MilSpouse ASCEND - Module 1

Transcript

1. Initial Intake Background & Goals www.theASCENDcollective.org Visit Our Website
2. MilSpouse ASCEND is committed to empowering military spouses by addressing the unique challenges they face in employment and career advancement. Frequent relocations, gaps in work history, and the need to adapt to diverse local job markets often hinder their ability to secure stable, fulfilling careers. MilSpouse ASCEND uses an innovative AI-enabled platform to remove these barriers, matching military spouses' unique skills and experiences directly with employers seeking their specific talents. The program emphasizes personal branding and tailored career pathways, equipping military spouses with the tools, resources, and confidence to navigate a dynamic job market. By focusing on their individual strengths and aspirations, MilSpouse ASCEND helps spouses build sustainable, rewarding careers that align with their goals while accommodating the demands of military life. MilSpouse ASCEND The ASCEND Collective is a nonprofit organization committed to transforming employment opportunities for individuals often overlooked in traditional hiring processes. We harness innovative, AI- enabled technology to match people with meaningful job opportunities. The ASCEND Collective
3. Objectives Personal Experience Personal Goals Identify experiences in military and civilian life, breaking them down into Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). Consider the tasks and roles, knowledge gained, skills developed (leadership; problem-solving), and abilities demonstrated (adaptability; team management). This breakdown helps create a strong profile showcasing strengths for future career endeavors. Define clear, tangible goals aligning with personal and professional aspirations. Identify key achievements, desired outcomes, and measurable benchmarks. Outline roles or industries of interest, specify skills to highlight or develop, and set a timeline for each career transformation step. Create a focused plan leveraging unique strengths for meaningful employment and long-term growth.
4. What is Personal Experience? Personal experience refers to the unique events, encounters, and situations an individual has gone through in their life, which shape their perspectives, skills, values, and character. It encompasses both professional and personal contexts—ranging from your work history, education, volunteer activities, and hobbies, to life challenges, achievements, and relationships. Personal experience is highly individualized and subjective, influenced by one's background, culture, and choices. It serves as a foundation for learning, growth, and the development of skills and abilities, often providing insights that guide future actions and decisions.
5. Why reflecting on your experience is an important step Translating Skills Solving Problems Knowing Your Worth Reflecting on experience helps MilSpouse ASCEND candidates translate military skills to civilian roles. Specialized knowledge like logistics, IT, or medical expertise, honed through hands-on training, directly applies to civilian industries. Employers value your practical experience as it proves your readiness to contribute effectively from day one. Military Spouse experience fosters resilience and problem-solving skills, crucial in any workplace. Having navigated crises and high-pressure situations, they excel in roles requiring adaptability and quick decision- making. Employers seek these qualities in candidates who can handle challenges confidently and maintain focus under pressure, adding value to any team. Military life experience equips MilSpouse ASCEND candidates with proven leadership and teamwork skills. Military Spouses know how to lead diverse teams, motivate others, and collaborate effectively. These qualities are valuable to employers seeking leaders who can manage teams, navigate dynamics, and drive productivity, making them ideal for leadership roles.
6. How to start telling your story Adaptability and Resilience Organizational and Multitasking Skills Networking and Relationship-Building Skills Resourcefulness and Initiative Cross-Cultural Competence Translating your unique experiences as a military spouse into language that resonates with civilian employers is key to showcasing your value in the job market. Think about framing your skills in ways that align with professional job requirements. For example, you can highlight your ability to adapt to frequent relocations as "adaptability to changing environments" or describe your volunteer leadership roles as "event management" or "community coordination." By presenting your diverse experiences in terms that employers understand, you can emphasize your resilience, multitasking abilities, and exceptional organizational skills. This helps potential employers see how your strengths, shaped by military life, can bring immense value to their teams across a variety of industries. Frequent relocations, shifting environments, and unforeseen challenges equip military spouses with exceptional adaptability, emotional resilience, and problem-solving abilities. Balancing family responsibilities, volunteer work, and often a career develops strong time management, event planning, and prioritization skills. Establishing connections in new communities and advocating for family or community needs cultivates excellent interpersonal, collaboration, and negotiation skills. Finding creative solutions to overcome challenges such as employment gaps or accessing limited resources demonstrates self-sufficiency, innovation, and proactiveness. Interacting with diverse military and civilian populations fosters strong communication, empathy, and cultural awareness, making military spouses effective in varied work environments.
