Veterans: Job Search Articles | Job-Hunt

Veterans Web Resources

Susan P. Joyce — Sat, 22 May 2021 16:56:00 +0000

Where to find additional information, resources, and assistance in finding civilian employment and dealing with the issues of re-entry into the civilian world.

Alabama:

Alaska:

Arizona:

Arkansas:

California:

Colorado:

Connecticut:

D.C.:

Delaware:

Florida:

Georgia:

Hawaii:

Idaho:

Illinois:

Indiana:

Iowa:

Kansas:

Kentucky:

Louisiana:

Maine:

Maryland:

Massachusetts:

Michigan:

Minnesota:

Mississippi:

Missouri:

Montana:

Nebraska:

Nevada:

New Hampshire:

New Jersey:

New Mexico:

New York:

North Carolina:

North Dakota:

Ohio:

Oklahoma:

Oregon:

Pennsylvania:

Rhode Island:

South Carolina:

South Dakota:

Tennessee:

Texas:

Utah:

Vermont:

Virginia:

Washington:

West Virginia:

Wisconsin:

Wyoming:

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FREE eBooks: Job-Hunt Quick Guides for a Shorter and Smarter Job Search

Susan P. Joyce — Tue, 11 May 2021 17:14:48 +0000

Each of these free ebooks should help you accomplish a specific goal important to the success of your job search and career.

These free job search guides are made available to you by Job-Hunt and the authors to help you with your job search. No registration is required to download any of them.

Feel free to use these guides for your job search and to share them with your friends and anyone else who needs help coping with today’s job search process.

NOTE: These materials — and all of Job-Hunt.org — are protected by U.S. Copyright Law. Do not sell these books, and do not repackage the information in them to sell.

If you wish to use them for a workshop or class, please contact us for permission.

Job-Hunt Quick Guides – eBooks Providing Free Help with Your Job Search

These guides are short, designed to be a quick read on a specific topic, so you can learn what you need to know and move on.

Also see the columns on Job-Hunt written by experts and expanding every month to help you deal with today’s job search: Online Job Search Guides.

Clicking on the title will open a new browser window containing the ebooklet.

New Year, New Job! 101 Tips from the Job-Hunt Experts for Your Holiday Job Search

27 Job-Hunt Job Search Experts plus What Color Is Your Parachute? author Dick Bolles offer over 100 tips for successfully leveraging the holidays for your job search. These tips help will year around, but are easiest to implement during the end-of-year holidays.

Military Transition: Defining Your Future Career Options for Current Military and Veterans

By Patra Frame, Job-Hunt’s Veterans’ Job Search Expert, a veteran of the USAF and now an HR consultant. Patra offers a 4 step process for transitioning to a successful career in the civilian world after your military experience.
Military Transition: Effective Networking Guide for Current Military and #Veterans

By Patra Frame, Job-Hunt’s Veterans’ Job Search Expert, a veteran of the USAF and now an HR consultant. Patra shares how to bulid your network during your transition, defining your goals and establishing your plan for your civilian career. She also shares how to build and maintain your network, the foundation of your successful civilian career.
Winning Negotiation Strategies for Your New Job, 3rd Edition

By Barbara Safani, owner of Career Solvers. This may be the trickiest part of starting your new job — negotiating your starting salary and other things associated with the new job so that both you and your employer are satisfied with the result.
Smart Personal Branding with LinkedIn, 3rd Edition

By Meg Guiseppi, CEO of Executive Resume Branding and Job-Hunt’s Personal Branding Expert.Subtitled, “How to Use LinkedIn to Build Your Personal Brand and Land a New Job Faster,” this book helps you leverage LinkedIn to build a strong personal brand that will support your job search efforts and help recruiters.
Converting Your Internship into a Full-Time-Job, 2nd Edition

By Chandlee Bryan, Job-Hunt’s New Grad Job Search Expert. One of the biggest challenges post-college is graduating from an internship to full-time employment. Here are five winning strategies that college career counselor Chandlee Bryan has seen in practice. Use them to leverage an internship – or convert another short-term work opportunity – into a full-time offer.
Successful Job Interviewing

