Veteran’s Career DevelopmentJohn Merladet, Ph.D., MBA, L.P.

Psychologist CWT/Polytrauma Program

Steve Koenig, MBA, PMP, Lean Six SigmaDeluxe Corporation &

MN Army National Guard, Staff Sergeant

Statement of no dual relationship or Conflict of interest

• Presenters make no representations direct or implied in the media and images presented in this presentation beyond their use as examples to illustrate points discussed in this presentation. All media and images are available in the public domain. I am the Treasure of the MCDA.

Who is Dr. Merladet -- www.cwt.va.gov• Screenings for VA Re-employment program

• Interventions: Coaching Psychology, MI, PS, ACT

• Employer Consultation and Training in HR

• Post Secondary Guidance

• Assessments: Developmental, Personality and Career

• Adjunct Instructor Argosy University: IO Psychology and the Business School

• Summit Leadership Consulting

Who is Steve Koenig

• 16 Year Veteran of the Army and Minnesota National Guard

• Successful Entrepreneur and Businessman• Local Resident, Family Man and Volunteer• MBA• PMP• Lean Six Sigma

Agenda for Today

• What is career development related to vets.• How does the Military influence the process.• Examine some career forestalls seen in todays

OEF/OIF/OND Veterans.• How can one be a change agent in a vet’s

career path.• Q&A

The Veteran Experience

by Ad Counsel

Why is this Important now

• We are living in a VUCA WorldEric. G. Kail, -United States Military Academy-Currently the course director for our military leadership instruction within the Department of Behavioral Sciences & Leadership -Battalion Commander at 1st Battalion, 38th Field Artillery Regiment Colonel

V— VariabilityU— UncertaintyC— Chaotic A— Ambiguity

The Struggle

ConfidenceSelf efficacy

ResiliencyCareer Maturity

CAPABILITY

Choice

Establishing

an identity

Integrity

AUTONOMY

Competence

What did Walt Disney and Christopher Columbus have in Common with what todays talent needs?

And

1930s 1400s

Types of jobs that will be in demand for a long time to come

• the great corroborators• the great leveragers• the great synthesizers• the passionate personalizers • the great localizers • the “green ones” • the great explainers and • the great adapters.

From This

To That

Or this…

Consequence Is that…

Paul Potts Sings Nessun Dorma

Career Theory In Review

ParsonsDawis/LofquistHollandSuperKrumboltz

Gottfredson

– Trait and Factor– Theory of Work Adjustment– Person-Environment Matching– Life Span/Life Space– Social Learning Theory of Career

Decision Making / Learning Theory of Career Counseling

– Circumscription, Compromise, and Self-Creation

Third Generation

Lent, Brown, & Hackett

Peterson, Sampson, Reardon, & Lenz

Hansen

Brown

– Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT)

– Cognitive Information Processing (CIP)

– Integrative Life Planning (ILP)

– Holistic/Values Based

Post Modern

Sue & Sue

Young & Cochran

Hansen

Miller

– Diverse populations/identity/gender/GLBT/ Diversity Management

– Contextualization & Construtivits

– Integrative Life Planning (ILP)

– Hapanstance/Chance in Career choice

Steve’s stuff

World of Work Effects

Father Knows Best . . .

Continue with John’s stuff

SchoolAnd

Take home points

Psychological Inflexibility when addressing back to school

• Too Old• Not smart enough• What if I get into an argument• I don’t fit in• I’ll get flashbacks• Fear and no confidence• They are too young• I don’t like crowds• I have memory problems• I feel like a freshman

Competency v Confidence • Transition Difficulties.• Peer Engagement.• Mental Health Needs of the

veteran.• Academic Preparedness

(specialized tutors).• Financial Aid/Benefits• Early experiences in school.• Perceived self efficacy about

achievement in general.

Veteran Feedback Post First Semester in Post Secondary

• “I absorb energy from the other students…”• “Average age is 31… just like me…”• “I feel so much better…”• “I am first one in class so I can rule out the students coming in as

not threats…its also gives me a chance to relax before class time…”• “I like learning…”• “I sit as close to the professor to keep focused…in HS I would move

away from teachers...the further the better…”• “I sit in front of class to make speeches in speech class, standing at

podium gives me flashbacks backs…”

CASE EXAMPLES

What About Veterans with DisabilitiesReturning to Work & School

Can he work?

Evidenced Based Supported Employment

Assume Employability Early in Treatment Assertive Engagement and Outreach

Ongoing Assessment in the Context of Treatment; all stakeholders Involved

Employment Outcomes are a Function of Rehabilitation and Treatment

Zero Exclusion

Integration of Voc Rehab with Treatment

Competitive Employment

Benefits Counseling

Rapid Job Search

Follow-along Supports

Elimination of Readiness Criteria for Access to Employment

The Only Criteria for Supported Employment is the Desire to Work

Build Confidence About One’s Ability to Work Through Encouragement and Support

Promoting Active Treatment and Dignity of Risk in Pursuing Normative Life Experiences / Employment

Supported Education• Civilian SEd programs embedded in health care host

institutions have shown effectiveness both in SEd models with loose collaboration (health facility mobile vans bring their clients to campuses and provide ongoing support to attend mainstream classes and to broker with college staff/services) and close collaboration with post-secondary institutions (health institution staff have an established office on campus, college faculty come to the health care facility to conduct self-contained cohort academic readiness classes, college faculty offer self-contained cohort classes to the health institution’s identified patients, etc.).

This could be you. The Encourager of Others!

ABILITIESGIFTSTALENTS

Encouragement

PassionDreamsGoals

Possibilities

Achievement Purpose

Breakthroughs

Denny StockdaleVisionary

Encouragement• Being honest• Confidential• Listening with open heart and mind• Constructive feedback• Ask questions to clarify understating• Compassion• Without for too much accountability • Remember strengths• Focusing on the can-do’s

A shift in paradigm

Not • what’s wrong,

but what’s right!• what’s missing,

but what’s there!• about a

destination, but a journey!

Contact Information

John Merladet612-467-1078John.Merladet@va.gov

Steve Koenig612-790-1010StevenKoenig2000@yahoo.com