7. Whether collaborating with other spouses on a fundraising event or working with community organizations, you’ve demonstrated your ability to contribute to a team and achieve shared goals. You’ve likely taken on leadership roles in your community or family, such as organizing a base-wide event or spearheading a volunteer initiative, proving your ability to inspire and guide others effectively. Examples of Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Teamwork Leadership Logistics Management Project Management Resilience Technical Proficiency Training & Development Communication Coordinating a cross-country move, from scheduling movers to setting up utilities in a new home, is a testament to your logistical planning and execution skills. Managing a PCS move is a prime example of your project management skills—coordinating schedules, handling paperwork, and ensuring everything runs smoothly demonstrates your organizational expertise. Every time you’ve adapted to a new environment, overcome employment gaps, or rebuilt your network, you’ve showcased your resilience and determination to thrive in any situation. Whether it’s mastering remote work tools like Microsoft Teams or navigating specialized software for volunteer projects, you’ve shown you can quickly learn and apply technical skills in real-world settings. Training a volunteer team or mentoring newer military spouses are examples of how you’ve fostered growth and development in yourself and others. From liaising with teachers about your child’s needs to advocating for resources on base, your ability to clearly and persuasively communicate across diverse audiences is second to none. Cultural Competence Problem-Solving Living in or engaging with diverse communities has enhanced your ability to navigate different cultures, whether it’s supporting an international assignment or connecting with people from various backgrounds. You’ve likely tackled unexpected challenges, such as finding childcare in a new city or navigating healthcare for your family, using resourcefulness and creativity to find solutions.
8. Put it into action Access your MilSpouse ASCEND talent profile and start identifying your specific Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities based on your experiences. Reach out to your mentor if you have any questions or need clarification - or if you just need to brainstorm. Once you have completed the initial questionnaires and filled out the form, you are ready to move on to your goals. www.talentsascend.com/candidates
9. Overcoming barriers is crucial because it allows us to recognize the obstacles that stand in the way of our success, whether they are internal challenges like self- doubt or external ones like limited resources or lack of access. Understanding these barriers before setting our goals helps us create a realistic and achievable plan, ensuring we are prepared to tackle challenges effectively. Begin by identifying specific barriers that may hinder progress, such as skills gaps, lack of resources, or external challenges, and prioritize them based on their impact. Develop targeted strategies for each barrier, like acquiring new skills, seeking mentorship, or leveraging available resources, to address them systematically. Set small, achievable milestones to monitor progress, maintain motivation, and adjust strategies as needed to ensure consistent advancement toward your goals. After creating a plan to break down barriers, you can focus on achieving your goals with renewed clarity and purpose, leveraging each small victory to build momentum. By systematically overcoming obstacles, you gain the confidence, skills, and resilience needed to reach your ultimate objectives, turning challenges into stepping stones for success. Identify General Barriers Make a Plan Achieve your Goals 01 02 03
10. Identify and engage with mentors, peers, or resources that can provide guidance, advice, or assistance in overcoming challenges. Clearly define the specific obstacles standing in the way of your progress, whether internal or external. Overcoming Barriers Stay flexible and ready to adapt your plan as needed, using each step forward as motivation to continue overcoming barriers. Break down your strategies into smaller, manageable milestones to track progress and maintain motivation. Evaluate how each barrier affects your goals and prioritize them based on their level of impact. Implement your strategies consistently, focusing on one barrier at a time to avoid becoming overwhelmed. Regularly assess your progress, noting any new challenges or adjustments needed to keep moving forward. Create targeted strategies for addressing each barrier, such as learning new skills, networking, or finding alternative resources. Seek Support Adapt and Persist Identify Barriers Set Milestones Assess Impact Take Action Evaluate Progress Develop Strategies
11. Turning Barriers into Goals Recognize Barriers as Opportunities Set Goals Aligned with Overcoming Barriers Measure Success Through Barrier Removal View barriers not as setbacks, but as opportunities for growth and improvement. Each challenge presents a chance to learn new skills, expand your capabilities, or adapt to changing circumstances. By reframing obstacles this way, you can turn potential roadblocks into stepping stones toward achieving your goals. Transform each identified barrier into a specific, actionable goal. For instance, if lack of experience is a barrier, set a goal to complete a relevant training course or seek mentorship in that area. This approach ensures that every action you take is directly aligned with eliminating obstacles on your path. Track your progress by measuring how effectively you overcome each barrier, using it as a metric for success. Celebrate each small victory as you move past challenges, reinforcing the idea that every step forward is an achievement in itself, ultimately leading to your larger objectives.
12. Setting SMART goals ensures your objectives are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time- bound, making them easier to accomplish. Set smart goals Put it into action Access the Goals and Barriers Worksheet on the MilSpouse ASCEND portal. Based on what you have learned in this lesson you should: Knowing your barriers helps you understand the specific challenges you need to overcome to reach your objectives. Having an initial plan provides a clear roadmap for tackling these challenges step-by-step, ensuring you stay focused and proactive. Know your barriers Have an initial plan
13. Summary & Conclusion In this module, you identified your Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities and created a Talent Profile. You also identified Goals and made a plan to achieve them. Make sure that all of the worksheets in this module are completed. If you have any questions, please ask! Let your career coach know that you are ready to review the worksheets and discuss what you learned in this module. In the next lesson, we will discuss Skills Enhancement for the career you deserve. Finish all worksheets Reach out to your career coach Prepare for the next step
14. www.theASCENDcollective.org Visit Our Website Thank You F o r Y o u r A t t e n t i o n