White Paper: Veteran CareerStar Accelerator

Revolutionizing Veterans’ MEANINGFUL CAREER: Veteran CareerStar Accelerator 1 | P a g e
Revolutionizing Veterans’ MEANINGFUL
CAREER: Veteran CareerStar Accelerator
White Paper by:
Dana E. Jarvis, MPA, MSW
Professor * Consultant * Author
December 2, 2011
While our country continues to struggle with a down economy,
wars being fought overseas, healthcare and a myriad of other
issues, perhaps the greatest opportunity we have is to solve the
problem of Veteran unemployment. This White Paper provides a
solution to the problem of Veteran unemployment. Background
information will be shared about Veteran unemployment, followed
by a web application solution that will revolutionize the way in
which Veterans discover and sustain a MEANINGFUL CAREER.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
 What if we could nationally have a close to 0% Veteran unemployment rate?
 What if almost 100% of our Veterans gained a truly MEANINGFUL CAREER?
 What would it take to have a 100% quality job placement rate after military service?
These are the questions that drive our purpose. Our purpose is to revolutionize the way in
which VETERANS achieve a MEANINGFUL CAREER. We can no longer think in terms of
“it’s okay that Veterans have unemployment, many times higher than the national average.”
Clearly the White House Administration recognizes the importance of placing Veterans into jobs.
And, there is definitely bi-partisan support and leadership to leverage opportunities for Veterans
to gain employment as well. Along with the myriad of organizations focused on lowering the
Veteran unemployment rate, our research findings indicate that while a decent support system
exists, the reality is that we are missing the target or perhaps we have set the wrong target.
The current target is to “create job opportunities for 100,000 military veterans and their families”,
via “large-scale public-private partnerships”
(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/10/michelle-obama-jobs-for-veterans_n_1087250.html,
as retrieved on November 17, 2011). However, this initiative, along with programs via Military
Transition Centers, Military.com, VetJobs.com, local and regional Veteran organizations and
others misses the absolute true target, which is to ensure that 100% of Veterans have a
MEANINGFUL CAREER. In the words of management guru Jim Collins, the goal of having
100% of Veterans in a meaningful career is a BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal). It is similar to
President John F. Kennedy saying, “I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving
the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the
Earth.” NASA engineers scratched their heads because in the early 1960s, no one knew
exactly how to achieve President Kennedy’s BHAG. Currently, no one has created a solution
that will revolutionize the way in which 100% of Veterans achieve a MEANINGFUL CAREER,
where their interests, strengths, skills, passion and personality are consistently deployed
towards finding and then sustaining the MEANINGFUL CAREER, unique to the individual
Veteran. If 100% of all Veterans achieved a MEANINGFUL CAREER, the benefits for our
country and the individual Veteran would be immense on a scale analogous to putting a man on
the moon and returning him to earth safely.
This White Paper explores key issues, statistics, research and current solutions focused on
Veteran unemployment. Based on a comprehensive analysis of this exploration, a revolutionary
solution to Veteran unemployment is detailed within the Veteran CareerStar Accelerator. In
brief, the Veteran CareerStar Accelerator will provide Veterans with the knowledge, skills and
abilities to significantly engage and sustain a MEANINGFUL CAREER. The goal of the Veteran
CareerStar Accelerator is to ensure 100% of all Veterans achieve a MEANINGFUL CAREER by
2017. Similar to President Kennedy’s goal of putting a man on the moon and returning him
safely to earth by the end of the 1960s, the Veteran CareerStar Accelerator is an ambitious
goal. And, it is the type of goal that can truly excite, engage and empower Veterans to help
each other, igniting a fire storm of revolutionary change in our great country. We can no longer
stand by and accept “same old, same old.” Veteran unemployment is our united generational
challenge, which can and will be solved. The Veteran CareerStar Accelerator will play an
integral role in facing Veteran unemployment head on and will serve as a catalyst toward 100%
of Veterans achieving a MEANINGFUL CAREER by 2017.

