Project Transition USA

Teaching transitioning U.S. military troops & families how to use LinkedIN to find their NEXT MISSION -- a meaningful & rewarding new CAREER!

GTE Financial has been feeding transitioning troops on MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa since 2015!

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We are very grateful to our sponsor, GTE Financial, for continuing to provide lunch at our MacDill Air Force Base LinkedIN Workshops for 4 straight years!

GTE Financial, one of the largest credit unions in Florida, is a passionate supporter of transitioning troops and their families at MacDill Air Force Base. 

GTE Financial logo

GTE recently celebrated their 84th Anniversary of serving the financial needs of local residents and businesses, as well as enriching the Tampa Bay community.

They are a not-for-profit financial cooperative and have been able to help multiple charity organizations and its members year-round. Giving back to the community is important to GTE and is embedded in its culture. 

Our January 2019 LinkedIN Workshop on MacDill Air Force Base kicked off the sixth year Project Transition USA has been invited to teach LinkedIN workshops for active duty transitioning servicemembers & families on base.

Why LinkedIN?  Forming strategic relationships and building a professional network is critically important in the military-to-civilian transition process, and LinkedIN has long been the #1 resource in that realm.

Our next LinkedIN Job Search Workshop on MacDill AFB is scheduled for Friday, April 19th, 2019, and it is open exclusively to transitioning military personnel and dependents who are enrolled in MacDill’s TAP program.

About GTE FINANCIAL:

GTE Financial is a not-for-profit financial cooperative with more than $2 billion in assets and 24 Community Financial Centers located throughout West Central Florida. Chartered in 1935, GTE Financial is locally owned and operated in the Tampa Bay area, serving more than 240,000 individuals and businesses.

More information on GTE Financial can be found at www.gtefinancial.org.

ABOUT PROJECT TRANSITION USA:

Project Transition USA is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that has been providing career-related services to U.S. military veterans since 2012.   We are the only 501c3 that specializes in teaching transitioning military veterans and their families how to fully utilize the powerful business networking site, LinkedIN.

We are best known for teaching inspiring LinkedIN Job Search Workshops for top military leaders, providing personal introductions to VIPs, and managing the popular Project Transition USA group on LinkedIN which is frequented by military-friendly hiring managers and business celebrities nationwide.

We invite you to show your support for our transitioning troops and their families by joining our Project Transition USA group and offering your support!

To learn more about Project Transition USA’s LinkedIn Job Search Workshops on MacDill AFB, visit www.ProjectTransitionUSA.org.

STOP! Don’t apply for that JOB before reading this!!

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Before you even THINK of applying for a job (ANY job), talk with someone who’s experienced in that ROLE (preferably in that COMPANY!)

You need to hear the INSIDE SCOOP — and reaching out to those folks can make a HUGE difference!

Why would they choose to help YOU?

Because you’ve built a RELATIONSHIP with them in advance (usually on LinkedIN) based on common INTERESTS and PASSIONS.

So it’s VERY important that you add those things to your profile. Make it EASY for them to find what they have in COMMON with you!

And BEFORE asking for help — do a TON of research about that role and company (and entire INDUSTRY). Don’t waste their time on things you should have KNOWN.

Something I hear from recruiters all the time is WAY too many job seekers aren’t even CLOSE to being prepared when they APPLY, let alone when they INTERVIEW.

(This causes so much NEEDLESS SUFFERING!!)

And remember this. Recruiters LOVE it when you’re personally REFERRED by someone who already works there.

(In fact, that someone may get a big BONUS CHECK if you get hired!)

So don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help. Just do it in the RIGHT WAY.

Take the time to learn how to REALLY use LinkedIN!

The WORLD becomes a brighter place after learning the ART OF CONNECTING!

Have you applied for a MENTOR with American Corporate Partners (ACP)?

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Attention all transitioning U.S. Veterans!  If you haven’t yet applied for a Fortune 500 mentor with American Corporate Partners (ACP), do it NOW — before it’s too LATE!

After speaking with ACP staff members Bernard Agrest, Robert Rahni, and Timothy Cochrane, I’m even MORE confident this opportunity is too good to miss!!

