We want to invite US Veterans and Returning Citizens, along with anyone else who might be interested,  to follow our Podcast.  We will talk about how we approach career planning from a different perspective than traditional career planning processes and then go deeper into the development of valuable life skills.  It is important that everyone be able to pursue a lifestyle that feeds their soul, draws on their personal strengths and addresses a real need in today's world.    This podcast will be going into more detail about these concepts as well as providing access to other individuals who have been successful in their career quests.  We hope that you want to become part of our movement.

Tyrone Miller served in the Navy for six years, spent over 40 years at Ford, taught at WCCC and has done independent HVAC contracting work.  He talks about the importance of education, leveraging your experience in your career, loving what you do, finding a good fit between you and your career, always focusing on the customer, knowing how to deal with change and being a savvy business person.  A tall order but a lot of great content and suggestions for how to be successful and he is still plugging away at 75.   Hope you enjoy listening to him.

Change Management is actually a bit of an oxymoron.   We really do not manage change but rather manage how we deal with change.  Whether you are being discharged from the military, or are a returning citizen, you are probably being confronted with major changes.   This podcast will introduce you to a model called: Survive, Adapt and Flourish.  It is a way to help you deal with the inevitable "Valley of Despair" that we all tend to experience when faced with change in our lives.  Don't be a victim of change.  Embrace it and use this model to help you be more in control when confronted by change.

Grayson has gotten through some tremendous challenges but now he is dedicated to helping veterans see that there is hope, and with a plan, can take control of their careers and their lives.  I hope you enjoy listening to him and if you have any comments, please share them with us.  Take care and be safe.

Jeff Bezos is quoted as saying that "your personal brand is what people say about you when you are not in the room".  We all have a personal brand.  The key is to decide what you want yours to be and then nurture it.  Just like companies nurture their brands, you want to give yours the love and attention that it deserves.  Take some time to reflect on what is important to you, write it down, and then craft an elevator pitch that reflects your brand.  Then, you are ready to use it when you are working on your resume, or participating in a networking event, or even answering questions in an interview.   Let your brand guide and inform your decisions that you are in integrity with what you hold as important in your life.  Good luck.

Join us to hear from Geoff about the History of No Veteran Left Behind and their focus on helping Veterans, especially cope with mental health and substance abuse issues as well as helping Returning Citizens re-engage in the community.  Geoff is also very active with the Round Table events sponsored by the University of Michigan - Dearborn.    We also have a chance to chat about the I Inc model and how it can support vets and returning citizens become more of a full, well rounded person.  We also discussed Warriors to Work program – and his partnership with Mark Meadows of VA Detroit providing needed services to many of our Veterans.  Between "No Veteran Left Behind" and "I Inc." we are proud to be able to provide opportunities for veterans and returning citizens to become more empowered and entrepreneurial in their lives.  For more information on "No Veteran Left Behind", you can read about it in Facebook.  For I Inc., check out the following web page:   https://sites.google.com/a/umich.edu/mike-callahan/

Hear Mike Callahan discuss the idea of a Personal Value Proposition and how it is critical in creating your personal career Sweet Spot and telling a compelling career story. The P.V.P. is a concept that many people struggle to truly understand and yet it is critical in being able to articulate the potential value that you can bring to a given employer.    Mike explains a simple concept involving price and value, that we can all relate to, in helping understand the idea of your value proposition.  He also builds the context of People, Customer and Business in helping you frame your Personal Value Proposition in a tangible manner.

We are pleased to be able to offer a free training system for veterans and returning citizens that features a new and innovative way to help you prepare more effectively for a job interview.  Big Interview is an online system that combines training AND practice to help improve your interview technique and build your confidence.  Big Interview offers a variety of tools including: Challenging, virtual mock interviews for all experience levels and hundreds of industries A database of thousands of interview questions with tips on how to answer them The ability to rate and share your interview answers for feedback A comprehensive video training curriculum covering all aspects of landing a job A step-by-step interview Answer Builder for crafting answers to behavioral questions A Resume builder and Resume Curriculum Go to the following website to register for access to Big Interview:  https://tinyurl.com/VetsandRC

Tom Pitock is the Veteran Affairs Coordinator for UM-Dearborn. Originally from Carleton, MI, He has over 22 years of military service, retiring from the United States Coast Guard in 2008. He has over a decade of experience in higher education as a Veteran Education Professional. He represents military-affiliated students and promotes programs and services to ensure consistent veteran-student support. Tom shares his experiences making the transition from the military to civilian life and has several suggestions for how veterans can make that transition more smoothly.  I also want to remind our listeners that we are running the Career Planning workshop again in June starting on June 15th.  There is no charge and all of the required materials are provided.  If you need more information, you can go to the following website to register for the workshop: https://sites.google.com/a/umich.edu/mike-callahan/mid-career Thanks again to Tom for taking the time to meet with us.

If you are a veteran, a family member of a veteran, or even a friend of a veteran who might need some help, you really need to listen to this podcast.  Chaka is a wonderful person and also a tremendous resource for the veteran community.   He helps veterans and their families with just about any challenge you can imagine a veteran might face from housing, to education, to careers, to personal life needs.  He is your man! He can be reached at mcdonaldc@oaklandCHN.org or by calling 248-764-4443.   One of his key suggestions is to not wait until the situation has become critical.  If you feel that he can help you, reach out to him.  He predominately is supporting veterans in Oakland County, Michigan but he can either help you or refer you to another navigator in one of the other counties in Michigan.   By the way, Michigan and Texas are the only states that have navigators so take advantage of this opportunity.   Thanks again to Chaka for taking the time to participate in this interview.  I am sure that you will gain a lot of valuable information from it.   Good luck.