KEY STATISTICS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR VETERANS
Key Statistic Implication
In 2010, Gulf War Veterans experienced
11.5% unemployment, compared to the
national unemployment average for the
same time period of 9.4% for non-veterans
(http://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2011/ted_201
10316.htm).
The fact that our current systems still yield a
higher than national average unemployment rate
for Veterans is a major problem. We need
innovative ideas and actions to fix this problem.
Young male veterans (those ages 18 to 24)
who served during Gulf War era II had an
unemployment rate of 21.9 percent in 2010
(http://www.bls.gov/news.release/vet.nr0.ht
m).
Young male Veterans are an integral part of our
country’s future. To have such an astonishing
high unemployment rate for this group is
shocking. Since traditional solutions have not
worked, Veterans need to help other Veterans
through connecting, mentoring and coaching.
Gulf War-era II veterans who were current
or past members of the Reserve or National
Guard had an unemployment rate of 14.0
percent in July 2010
(http://www.bls.gov/news.release/vet.nr0.ht
m).
It does not appear to matter if the Veteran has
been in active duty, reserve or National Guard,
consistently, Veterans have higher
unemployment rates. The reality is that any
solution for Veterans with employment should
align with all Veterans.
Roughly 56 percent of all homeless
veterans are African American or Hispanic,
despite only accounting for 12.8 percent
and 15.4 percent of the U.S. population
respectively
(http://www.nchv.org/background.cfm).
Homelessness is a complex issue. Employment
is one major aspect that if a person was
employed, it is likely they could avoid
homelessness. Any solution to Veteran
unemployment must address issues related to
diversity.
About 1.5 million other Veterans,
meanwhile, are considered at risk of
homelessness due to poverty, lack of
support networks, and dismal living
conditions in overcrowded or substandard
housing
(http://www.nchv.org/background.cfm).
If significantly more proactive steps were taken to
engage Veterans prior to being at risk for
homelessness, a major shift would occur.
Solutions which set the bar higher, earlier on,
upon Veteran discharge would create stronger
alignment.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
It is true that there are a number of important organizations across our country which are
focused on assisting Veterans with gaining employment. Organizations like those shown below
work tirelessly on behalf of Veterans.
The above Employment Services for Veterans contain a number of key tools for Veterans to
access jobs. These tools include:
 Workshops on resume writing
 Assistance with interviewing techniques
 Insights on professional networking approaches
 Job guides and other Veteran resources
 Search tips focused on finding a job
 Database of job postings with key word searches
 Lists of military friendly employers
 Access to Veteran jobs across the country and virtually
 Success stories of Veterans who have found employment
 National and Veteran career news and blogs
 Information for service member families, including relocation
 Lists of franchising opportunities
Perhaps the best example of key areas that today’s Veteran Employment Services engage in
originates from Military.com’s Guide to Veteran Employment (2010). The table below is
adapted from this guide and highlights major areas.
Employment
Services for
Veterans
Military.com
Local &
Regional
Veterans
Services
Transition
Centers
VetJobs.com
GIJobs.com
Veterans’
Employment
and Training
Service (VETS)
Vet Central

