Wednesday, 5 February 2025 Issue#017

Good morning. Punxsutawney Phil made his big annual forecast, this time as a new dad after he and his wife, Phyllis, welcomed two groundhog pups last spring.

The verdict? More sledding and snowball fights for the kids—Phil saw his shadow, signaling six more weeks of winter.

Silver lining? While Phil may be earning that "Best Dad" T-shirt, his forecasting skills are laughable. NOAA says he’s only right 35% (wait, is that good for a weather analyst?) of the time, so there’s still hope for an early spring. Plus, there is Baseball this month!!!

Are Federal Jobs Still an Option?

It goes without saying that is has been an active few weeks since the new administration took office. Federal workers have received buyout offers, agencies are in a hiring freeze for 90 days, and the entirety of the federal workforce has been ordered to return to the office. Any of these changes are disruptive on their own, add them all together and it you get a lot of uncertainty.

Federal jobs have been a common pathway to civilian work for thousands of transitioning service members. Sure, veteran preference does contribute to that but the valuable experience service members bring to the workforce is the more likely factor. Veterans make up just 5% of total workforce but account for 30% of federal hires. Federal jobs have been a reliable place to continue service post military, but what now?

Well, the best answer to that is (checks magic 8 ball)…ask again later. It is not certain what effect the above changes will have on the federal workforce. I know that really doesn’t cut it if you are close to your exit from military service. If you were/are planning on continuing your service as a federal employee here are some things to consider to help you decide whether or not to continue down that path.

Whether you decide to pursue a federal job this year or take a different path, always keep in mind the significance of your role as a veteran. Veterans possess a distinctive ability to approach shared challenges with bravery, unity, and a dedication to positive change. Your impact in the civilian world is more valuable than you may realize.

Supercharging Your Next (or current) Career

Navigating your first job after the military is tricky. You are in a new culture, learning new processes, and probably learning how to talk without using inappropriate words in every sentence.

It may seem strange and you may even experience some impostor syndrome. However, just like in the military, there is a strategy and plan you can fall back on which can help you accelerate your transition and your career. The cool thing is this strategy can be used in each new role you take.

Try this in the first 90 days of getting started:

Collect the name and email for every person you're likely to come in contact with that can make an impact on your ability to grow.

• This includes anyone from your team, heads of departments, directors, trainers, even the CEO if your company culture embraces that
• This may take a few weeks as you learn the job, ask questions and keep adding names

Next send all of them a message similar to this:

Now, here is the key. When you get a chance to connect, ensure you work these questions into the conversation.

1. What are the major projects you and your team are working on?
2. If you could waive a magic wand, what is the one thing you would change or like assistance with to make your life easier?
3. What is your best piece of advice for someone brand new to [Company]?

Do your best to remember their responses. I find writing things down is a bit off putting during these types of connections, so here is what I do. Immediately after the meeting I log their responses into a spreadsheet I call my "work brain".

I have now created an easily referenced database of precisely how I can help every single person I'm likely to interface with in my current role.

You'll have easy conversation starters for the next time you run into them and you also have a non-cringy way to follow up with them as you start to progress...just check in and ask about their project or problem.

Create a plan to help solve some of the problems and you'll make a lot of friends and build a robust network that will work for you even when your not in the room. As a bonus, you'll learn a ton about the job/company in a very short period of time, making you even more effective!

Note: If you only read one book about business, the book pictured should be that book. It is packed with good insights and examples that can be widely applied in many situations.

Upcoming Job Fairs & Events

​DoD Civilian Careers - 13 Feb

​National Virtual Career Fair for Veterans - 13 Mar

​Eastern Region Virtual Career Fair for Veterans - 25 Feb

​BestHire Job Fair Search Tool ​

​Job Fair Search Tool​

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