Here’s what they do in a nutshell:

* ACP  is a non-profit organization that pairs post-9/11 veterans with mentors from EVERY industry in the civilian world to work one-on-one for a FULL YEAR of career & professional development mentoring.

* They work with you to identify your career GOALS and INTERESTS, then assign you a mentor from a FORTUNE 500 company (or small business via the ACP Citizens Program) to work on developing the SKILLS you need to be successful in corporate America.

* Mentorships are custom-tailored to YOUR goals, and are as FLEXIBLE as needed. 

* Along the way, ACP staff will stay in touch, suggesting additional DISCUSSION TOPICS, and making SURE you’re headed for success.

This is an AMAZING opportunity for any post-9/11 transitioning vet — it’s absolutely FREE — and you’ll get a FORTUNE 500 mentor for a whole YEAR!

Don’t wait!  Apply now on ACP’s website, OR directly at https://lnkd.in/eqFparA!

Introducing Ben Sever, Inaugural Sponsor of our new Veteran Scholarship Program!

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We are very grateful to Ben Sever, VP of Strategic Partnerships at AtRock Consulting Group, for personally helping us create and fund the first round of our new Veteran Scholarship Program at Project Transition USA.

Ben’s generous financial donation is allowing us to begin offering a pro bono, one-on-one LinkedIN coaching service in addition to the monthly LinkedIn workshops we’ve been facilitating for transitioning military personnel and their dependents on MacDill Air Force Base (home of U.S Central Command and Special Operations Command) since 2012.

BOTTOM LINE:  This program is aimed at keeping MORE of our transitioning servicemembers here in Tampa Bay so they won’t need to relocate to find jobs!

Project Transition USA’s pioneering effort has already yielded widespread success stories from start-up job offers to employment with Fortune 500 companies such as Tesla and Amazon.  The addition of this new Veteran Scholarship Program will bring us closer to our goal of insuring that transitioning military servicemembers feel thoroughly equipped to make the significant cultural switch to the civilian workforce.

Ben Sever is proud to be a longtime Tampa resident, and in 2017 he quickly rose from becoming a monthly volunteer at our LinkedIn workshops on MacDill AFB, to accepting an active position on Project Transition USA’s Advisory Board.

He recently shared this story.

“Truthfully, my passion for helping veterans came from hearing about my father’s contribution in the Naval Medical Corps many years after he passed.  Within the past couple of years, I was amazed to learn that he used his brilliance in the field of Ophthalmology to train the Mercury astronauts for the U.S Space Program.”

Ben also revealed, “When he was stationed at the Naval Air Development Center in PA, he participated in running simulation tests in order to properly analyze and prepare the astronauts’ eyes for the shock of extreme altitudes.”

“I’m sure this rewarding Naval experience is where he got his passion for not just helping others, but also contributed to leading a lifelong career as an M.D and philanthropist after his military stint ended.”

Ben chuckled and added, “I think anyone who knows me grasps that I’m no PhD brainiac, so I’m doing my best to give back in other ways. Also, I believe that a lot of my father’s selfless qualities were instilled by the military, so giving back to the organization that positively shaped the person who raised me is the least I can do.”

In addition to philanthropic work, Ben recently started his own consulting company that has already acquired a nationwide client-base. He is also an avid supporter of his hometown’s economic development, so he’s serving on the 2018 Ambassador Committee for the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce.

Although it would seem that he has quite the busy schedule, Ben wanted readers to know that “It doesn’t matter if you’re a veteran, executive, new job seeker or just want to network, never hesitate to reach out. I’ll always help out as much as I can!”

Our next LinkedIn Job Search Workshop on MacDill AFB is scheduled for Friday, January 19th, and is open exclusively to transitioning military personnel enrolled in MacDill’s TAP program, their dependents, and Project Transition USA volunteers.

Ben has also facilitated the introduction of this month’s guest speaker, Kevin Plummer, Tampa Preparatory School’s Headmaster (Ben’s alma mater), due to Kevin’s enthusiasm for technology tools like LinkedIn, as well as his veteran advocacy and strong belief in Tampa’s booming culture.

 

ABOUT PROJECT TRANSITION USA:

Project Transition USA is the only 501c3 nonprofit that specializes in teaching transitioning U.S. military veterans and their families how to fully utilize LinkedIn — the world’s most powerful business networking site.

