According to a recent survey from the Society of Human Resource Management titled, “Employing Military Personnel and Recruiting Veterans — Attitudes and Practices,” 60 percent of employers polled said that veterans have difficulty translating military experience into civilian job experience on resumes and in interviews.
This begs the question: If so many employers have identified this as a problem, is the Transition Assistance Program working for transitioning servicemembers?
Tell us what you think. Is TAP working?
Military.com Staff
I don’t believe TAP is working very well at all. I have ben through it twice, once in 06 and again this year, and still have problems. I went through the full program in 06 and only got moderate help on resume writing and a list of websites to visit. This year I went through an abreviated version of TAP for Resevist that are Demobilizing. All they did was have us sign a form and gave us a copy with a list of websites, the same list I got in 06.
I don’t think the Taps program works at all. If they were a little more serious about the program they would take it a step further and have a career employment type set up. Nothing I have done has openend doors for me. When I asked specific questions on how to do a career change, but still using my experience as a lead to a change they didn’t know what to say. After 18 months I’m still home wondering when this will change or what I can do to get on the band wagon. USA JOBS applications have gone unanswered with no feedback at all regardless of how many jobs I’ve applied for. Replies from other responses are for insurance sales or some other BS! Nothing concrete over $10.00 an hour. After military service, I can’t make $10 an hour to support self suffieciency.
I totally agree with the previous comments. I recently retired on 1 July 2010 and I believe ACAP and the TAP program sucks. What we need is a true one on one with all these experienced people who have been in the system for years. I have been on permissive TDY and Transitional leave since April and if I don’t know someone I will not get a chance at all. I applied for a Job in Fort Belvior Virginia with qualitfications for the position and they did not slelect anyone who applied and closed it up. Tell me if the system is not rigged especially for officers who get their friends to open u jobs for them by writing the jobs descriptions and getting the nod for individual selection. Serve 20 to 30 years and who cares if you did or did not. I don’t believe in anything of these workshops. Where is the help we were promised?
Please email me more info
Would it be fair to pose the question “Is recruit training needed?, Is basic occupational needed? Is college working? Is the road sign such as speed limits and or the law itself effective. The bottom-line some will gain and some will not, some will explore to seek help and or additional information, and some will sit as a bump on the log. Some will not participate for fear of who knows what, they will not acknowledge by way of questions, nor will some use the resources suggested, one mentioned is the skills translator on Military.com, Does the skills translator on military.com work? TAP is a tool, just as Military.com if one does not know how to use the tool correctly it would be to their advantage to get additional help!
I noted with dismay some of the negative comments posted on this subject. It appears that Wilfredo and Joel either did not receive the quality TAP presentations that are the norm in Southern California, or did not take advantage of the resourses given them. One complained of the officers using their friends to get jobs. This is called networking and is strongly emphasized in the classes I teach. Another asset we emphaseze is the local One-Stop Center. They provide exactly the type of assistance for veterans with barriers to employnment that these two need. Did they go there? Have they networked at all?
From the sounds of these people, it appears that TAP instruction is not the same throughout the U.S. In California, teaching TAP is my primary duty; I teach every week. We also put together employer panels once a month to allow TAP students the opportunity to meet a panel of veteran-friendly employers at the local One-Stop. Classroom work is one thing, but hearing it straight from the horse’s mouth is another.
I have received lots of positive feedback from former students who tell me TAP information was instrumental in them getting their dream careers.
Landing a great job (especially in this time of recession) can be a considerable challenge and veterans are not “entitled” to these jobs. They have to put in the effort and networking time to get them. TAP is a great tool, but you can’t drive a nail if you don’t pick up the hammer!
Does TAP in So. Cal. use volunteers in any capacity? I would like to donate some of my time to help those who have served make the transition to civilian employment. But I’m not sure who to contact or if they use non-military or non-contracted paid employees.
