Deal highlights

• Allows veterans to find civilian jobs by matching their military skills to corporate skills
• Helps companies take advantage of getting government grants and credits
• Powered by exclusive SRI machine learning technology
• Early customers include American Airlines and Amazon
• Raised $500,000 to date
• Addresses an underserved multi-billion-dollar market.

Job search for veterans is a struggle.

SkillMil’s unique technology helps veterans get hired by providing personalized knowledge and skill matching to fill the business position demand.

1.5M veterans coming on market in the next 5 years.

There are roughly over 20 million retired veterans living in the US and over 1,500,000 veterans will transition out of the military in the next 4-5 years.  Most of them will seek employment in the new, corporate world.

Veterans are uniquely capable and in demand.

Companies are actively seeking vet-hires today, for their proven experience in unique areas and personal characteristics.

The government offers federal and state skills training grants and hiring tax credits of up to $18,000 for each hired qualified veteran.

All of these factors make veterans a desired candidate for most employers.

However, veterans still struggle to find jobs and companies struggle to find candidates.

Hiring veterans is arduous and usually unsuccessful for several reasons:

• Mismatches. Traditional job sites do not optimally match the training and background with the job requisition.  It’s not uncommon for a highly trained manager of complex large-scale logistics to be matched to a software programming job, or for the Commander of a Nuclear Submarine (“1120”) to be matched to a truck driver.   

• Jargon. Hiring managers typically discount, or give no credit for experience obtained in the Military, because it’s described with complex acronyms and unrecognizable jargon.  

• Job search is a new concept to veterans. Corporate and military realities are very different. veterans often expect the military pre-planned career management and are used to a military personnel office responsible for placing them in their various assignments.

We address all of these problems with SkillMil.

SkillMil™ – Precision Hiring for Veterans.

• Translates military jargon/acronyms (military speak) into plain business English.

• Auto-formats input data into a clean business resume.

• Provides SkillScore – the percent “fit” of job candidates to open requirements.

• Lists the specific skills & experience candidate is missing to achieve a 100% fit.

• SkillMil makes job search and hiring easy for both veterans and HR managers.

Veterans have extensive training (knowledge and skill) and certifications that are communicated with military jargon and acronyms.  SkillMil converts the “military speak” into an easy-to-understand language for hiring companies.  This conversion minimizes the communication gap between the veteran and hiring employee and communicates the veteran’s career and experience effectively.

SkillMil produces a 1-page formatted resume summarizing the veteran’s career.  With input from the hiring company, the 1-page resume can also include specific information desired by the hiring company (e.g., Total flight hours, specific training and certifications, time served in specific functional areas, qualifications, etc.)

SkillMil‘s unique feature, SkillScore, quantifies the percent “fit” between a veteran and an open job requirement, so that the hiring manager can easily recognize the optimal match results across several candidates.

Corporate hiring managers can use the SkillScore to pre-screen multiple candidates, based on a percent match cut-off.

SkillScore is a unique concept that can be used for any job search, not just veterans. Licensing SkillScore to all job-matching sites in the industry is one of SkillMill's planned profit channels.

In addition to providing a percent match with SkillScore, Skillmil provides a list of the knowledge and skills needed to achieve a 100% job match to a specific position, so that veterans can know exactly what they need to learn to get hired.

SkillMil provides training and assistance to businesses on the full use of veteran benefits tailored to the company's needs, and helps them realize and maximize the tax credits available and grants offered.  

Many states also help provide training to veterans, so they can obtain required skills to meet the requirements of the job offered.  Businesses can use the saved funds from the Work Opportunity Tax Credit to help train veterans in addition to using state benefits.

For all SkillMil-hired veterans, there is an ability to connect to a professional network (LinkedIn style). This network allows for mentoring and communication by the SkillMil team and other veterans.

