some decisions regarding how we
want to structure this.
Our first thought is that we
wanted to make sure to structure
ourselves as a non-profit 501c3 and
the whole focus would be providing
this information to anyone who
picked up the phone and called. It
is our mission to provide education
to companies.
There are others who target candidates,
then charge percentages
or monthly retainers when placing
them. No one should ever have
to pay to hire a vet. All the information
is available through free
channels and supported by your
tax dollars.
ICM: How does this work? So,
either I’m a vet or I’m a company.
I need a job or I need some technicians.
How do you bring the two
together? Do you match them up
like a dating service, for lack of a
better term, or do you pass names
back and forth?
Lord: We were able to build a
platform website with a typical
posting board. It requires a log-in
and password (all this is free by
the way), and a company register
can post positions. It’s as simple as
that. It’s just letting us know what
you need.
Everything gets looked at by us
to verify the information is correct
that it has a salary range.
Since we are seeking people outside
our industry, they have no idea
of what the salaries might be and
without it stated, we would lose
many candidates. Once it is verified,
it gets posted on our website, our
social media and any connectivity
platform we are connected to within
the veteran’s groups.
Also, Jon Skipper is going through
our candidate list so that we are
able to identify them. For vets, it
is similar. They log-in and are able
to access job-searching their local
area.
Skipper: I’ll reach out to the military
community at the State level
asking them to identify any possible
applicants for the position. Once I
start receiving resumes, I’ll review
them and translate military jargon
into English.
This is an important step as the
military has a language all its own
and most employers don’t speak it.
For example a “job” in the army is
referred to as an “MOS” (Military
Occupational Status). I’ll contact
the candidate and talk with him/her
about the position. One of candidates’
first questions is “What does
it pay?” They need to know exactly
what they’re getting into and if
it’s going to support their families
which is why salary is required on
the postings.
Once that is done, I will contact
the company and give them a brief
background on the individual to
determine if they are a qualified
candidate or not. Then we’ll go
from there and follow-up with the
interview. From that point, I’ll keep
in touch with both candidate and
the company to ensure the process
is moving forward.
ICM: So you really do a hands-on
thing. If the candidate was driving
a water tanker truck in the Army
for example, and a job comes up for
a fuel oil truck driver, you could
match them up. Can you tell me
about your success rate?
Lord: In the last six months we’ve
had over 345 applicants for positions
in eight States. Of course,
among those 345 applicants, not
every individual will have the exact
certifications that he/she needs or
that the companies are looking for.
Maybe a Hazmat certification is
required. We, and Jon is the mastermind
at this, will work with the
candidate to identify routes he/she
can take.
Perhaps it is attending a GI Bill
certified course apprenticeship or
finding a lateral certification that
identifying it as a previous position
in the military. As for the success
rate, last year over 200 veterans
were placed throughout those eight
States in the fuel oil and propane
industries.
ICM: If a veteran wants to log on
and access the site (vets2.org), they
can go ahead and start browsing
through the positions specific to
their area and contact the company
directly?
Lord: They can contact them
directly but we find that many will
contact us first to find out more
regarding the industry or job about
which they know nothing.
We like it when the veterans call
Mr. Skipper and say, Jon I’m looking
at this company, but I have no
idea what it is. Now that Jon has
been indoctrinated and understands
the industry, he can tell him/her
this is a great industry providing
heat to all these people and their
focus is on safety and delivery and
so on. We paint a picture so that
these individuals want to work
there. Jon can also help identify
that the companies have taken the
steps to use the TRS program, use
the DOT waiver form or have a GI
Bill-certified course that would get
the candidate up-to-speed.
Veterans understand that there
are benefits out there, but they
are unaware exactly how much
money is available for education
and training. We just know that
there’s something out there. We
were promised something when we
signed our name away, but we don’t
know what it is.
We want a candidate to contact a
company for a job, and after deciding
that the candidate has the
qualities the company wants, the
Jesse Lord on deployment
6 ICM/September/October 2019