Employment Readiness Program (ERP)

The Employment Readiness Program (ERP) offers resources to help with your career plan and job search. Whether you’re a military spouse or Family member who just moved to a new installation, retiree, DoD Civilian looking for new opportunities, or active duty military, Active Reserve, National Guard member, or Wounded Warrior, we’re here to help.

Our services include:

• Up-to-date information on local, national, and international employment opportunities, job market trends and education, and volunteer resources
• Information on job fairs (in person and virtual) and other hiring events
• Assistance with employment applications
• Career counseling and individual career assessments
• Résumé critiques
• Classes and seminars on self-assessment and career exploration, resume writing, interviewing techniques, dressing for success, networking, and entrepreneurship
• Information on spouse licensure reimbursement (re-licensing at a new duty station can be costly)

*Not all programs and classes are available at all ACS facilities.

Are you ready? Contact your Employment Readiness Program manager (ERPM) for more information.

Additional Resources:

(Government Links)

• Army Spouse Employment, Career and Education Resource Links: a good place start investigating employment options
• Military Spouse Education & Career Opportunities (MySECO): education and career guidance for military spouses
• Military OneSource Spouse Education and Employment: a source for trustworthy guidance on entering the workforce
• The Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP): Military OneSource’s portal to connect spouses and employers
• USAjobs.gov: the Federal Government’s employment portal  
• Home Based Business (HBB): options for businesses that operate from on-post quarters
• The U.S. Department of Labor: transition assistance and employment preparation for military spouses

(Non-Government, No Endorsement Implied)

• The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Hiring Our Heroes: An initiative that assists veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses find meaningful employment

Many companies understand the value that veterans and military family members can bring to a workplace. Members of the military community have many qualities and skills that can benefit companies in a variety of industries. By hiring a member of the military community, a company can bring a great deal of value to their team. Some of the qualities these individuals contribute to a workplace include:

• The ability to learn new concepts and skills, as well as transferable skills that have been proven in real-world situations.
• Leadership skills, as well as skills in direction, motivation, inspiration, and delegation. Veterans understand leadership dynamics and how to lead many different types of people.
• Teamwork and having a responsibility to coworkers, as well as the ability to be productive individually or as part of a team.
• Diversity and inclusion; veterans can work alongside others regardless of their race, gender, ethnic background, economic status, or religion, and are able to cooperate with many different types of people.
• Ability to perform under pressure; veterans understand how to accomplish tasks on time and despite being under stress.
• Respecting procedures and having accountability.
• Veterans are often knowledgeable about technical trends in business and industry and bring a global outlook and technological savvy to an employer.
• Integrity, trustworthiness, and sincerity.
• Resilience and the ability to overcome adversity.

Here are some helpful links:

• Transition Assistance Program
• Veteran Hiring Guide
• Helping Spouses Reach Career Goals
• Army Spouse Employment Fact Sheet
• Portability of Professional Licenses and Certificates for Service Members and Their Spouses
• DoD Military Family Readiness System
• EURCivJobs (Civilian jobs with the U.S. Army Europe and Africa)
• Military Spouse Preference (Priority Placement Program Frequently Asked Questions)

Here are some career assistance websites to help with your transition and planning:

• My Next Move (What do you want to do next?)
• O Net Online (Find occupations)
• O Net Interest Profiler

The best way to honor a veteran is to hire one

Hire Our Heroes connects the military community -- service members, military spouses and veterans -- with American businesses to create economic opportunity and a strong and diversified workforce.

CLICK HERE for more information.

1. ACCELERATED LEARNING CURVE: Veterans have the proven ability to learn new skills and concepts.
2. LEADERSHIP: The military trains people to lead by example as well as through direction, delegation, motivation, and inspiration.
3. TEAMWORK: Veterans understand how genuine teamwork grows out of a responsibility to one's colleagues.
4. DIVERSITY and INCLUSION: Veterans have learned to work side by side with individuals regardless of diverse race, gender, geographic origin, ethnic background, religion, and economic status.
5. SHARP UNDER PRESSURE: Veterans understand the rigors of tight schedules and limited resources.
6. RESPECT for PROCEDURES: They can grasp their place within an organizational framework, becoming responsible for subordinates' actions to higher supervisory levels.
7. TECHNOLOGY and GLOBALIZATION: Veterans are usually aware of international and technical trends pertinent to business and industry.
8. INTEGRITY: Veterans believe in doing "an honest day's work."
9. CONSCIOUS OF HEALTH AND HUMAN STANDARDS: Veterans are aware of health and safety protocols both for themselves and the welfare of others.
10. OVERCOME ADVERSITY: Veterans have frequently triumphed over great adversity presented to them.