By recruiter Jeff Lipschultz, founder of recruiting company A-List Solutions and Job-Hunt’s Working with Recruiters Expert. Interviewing does not have to be an intimidating experience. Certainly there may some excitement about the prospect of landing a great new job, but in the end, if you are the right fit for the job (and the job is a good fit for you), the pieces will fall into place.
How to Create a Personal Marketing Plan

By Tim Tyrell-Smith, Job-Hunt’s Personal Marketing Expert. The 5 powerful steps that will bring your “brand” to life. In this e-book, you’ll learn how to put your subject matter expertise to work for you. And begin to build serious social credibility as you spread the word about your highly marketable skills. You’ll also learn how to balance your own marketing by supporting and sharing the ideas of other people.
Choosing Safe Job Boards

By Susan P. Joyce, Job-Hunt’s editor and Online Job Search Expert. For most people, job boards are NOT the solution to their job search, and many job seekers waste too much time on them. But, they can be helpful as long as you know how to choose the best ones for you and how to avoid the ones that are scams.
Layoff Self-Defense, 2nd Edition

By Susan P. Joyce, Job-Hunt’s editor and Online Job Search Expert. If others have already been laid off, don’t wait for the golden handshake. Take care of yourself. NOW! Do NOT expect that being a competent, or even an outstanding, and loyal employee will protect your job. It may not.
5 Steps to Starting Your Career Reinvention

By Randi Bussin, owner of Aspire for Success, and Job-Hunt’s Career Change Expert. Are you unhappy with your current career, or just wondering if you might like something else much better? Start re-inventing your career by going through this process to help you determine what your next career should be. Then, move on to implementing your career reinvention, next…
5 Steps to Implementing Your Career Reinvention

By Randi Bussin After you have figured out what you want to do next (above), begin the process of actually changing to that new career in a logical step-by-step manner that should help you find a smooth pathway to that next great career.
Job Search Networking for Introverts

By Wendy Gelberg, author of The Successful Introvert and Job-Hunt’s Introverts’ Job Search Expert. More than any other job search activity, networking pulls people out of their comfort zone, especially if they’re shy or introverted. You’ve probably heard that it’s essential – not just for job search, but for managing your career – and yet there’s a good chance that you find the prospect of doing it daunting. Here’s how to overcome.

About the author…

Online job search expert Susan P. Joyce has been observing the online job search world and teaching online job search skills since 1995. A veteran of the United States Marine Corps and a recent Visiting Scholar at the MIT Sloan School of Management, Susan is a two-time layoff “graduate” who has worked in human resources at Harvard University and in a compensation consulting firm. Since 1998, Susan has been editor and publisher of Job-Hunt.org. Follow Susan on Twitter at @jobhuntorg and on Facebook, LinkedIn.
More about this author…

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How to Find Jobs Using Associations and College / Corporate Alumni Networks

Susan P. Joyce — Tue, 11 May 2021 17:14:46 +0000

Corporate and college alumni groups are great networks, and professional associations often offer excellent “niche” job boards. Networking works in business every day – Chambers of Commerce across the world provide businesses the opportunity to present their products and services to other members.

Associations provide individuals, as well as businesses, similar opportunities for positive visibility. Alumni groups connect people with a common background so they can connect and help each other.

Professional/Industry Association Job Postings

Think of associations as possibly the best sources of niche job boards, in addition to the networking opportunities they provide.

Associations usually provide an excellent venue for expanding business and professional networks.

If they have a jobs/careers section of their Web site, and most of them do, job seekers may need to be members of the association to gain access (“Members Only”).

An association’s annual membership dues payment may be the cost of entry and access to job postings, hopefully worth the investment.

Joining an association only for access to the job postings is probably not a sound idea, particularly if the job seeker isn’t allowed to see the job postings before they pay for access, because the quantity and/or quality may be low.

The upside is that, if the association is appropriate for the job seeker, the jobs should be well-targeted for that same job seeker, if they meet the membership qualifications (assuming that industry or professional knowledge is required, not just sufficient money to join).

See Tapping the Hidden Job Market for tips on leveraging your association membership and How to Join a Professional Organization or Association.

Finding Professional and Industry Associations

LinkedIn is an excellent source of professional “groups” which are often related to national and international professional associations. Connecting with the people in those groups can often be good leads to employee referral opportunities — the best and fastest way to get hired.

