The Riley Guide: Job Banks & Recruiters

Veterans and Transitioning Military Personnel

Recruiters & Services for Transitioning Personnel
Pay Rates / Money Matters / Employment Verification

Information for Activated Reservists / Reassigned Military Personnel
including Tax Information || Employment Rights & Assistance
Financial Rights and Assistance || Education & Training Support

These are resources specifically set up to meet the needs or address the interests of military personnel and their families. You are certainly not limited to these resources, but they may have ideas or topics which speak directly to you. I would urge you to also review the many resources listed under Government and Defense, most especially the Go-Defense site under US Department of Defense. Many contractors are very interested in hiring you (as well as your own government) and you get priority in consideration for jobs with Uncle Sam.

We also have information on the U.S. Armed Forces, including the Military Music Organizations.

Recruiters & Services for Transitioning Personnel

Military to Federal Career Guide by Kathryn K. Troutman (The Resume Place, 2005)

Kathy Troutman of The Resume Place is the expert on the Federal resume, and she has now published a book for you transitioning military personnel who would like to go from serving your country to working for your country. From this website you can learn about the book, order a copy, and register to begin preparing your new Federal resume (free).

AW2: The U.S. Army Wounded Warrior Program

...central source for information on and connections to the many services available to those Soldiers who have been injured in the line of duty as well as their families. Among the many resource here is a job database listing employment opportunities for those who are separating from service due to their injuries. You must be a registered member of the AW2 Community in order to access this database, and all registration applications will be reviewed for eligibility (requirements are posted on the site).

Bradley-Morris

...a large military-focused placement firm in the U.S., matching the top leadership, technical, operations and diversity candidates who are leaving the military with the leading job opportunities in the Fortune 1000 and emerging company sectors. They have office all over the US and around the world and operate many hiring conferences which allow candidates to meet with potential employers. Services to the job seeker are free, and I am reading a lot of good things about them.

Career Command Post

....helps bring active duty military personnel and their spouses as well as veterans of the armed forces together with civilian employers. There is a wide variety of positions listed with annual salaries ranging from $20,000 into six figures.

CivilianJobs.com

...another job site working to match transitioning military personnel to civilian jobs and to serve veterans who are searching for new opportunities. I really liked the Career Planning Guide under Career Advice.

Corporate Gray Online

...military-employment site that links transitioning and former military personnel with companies interested in hiring them. Online companion to the popular Corporate Gray Series of books -- "From Army Green to Corporate Gray," "From Navy Blue to Corporate Gray," and "From Air Force Blue to Corporate Gray" and the Corporate Gray Job Fairs for the Military Community.

DoD Transportal

"This site is designed specifically to assist Service members leaving active duty. While DoD TRANSPORTAL contains valuable information and resources, you should use this site as part of a comprehensive program of transition and employment assistance. The best place to start is your installation Transition Assistance Office. " The site includes an outline of the DoD's Transition Assistance Program, a downloadable copy of the Preseparation Guide (in PDF format), links to National Guard/Reserve sites, Veterans and Public Service organizations, and Federal transition and job assistance sites, along with a list of Transition Assistance Offices. There is also advice on planning and executing your job search along with links to good career and employment sites.

GIJobs.net

This is the online companion to the print magazine designed to help you find a career as well as a new opportunity after your military service has ended. Besides the many articles there are employer listings and a career fair calendar to help you meet those who want to hire you.

Helmets to Hardhats

...information on getting into the extremely lucrative building and construction industry for transitioning military personnel. Many trade and other organizations have listed jobs and apprentice or training programs here. You can look around the site and search the job database without registering, but you will not be able to view specifics of any listing until you register. "Helmets to Hardhats is co-sponsored by all fifteen Building and Construction Trades organizations, as well as their employer associations, which together represent about 82,000 contractors."

HireVeterans.com

...operated by Veterans Today, HireVeterans.com is a job board for military vets. You can easily search the database and apply for jobs without registering, but having a resume in their database makes this a much easier process and makes you accessible to hiring managers who search that database in the hopes of finding good candidates.

HireVetsFirst

"The President's National Hire Veterans Committee, which was created by the Jobs for Veterans Act (Public Law 107-288), has designed this website to help employers find qualified veterans, and to help veterans make the best use of a national network of employment resources." There is nothing new on this site, but it links to several existing, extremely helpful resources and services available to veterans who need assistance in finding new employment now that they have transitioned out of the military.