Highlights and Adapted from Military.com’s Guide to Veteran Employment (2010)
INTRODUCTION Make the Most of Your Military Experience
SECTION 1.
Get Ready
3 Things to do to Prepare For The Job Market
 Professional Development
 Gathering Field Intel
 Resume and Cover Letters
SECTION 2.
Get Set... Go!
The Top 5 Tips for Finding the Best Job
 Networking
 Online Job Boards
 Career Fair Tips
SECTION 3.
The Home Stretch
Applying and Interviewing for the Best Job
 How to Apply
 Dress for Success
 Interviewing and Follow-Up
SECTION 4. Taking the
Gold!
You’ve Got the Job!
 More Homework
 Tips for Negotiating Your Salary
SECTION 5. Special Feature Federal Employment Guide
SECTION 6. Resources Military.com Careers, Relocation, Education Resources
 Government Resources
 Sample Resumes
 Timeline and Checklist
An analysis of the competitive landscape above clearly shows that the employment services
available to Veterans are mostly traditional. These services definitely have a purpose but the
reality is that with such high unemployment rates for Veterans, we owe it to Veterans to do
more. The bottom line is that there is a gap between the traditional employment services for
Veterans and 100% Veteran employment. Highlights of these gaps are detailed below.
1. If all of the organizations that focused on Veterans employment were achieving their
missions, there would be a closer to 0% Veteran unemployment rate. However, Veteran
unemployment continues to exist and be higher than the national average.
2. The current system to assist Veterans is focused primarily on “employment” instead of
“MEANINGFUL CAREER.” This lens provides a distorted view for the Veteran. The
message is “get a job”, while it needs to be “discover and engage a MEANINGFUL
CAREER.”
3. Most aspects tend to focus on helping Veterans instead of sustained empowerment
grounded in the Veteran having significantly more influence and control over their
careers. When a person is empowered, they direct the path towards their potential.

4. The Veteran career journey should not only focus on the “nuts and bolts” of the job
search (traditional employment services model) but also on the psychology around
discovering a path toward a “MEANINGFUL CAREER.” This career journey begins by
not accepting just a job but by setting high career standards and strategically charting a
path towards success, defined by the individual Veteran.
5. Other gaps in the current Veteran unemployment assistance system include the lack of
truly interactive web applications, lack of a focus on the Veteran achieving a
“MEANINGFUL CAREER” which is aligned and unique to the individual, lack of a
genuine Veteran professional network with direct access for Veterans and lack of a
systematic approach for engaging social media.
SITUATION ANALYSIS
When military personnel move from active duty to civilian, it can be challenging. The culture of
the military is structured, while civilians have choice in how they want to conduct their day. The
reality is that the transition from being active duty military to being civilian is challenging, marked
by uncertainty, confusion and misdirection. In addition, job growth has in many ways stalled
and increasingly the competition for even entry level positions can be immense. Challenges for
Veterans in being employed were also cited in the Society for Human Resource Management
(SHRM) 2010 study, titled, Employing Military Personnel and Recruiting Veterans
(http://www.shrm.org/Research/SurveyFindings/Documents/10-
0531%20Military%20Program%20Report_FNL.pdf, as retrieved on November 24, 2011). These
challenges are detailed in the Figure below.

Along with the challenges above, the SHRM study also noted specific benefits that employers
noted with regard to hiring Veterans. Based on the results below, it is clear that organizations
feel positive toward Veterans in a mostly overwhelming way.
The above benefits that employers receive from Veterans can also be seen as the skills that are
required for today’s 21st
Century organization. These skills include but are not limited to
leadership, resilience, persistence, work ethic, problem solving, decision-making and mission-
focused
(http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204224604577028422920213512.html?mod=
googlenews_wsj). While every Veteran has their own unique military experience, the reality is

that the indoctrination process with a focus on core values, teamwork, respect, discipline and
leadership makes military training unparalleled in terms of practical skills application under
stressful conditions. Veterans comprise only 1% of our Nation’s population and protect the
other 99% through service and sacrifice. This 1% has undergone an amazing journey, from
basic training to specialized positions, all of which could be significantly meaningful for
American organizations and our nation’s global competitive advantage.
Despite the favorable perspective of employers towards Veterans, challenges still exist.
Ultimately, the ability of Veterans to attain a position in a career of their choice comes down to
internal and external factors. Internally, the Veteran must be motivated to strive toward their
truly desired career, which requires courage, commitment and conviction to bring to life.
Externally, the structures must exist to harness the Veteran’s motivation beyond traditional
employment services. The rationale behind this logic is that traditional services for Veterans
focus on “employment” and not “MEANINGFUL CAREER.” By applying a different mental map,
the discussion moves from one of “transition” out of the military to “transformation” beyond the
military into something dynamic, personal and aligned with the Veteran’s unique interests, skills,
strengths, personality and passion. This leads us to the conclusion that if a Veteran increases
their areas of control and influence towards their career development, then they will significantly
leverage opportunities for career success and discover their MEANINGFUL CAREER.
100% OF VETERANS ACHIEVING A MEANINGFUL CAREER BY 2017
The benefits of having 100% of our nation’s Veterans achieving a MEANINGFUL CAREER by
2017 are immense. These benefits, both on a National/Organizational perspective and on an
Individual Veteran perspective, can be found in the figure below.