Thanks for any info
leslie godwin@ dslextreme . com
Ironically I just talked with a Service Member who recently attended TAP, he conveyed the same sentiment that TAP did not help. I asked him in reference to his transferable skills exercise (analyzing them) from the TAP manual, he did not do it. I then asked did he do the section about work preferences and values he said no. I asked two additional questions, was he in the process of collect documents to create a career catalog the answer was no and last but not least did he compose his resume he said the woman at Fleet and Family Service did it for him. I cannot confirm that she did his resume or not if she did, did she help or enable him.
In essence, he did not see the value of or in TAP, nor applied at a minimum what was conveyed. My opinion he may have felt that is was another lecture.
As a retired USN Senior Chief, seeing these negative comments is a bit of a surprise to me. They are unfortunate at best.
I have been a TAP Facilitator since 1999, having presented over 400 TAP classes in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, D.C., Georgia, Mississippi, and California for all branches of the military. I’ve also worked in FFSCs in Norfolk and Oceana, VA. assisting Transitioners as far back as 1993. The majority of feedback that I get in my classes is very positive. I also get calls and emails from former attendees thanking me for all the positive help provided by the TAP classes. I, too, have had many who do not approach the Skills Translation, Preferences and Values exercises with the degree of effort that is truly needed. Many who come to TAP don’t come early enough, don’t bring anything with them, even after being told what they need to help them be more successful. Such things as a Job announcement, Evaluations, NCOERs, OER’s, EPR’s, Award write-ups, etc.
Many don’t do the recommended homework activities, at all, let alone in a timely manner.
I’ve had many more satisfied transitioners than unsatisfied, so I don’t think some of the feedback being cited is as complete as we’d all like it to be. Sometimes the lack of direct, quality feedback provided to the agendy rendering the service limits adjustments that may help future Transitioners…if there was a method/ procedure for the DoL to capture this from attendees after they’ve left the military, that may help. I’m going to keep doing all that I can for all my Transitioners and I’m sure all of you will, too.
Great Point. My experience with TAP has been great.
The key point is the FACILITATOR. Sadly, not all facilitators are as passionate and/or professional as you are…and unfortunately, the ones who suffer as a result are the Service Members and their families when they transition out of service.
TAP is supposed to undergo a major overhaul this year…probably mid-summer. Keep your fingers crossed!
I transitioned to the civlian sector over 15 years ago and I doubt if the TAP program then helped very much. I retired in england and I have been on the board of directors of several companies and owe four others. I would be willing to help service people to make this change and help with CVs and provide guidance if wanted by the service. It can be tricky but it is not difficult with the right attitude and willingness to learn.
After reading the negative comments I cannot say if TAP has been negative for me. I will be retiring here withing four months. I have attended the TAP workshops and have found them very helpful. I felt it gave me a lot of information and tools to assist me in my transitioning. I am do a lot on my on to ensure I get that JOB everyone talks about. But all-in-all my experience with TAP has been very informativive and I will reccommend all transitioning soldiers attend. If one piece of information is learned, it was beneficial.
Visit your ACAP center, Local Veteran Center, Dept of Labor has a Veteran representative. You need to ask for help to complete that resume if you do not fully understand. Be proactive, seek assistance!
when i retired (’97) TAP was something that was relatively new and had it’s good points and bad as everything. but what i have noticed in alot of these comments is that a “slight” vearing off-course has happened. the question is is TAP preparing you when you seperate to express your skills to an employer that they will understand??
i think the real question should be, “WHEN WILL EMPLOYERS STANDARDIZE THEIR OWN JOB DESCRIPTIONS SO THAT WE WILL KNOW WHAT THEY WANT OR THE JOB DOES!!!!!“
thank you
I went through TAP in the 80’s and didn’t get anything out of it. I didn’t put anything into it either. After a couple of years I went back to the material and got a lot out of it; making a skills list, learning to transfer my skills to other professions, using networking to get a job, it’s all paid off over the years.