Landmark Destiny Group was Vets4Hire.com

...a niche job board focused on bringing transitioning military, former military, and spouses together with employers seeking employees with a military background. You can search and review leads but you will need to register here in order to use their fast "Apply Now" feature. I like the "tips" you get to read while waiting for the site to return the list of jobs matching your criteria.

Lucas Group Military

...a division of Lucas Group, a national recruitment firm placing more transitioning military officers into civilian positions than anyone else in the country, but I don't see anything that limits their services to this audience. "By registering with us your online resume is immediately forwarded to one of our nearly 300 Lucas Group recruiting experts who provide connections to the nation's top companies." This is a free service, and you can create a login/password that allows you to edit and otherwise control your resume in their database. Registration is not required to search the job leads, but you won't see the employer info. When you find a job you like, click on Send me more Info, fill out the registration, and someone will get back to you. Have your resume ready to paste into the box.

Magellan Professional Solutions, Inc

...founded in 2004, Magellan Professional Solutions specializes in the locating, pre-qualifying and placement of prior military candidates who have excelled in their careers and are seeking positions in the public sector. They have filled a wide range of positions from project manager to equipment operator, and commissioning engineer to field service technician in Manufacturing, Engineering, Operations, Field Service, Maintenance, and Distribution. There is no cost to the transitioning military member and they do not require you to sign an exclusive contract with them.

Military Officers of American Association

..."the nation's largest and most influential association of military officers. It is an independent, nonprofit, politically nonpartisan organization." With about 360,000 members, this is a strong support group for active duty, retired, National Guard, Reserve, and former commissioned officers and warrant officers of the following uniformed services: Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Public Health Service, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Auxiliary memberships also are available for surviving spouses of deceased officers. Among the many services they offer is an Educational Assistance program and a wonderful Career Center which offers career fairs around the country several times a year. MOAA used to be called TROA.

Military.com

...nice portal for the military person who wants to keep up with the news and views of our armed services, but this site is made even better by the inclusion of some great career and employment advice for transitioning personnel. One of the biggest problems which must be overcome in the transition is translation -- how to describe the skills and qualifications of your military expertise in civilian terms. Military.com has the tools and the process outlined for you right on their pages. They even have other How To guides to help you assess your skills, a career expert who is a former Marine himself, and profiles of others who have made a successful transition from protector to private citizen. As for the job search itself, they have a similar well-planned yet simple process for you to follow here. This includes interviewing advice as well as advice on how to dress for success. Military.com is part of the Monster network of career sites.

Military Exits

...helps former and soon-to-be-discharged military personnel to find new employment opportunities. Also available to their spouses and dependents. Besides the job database, users will appreciate the links to supportive info like the lists of transition assistance centers, relo guides and military bases, and military medical facilities.

Military Connection

As with most sites dedicated to current / past members of our Armed Forces and their families, this site offers job listings along with links to resources, services, and information to support you and your families and connect you to others. Some areas of this site are limited to registered members, but registration is free.

MilitaryHire.com

"This free site has been developed and is maintained by a team of both military veterans and corporate hiring authorities. We have worked hard to create a network where former military personnel can seek careers and utilize their professional skills. " Registration is not required to search the job database or view some of the other resources provided here (company research, relocation and salary info, spouse's cafe), but registration will allow you to store a resume as well as your job search and set up an automated "alert" to new jobs that match your preferences. Registration also allows you to easily apply for jobs found here with a quick click. I'm not impressed with the company research or relo resources, but the job database is very good and easy to search, and that is what is most important.

MilitaryJobWorld

...online job site sponsored by the Non Commissioned Officer's Association as part of the Veterans Employment Assistance program. Registration is not necessary to review the job listings. Civilians are also encouraged to use the site.

MilitaryJobZone

...assisting veterans and transitioning military personnel in their search for new employment in the private sector. The site is free, and you can review job listings without registering, but applying for jobs you see here will mean registering. If you have never prepared a civilian resume, they have a resume builder you can use to help you through this process.

Military Stars

...operates nationwide job fairs for transitioning military personnel and veterans. They also offer online job and resume databases. Users are encouraged to register to use the site and to "pre-register" for events (gets you free admission), which also means submitting a resume-type form to their website. For each upcoming event, a list of employers who will be there is available 2 weeks before the event. I see some of the big government contractors in these lists, folks who need people with security clearances, meaning you folks are prime candidates!

