Owned by Lucy Jensen, Military-Civilian is a one-on-one networking service that helps military veterans and their families make the transition from the military to civilian life. Lucy says, “Our strategy is twofold: we help firms and employers fill available positions by allowing them to connect to this network of skilled applicants; at the same time, we help job seekers locate opportunities that best fit their backgrounds and expertise.”
Below are the highlights of the interview conducted between the World’s Leaders and Lucy Jensen.
Tell us about the comprehensive marketing solutions/services that are provided by the company?
Companies post jobs that would like to hire veterans. Candidates can view and apply for posted jobs. They can upload their resume into the resume data base system to have hiring agents view them, reach out to them, and sign up for job text alerts. I have to make the companies happy by hiring candidates and make candidates happy by getting hired for the jobs they have applied for.
Do you prefer B2B or B2C marketing? Why?
We do both. Companies post jobs that would like to hire veterans. Candidates can view and apply for posted jobs. They can upload their resume into the resume data base system to have hiring agents view them, reach out to them, and sign up for job text alerts. My company is a 2 way street.
Do you think there is a place for traditional advertising? If so, in which scenarios or for which businesses?
There is always a place for traditional advertising, I still place print ads in newspapers to promote my company. Advertising is like fishing. You have to cast many nets to catch the fish! We are web based.
How do you keep updated on marketing trends, tools and techniques?
I have an IT/Website Manager that handles the website and keeps me updated on all new marketing trends, tools, and techniques.
What contextual factors do you take into account when providing services to your clients’?
I post jobs for companies with full job descriptions, company image and logos, with direct links to their company website and company social media platforms such as Linkedin, Facebook, and Twitter, I find hiring agents are very busy with multiple takes, so this way I save them time. Make sure candidates upload their resumes into the Military-Civilian resume data base correctly so they can get job text alerts that match their profile only by location and job category and not get unwanted information. I also send them links to jobs that they might be interested in. You need to be very proactive and keep candidates’ attention to make sure they apply for jobs and not just simply move on. If you do not work the beet, you will not see any action. All the jobs on my website rotate, so no job is left at the bottom and candidates will not always scroll down, they just look at the top of the pages.
Tell us about the inception of the Military-Civilian How did it all start?
Websites, job platforms, etc. were fairly new concepts, so it was a good time to start something new and move on from print advertising and start a new company of my own and to help veterans find employment.
How do you handle team members who have different opinions about the direction of a campaign?
Have round table discussions so all opinions can be heard and discussed to determine the most appropriate route to take for the campaign.
What elements does a marketing campaign need in order to be successful?
Perseverance, never give up. If need be, change strategies, but never change the end goal, and that is to get veterans hired.
What differentiates you from the other marketing firms?
Military-Civilian specialises in jobs for veterans and their family members, and we are very proactive in reaching out to these communities. We use a lot of social media platforms, job text alerts, and send the information out to other groups that would like to help veterans find employment. I answer my phone all the time and try and give the best assistance that I can. I am not the hiring manager, just the middle person spreading the word. I can make sure when a candidate has applied for a job that they have uploaded their resume correctly into a company applicant tracking system by contacting the hiring POC. Many times they have not and I will walk them through the procedure the best I can. I need to make sure companies hire through my website and candidates get hired, once again a 2 way street. It is very nice when a candidate calls to say that I helped them find a job 5 years ago. What can I do for them now? Always pick up the phone to help. Talking one-on-one is very important, a skill that is dying today!
Tell us about your proud moments as a leader and the achievements of Military–Civilian?
I started in July 2010 and we are still growing despite the difficult times we find ourselves.
Tell us about your vision for the Military–Civilian.
To keep growing in this tough market and help as many veterans and their family members as possible to find employment.
What career advice would you give to new leaders who are interested in working in marketing?
Perseverance. Always keep all doors open and be prepared to work hard to achieve your goals.