In addition to the above benefits, Veterans in a MEANINGFUL CAREER can also be seen
through the lens of employee engagement. In essence, when Veterans experience employee
engagement, they utilize their discretionary effort for the good of the organization. These
Veterans have their “game face on” and are willing to go above and beyond for the
organization’s goals. While engaged, these Veterans are clearly within their personal
MEANINGFUL CAREER.
For many years, management consulting firms including Towers Perrin, Development
Dimensions International (DDI) and The Gallup Organization have studied employee
engagement. Highlights are below.
 Over the past decade, Gallup found that only 28% of our nation’s workforce is engaged
(http://gmj.gallup.com/content/125036/despite-downturn-employees-remain-
engaged.aspx, as retrieved on November 17, 2001).
 According to The Gallup Organization, “Engaged employees work with passion and feel a
profound connection to their company. They drive innovation and move the organization
forward” (http://gmj.gallup.com/content/125036/despite-downturn-employees-remain-
engaged.aspx, as retrieved on November 17, 2011).
 “Engaged employees produce more, make more money for the company, and create
emotional engagement and loyal customers. They contribute to good working
environments where people are productive, ethical and accountable. They stay with the
organization longer and are more committed to quality and growth...than non-engaged or
disengaged workers. Employees who feel disconnected emotionally from their co-
workers and supervisor do not feel committed to their work. They hang back and do the
minimum because they don’t believe anyone cares. These employees lower the bar for
themselves by doing the least amount of work necessary.”- from the book “Power of
Engagement” by Him Loehr and Tony Schwartz
(http://www.cbscpasllc.com/partnership/images/EngagedEmployee.pdf, retrieved on
November 21, 2011).
 “Actively disengaged employees erode an organization's bottom line while breaking the
spirits of colleagues in the process. Within the U.S. workforce, Gallup estimates this cost
to be more than $300 billion in lost productivity alone
(http://www.gallup.com/consulting/52/employee-engagement.aspx, as retrieved on
November 25, 2011).
In other words, if Veterans were in a MEANINGFUL CAREER, then they would also feel a
greater sense of being “engaged.” The implications are ground breaking. If 100% of Veterans
experienced a MEANINGFUL CAREER, the U.S. would advance its overall employment
engagement score. This advancement would leverage opportunities for productivity
enhancements, product/service innovations, cost savings, along with effectiveness/efficiency
improvements. In a recession, the action of having 100% of Veterans in a MEANINGFUL
CAREER could be the catalyst to truly ignite our nation’s economy and spark a national model
for economic recovery and long-term sustainability. This model is highlighted below.