For information about sponsorship opportunities with our new Veteran Scholarship Program, please call Nancy Laine at (727) 415-3878 or send an email to nancy@ProjectTransitionUSA.org.

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Special thanks to Grier Holliday for donating Project Transition USA’s website hosting these past 5 years!

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A special thank you to Grier Holliday for donating Project Transition USA’s website hosting these past 5 years!

We are very fortunate that our longtime sponsor Grier Holliday is a humanitarian and the grandson of two decorated Military Veterans — U.S. Navy & U.S. Air Force.

He’s a true descendant of the legendary “Doc Holliday”, and his father actually goes by “Doc” Holliday”!

Grier works as a licensed Real Estate Broker and Business Broker in the state of Florida, and he’s also a passionate pet & animal advocate who founded PetFriendlySites.com — a guide for pet owners seeking pet friendly destinations & resources.  (If you love animals, be sure to check it out!)

We are sincerely grateful for Grier Holliday’s dedication and support!

To visit Grier’s profile, click HERE

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Congratulations to USAF Col. (Ret) Glenn Nielsen for winning a 2017 HEROES AT WORK AWARD!

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Glenn Nielsen, our treasured volunteer photographer, is being honored with a 2017 HEROES AT WORK AWARD by the Tampa Bay Business Journal!

 

The Tampa Bay Business Journal’s Heroes at Work award recognizes Tampa Bay veterans who, through their professional and personal efforts, are making a positive impact throughout the community.

USAF Col. (Ret) Glenn Nielsen is a decorated combat pilot who has been volunteering his time and expertise as a profile headshot photographer at our LinkedIN Workshops for transitioning servicemembers and their families on MacDill AFB for over a year now.

Glenn is one of the most talented, multi-faceted individuals I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. “Creative” would be an understatement….every month he magically transforms a military supply closet into a portrait studio(!) — and the quality of photos he produces under these circumstances is beyond amazing.

He is an absolute lifesaver to our transitioning military attendees since a professional profile photo is often critical to their future career success. In the past year alone, he has positively changed the lives of HUNDREDS of his fellow veterans!

In his professional life, Glenn is a sought-after Tampa Bay portrait photographer. He’s a Godsend to families seeking a keepsake family portrait, as well as expectant mothers and families with newborn babies or developing children.

Glenn simply loves PEOPLE (even little people!), and there’s nothing that gives him greater pleasure than capturing the look of love between a parent and their child.

Our heartiest congratulations go out to Glenn Nielsen for receiving this prestigious award in recognition of his excellence and extreme generosity!!

To join us in expressing gratitude for Glenn’s selfless support for our transitioning U.S. military, please visit his profile on LinkedIN:   linkedin.com/in/glenn-nielsen

#TBBJHeroes

 

ABOUT PROJECT TRANSITION USA:

Project Transition USA is the only 501c3 nonprofit that specializes in teaching transitioning U.S. military veterans and their families how to fully utilize the powerful business networking site, LinkedIN.  

We are best known for teaching inspiring & entertaining LinkedIN Job Search Workshops for troops, providing personal introductions to VIPs, and managing the highly-popular “Project Transition USA” group on LinkedIN which is frequented by military-friendly hiring managers and business celebrities from all walks of life. 

We invite you to show your support for our troops by joining our group today!

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Project Transition USA Group Celebrates It’s 3,000th Member, Don Mann, Former Navy SEAL Team 6 Instructor

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Project Transition USA Welcomes Our 3,000th LinkedIN Group Member, Don Mann, Former Navy SEAL Team SIX Commando!

Don Mann profile

It’s exciting to reach our 3,000 member milestone, and we are grateful to Anthony Almon, Retired Navy SEAL Commander, for inviting his long-time friend Don Mann to join our group.

Don’s military biography includes being a decorated combat veteran and SEAL Team 6 Instructor, as well as many other credentials. He is the author of 11 books including the NY Times Best Selling autobiography “Inside SEAL Team SIX: My Life and Missions with America’s Elite Warriors”.

