Phelps Dodge
The desire for military talent is universal in corporate America, but also beyond its borders. Leadership, discipline, experience and training are coveted throughout the global business world.
Jochen Gliss, a talent manager for skilled trades and military recruiting for Phelps Dodge, has a unique perspective on this issue. Before landing at the company in 2006, part of Gliss’ workforce experience included 12 years as a commissioned officer in the Germany Army.
After transitioning into the civilian world himself, Gliss attended the Garvin School of International Management (Thunderbird) where he obtained an MBA. He was then hired by Rainbird International, a global leader in irrigation systems, where he became the customer service representative for all European orders.
Today, he is looking for skilled trades people such as electricians, diesel/heavy diesel mechanics, and heavy equipment operators, in addition to professional management candidates across a broad swath of business competencies to join him at Phelps Dodge, a Freeport McMoRan company. G.I. Jobs asked Gliss what he looks for when hiring military talent for this Top Military-Friendly EmployerTM.
GIJ: What do prior military hires bring to your company that you like?
JG: The right mindset to get the job done, including a “safety first” attitude. Safety is the first order of business at Phelps Dodge, even before making a profit. Our corporate mottos “Zero and beyond” and “Quest for Zero” symbolize the importance of safety in our daily work. Military personnel are trained with the same principles in mind.
Former service members possess a “team spirit mentality.” Most mining jobs require teamwork. Lives literally depend on it. So does our productivity.
GIJ: What issues/surprises do you find that military transitioners need to be aware of when entering the civilian workforce?
JG: Military service does not entitle one to employment! It will however – as it is in the case of Phelps Dodge – guarantee that the résumé receives more than the usual 20 to 30 – second stare by HR. Depending on the organization, the résumé of the applicant will be directly forwarded to the hiring manager or will pass another, more military specific, screening. Oftentimes civilian organizations are not familiar with military command structures or hierarchies. Therefore the rank of an individual might not mean much to a recruiter or an interviewer. Transitioning personnel need to be aware of that and should practice to “translate” their job functions/responsibilities into civilian terms in their résumés as well as their interview.
Also, in comparison to the military, co-workers don’t have to “deal with it” or work with one another. They have the freedom of leaving whenever they chose to do so. Sometimes this requires a change of attitude of former service members. When in leadership positions, former military will need to understand their direct reports, what motives and retains them, and what inspires loyalty. Long term, getting things done in the civilian sector requires informal influence based on relationships rather than formal influence or rank.
GIJ: What advantages do military personnel have over their peers of the same age and education level?
JG: Dedication and a drive for mission accomplishment! In comparison with their peers, military personnel, regardless of age or level of education have more well-rounded experience and the ability to improvise. Even under high stress situations and unfavorable circumstances military personnel have been trained to operate effectively and ensure mission success. This, in conjunction with their ability to work as a team, regardless of its composition, makes them highly effective in today’s economy.
GIJ: What disadvantages do you find?
JG: Once they have adjusted to their new environment and are able to analyze how they can contribute to their new organization? NONE.
GIJ: What are the most common mistakes you see on military résumés?
JG: Many former military don’t realize how much of their prior work experience is transferable to a new job. In today’s market a one size fits all résumé is not effective, as it needs to be in order to land the perfect job. Thorough analysis of one’s military assignments/experience as well as the job description of the new job is necessary to create the perfect match, and then articulate it during an interview. Military acronyms and résumés that are not job specific enough also create roadblocks. While they may describe a military job precisely, they do not always translate into civilian speak and are therefore lost to the reader of the résumé.
GIJ: What are the most common mistakes veterans make in interviews?
JG: The job interview is the continuation of the job application. You have already analyzed the new job description and know how your prior experience in the military can be applied! All you have to do is to present this analysis to the interviewer so they can also see that you are the perfect match for this job. Even though “Yes” and “No” are perfectly acceptable answers in the service, they might need some additional explanation in the civilian world. Finally, don’t “wear your rank on your sleeve.” Everybody is looking for team players when hiring employees. You need to portray that you are one!
GIJ: Is relocating essential to promote within your company?
JG: Not necessarily. Usually we offer ample opportunities within our sites for advancement. However, identifying your willingness to move for the right opportunity will enhance the chances for promotion, should the opportunity arise (potentially somewhere else).
GIJ: What types of positions does your company recruit military for?
JG: Military recruiting is not limited to any specific job category. We hire service men and women for whatever job they qualify for! Currently we are particularly interested in electricians, diesel/heavy diesel mechanics, and heavy equipment operators. But we also have openings in Engineering, Logistics (Global Supply Chain), Health & Safety, Human Resources and Administration from entry level through supervisory positions up to upper management positions.
GIJ: Describe the responsibilities of one of these positions?
JG: The job as a diagnostic electrician requires a team-oriented person who will be responsible for the safe completion of routine and non-routine repairs, as well as, performing preventative maintenance, installation, repair and troubleshooting of substations, power distribution systems, switchgear motors, motor controls, systems and components, process controls, instrumentation and pneumatic equipment, and miscellaneous industrial lighting and wiring. Other areas of responsibility include the knowledge to safely and effectively operate and maintain overhead cranes, ore processing equipment and fire protection systems. The position requires driving over state highways, willingness to work weekends, holidays, rotating shifts and both scheduled and unscheduled overtime in a 24 hour/day, 7 day/week, 365 day/year operation.