Revolutionizing Veterans’ MEANINGFUL CAREER: Veteran CareerStar Accelerator 10 |
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THE VETERAN CAREERSTAR ACCELERATOR
 What if we could nationally have a close to 0% Veteran unemployment rate?
 What if almost 100% of our Veterans gained a truly MEANINGFUL CAREER?
 What would it take to have a 100% quality job placement rate after military service?
The driving questions above align with the challenges and opportunities associated with today’s
complex public issue of high Veteran unemployment. As discussed in this White Paper utilizing
data from a variety of sources, it is clear that the current system for aligning Veterans to
employment opportunities requires improvement.
The Veteran CareerStar Accelerator will revolutionize the way Veterans achieve a
MEANINGFUL CAREER. No longer will the focus be simply on “employment” but through the
CareerStar model the emphasis will be on the Veteran having a “MEANINGFUL CAREER.” No
longer will Veterans view themselves in “transition” from military to civilian but will instead
realize a time of “transformation.” The Veteran CareerStar Accelerator can be utilized by the
military’s Transition Assistance Program (TAP) as an added value to services for our nation’s
heroes. Ultimately, the Veteran CareerStar Accelerator will enhance TAP in 5 ways:
1. The Veteran will spend significant time to determine the exact MEANINGFUL CAREER
that makes the most sense for them as a person, based on their interests, skills,
strengths, personality and passion.
2. The Veteran will effectively develop his/her personal brand to differentiate himself/herself
in an increasingly hyper competitive marketplace.
3. The Veteran will have a professional network that can genuinely position the Veteran for
employment that will accelerate them from having a job to having a MEANINGFUL
CAREER.
4. The Veteran will gain sufficient knowledge, skills and abilities to maximize social media
applications in a strategic way that results in opportunities for a MEANINGFUL
CAREER.
5. The Veteran will have access to a significant and engaging community of Veterans,
serving as peers, mentors, mentees and/or collaborators, designed with the singular
mission of ensuring all Veterans have a MEANINGFUL CAREER.
Employee
Engagement
Meaningful
Career
LongTerm
Sustainable
Organizational
and National
Success

P a g e
The Veteran CareerStar Accelerator is an emerging web application, which provides a
systematic approach that can fully engage Veterans within their specific interests, skills,
strengths, personality and passion. These critical elements are integrated and synergized into a
personal brand that engages the Veteran’s Dream Job, Dream Company, Area of e-Xpertise
and Social Media Applications. The model is grounded in critical actions that originate from the
individual Veteran. These actions optimize the Veteran’s ability to Influence, Initiate, Improvise
and Improve with a unified trajectory towards the MEANINGFUL CAREER. On a high level, the
Veteran CareerStar Accelerator is represented below.
As a web application, the Veteran CareerStar Accelerator virtualizes the experience of
discovering a MEANINGFUL CAREER through a focused series of tools, techniques,
assessments, resources, interactions and simulations, deployed via the 5 Actions for Career
Acceleration. As the internal engine that drives the Veteran CareerStar Accelerator experience,
the 5 Actions for Career Acceleration have been created based on the scientific literature,
expert opinion, professional experiences and real world trial and error. In other words, from
360-degrees, this model is integrated and maximized towards Veterans discovering, engaging,

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achieving and sustaining their own personal MEANINGFUL CAREER. The 5 Actions for Career
Acceleration are displayed below.
5 Actions for Career
Acceleration
Sample Tools (Full Model Contains Many More)
e-Xpertise Exploration  e-Xpertise Strategic Assessments
 e-Xpertise Action Workouts
 Integrated Career Tools with the Transition Assistance Program
Social Media
Application
 Personalized Veteran Network Growth Guide with LinkedIn
 Structured Approach to Leveraging a Career Accelerator Blog
 Strategic Utilization of Twitter and Facebook
Career Tool
Deployment
 “Get the Perfect Job” Game Simulation
 Career Accelerator Scorecard
 “The Career Challenge Game”; Solve Problems, Win the Game
Best Practice Sharing  Interactive Veteran Career Journey Journal
 Veteran Community Career Resource Library
 Blog of Best Practices to Leverage the MEANINGFUL CAREER
Continuous
Improvement
 Innovation Works Think Tank for New Career Ideas
 Career Stretching Exercises Simulations of “What if?” Scenarios
 Critical Insights by Recruitment Professionals

