FROM BOOTS TO SUITS:Empowering Veterans’ Transition into the Workforce

10/28/2014 at Harris Conference CenterPresented by: NDC Carolinas’

Charlotte Chapter

Mission

To create a network of support and connect our transitioning veterans with hiring companies: • Bringing together Veterans and recruiters to create an

opportunity to find and successfully fill open positions• Provide information about military culture and best

practices for finding and recruiting veterans• Provide information on finding positions as well as

outside resources to veterans

Agenda 10/28/2014AGENDA

MAIN ROOM PROMENADE

BREAKOUT ROOM

9:45 am - 10:30 amNetworking Resource Tables &

RegistrationNONE

10:30 am - 10:45 am Welcome (ALL)Registration

10:45 am - 10:55 am Kick off speech (ALL)

10:55 am - 11:00 am Transition - Recruiters Move Transition Transition - Recruiters Enter

11:00am - 11:30 am Practice Pitching Yourself for Veterans

Registration

Military Culture Overview for Staffing/Recruiting Professionals

11:30 am - 12:00 pmFinding, Hiring, Training, and Retaining Veterans

12:00 pm - 12:45 pm Lunch and Guest Veteran Speaker

NONE

12:45 pm - 1:00 pm Awards Ceremony & Closing

1:00 pm - 3:30 pm Recruiters and Veterans Connecting

NONE

3:30 pm - 3:40 pm Veteran Resource Snapshots

3:40 pm - 3:45 pm Closing Remarks

3:45 pm+ Networking Resource Tables

Detailed Agenda• 10:00am Arrival• 10:30-11 Welcome and Kick-off• 11-noon Concurrent Tracks– Recruiters: presentation on military culture and

best practices for 1) finding, 2) hiring, 3) initial training, and 4) retaining veterans

– Veterans: learn to effectively “pitch” themselves to recruiting professionals in under 2 minutes

Detailed Agenda• 12-1pm – Lunch and Awards Ceremony• 1:00-3:30- Veteran and Recruiters Connect– 10 tables of Veterans stay seated as a few

recruiters per organization remain to travel around to each

– Recruiters discuss common and current openings– Veterans pitch themselves to the companies

Detailed Agenda• 3:30- 3:40 Resource tables provide quick

summary of services offered• 3:40- 3:45 Closing Remarks• 3:45+ Resource Tables reopen and network

Presentations for Recruiters

• Military Culture– Understand the skills, experiences, and culture of veterans– Differences in perceptions, jargon, and how military

personnel tend to identify with their organizations• Finding, Hiring, Training and Retaining Veterans

– Best-practice style presentation on 1. Numerous local and electronic veteran specific job resources2. How to help your organization stand out to veterans3. Simple steps to ease the initial transition into the organization4. How to keep veterans engaged for your organization

Training for Veterans

• Introductions and Modeling– Explanation of why mastering your “pitch” is so vital, as

well as demonstrating do’s and do not’s• Veterans Practice– Veterans rehearse and receive feedback on their

“pitch” from professionals as well as other veterans at the table

• Reporting to Group– Each table will report back to group

Recruiter & Veterans Connecting

• Veterans remain at tables with recruiting professionals visiting each table for 15 minutes– To begin, 1-3 recruiters from each company will

remain to discuss openings with veterans– Interested veterans at each table (7-10 per table)

will then pitch themselves to the company

Measures for Success

• Attendance• Paper surveys at event• Electronic post-event surveys• Feedback (interpersonal or electronic) to staff

and volunteers• Success stories of veterans who found jobs

and organizations who gained new talent

Additional Information

• Last Year– Website:

http://ndccarolinas.org/what-we-do/events-and-programs/from-boots-to-suits/

– Post event article: http://ndccarolinas.org/what-we-do/events-and-programs/from-boots-to-suits/tara/

About NDC

• Our Mission– Enhance appreciation for and understanding of the value of

diversity and inclusion• Our Goals

– Promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace and community– Develop leaders who are educated and aware of all aspects of

diversity and inclusion– Develop programs that support diversity education and awareness

www.ndccarolinas.orgwww.nationaldiversitycouncil.org

Speakers

• Veterans Training– Noel Humphreys

• Recruiter Presentations– ? For Military Culture– Andrew Barnes

• Guest Veteran Speaker– Blake Bourne

Questions

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