Also an endurance athlete, Don is known for producing and directing more multi-day, multi-sport, adventure races, triathlons and SEAL training events than any other person in the world. This April he will climb Mt. Everest to realize his life-time goal and “to raise awareness for the sacrifices that our veterans endure”.

His 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Frogman Charities, conducts virtual run/walk events for organizations seeking to support its mission of raising $1M for nonprofits that support U.S. Navy SEAL veterans, military personnel and their families. Evander Holyfield chose to celebrate his recent 53rd birthday by completing a 5K with Don in support of this mission.

We are delighted and honored to welcome Don Mann as the 3,000th member of our group, and we are grateful to ALL our members for being a part of this life-changing community.  Please join us and give Don a hearty, “Project Transition USA-style” welcome!

 

ABOUT PROJECT TRANSITION USA:

Project Transition USA is the only 501c3 nonprofit that specializes in teaching transitioning U.S. military veterans and their families how to fully utilize the powerful business networking site, LinkedIN.  

We are best known for teaching inspiring & entertaining LinkedIN Job Search Workshops for troops, providing personal introductions to VIPs, and managing the highly-popular “Project Transition USA” group on LinkedIN which is frequented by military-friendly hiring managers and business celebrities from all walks of life. 

We invite you to show your support for our troops by joining our group today!

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GTE Financial will be our LinkedIN Workshop Lunch Sponsor again through 2016!

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I am thrilled to announce GTE Financial has extended their sponsorship and will be providing lunch at our MacDill AFB LinkedIN Workshops throughout 2016!

GTE Financial, one of the largest credit unions in Florida, is a passionate supporter of transitioning troops and their families at MacDill Air Force Base. 

GTE Financial logo

GTE recently celebrated its 80th anniversary of serving the financial needs of its local residents and businesses, as well as enriching the Tampa Bay community. They are a not-for-profit financial cooperative and have been able to help multiple charity organizations and its members year-round. Giving back to the community is important to GTE and is embedded in its culture. 

Scott DeThomas, former Wing Commander and CEO of MacDill Air Force Base, and now SVP of Products and Member Sales of GTE Financial, continues to actively support transitioning military and veterans in Tampa Bay by speaking at our LinkedIN Workshops on MacDill. 

Our Jan. 22nd workshop will kick off the fourth year Project Transition USA has been invited to teach workshops on MacDill AFB, and it will be the third time Scott DeThomas has been our guest speaker. 

Scott recently commented:  “We are very thankful for organizations like Project Transition USA that work hard to support our military members as they transition to civilian life. Nancy and her team of volunteers do a great job.”

David Bode, AVP of Talent Management of GTE Financial, has been a member of LinkedIN for nearly eight years, and he had this to say:  “Having access to resources like this workshop will no doubt be a huge help to the troops in establishing valuable relationships in the civilian world.  Having a professional network is important in the transition phase.”

David continued, “Recruiters are using LinkedIN as one of their main recruiting tools, so it’s very important that job hunters put themselves out there in a variety of creative ways to catch their attention.”

Joe Brancucci, CEO of GTE Financial, kindly noted:  “We believe in supporting organizations that help people better their lives, and these workshops are a wonderful opportunity for veterans to learn new and effective ways to search for employment.” 

“We are aware that transitioning from the military can be a difficult process,” Joe added, “but with the right tools and support, our troops will be able to confront any hurdle and get right back into the workforce.”

Our next LinkedIN Job Search Workshop on MacDill AFB is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 22nd, 2016, and it is open exclusively to transitioning military personnel and dependents who are enrolled in MacDill’s TAP program.

To learn more about Project Transition USA’s LinkedIn Job Search Workshops on MacDill AFB, visit www.ProjectTransitionUSA.org, or contact me, Nancy Laine, at 727-415-3878.

 

ABOUT PROJECT TRANSITION USA:

Project Transition USA is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that has been providing career-related services to U.S. military veterans since 2012.   We are the only 501c3 that specializes in teaching transitioning military veterans and their families how to fully utilize the powerful business networking site, LinkedIN.

We are best known for teaching inspiring LinkedIN Job Search Workshops for top military leaders, providing personal introductions to VIPs, and managing the popular Project Transition USA group on LinkedIN which is frequented by military-friendly hiring managers and business celebrities nationwide.