In additoin, most professional and industry associations — whether local, national, or international — have websites, and they can usually be found relatively easily using Google or your favorite search engine.

Try several queries until you find the results you need because different groups use a variety of ways to describe their field. Here are some examples to test:

American (journalism OR reporting) association << for a journalism/reporting association in the USA

American (journalism OR reporting) society << for a journalist in the USA

(“human resources” OR “talent management”) association hospital Boston << for a medical HR association in Boston

Search on both general and specific terms because niche associations covering very narrowly defined fields are common and can be quite helpful even if they have few members. Those sites may have exactly the right jobs for you, and, if you attend any meetings, other attendees may be exactly the right people for you to meet.

For search tips and tricks, as well as Google search ground rules, check Job-Hunt’s Guide to Using Google for Your Job Search.

Company, Military, and Government “Alumni” Associations

Members of the military, particularly those who served in combat, share a bond that is life-long, and many organizations support those networks, across the country. As well, the former employees of many companies, engaged in a different kind of “combat,” continue to stay in touch with each other through newer company “alumni” organizations.

Finding Company, Military, and Government Alumni Groups

Both the military and the civilian groups can provide job search support and networking for members, including finding job leads, vetting employers or job candidates, and sharing inside information on new potential employers.

The large military and veterans associations are usually well known and easy to find. Finding company alumni associations are more challenging. For both, LinkedIn Groups can be very good sources of information about related professional associations as well as job postings.

Google (or your favorite search engine) can also be very helpful, of course. Some employers sponsor their own alumni groups, but many groups are independent of the employer. Try substituting your former (or, even, current) employer’s name for “example” in this search:

“example company alumni” association << for a company named Example, Inc.

Doing a search like this can be very useful, particularly for large employers who have many former employees:

College Alumni Association Sites

Colleges and universities may provide career support for alumni/ae (which is usually defined as anyone who attended the school, not just graduates of the school).

Go to your school’s Website, and look for “Alumni Career Center” or something similar, to find job postings, resume pointers, and other useful information for alumni/ae who are job hunting.

Or Google your college name and add “alumni association” to the search. For example, type this into Google’s search bar:

yale “alumni association” << if you attended Yale, for example

Colleges and universities usually publish alumni directories, on- or off-line, that can be excellent sources of networking contacts. If job seekers have targeted a few companies or an industry, they may be able to search the directory to find “fellow alums” who are working in a target company/industry.

Frequently, very active alumni associations even have lists of alumni who are willing to be contacted by job seekers. These can be great assistance to job seekers since there is already a common bond in the school, and that’s a great starting point. So, these are “warm” calls, not “cold calls.”

Next: Finding Jobs with Recruiters, Staffing Firms, & Head Hunters

About the author…

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Your Job Search Battle Plan

Patra Frame — Tue, 11 May 2021 17:14:44 +0000

No sane person goes to battle alone. You need a plan and folks who “have your back.” And your job search is the same.

Take advantage of the various resources the military offers, like TAP and Yellow Ribbon events.

In addition, here is some more information and supports to ensure you succeed.

“One-Stops”

Most states call their local employment and unemployment services offices One-Stop now because they offer so many services, programs, and referrals. Be sure to also check there for specific services offered veterans.

Federal government programs

There are a wide range of training, education, transition, and career development services offered to veterans by the federal agencies. These include:

If you are interested in continuing to work for Uncle Sam, read the Federal Government Job Search articles for excellent information.

Job Fairs

There are a wide range of job fairs across the country. The most effective ones in terms of your job search are those which have the most employers in your target area.

Job fairs which are focused on a specific field, like finance, or related career, like technical jobs, or are for those with security clearances are most likely to be worth attending if appropriate for you. Employers come to these ready to hire.

This is also true where a specific company puts on a job fair for its own needs — often in conjunction with opening a new operation. If you have the skills they are looking for, they are a good match.

Job fairs which are more general are likely to have fewer targets. You need to check them out carefully to see if they are worth your time. When you see a job fair offered by a community group or for a specific group like women or seniors – check them out in advance. Are there going to be a number of employers you have targeted who are attending, or not?