MilSpouse.org, the Military Spouse Resource Center

...jointly sponsored by the Department of Defense and the Department of Labor, MilSpouse.org "is designed to assist the spouses of U.S. total force military personnel. [...] MilSpouse.org is your resource library for military spouse employment, education and relocation information. Here you will find links to employment related information and other resources for military spouses and military families." Yes, you can find information on and links to employment resources and listings along with other valuable resources to help you and your family. We did notice a few career links which were out of date, but the vast majority of the content appears to be current.

Orion International

... a military recruiting firm with over 80 employees nationwide in eight offices (San Diego, Austin, Nashville, Cincinnati, Syracuse, Jacksonville, Virginia Beach, and Raleigh). "Orion is operated and run by former military members that fully understand the uniqueness and intricacies of military members transitioning into the civilian sector of industry." Users can review their website for information on the firm, upcoming hiring conferences, and job listings. Visitors may browse the job database, but you must register in order to apply for any openings.

Power-Careers

..."a veteran owned service, providing free transition assistance to active-duty military members, as well as industry experienced prior-military leaders and technicians seeking to launch their careers in a new direction within the Power Generation and Industrial Manufacturing industries." Operated by Magellan Professional Solutions (see above), this site allows their clients to advertise open positions online. All users can review the jobs and check out Resources area with its excellent interview advice and sample resumes. Only registered users will be able to apply for the jobs listed here (registration is free).

RecruitMilitary

...jobs, career information, and a resume database for transitioning military personnel. Free registration is required for you to review jobs, post your resume, or review some areas under the Career Center. RecruitMilitary purchased MilitaryHeadhunter.com, and has incorporated many of that site's services into this one.

TAOnline.com, Transition Assistance Online

...formerly run by DI-USA, this is now operated by Lucas Group (see Lucas Careers above) and Wall Street Journal. There is no charge for service members to submit their resumes to TA0 or to search their wide variety of employment opportunities. TA0 provides information on second career strategies, starting one’s own business, continuing/distance education programs and relocation assistance. Moreover, information on veteran’s benefits, reserve matters and transition resources are provided. You might want to scan the list of all jobs by employer to get a good overview of what is offered. Many of these openings seem well geared for the specialties we see more in the military and less in the civilian market. Don't skip the calendar of Military Career Fairs, complete with description of what type of employment openings will be available and how to make sure you are on the list.

National Veteran-Owned Business Association

NaVOBA was launched in March 2007 to ensure that VOBs follow their minority and women business colleagues into the fertile corporate supplier opportunity.

VetJobs.com

...a career sites for transitioning military members, their spouses and dependents. Owned and operated by U.S. military veterans and The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. Search for jobs, post your resume (limited to those who have served with a military organization of the United States and served on Active Duty, with a Reserve component or with the National Guard, AND who have a valid email address), or review their extensive lists of veteran organizations and resources.

Welcome Home G.I.

...sponsored by the Mortgage Bankers Association, Welcome Home is a free Web-based training and education program that prepares bilingual (fluent in both Spanish and English) veterans, military servicemen and women and their family members for jobs in mortgage loan origination, brokering, servicing, and processing. Review the FAWs and information about the program before registering. While they do not guarantee you a job when you have completed the certificate training, they will guarantee you a job interview with one of the participating institutions.

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Pay Rates / Money Matters / Employment Verification

Defense Finance and Accounting Service

Need to double-check your pay rate due to a status change? Want to compare your current pay rate to past rates? Need to check on the taxable status of your Veterans Affairs (VA) Compensated Work Therapy? This the place to go. Civilian DOD employees will also find much of their need-to-know pay and benefits info here.

MilitarySaves.org

No, the US Armed Forces are not the best paying gigs in the world (benefits are pretty darn good), but they are some of the most important. Unfortunately, many military personnel face problems managing their money and incur huge debts which affect their personal lives as well as their security status. The Military Saves program, part of America Saves and the Department of Defense Financial Readiness Campaign, is designed to help service and family members, retirees, veterans, civil servants, contractors, NAF employees, and friends build wealth, not debt. It is a free and confidential service, and one I highly recommend to all veterans and their families.

Verification of Military Employment, the Defense Finance and Accounting Service

Organizations who need to verify the current or former employment of members of the U.S. Armed Forces will find the information they need here. This page includes guides on how to read the Military Leave and Earnings Statements for each branch of the military along with a link to the website where you can access that information. A service of the DFAs, above. If you get a notice about the website security certificate, just click past it.