I think TAP needs talented facilitators and could use the help of local HR professionals to co-facilitate the class. We just completed an experimental TAP doing this same thing and got actual job offers during the practice interview session (provided by hiring managers from real businesses). LVERS need to reach out to businesses and tap into the desire to help vets. HR folks can be very helpful and can add a lot to the content, not to mention add credibility to the participants.
I agree, having the businesses help co-facilitate brings a real world sense to the subjects being taught. We also have done the same in presenting our subjects with HR personnel and it was very successful. Everything we were teaching was confirmed by the HR staff in attendance who were helping. You get out of it what you put into it simply put.
I recently retired on 1 June 2010 and theTAP program works. I attended the TAP Program at Camp Pendleton. The information was useful and help me land a job. The key to what we were taught is application. If we are not appling the information that we learned, we will get the results we expect. Make sure that you placing cover letters on your resumes. If you are going to Monster or Career Builders seeking employment , this is a must. That is your introductory to you and your resume. You need to continue to network and set your expectations HIGH. Stay motivated and keep a POSITIVE ATTITUDE.
TAP works, You can not expect a 2 to 5 day program to civilianize personnal that it took 9 to 13 weeks to make Military. The program was never design for that. It was design to give the students the tools to start the long process of Transition back to the civilian world.
I’m willing to wager, that most of the people with negitive comment attended the class, less than 90 days out.
I believe that if they attend the classes about a year out, It would have had a better result. They would have had more time to use the skills from classes as well as use the resources at their TAMP sites.
[…] or financial information, a transition counselor can point you in the right direction. The Transition Assistance Program, which is part of the Department of Defense, has a number of resources on its website […]
So… not to beat a dead horse, but I have to agree with the last couple of respondents. One of the first things I stress at the beginning of the TAP workshop (I facilitate two a month, in general) is that the TAP workshop is employment/resume 101… the basics. To get your advanced degree you need to take what we do in the workshop, work on it some more and come back for one-on-one counseling with the ACAP or AFRC staff. I am aware that I can’t teach you how to civilianize or write your resume in a 3-day workshop… it’s a starting point. I don’t expect my computer to write my term papers, either.
Almost all of the feedback that I have received from TAP workshop participants has been positive. Some have even looked me up to thank me post-transition and have shared their stories with me. I take each of these stories and learn a bit more that I can then use to share with future workshops.
TAP has worked well for me… I landed the coveted GS job after several months of trying by finally following the advice that I give to service members in the workshops. Who knew?
If you are a Desert Shield or later veteran, actually deployed, and are in Texas, California or Oklahoma, contact the Center Points VETS office. For the most part, they can provide you with employment help on a one on one basis–resumes, transition, etc. Not only for the veteran but the veteran’s spouse and also vets children ages 14–21.
The current economic situation doesn’t help transitioning soldiers either. I have had a sterling work history and many very in demand job skills that I just assumed would lead to instant job search success… I was wrong. After almost a year of unemployment I had a relative suggest ‘headhunters’ working at staffing agencies. Within a week I had a single interview that I was basically a shoe in for and had an offer from the company within days of the interview.
I would suggest better job placement services with actual confirmation for the SM leaving their duty station before the separate. Perhaps used in conjunction with these ‘headhunters’.
I have been a TAP facilitator — went through it and had a position while I was on terminal leave. Left Hawaii had a job with in 30 days– Went to Iraq as a Military Advisor and trainer and landed a career fulfilling position traching career development classes which used all the same principals that we taught in TAP. Now I am about to become a Local Vet Employment Rep– this is who you need to meet with because they know all the state contacts. Also, take the TAP or ACAP in your area to get local networking infromation. Remember, your attitude determines your altitude!
I was so impressed with the ACAP process that I wanted to get more involved in assisting other service members with their transition process and use my own experience to help them. So I became an ACAP Counselor. I really enjoy the new experiences every day when it comes to assisting service members from all brances with their transition process. Do what you love, love what you do. You will only get out of the TAP workshop and other workshops ACAP offers what YOU put in to it.