The following workshops are offered for military
spouses. Ask for the workshop schedule if you are
interested. For more information please contact the Family Employment
Readiness Program (FERP)specialist.
Starting a Home
Business: Learn the steps and resources needed to start your own
business. Members from SCORE and SBA will be available to answer your
questions.
Interview Skills: Part I
expands your knowledge on interviewing techniques and grooming. Part
II teaches you what job fairs are all about, what they can do for you and how to
prepare for them; plus special guest speaker(s) on special skills/education
testing and information. Check with POC for dates.
Resume Writing: Learn how to market your talents and skills in your
resume so the employer reading your resume can see everything you do in the
first thirty-seconds to achieve a "hard, quick sell"! Check with FERP for
dates.
Ten Steps to a Federal Job: Learn
how to find out about, apply for and win that federal job.
MILITARY
SPOUSE PREFERENCE:
There has always been confusion about Military Spouse
Preference. Following are some "Questions and Answers on Military Spouse
Preference" (as published in the HRO NEWS, Winter '97 Issue, by HRO Pensacola,
FL):
Who is eligible? Military spouses who
currently hold or have held a permanent position with the Federal
government.
How are they referred for
jobs? Thirty days prior to his/her spouse's reporting date to the new
duty station, the military spouse may register as a preference eligible employee
and be referred for positions at the new location for which he/she qualifies and
which are no higher than those he/she has held
before.
What is meant by "preference" in this
situation? The military spouses are classified as "Priority Placement
Program, also known as the "stopper list". That means that they must
be selected over candidates with no such preference when determined fully
qualified and referred. Of course, candidates with Priority 1 or 2
(generally speaking, those who are about to be or have been separated or
downgraded in a reduction in force) would have higher
preference.
Where does the spouse register for this
program? He/she can register either at the Human Resource Office at
his/her current location or at the HRO at the new
location.
What are the program's
advantages? The advantages are twofold: First, the
employer/DoD benefits because military spouses, having had the opportunity to
move from base to base and work in different kinds of positions, often have a
wealth of experience and valuable skills to offer. Secondly, the
benefit for the employee is obvious - it greatly increases his/her chances of
continued employment without a break in Federal service.
If the
spouse has previous government work experience, preference can be exercised up
to the highest grade level ever held. Spouses of active duty military
personnel of the DOD with personal civil service status (i.e. current career or
career-conditional employees, reinstatement eligibles) should apply to the
installation civilian personnel office for available positions. Such
spouses will often be included as part of the minimal consideration area for
open competitive vacancies. For more detailed information, consult either with
the closest military department or defense agency civilian personnel office.
This office can explain in detail the application procedures and the candidate
examining process.
Another thought to keep in mind is that you
do not have to stay within the same Federal agency (i.e., Department of the
Navy). You can consider working for other Federal agencies such as
the Internal Revenue Service, Customs, Border Patrol, Food and Drug
Administration, etc. However, remember that downsizing is occurring
in all Federal agencies, so it will be important for you to at least prepare to
work for a non-Federal employer.Various types of government employment exist in
the South Texas Area including federal civil service (DOD and Non-DOD), state,
county and local.