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INTEGRATING THE VETERAN CAREERSTAR ACCELERATOR WITHIN TAP
How will the Veteran CareerStar Accelerator benefit the military’s Transition Assistance
Program (TAP) / Transition Centers?
When the Veteran CareerStar Accelerator is attached to TAP, it will become integral to the
experience of today’s transitioning military personnel. At the time of transitioning out of the
military to the civilian sector, military personnel will be introduced to the Veteran CareerStar
Accelerator during exposure to TAP. Once the person is a Veteran, the web application
associated with the Veteran CareerStar Accelerator will create a seamless experience for a
number of reasons.
1. The Veteran will immediately have the Virtual Veterans Career Network on LinkedIn,
designed to provide insight and opportunities within the Veteran’s career focus.
2. Veterans will experience simulations, tools and programs within a web application that
will bring his/her MEANINGFUL CAREER into focus.
3. The Veteran will not only gain knowledge about engaging social media applications
within their career journey but will experience an interactive environment for career
acceleration.
4. All Veterans experiencing this dynamic model through an extension of TAP will
continually gain keen insights from other Veterans regarding the career journey, along
with expert recruiter perspective.
5. Ultimately, this Veteran engaging Veteran model adds value to TAP and becomes an
ongoing catalyst for all Veterans to achieve a MEANINGFUL CAREER.
We can achieve 100% of Veterans in a MEANINGFUL CAREER by 2017. By setting our goal
on an aspirational level, we will stimulate excitement, enthusiasm and resource allocation
toward bringing this goal to life. The Veteran CareerStar Accelerator teamed with TAP will
stimulate and revolutionize the way Veterans and our nation views employment. Truly, given
the service and sacrifice of our nation’s Veterans, we cannot settle for them to simply have a
“job” but should embark on a collaborative journey with Veterans to achieve a “MEANINGFUL
CAREER.”
5 A

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Dana E. Jarvis Brief Bio
or University and College Career Services Page 6
Dana E. Jarvis, MPA, MSW, is a United States Marine Corps Veteran and an Organizational
Effectiveness Leader with significant experience analyzing and building employee engagement
initiatives.
He has served as the Human Resource Director for multimillion dollar organizations, creating
corporate universities, leadership programs and performance management systems. In the
capacity of Manager of Project Services, Dana led consulting projects for Fortune 500
companies, as well as large public sector and nonprofit organizations. Projects included market
analysis studies, supervisor training program, shared services study, strategic planning
initiatives and multiple employee performance and assessment initiatives. Building on his
professional experience, Dana currently serves as an Instructor at the Palumbo * Donahue
School of Business at Duquesne University. He has also taught at the University of Pittsburgh,
Ottawa University and Stephens College. Along his teaching journey, Dana has developed
and/or taught courses in virtual teams, management, assessment, business, ethics, strategy,
change, administration, diversity and leadership. Over 7 years of teaching as an Adjunct
Professor and more recently, in a full-time capacity, Dana has instructed leaders within Fortune
500 companies along with senior military officers and enlisted personnel.
Dana obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Allegheny College, as well as a Master of
Public Administration and Master of Social Work, both achieved at the University of Pittsburgh.
Dana is an international speaker and author of 7 Essentials for Managing Virtual Teams
(University Readers, 2010). In 2010, he presented on his virtual team model to the largest
Human Resource association in Canada; Human Resource Professionals Association.
Recognizing the importance of making a difference in the community, Dana has served on a
variety of nonprofit Board of Directors, including Pittsburgh’s NEXT, Pittsburgh Urban Magnet
Project (PUMP), Auberle, North Hills Youth Ministry Counseling Center, Winter’s Haven, Inc.,
with current service for the Veterans Leadership Program of Western Pennsylvania. Dana and
his family reside in Pittsburgh, PA, where they enjoy sports, museums and cultural happenings.
Dana E. Jarvis, MPA, MSW
Visiting Instructor
Duquesne University
Palumbo * Donahue School of Business
464 Rockwell Hall
600 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15282
jarvisd@duq.edu
djarv4@gmail.com
412.396.1907 (w)
412.855.5369 (c)
www.danajarvis.org
www.linkedin.com/in/danajarvis

White Paper: Veteran CareerStar Accelerator

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