In attending any job fair, remember to go prepared. This is an interview and you should be appropriately dressed and groomed and ready to discuss your experience and interests. Even if you have registered in advance with your resume, bring plenty of copies with you. And don’t forget to network while there with other job seekers as well as the people working the booths and giving talks. You never know who you might meet.

Virtual job fairs can also be useful, but again, you need to ensure that your target employers will be there. Check out Successfully Navigating Job and Career Fairs for more tips and information.

References

I bet you do not think of your references as a part of your job search support system, but they are. You should pick as many past bosses as you can who can talk about your great work, and ask them to be your references.

But do not stop there. As a part of your job search plan, ask each what they see as your strengths. Or ask for ideas on career fields they think you should check out. Once you have a resume, send each a copy of it too. And, when you update it or change your target, send them the updated version.

When you have potential job interviews coming up, send your references a note and tell them a bit about the job. Remind them that you asked them to be a reference, and confirm that they are still willing to do that. Verify that you have their current phone numbers.

This preparation increases the likelihood that your references will be raving about what a top quality person you are and able to give the details that are most relevant to the position. Hiring managers love such references!

College Professors

If you have recently completed a degree or are taking courses for it, make friends with at least one professor in your field. Then you can ask that professor to become a reference. This will boost your educational credentials for the jobs you seek. College professors get a lot of these requests, so be sure you choose one you know well and have asked for this support early.

About the author…

Patra Frame has extensive experience in human capital management and career issues in large and small corporations. She is an Air Force vet and charter member of The Women In Military Service for America Memorial. Patra speaks and writes regularly on job search and career issues through her company Strategies for Human Resources (SHRInsight) and PatraFrame.com where she blogs advice for veterans and other job seekers. Watch Patra’s ClearedJobs.net job search tips videos on YouTube, and follow her on Twitter @2Patra.
More about this author…

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Military Women: Finding Job Search Success

Patra Frame — Tue, 11 May 2021 17:14:43 +0000

Military women transitioning to the civilian world over the past decade have had higher rates of unemployment than men.

What can you do to ensure you find the right job and succeed?

Perhaps the following information can help you.

1. Take advantage of every transition program offered.

Research shows that those who start the job search at least six months before they leave active duty are most likely to move into jobs they want. There are several aspects of this you should pay attention to.

Learn civilian language and expectations.

You learned military-speak quickly when you joined your service. Now you need to do the same for the civilian work world. Learn the lingo used in your preferred field and more generally. You must use “civilian” language to clearly communicate in your resume, cover letter, emails, and so on.
Get training you have had translated into education credits.

The military offers a lot of training. There are free services, which translate your training into educational terms. This is not just important for future college studies. It also provides you with ideas for your civilian career choices. And employers recognize your value faster when they see the civilian version of your training instead of the military titles.
Obtain added education or skills needed in your field of work.

When you begin to think of leaving the military, you need a plan. It should include learning about any added education or skills you need to succeed in the civilian jobs which interest you. And how and when to obtain these.

2. Learn to network.

Multiple studies show that the people who are good at networking consistently make better career progress. Yet military women are far less likely to network than most people.

Networking is actually simple connections with other people – not some exotic trick.

Human connections help you to learn more about the type of work which interests you, organizations where you want to work, career choices, and even yourself.
Start your networking with people you know.

Reach out to military members and veterans you have worked with. Reconnect with civilians from your past. Talk to people you know in your community and among the vendors or service provides you know. Learn more about where each is in their career. Ask specific questions about your career interests or needs. Keep the connections going as you move forward.
Add to your current network by asking for specific contacts.

You might want to be introduced to vets who have made a successful transition. Or meet people in your preferred field. When you have target employers identified, ask for contacts in those organizations too.
Learn about and use veterans groups within the organizations which interest you.

Many companies have such groups, as do many federal agencies. LinkedIn’s Groups can be a great source.
Join professional or community groups to meet civilians in your areas of interest.

Find other networking groups in your local paper or on www.Meetup.com. Check out online connections too.

LinkedIn (www.LinkedIn.com) offers a huge range of groups tailored to almost every interest imaginable. As you investigate groups that may assist you, make a real connection with a few people in each and learn.
Remember, networking is always a “two-way street.”