How it Works:

For veterans:

1. Veteran inputs their service dates, pay rate, military specialty codes, training courses, and field experience codes;

2. SkillMil translates input into a business resume;

3. SkillMil matches the veteran’s profile to an open job requirement;

4. If hired, SkillMil assists hiring company in onboarding vet for smooth transition.

Additionally, veterans can:

• Fill out complete profile to begin professional networking,
• Get coaching throughout the first year assisting in an easy transition,
• Receive ongoing career path coaching (for next job or promotion) from SkillMil,
• If not hired, they can see further training and experience needed to meet the criteria for achieving specific job positions.

For companies:

1. Hiring manager creates a company profile;

2. Imports existing job openings or creates a new one and list requirements;

3. For each job opening, adjusts candidate’s desired skills, qualifications and competencies;

4. Based on the settings, sees the list of candidates ranked by SkillScore;

5. Reviews candidate’s profile:

   • 1-min video with answers to questions, that the company has chosen in advance,

   • A list of training and experience that is missing to get to a “100% match.”  

For hired candidates, SkillMil works with company to help them get benefits and file required forms.

For candidates that weren’t hired, SkillMil automatically prepares required reports: A Federal mandate requires companies to report on why targeted job applicants (e.g., veterans) were not hired.  By quantifying the percent match, and listing skills & experience lacking for candidates to reach a 100% match, these reports are easy to produce.

Powered by exclusively-licensed SRI tech

SkillMil integrates proprietary Sunflower technology developed by Stanford Research Institute (SRI), an applied research organization in Menlo Park, CA.

SRI is famous for a long list of life-impacting creations: Its 70+ years of innovation have created new industries, billions of dollars in market value and lasting benefits to society.

SRI-based technology gives SkillMil matching functions through:

• specialized database structure

• machine learning

• proprietary reasoning algorithms

• artificial intelligence

SkillMil’s exclusive license to utilize this SRI software integrated into our end-to-end solution means a uniquely effective approach that’s impossible to replicate.

The result?  Precision hiring!

Business model: Free for veterans, subscription-based fee for companies.

• Specialists from Oracle HCM, SRI, Sand Hill Angels, LinkedIn have been consulting on the development of our pricing model.
• SkillMil’s service will be free of charge to the veterans. Each veteran will get a manager assigned to them as part of onboarding.
• Corporations will be subject to a licensing fee, which is based on the size of the enterprise  (number of direct employees) and the number of hires. Each company gets a personal account manager, providing 1 on 1 service.
• Company fees typically range from $1,500-5,000/month.
• An example fee structure: $1,500/mo includes 2 hires/year, each additional hire is 5-15% of the employee’s yearly salary.

AA and Amazon among first paying customers.

Customers we’ve brought on—even before our system is fully in-production—tell us that our solution is easy to use, and makes it efficient to find veteran candidates that closely match open job reqs, making precision hiring a reality.

Among paying and currently onboarded customers:

• Piedmont Airlines (part of AA) – is using SkillMil to hire pilots and mechanics.

• Amazon AWS hires IT specialists, with planned expansion into logistics

• Duke Energy will hire line workers and nuclear operators

• Palm Beach Sheriff's Office

Many other customers with total contract value of $1M are in active development in the pipeline and expected to close in 2017.

Why now?

Today’s well-recognized trends show that Skillmil is especially needed right now:

National trends

• A declining number of skilled workers, due to retiring baby boomers
• Decline in Military pay, requiring military personnel to look for part-time work
• Increased demand for US-sourced manufacturing jobs

Business trends

• The demand for hiring veterans is especially high

• Hundreds of large companies have now committed to hire 500,000+ vets by 2018,

• Tens of thousands of dollars per vet-hire in various tax credits.

Technological and social trends

• Ever Increasing role of technology, social and professional networking for job search

• Failure of current solutions to adequately address market’s problems

$124B total addressable market

SkillMil is entering the veteran and human capital sector during a substantial up-tick, meeting a significant unmet need in a $124 Billion high-growth total addressable market.

SkillMil is leveraging a wave of veteran hiring and many programs that encourage hiring veterans.

Government programs:

• Federal Government awards up to $9,600 tax credit for each hired qualified veteran  through the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC).

• Some states offer tax credits or training grants up to $9,000 for hired qualified veterans.