Verification of Military Experience and Training (VMET) documents (DD Form 2586) from the Defense Manpower Data Center

Individuals with military service on or after 10/1/90 in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, or Air Force may log in to view their own information. The server-side security certificate has expired, so you have to click past that. (This link was provided at the request of a career counselor working for the U.S. Army who said it would simplify things for transitioning personnel.)

We have more information on Budgeting & Financial Planning.

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Information for Activated Reservists / Reassigned Military Personnel

If you are a reservist now called to active duty, there are things you need to know about your rights to reclaim your job when you return plus financial assistance rights. Active military personnel who are reassigned have various financial rights available to alleviate the costs of moving your household.

Tax Information from the IRS

Tax Information for Members of the U.S. Armed Forces (IRS Newsroom)

"The tax laws provide some special benefits for active members of the U.S. Armed Forces, including those serving in combat zones." This press release links you to relevant information and IRS resources for active service members (particularly those service in combat zones) and their families, including the Military Family Tax Relief Act President Bush signed into law November 11, 2003.

Top of Info for Reservists || Top of Page

Employment Rights & Assistance

Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) Employee/Employer Advisor

The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) Advisor helps Veterans understand employee eligibility and job entitlements, employer obligations, benefits and remedies under the Act. USERRA is intended to minimize the disadvantages to an individual that occur when that person needs to be absent from his or her civilian employment to serve in this country's uniformed services. USERRA provides employees with Department of Labor assistance in processing claims. USERRA potentially covers every individual in the country who serves in or has served in the uniformed services, and applies to all employers in the public and private sectors, including Federal employers. The law seeks to ensure that those who serve their country can retain their civilian employment and benefits, and can seek employment free from discrimination because of their service.

You can also review The Guide to Reserve Family Member Benefits from the Reserve Affairs website (under Family Readiness). Please note this is a PDF document and will require access to the free Adobe Reader for viewing and printing.

Reserve Officers Association

The Professional Military Association representing the officers of the seven U.S. Uniformed Services. Right on their front you'll see information on Operation Enduring Freedom for both Reservists / Guard and their employers.

National Committee of Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve

The National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) is an agency within the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs. It was established in 1972 to promote cooperation and understanding between Reserve component members and their civilian employers and to assist in the resolution of conflicts arising from an employee's military commitment.

Top of Info for Reservists || Top of Page

Financial Rights and Assistance

The following articles and documents outline the financial protections provided for by the Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act (SSCRA) and to invoke these benefits if you are reassigned or called to active duty from the reserves.

• Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act Provides Umbrella of Protection

Top of Info for Reservists || Top of Page

Education & Training Support

Army COOL (Credentialing Opportunities Online)

Army personnel can use COOL to

• Find civilian credentials related to your military occupational specialty (MOS)
• Understand what it takes to obtain the credentials
• See if there are available programs that will help pay credentialing fees

At this time, Credentialing requirements information currently includes enlisted MOSs only, but they do plan to add Warrant Office MOSs. (Officers are referred to America's Career Infonet for similar information.) This replaces the former UMET: Use Your Military Experience and Training site operated by the DOL.

The GI Bill: 2008 GI Bill Update (military.com)

Many post-9/11 veterans and servicemembers will soon see be eligible for a new comprehensive education benefits package that goes well beyond helping to pay for tuition. Many veterans who served after Sept. 11, 2001, will get full tuition and fees, a new monthly housing stipend, and a $1,000 a year stipend for books and supplies. The new bill also gives Reserve and Guard members who have been activated for more than 90 days since 9/11 access to the same GI Bill benefits. This article includes helpful info on the new benefits and links to documents necessary to claim the funding.

GI Bill website, US Dept of Veteran Affairs

...originating after World War II, the Montgomery GI Bill provides for education benefits to military personnel and their dependents seeking additional training or schooling.

The Fund for Veterans' Education

"The Fund for Veterans Education was established to provide scholarships to veterans from all branches of the United States Armed Forces who served in Afghanistan or Iraq since September 11, 2001 and who are now enrolled in college or vocational-technical school. We are committed to helping veterans close the gap between rising educational costs and GI benefits that have not kept pace." US and non-US citizens are eligible as long as the military service requirements have been met.

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