GIJ: Can a new hire stay in this position for an entire career or do you require new hires to “move up or move out” like the military does?
JG: We have current employees who have been in their jobs for 30 years and have been very happy where they are. On the other hand, we have people working for us who started their career with us as laborers and are now general managers, in charge of a variety of departments. We offer advancements/opportunities to whoever wants to take on the challenge, but no one in our organization is forced to either “up or out.”
GIJ: What is the average starting pay for this position?
JG: Compensation depends on multiple factors: type of work (craft), level of experience (apprentice vs. journeymen), level of education (vocational school degree vs. OJT), scheduled vs. necessary overtime, etc. Additional perks such as vehicle assistance and subsidized housing, also play a role in the complete compensation package. Even though dollar amounts are usually used to compare jobs, the cost of living in a particular region plays a significant role when comparing job opportunities. The starting annual base pay for an electrician with Phelps Dodge without additions such as vehicle assistance or overtime, ranges between upper-$30,000 to mid $40,000s.
GIJ: Describe the benefits of this position (health care, retirement, vacation, etc.)?
JG: I believe our biggest incentive is the fact that our employees are covered the day they start working! If you work in an industry with machinery like ours, we cannot allow our employees to worry about coverage. We provide extensive medical benefits including full medical, vision, dental & prescription coverage for our employees and their dependents.
We offer a 401(k) plan, vested from day one with company matching up to 4 percent. In addition to our 401(k), we offer new employees the option to participate in a consumer-directed retirement plan. Our employees usually receive three weeks vacation after their first-year of employment, which increases with seniority. For the first year, new employees earn 10 hours of paid time off for every month they worked, plus eight national holidays plus two personal days per year.
Phelps Dodge enrolls new employees automatically in a life insurance program at no charge to the employee and offers additional benefits such as legal coverage, flexible spending account, tuition reimbursement etc. For a complete listing of our benefits please visit our Web site at http://www.phelpsdodge.com/JobOpportunities/Benefits.htm.
GIJ: Do employees need to pay for any of their benefits?
JG: Most of our basic benefits are free for our employees. They do however have the option to increase their individual coverage should they decide to do so. The level of co-pay to medical treatments (out of pocket pay) differs by type of chosen program. We offer 3 different options for medical coverage to choose from. Our employees also have the option to increase their individual life insurance policy to up to 7 times their annual salary as well as include spouses and kids.
GIJ: Are there any other special incentive benefits that might interest military new hires (i.e. tuition reimbursement, relocation allowance, company car, etc.)?
JG: We offer a tuition reimbursement program for our employees. Vehicle assistance is provided to employees who are required to drive over a certain amount of miles on behalf of Phelps Dodge. Different levels of relocation assistance are being offered to new hires regardless whether they have a military background or not. The amount of assistance is dependent on the level and type of position. Housing assistance is available in some of our sites, but is dependent on availability. Some of our sites pay out per diem but it is related to commuting distance between residence and workplace.
National Guard members and Reservists are being paid even during emergency or training activation. Even during activation, our employed military personnel and their dependents will stay enrolled in our benefits programs up to 1 year. After this point they have the option to switch benefits providers should they decide to do so.
GIJ: Do you look for any specific educational requirements (i.e. bachelor’s degree/associate’s/certification/qualification/clearance) for this position?
JG: A clearance is not required to work at Phelps Dodge. For any of our skilled trades positions, a certification of training/education completion is helpful to evaluate our new employees. To ensure a consistent level and adequate ranking, we usually test our tradesmen on a standardized skill test. The test results also usually have an impact on the pay grade. If an employee feels that he/she is qualified for a hire grade and would like to be promoted, he/she is welcome to take the required test for the next level. Should the position above be available and the test scores validate the candidate, a promotion into the higher grade is usually the case.
GIJ: What type of educational experience do you look for in military candidates?
JG: Educational background only becomes relevant where the particular job requires it. Where it is not specifically identified, transferable work experience can replace educational degrees. As far as military education is concerned, we pay close attention to attended “A” & “C” schools as well as participation in specialized training programs. This does not mean that we only look out for this type of background, but it can potentially make the difference between being called for a phone interview or not. The more relevant information is being provided in the résumé, the easier it becomes for us to reach a decision.
GIJ: How many military veterans work in your company and what percentage of the total workforce does this comprise?
JG: Phelps Dodge currently employs 1399 military veterans, which represents about 14 percent of the entire employee population.
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Jochen’s Advice
Start early in the job search! If this means attending the TAP program more than once, then do so! TAP is free … use it!
Translate your résumé into civilian language, take out the military acronyms and customize it to a specific job description. Nothing you’ve done in the service is irrelevant. (Keep a “master résumé” from which you chose your relevant information).
Prepare yourself for the interview. Every bullet on your résumé has a story behind it, be prepared to tell this story in laymen’s terms. Bring additional copies of the résumé, just in case! Scout out the area the day before the interview. You don’t want to be late when it really counts.
Job searching is a family effort. Make sure that every family member is aware of what is happening and trained to react accordingly. Also, if the new job requires relocation, ensure that all family members are aware of the potential move (especially spouses).