• The Department of veterans Affairs (VA) Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment also offers a Special Employer Incentives (SEI) program for eligible veterans who face challenges in obtaining employment.

Non-government:

• The Walt Disney Company Heroes Work Here (HWH) initiative

• VOW to Hire Heroes Act

• Joining Forces (Amazon and 50+ other companies have pledged the hiring, training and certification for veterans and military spouses.

• Hiring Our Heroes (US Chamber of Commerce Foundation) – More than 2,000 companies committed.

• Veterans Jobs Mission – a coalition, committed to collectively hiring a total of 1,000,000 military veterans.

SkillMil will consult the hiring companies how to best benefit from these programs and guide them in filling out the required documentation to receive these benefits.

Founded by passionate veterans

Founded by Noel Gonzalez, a former Nuclear Submarine Captain. He has helped over 100 skilled military members write resumes, find jobs and connections.

Noel quickly found that enlisted military members lack the ability to translate their military skills to business terms that a hiring manager understands. When Noel himself filled out a skills profile in the most popular military job-matching website, he found that he was matched to truck driver job openings—ignoring his masters in nuclear engineering, his 22 years managing fast-attack submarine personnel, his highest level security clearance, etc.  

The SkillMil team cumulatively has over 100 years of experience working with all branches of the military and veterans. The SkillMil team is committed to matching the talents and skills of U.S. military veterans with high performing companies.

We strongly believe that today’s U.S. military veterans entering civilian business are among the most talented, skilled, and seasoned professionals in the business market.  

Supported by an incredible Board of Advisors
with experience from:

Marian Sabety, Chairman of the Board, Marian is an investor with Sand Hill Angels and a serial entrepreneur providing unique expertise in startups. Founded YFonGlobal, a VoIP calling service offering free-calling for subscribers and Wyndstorm, a video streaming platform and has held senior positions at AT&T, United Technologies, Sprint, Cap Gemini, CGI, SAIC, and Stanford Research Institute (SRI).

Stephen Ciesinski, President of Stanford Research Institute (SRI). Stephen provides significant technical expertise in enterprise solutions. Stephen oversees global markets at SRI, U.S. and foreign government agencies and R&D-based universities.  

Henry Eickelberg, former Corporate Vice President of Human Resources and Shared Services for General Dynamics.  Henry provides knowledge on hiring veterans in corporate america.

Edward Powell, former president of the United Service Organizations (USO).  He served as Deputy Secretary for the Department of veterans Affairs, under President Bill Clinton. Brings tremendous knowledge on veteran programs and veteran organizations.

Lisa Parrott, Veteran Recruiter Director at Amazon, provides tremendous corporate knowledge on veteran hiring practices and corporate struggles in matching veterans to the right job.

Alexandra Stanton, CEO of Empire Global Ventures LLC. Ms. Stanton has held senior positions in the NYC Mayor’s Office of Appointments for Mayor Bill De Blasio, the Empire State Development Corporation and HUD in Washington, D.C.  President Barack Obama appointed her to the Board of Trustees of The Kennedy Center in 2013.  She currently serves on the Board of the Parrish Art Museum in Watermill, New York and is VP of Doctors of the World – USA.

Timeline

Now: Service's backend and frontend under active development, with database and  website near completion.

Early spring ‘17 – Phase 1:

• launch MVP with core functionality

• Veteran profiles

• Company profiles

• Billing system for companies

Early summer ‘17 – Phase 2:

• Sunflower technology by SRI integrated

• Search / matching capabilities

• Launch SkillScore

End of 2017 – Phase 3:

• Full veteran/hiring manager capability

• Fully mobile optimized experience

• HR software integration (i.e. Paleo)

Beyond veteran hiring.

We believe that the SkillMil’s model will become the new norm in all online job-matching sites.  

SkillMil’s approach represents a paradigm shift in the hiring of veterans and ultimately of hiring online in general.  Our mission is to become the end-to-end veteran Career Management Service solution at any stage of a military member’s career.

Once we transform and perfect what we know best – hiring for veterans, we will move to transforming the job search industry as a whole.