Listen to and learn from your connections. Help your connections by providing ideas or information tailored to their needs. Get together in person or by phone when possible to enhance the connection.

3. Use the support services you need.

There are many additional job search support services available after leaving active duty.

Start with the veterans liaison at your local OneStop.

Find yours at CareerOneStop Locator.
Take advantage of college career services alumni networks. Many community and church groups sponsor job clubs which can be very useful. Check with the school, and also search through LinkedIn’s Groups.

Some military women will need added emotional support. Get what you need from Military OneSource to the VA. Job search is emotionally tough enough, and be sure you are taking care of your health needs!

An increasing problem among women vets is the single mothers who don’t find a good job quickly enough and become homeless. Planning and effective job search is especially critical if you have others who depend on you.

In 2007, the BPW (Business and Professional Women) Foundation did one of the first large public surveys of military women and their transition. Their research indicated a continuing need for transition assistance after women left the service. Additionally, successful transitions are more likely among military women who have a job search mentor. You can often find such a person in your network. There are professional coaches who do this also.

Bottom Line

Your military service can be the basis of a very successful career. Many of the following skills and attributes that helped you succeed in the military are critical to the civilian work world too, and are all valuable assets in job search success:

Demonstrating your ability to learn quickly
Working well with a diverse group of people
Dealing effectively with rapid change
Doing whatever is needed to get the job done

So, learn to speak “civilian” again, network effectively, and take advantage of every service available to meet your needs.

More Information About Military Transition

About the author…

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The Value of Your Military Experience

Diane Hudson — Tue, 11 May 2021 17:14:43 +0000

Ohhh, how many times have I been asked by a military member:

“What is the value I offer to a corporate employer when I leave the military?”

Value of Military Experience? Priceless!

As a retiring service member you are typically 40 to 45 years old; and compared to a college or MBA graduate, you are highly trained, exceptionally skilled, and very disciplined (and many of you also possess a bachelor’s and/or master’s degree).

You offer a strong work ethic and strive to accomplish a task the first time.

And, no matter your career field or area of expertise, you are trained in all aspects of management, EEO, work-place issues, drug and alcohol abuse prevention, basic personnel counseling, quality assurance, and use of cutting-edge technology including information technology, computers, and classified programs.

You, as a career military retiree or service member who leaves after a few years, have gained experiences light-years ahead of your civilian counterparts.

Disciplined/ Self Starters

You are reliable. Employers want reliable—they want self-starters and independent workers/thinkers. You accept tasks and see them through to completion.

You lead teams, you delegate, and you serve on the team to see a task through to completion. You do more with less, and manage large-scale projects. You are capable of assessing immediate situations and delivering decisive solutions.

Trustworthy

Officers, as well as many career field specialties, require security clearances. Many Department of Defense (DoD) contractors and defense companies seek employees who possess (or are capable of attaining) Secret and Top Secret government security clearances, as a condition of employment. You subject yourself to a rigorous background check of your personal life, finances, drug use, criminal record, and loyalty.

Drug Free / Healthy

The military is a drug-free environment and many companies and corporations (as well as the Federal government) require drug testing as a condition of employment. You are also required to maintain a high level of health and exercise. With that said, you are typically thin, healthy, young, and will look great in a civilian business suit.

Excellent Communications

You are required to read, write, communicate, convey information, and conduct liaison at all echelons. You write SOPs, technical guidelines, reports; and you present briefings to senior leadership, as well as instruct junior leadership. You engage in briefings, discussions, presentations, and consulting sessions.

Bottom Line

Even if you didn’t spend 20 or more years in a Service, your trianing and experience puts you ahead of most other job seekers. Many employers are very happy to hire you, in part to thank you for your service, but they don’t understand how uniquely qualified you are to help them. It’s your job to make that clear to them.

About the author…

Job-Hunt’s Job Search Expert for Veterans, Diane Hudson is a military transition job-search strategist and career coach. She designs and composes military conversion resumes and helps position service members for employment in corporate or Federal America. Diane holds eight industry credentials including Certified Leadership & Talent Management Coach and Federal Job Search Trainer & Counselor and owns Career Marketing Techniques.
More about this author…

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Mining for Veterans’ Accomplishments

Diane Hudson — Tue, 11 May 2021 17:14:43 +0000

As you begin to build your military conversion resume and prepare sample responses for potential interview questions, you need to start by creating an accomplishments journal.

