Back in July, you might remember that we hired Beth

Back in July, you might remember that we hired Beth Ciaramello, as an Employment Specialist. Since joining the team nearly 6 months ago Beth has played an essential role in helping our students become prepared to enter the workforce. Keep reading below as Beth shares what she has learned since she started. 1. What kind of response are you getting from employers in regards to interviewing/hiring LKVS veteran candidates? a. Employers are really excited for the opportunity to hire veterans. They see the value with hiring those who have served in the military as they have excellent training, experience, and discipline. Companies like USAA and ID.me are motivated to hire military and veteran candidates because their services are geared toward military personnel and their families. They align with our mission to have vets helping vets. 2. How many students are you currently working with? a. Currently, I have about 30 students that are job searching. Since I have started I have assisted with and edited 50+ resumes and cover letters.

Figure 1 Beth balancing high in the tree tops

3. What types of jobs are in demand for our veteran students to work toward? What are some of the certifications our veteran students pursuing? a. In-demand jobs vary by locations around the U.S. Customer service and technical support are always available. Work-from-home position in demand are Business Analysts, Technical Support (all levels), and IT Security (especially in healthcare industries). b. Certifications that are in demand include A+, Net +, Security+, PMP , CISCO, and web/app developer certifications like HTML and Java. 4. Do you have any special projects you are working on? ®

a. In additional to helping students with resume and interviewing, I also perform a market analysis nationwide. This allows me and the LearnKey team to see what jobs are in demand in a geographic area. This really helps when assisting students on what certifications to acquire. 5. What have you learned since joining the team back in July? a. I have increased my knowledge of technologies and the certifications that are required and have much more to learn. Another surprising and positive experience is how receptive and willing to help employers have been. They are beyond excited to hear what LearnKey does for veterans and are trying to find ways to partner with us more. 6. What advice do you give to your students while you are working with them? a. Advice I would give would be similar to the advice I gave in the July newsletter when I started, emphasizing staying positive. It is a tough market out there and rejection is a part of the process, however, hard work pays off. The right time and the right job will come, be diligent, organized, and be positive.