Military.com|By Blake Stilwell
Like many Americans, veterans were hit hard by coronavirus-related layoffs in 2020. By the end of the year, veteran unemployment had nearly doubled, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
But one Florida-based nonprofit found the means to help veterans affected by the pandemic adjust to the unstable job market, a way that analyzes more than just their resume and other traditional ways of finding employment. The Sapna Foundation teamed up with Wired2Perform to help veterans in need using its "people analytics" platform.
Wired2Perform says it’s more than just human resources software. Although human resources is its core competency, it uses behavioral science and analysis to help employers find talent using a "holistic profile" of potential job candidates. It's a "purpose-driven proactive people performance management platform,” according to its website.
Companies can use the platform as an employee and management database that repeatedly recalibrates human growth profiles and users' Adaptability Scores and Coachability Scores, the site adds. It is also used to recruit potential candidates that would be a good fit.
"Someone who lost a job in retail, travel or hospitality needs to realize they have skills and abilities that translate to other fields or roles, and we've created a tool that helps them identify exactly what those are and how they can benefit a new employer," entrepreneur Raghu Misra, founder of both the Sapnu Foundation and Wired2Perform, said in a statement.
Candidates can analyze their interests and goals, along with their hard skills sets, on the Wired2Perform platform, while learning how they communicate with colleagues. As they analyze themselves, they can share their findings with micro social networks and look for work that fits their profile. They can even match with natural mentors.
While a resume is still necessary for detailing work history, education and skills, the behavior analysis is what sets it apart from traditional talent pools and job search sites.
The first step is to take Wired2Perfom's Natural Behavior Test, where candidates describe how they would normally behave or react to various hypothetical scenarios. Then, they fill out a profile, detailing their skills, interests, talents and aspirations.
The Sapna Foundation has formed its own talent pool that those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic can join for analysis. Even separating veterans entering the civilian world for the first time are welcome to join -- for free.
Transitioning military veterans are just one of the first groups invited to join the platform. Others include the recently unemployed, those who have previously been incarcerated, and those who have graduated from a traditional university or trade school who are entering this tough job market.
To learn more about the Wired2Perform platform and how it analyzes talent pools, visit Wired2Perform's website. To jump right in Sapna Foundation's talent pool, go to MySapna.org and click to join.
The process of joining takes roughly 30 minutes.