Collecting Your Documentation

Pull together your many sources of information from your career military portfolio.

Keep these materials in one file during your career search campaign — your “I Love Me” book.

Then, begin a new file when you land your first corporate position, either a small notebook you keep in your desk drawer or car, or a Word file on your computer.

The documentation you need to collect for your file:

Report of Separation

DD-214 – this document includes your military job specialty, dates of service, military education, decorations, medals, badges, citations, and campaign awards; as well as pertinent retirement benefits and character of separation.

If you need a replacement, request another copy from the National Archives.

Service Record Summary Documents

Each Service records member assignments to different commands and duties, including some combination of the following: assignment history, promotions, security data, service data, personal/family data, foreign language, military training and education, civilian education, awards and decorations, job performance, and so on.

United States Army: Officer Record Brief (ORB) – Army Officer
Personnel Qualification Record (PQR) – Army Enlisted Officer Qualification Records
United States Marine Corps: Officer Qualification Recrod (OQR) – USMC Officer
Enlisted Service Record Book (SRB) – USMC Enlisted Service Record
United States Navy: Offiicial Military Personnel File (OMPF) – Navy Officer and Enlisted
United States Air Force NCO and Officer Personnel Brief

Training Documentation

Verification of Military Experience and Training Document (VMAT)

The VMET document lists your military experience and training which may have application to employment in the private sector. The VMET document is an “all-services” integrated form which displays demographic, training, and experience information that is retrieved from various automated sources.

Use the VMET document as a tool to prepare resumes and job applications, in concert with evaluation reports, training certificates, awards, transcripts, and other pertinent documents. As an added bonus, it is not an official transcript for purposes of granting college credit, but it can be used to support your having met training and/or course requirements to qualify for civilian occupations, certificates, licenses, or programs of study.

The VMET also provides credit recommendations from the American Council of Education (ACE) for occupations and/or courses that are listed when they are available; the academic institutions, however, determine which credits are applicable to a program of study.

The VMET web site also has a list of links to additional web sites that can assist you in your job search process. You can log on at: https://www.dmdc.osd.mil/appj/vmet/index.jsp

Service School Academic (Professional Development and Training) and Award Justifications

Award justifications often are filled with specific examples of accomplishments and how you attained the accomplishment; they are often detailed. Many military awards cover extended periods of time in your career—and may list several specific achievements.

Service School evaluation reports and training records provide overviews of the courses you completed, certificates you attained, and sometimes it even lists special projects or class status.

Performance and Fitness Reports

Performance Evaluations and Fitness Reports are an excellent source of gleaning both job responsibilities and specific achievements and accomplishments. One of your goals is to quantify and qualify your achievements, whenever possible, for a resume and consideration by a potential employer.

As you gather a list of achievements, write down comparisons—what it was like before you “fixed” or modified the situation, and after you “fixed” the problem.

Other Sources

Look for additional achievements by asking the following questions:

Have you been published?
Have you been quoted?
Do you speak at conferences or in other forums?
What licenses or certificates do you possess?
Do you have a security clearance? When does it expire?
Do you have special skills, not listed on your paperwork?
Is your day to day experience different from your military occupational specialty?
Do you speak foreign languages?
Are you engaged in community service or volunteer positions?

Organizing the Information

As you continue to dig deep and gather information from your career history, it helps to organize it into three categories (for each of your employment entries):

1. Describe why you were selected for a job and what your main challenge or assignment was as you entered the new position.

Examples:

Selected from a Board and moved from enlisted to Warrant Officer, i.e., from helicopter maintenance crew chief to pilot school; or,

Represented the U.S. Army in Europe (USAREUR), Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence to senior and executive level-host nation officials in Germany, to facilitate the exchange of intelligence and security information with the German federal and state intelligence, military, and law enforcement services, in support of the Commanding General and USAREUR’s priority intelligence requirements).