Susan has been able to truly become empowered in her life's pursuits.  She started out as a combat medic with the Michigan Army National Guard, moved on to becoming and Educator and has since retired and taken up Photography.  Since she "never wants to retire", she is continuing to stay active in supporting veterans and is a firm believer in the value of mentoring and volunteering.  A veteran mentoring group that she wanted me to mention is: Veterati.com  Check them out.  Also, her email address is: susanmccain728@gmail.com and I know she would be happy to hear from you.   Susan, thank you for taking the time to allow me to interview you and I hope that you are able to continue to support women veterans for a very long time.

There are two ways to find opportunities.  You can scan the want ads and hope someone will give you a job or you can take advantage of disruptive change in your area of interest, and position yourself to be valuable within that specific space.  In the late 80's Design Engineers had to learn how to think differently.  They were using drafting tables and thinking in 2D space and when the revolution in workstations happened, they had to start thinking in 3D space.  The newer people had an advantage because they were trained in the 3D space.  Later, the iPhone ushered in a whole new way of connecting with the internet and the folks that were able to think differently, were better able to take advantage of the new technology. Recently, in the world of Project Management, there is a movement away from traditional "waterfall" approaches to a concept called "Agile Project Management".  Agile, like other disruptive changes, requires a new way of thinking. And just think of the opportunities that will emerge from the "Black Lives Matter" movement as the Global Economy pivots to respond to injustice in positive ways.    Bottom line, look for disruptive changes in your areas of interest.  Be open to a new way of thinking.  Prepare yourself for the new approach and you will be able to capitalize on the change and truly take advantage of the new environment.  Good luck.

Here is your chance to learn about a simple, 10 step approach to creating and nurturing your own personal brand.   We all have a brand.  By using this approach, you can manage yours so that it is communicating to the external world the story that you want told.   Check it out and good luck.

Chris has been working with adult males who have committed sex crimes but have served their time and are now trying to re-integrate into their community.  She highlights some of the major challenges this group faces in terms of the stigma associated with their crimes but also has a lot of very positive and uplifting stories of success. She summarizes the necessary work into three categories: 1. Find Help, 2. Prepare to do the Hard Work, and 3. Don't lose faith, keep working at it.  If you are interested in a national resource for support groups, you can go to the following web site: atsa.com

Take some time to enjoy listening to Jeff Arnold as he discusses some of the challenges and opportunities veterans are facing as they make the transition from the military to the civilian world.  Jeff discusses some of the challenges associated with PTSD and encourages veterans to visit the VA.gov website for help if needed. He also talks about helping veterans take advantage of the opportunities at Oakland Community College and especially invites everyone to participate in a Career Services Workshop that will be held on July 16th.  You can either reach out to Jeff directly at jlarnold@oaklandcc.edu or sign up at: occ-virtual-veterans-career-services-workshop.eventbrite.com Good luck

Hear what April Halliburton has to say about founding her business over 10 years ago as a vehicle to bridge the gap between small businesses and great HR and the work she is now doing to support veterans and returning citizens. Her company, All-4-HR & Business Solutions LLC,  manages and consults with small businesses that have from 2 to 49 employees throughout the country. In addition, she is also a proud Volunteer with SCORE, a Certified Mentor, a Workshop Facilitator, and an HR Consultant.  April fully understands the need for training for veterans and returning citizens, especially in the areas of technology and career management.  She has developed a six step process that she takes her clients through in the development and landing of a viable career opportunity.    Hear what she has to say and if you are interested in more information, you can reach out to the following website, select the contact option, and let us know about your interest.     https://tinyurl.com/VetsandRC

Join us for an interview with Gerald Thomas and hear about the services he provides to veterans. Gerald is currently active in the military and has several years of experience counselling veterans with PTSD and other Mental Health challenges along with helping vets with their career pursuits.   He is a firm believe that any door is open to a vet and if he cannot help you, he will get you in touch with someone who can.   Gerald is very outgoing, friendly and a true joy to be with.  You can reach him at his email address at: gerald.thomas3@va.gov  or go to the following website, select contact us, and let me know that you want to reach out to Gerald.  https://tinyurl.com/VetsandRC

Tune into the recent interview I had with Ed Ruckle and learn about a great resource that he has created for veterans.  Ed is Canadian born but chose to join the USAF and is now helping US veterans achieve what he calls the Perfect Patient Experience.   He has had some great experience both in and out of the military and I am sure you will enjoy listening to his story.  You can learn more about his services by checking out: veteranfacilitator.com

"Most men lead lives of quiet desperation, and go to the grave with their song unsung".  H. D. Thoreau We have a better way and can help veterans, and returning citizens, make the transition into civilian life.  Over the next several days we will be posting one episode every other day until we have covered all 9 steps in this process.  Take charge of your career and your life.  Become empowered and listen in to these upcoming podcasts so that you are truly in charge of your career.  Good luck.

Step one is possibly the hardest of the 9 steps.  It requires you to choose to make a personal change in how you think.   Changing how we think can be very difficult but if we are not prepared to change our thinking, we really cannot expect to get different outcomes. It all starts with how we think and so this step gives you 9 different elements associated with thinking like an entrepreneur.  Take some time to listen to the podcast, and then reflect on what we are saying.  Make the commitment to think differently and you will be much more successful in implementing the following 8 steps.  Good luck.