HIRE A VETERAN TODAY!

USO Transition Program

How It Works

The USO Transition Program works with strategic partners to connect service members and military spouses to resources through a holistic approach, focusing on:

• Employment
• Education
• Financial readiness
• Mentorship
• Increased access to relevant veterans’ benefits in their communities

Through the creation of an individualized action plan, USO Transition Specialists collaborate with individuals to identify their personal and professional goals and build a roadmap to achieving them, while also identifying services and resources that are the best fit for their needs. This program offers support to service members up to 6 months after they have officially left service, providing them with resources well along their journey to civilian life.

USO Transition Specialists provide these free services through one on-one support (either virtually, or in person) and help military families create a plan for success now – and for the future.

CLICK HERE for more information.

The Wiesbaden Education Center offers a wealth of opportunities for all community members to enhance their skills, knowledge and education. The Education Staff provides quality services and programs to active duty, retirees, civilians and family members.

Professional guidance counselors provide a full range of adult and continuing education counseling. Individual counseling is available during normal duty hours on a walk-in basis

CLICK HERE to visit the U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden's Education Center page.

Other helpful Education resources (Embry Riddle Aeronautical University):

• https://worldwide.erau.edu/locations/wiesbaden
• https://catalog.erau.edu/worldwide/degrees-programs

The Military Spouse Employment  Partnership (MSEP) consists of  partners from the private sector, the military and the federal government who hire and professionally develop military spouses through a corporate partnership initiative. Opportunities are provided to spouses which ensure financial security and achieve employment goals through career mobility and enhanced employment options. Take advantage of the partners dedicated to supporting the military through the development of its finest` resource-the military spouse.

• Job Resource Center (in the lobby) with weekly updates of local vacancies and a Guide to Employers servicing the community and commutable vicinity.
• Home-Based Businesses
• Annual Career Fair
• Executive Orders for Hiring Preferences
• Education resources and financial aid

Résumé Tips

A typical private-sector resume will be 1-2 pages in length. Chronological, functional, combination, and targeted are the names of the different types of résumés and are discussed below.  

Note: most employers prefer a (reverse) chronological order résumé; but each one of these types of résumés  may be used based on the situation and/or your experience.

For help with your résumé, please visit the Employment Readiness Program today!

Chronological: provides work experience in order of most recent job to your earliest. This is one of the most common and useful if you have a lot of work experience which is aligned with the occupation you are seeking. 

Functional: this type of resume highlights your skills and experience without focusing on dates. You can use this type of resume if you recently graduated, are transitioning, or have gaps in your work experience. 

Combination: highlight both your skills and work experience using the combination resume. Include your skills first followed by your work experience beginning with the most recent employer. 

Targeted: a targeted resume is used for situations where you are most qualified. It is a customized resume for a specific job posting where you match you skillset to the requirements listed in the job posting. This type of resume may be a bit more work, but may pay off in showing an employer just how qualified you are for their job. 

__________________________________________________________________________________

Federal Résumé Guidance

First and foremost, you can expect a federal resume to be longer than a private sector one. A typical private-sector resume will be 1-2 pages in length, but to include all the critical data essential for the federal application process you might find yourself needing 3-7 pages for your resume, depending on the length and breadth of your work experience.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Additional Résumé Resources

O*NET OnLine is an excellent source for keywords for federal, private-sector résumés.

Spouse Education & Career Opportunities (SECO) - Resume Toolkit

OPM.gov is hosting trainings on resume writing. They have a few coming up on resumes, interviewing and navigating USAJobs.

https://www.usajobs.gov/Notification/Events/

Home Based Businesses Information

• Sedgwick -Service Center Associate
• Virtual Admin Assistant
• Concentrix Military Spouse Hiring Initiative
• Home Front Alliance- Client Account Manager (Full-time, Part-time)
• VirtForce-Military Friendly Employers
• VirtForce Remote Opportunities
• Virtforce Remote Opportunities 
• AMAZON Remote Jobs
• Colorado State Univ. Global - Remote Jobs
• United Healthcare
• Instant Teams
• Inbound Marketing Advisor
• Allstate- Customer Insurance Rep.

• Computers, Internet access, printers
• Scanning, fax and copier service
• Extensive resource library of books, CDs, pamphlets and brochures addressing every aspect of career and employment development