After training over 1,000 transitioning military heroes to secure meaningful & rewarding employment by building supportive professional networks on LinkedIN, we are now developing an exciting new program that will place our veterans face-to-face with military-friendly business professionals in their communities.

Our new “Bring a Hero to Work” initiative will pair military veterans with civilians working in their target industries — allowing our heroes to experience day-to-day activities in the civilian workforce by “shadowing” their business hosts for a half-day (and particularly executives who are U.S. veterans themselves!)

We invite you to show your support for our transitioning troops and their families by joining our Project Transition USA group and offering your support for our job shadowing program today!

 

About GTE FINANCIAL:

GTE Financial is a not-for-profit financial cooperative with more than $1.7 billion in assets and 22 Community Financial Centers located throughout West Central Florida. Chartered in 1935, GTE Financial is locally owned and operated in the Tampa Bay area, serving more than 228,000 individuals and businesses.

More information on GTE Financial can be found at www.gtefinancial.org.

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Kim Tran of Symphony Becomes Inaugural Sponsor of New “Job Shadowing” Program For Veterans

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Kim Tran of Symphony Project Transition USA is preparing to launch another very exciting project, Bring A Hero To Work, a “job shadowing” program for transitioning veterans.

And we are very happy to announce that Kim Tran, Chief Officer of IT, People & Ops at Symphony (a workflow productivity company) and a loyal member of Project Transition USA’s Advisory Board, has recently become our Inaugural Sponsor.

This new initiative is expected to change countless lives for the better, giving our transitioning military and veterans a chance to get to know fellow veterans inside local companies they are potentially interested in working with.

Our pilot project will be in our hometown of Tampa Bay, and we’ll be playing “Matchmaker” — aided by the powerful business networking site, LinkedIN.

We intend to scale this program year-round and nationwide as soon as possible.  And as far as we know, this has never been done before.  So once again, we get to play the happy role of PIONEERS!  🙂

Our list of “Corporate Hosts” is growing fast.  Several military-friendly companies in Tampa Bay have already volunteered their support (including PricewaterhouseCoopers, First Command, and ReliaQuest), and we are actively seeking others who may be interested in participating.

Although this program is designed to be an educational networking experience for veterans and their families, and not directly for recruiting purposes, we believe there is a very good chance it will reduce recruitment costs (and turnover!) for our corporate participants in the long run.

At this time there is NO COST for veterans or corporate hosts to participate.  However, sponsorship opportunities are available for those who would like to help us cover our expenses and partner with us to scale this initiative year-round and nationwide.

Contact Nancy Laine at 727-415-3878 or nancy@ProjectTransitionUSA.org for more information.

 

 

 

Julie McAdoo, Co-founder of our Project Transition USA group, wins Finalist in the Tampa Bay Business Journal “2015 BusinessWoman of the Year Awards”!

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Julie McAdoo Last night I had the incredible pleasure of watching Julie McAdoo walk on stage at the Tampa Hilton as a room full of hundreds of attendees applauded her success as an Entrepreneur!

It was a moment I will long remember!!

This prestigious award recognizes the top woman executives in the Tampa Bay area. Fifty women were chosen as Finalists — out of literally hundreds who were nominated — and Julie was one of only five in the Entrepreneur Category.

This is a WIN for every one of us! And especially for all our transitioning military members, because Julie helped create our Project Transition USA group on LinkedIN while she herself was transitioning from the Air Force, and in just 2-1/2 years has gone on to realize her dream of becoming a successful business owner.

Along with her retired USAF pilot husband Kevin McAdoo from MacDill Air Force Base (also a member of our group), Julie now owns and operates two Residential & Commercial cleaning companies in Tampa Bay — Office Pride & Refresh Your Nest.  They already employ over 25 people, many of whom are former military!

MORE GREAT NEWS — Julie is currently hiring! So if you, or someone you know, are interested in joining a first-class, veteran-owned company in Tampa Bay, I encourage you to invite Julie to connect today and apply!

Please join me in congratulating our ‘Project Transition USA’ LinkedIN Group co-founder, Julie McAdoo, on this very important achievement by posting a heartfelt comment on our LinkedIN group discussion (click HERE to post).

Thank you, Julie really deserves this award!   🙂