance, and read nonfiction.
Veterans Unemployment Compensation And Employment Assistance
Veterans leaving active duty might qualify for unemployment benefits through Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Service Members, a federal program administered by the states. You are eligible if:
- You were on active duty with a branch of the U.S. Armed Forces
- You were discharged honorably
- No payroll deduction was taken from your wages that was applied to unemployment protection.
Receiving separation pay from a military branch might influence your eligibility for unemployment compensation. Retirees almost certainly face a reduction in potential benefits, which are taken into consideration in calculating benefits.
State unemployment offices handle unemployment claims, and benefits vary from state to state. You must apply for benefits, and this is best taken care of when you talk to a local veterans employment representative at a state employment office. Remember to bring discharge papers , your Social Security card and your civilian and military resumes when you go.
Skills translators, like the one offered by Military.com and Monster.com, help veterans identify employable skills based on their military rank and history. Certain programs offer licenses and certificates based on military experience. However, programs like this are constantly updated to keep up with changes in the job market.
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Lisa Perry Global Marketing Executive
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As we kick off 2023, making New Years resolutions is a great way to lean into the new year. Here are three ideas executives should consider for 2023:
No matter what New Years resolutions you make, making one is important as it is a step toward positive change.
Lisa Perry helps companies build leadership brands, driving loyal customers & delivering profitability. She does this through a process that builds brands consumers love. Her goal is to help companies develop, monetize, and grow their brands.
What New Year’s resolutions do you think executives should make in 2023? Join the conversation inside Work It Daily’s Executive Program.
- What are some target companies you’d like to research?
- What are the specific job titles that you’re seeking?
Reach Out And Build Your Sphere Of Connections
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Strategically expand your circle to be in purposeful conversation with people who can offer intel on the companies and positions on your list.
For those of you who cringe at the idea of asking for help , if you’ve been networking the right way all along, it shouldn’t feel uncomfortable. Networking, maintaining, and building your professional connections is about providing value. When you connect with someone on LinkedIn, you shouldn’t ask for their help right away. Establish a relationship first. Once you do that, they’ll be more than willing to help you in your career because they know you’d do the same for them.
Whatever you want out of life and your career, you can accomplish. A year from now, you really can be in a completely different spot, one that resonates more deeply for you. So, what are you waiting for? Start making changes today!
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.
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Employment Issues Facing Returning Veterans
When service members leave the military and return to civilian life, they may have challenges they did not expect. A common area where service members struggle is adjusting to the workplace.
What are commons challenges for veterans trying to find a job?
Experience interpretation
The training service members get and the skills they specialize are not always what employers are looking for. This is especially true for service members who joined the service from high school or at a young age. These service members have spent little or no time at a job. This puts them at a disadvantage since on a resume they lack experience. Also, these service members might have never looked, applied, or been interviewed for a job. Service members need to learn how to describe their skills to make them attractive for a job
Qualities like: problem solving, leadership, ethics, and time management may be part of the veterans skill set. Veterans need to learn how to show those qualities to employers in a meaningful way.
Unrealistic expectations
Service members may become experts in several things during their time in service. While the military may train service members to a high standard, employer may require a certification or degree to apply for certain roles. Sometimes certification may be required by law.
Employer bias
Returning to a job
Returning to work may mean quickly having to catch up to the team, learning new skills or processes, or adapting to a new position.
Pre-separation counseling
