New Programs Geared to Help Veterans Find Jobs

The end of the war in Iraq has focused renewed attention on the necessity of employing returning veterans. The federal government has launched new initiatives through the "Gold Card" and the National Resource Directory to help veterans do just that.

The "Gold Card" is a special service for veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) that provides additional assistance to help these veterans find employment.

"Gold Card" service is available at county job centers. The U.S. Department of Labor partners with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services to operate these job centers in each county; while the job centers are open to all residents, they also contain veteran counselors.

The way it works, is that the "Gold Card" essentially puts OEF/OIF veterans at the head of the line for services, and provides them counseling, information, referral to job openings and follow-up assistance. The web site for the "Gold Card" also contains a resource to help translate military to civilian experience.

In November, the National Resource Directory rolled out a veterans job bank of vacancies nationwide for use by both veterans and employers who are seeking veterans to hire. The effort is part of the "Joining Forces" initiative sponsored by First Lady Michelle Obama.

In other federal developments, last month President Barack Obama signed the Vow to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 into law. The act passed both houses of Congress with bipartisan support. The new law provides tax credits to companies that hire veterans and job training through the G.I. Bill for pre-9/11 veterans.

Job assistance from the State of Ohio is also available for veterans. The Ohio National Guard has partnered with AMVETS to create a site, "Ohio Vets Can," which has job postings in the state available for veterans.

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, in addition to its work at county job centers, also provides a site for veterans, "Ohio Means Veteran Jobs." This site contains resources to help translate a veteran's military experience into words that civilian employers can understand. The site also includes links to veteran-friendly employers as well as other resources, such as resume assistance.

Veterans interested in applying for federal jobs can refer to www.fedshirevets.gov

Finally, it's important for all veterans to remember that, no matter what type of employment one is looking for, there are common-sense tips to take note of and be prepared

• Have a current resume; use available online tools to translate military experience to civilian needs, and emphasize common skills such as personal discipline, dependability, ability to accomplish assigned tasks on time and to standard, and adaptability to learn new tasks quickly.
• Have a cover letter geared to the type of job being looked for.
• "Dress for success" at either a job fair or an interview and present a professional appearance, e.g., suit and tie, or dress/skirt or pantsuit.
• Finding employment can be a challenge for veterans, but tools are available to help the process result in a successful outcome.