2. Provide a scope of your responsibilities within the scope of the organization.

Examples:

Deployed as a Support Operations Officer in the Plans section, in a combat environment, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II. Established and supervised the Logistical Operations Center. Analyzed, planned, prepared, and presented plans for future missions and contingency operations in support of 165,000 U.S. and Coalition forces. Directed, coordinated, and executed operations of 13 units, 28 direct and 1,300 indirect reports; or,

Managed the receipt, inventory and issue of 3,500 line items worth over $2M.

3. Develop a list of specific achievements or projects and quantify and qualify whenever possible.

Examples:

Developed engineer design plans for mission and life support facilities and secured $150 million in funding through the Joint Allocation Resource Board; Program Manager for a multi-million dollar base restructure; or,

Authored over 100 FRAGOS ensuring the movement and receipt of millions of gallons of water and fuel, and other supply classes daily into the region.

As this list builds, you will be able to start the production of a professional military conversion resume and prepare for the interviewing process. All of your career history information will be stored in one organized file.

Notice that the above entries still contain “military speak”. When you are ready to start writing your resume, you will need to translate your military speak into corporate equivalents.

About the author…

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Job Search/Job Interview Necessity: Veterans’ 60 Second Personal Infomercial

Diane Hudson — Tue, 11 May 2021 17:14:43 +0000

“Tell Me about Yourself,” is often one of the first things you will hear a recruiter or hiring manager say in an interview, pre-screening interview, job fair, or during networking events.

You may also be asked this question during a public speaking event or by the media.

Public speaking is listed as a fear greater than death by Americans, and yet, in some form we are all required to “public speak” or at least respond to basic questions in group or community gatherings.

Are you ever caught off guard at a community social hour – you have a plate of hors d’oeurves in one hand, a mouth full of food, and a cup of soda in the other hand – and someone new walks up and says, “So, tell me about yourself?” Best to be prepared!

Let’s Break the Ice

As you begin your job search and transition from military to corporate, you must develop a strong, compelling response to the ‘Tell Me About Yourself’ question.

The question covers:

What do you do?
What business are you in?
Who do you work for? (if employed)

All are begging the same response – let’s break the ice. Let’s find out about you in a general sense. Let’s see how your initial communication skills are in an interview setting.

And, because these types of questions will undoubtedly pop up during your career search campaign, I recommend that you develop a script, write it, refine it, and practice it for different professional settings (and as a Veteran, you also need to translate military terms).

The 60-second elevator speech/infomercial/introductory statement should be focused on your professional background.

Do not start with your birth, youth, and linger on for several minutes moving through every position you ever had. Also, this is not the time to talk about your spouse, family life, church and children. These are your introductory comments.

Here is a recent example of a client’s first try at a 60-second infomercial and the revision:

Client Original:

I have a CIO certification from the Office of Personnel Management and from the University of Maryland University College; a Master’s in Information Technology, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration also from the University of Maryland.

I have 20 years of professional experience, 12 of which is from the US Navy as a Chief Petty Officer as an IS, and I was responsible for briefing executive level persons on foreign naval activities and the last 10 with Motorola Inc., eight of which I worked as a collection manager managing a personal balance of $2.5 million dollars while overseeing four reporting people with a combined balance of $5 million dollars.

For the past two years I’ve been working in the Military and Government Sales department, managing 200 accounts with a $3 million dollar quota.

While in the Navy, among other things, I also analyzed intelligence information and identified and produced intelligence from raw information.

I assembled multisource operational intelligence and prepared planning materials for photographic reconnaissance missions. I worked ashore and afloat; maintaining intelligence libraries and files.

I also created, operated and owned a DOTcom business focused on networking and building web pages.

And I’m currently preparing to take the Cisco Certified Networking Administrators (CCNA) exam.

Revision:

Well, as an IT professional, I just completed my Master’s degree in IT and simultaneously received Certification as a CIO from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), a very specialized program (I was the second class to graduate from the accredited program) to train, graduate, and infuse CIOs into government and industry, to lead in bridging the gap between IT and business professionals within companies.

My career history includes 20 years of experience in business and IT, 10 years with Motorola as a sales professional managing a region with over 200 government and military customers, requiring two-way communication systems with a $3 million quota. Prior to that I was the collections department manager with responsibility for staff, policy implementation and international accounts.

Previously, I served in the U.S. Navy for 12 years as an Intelligence Specialist in shore and afloat assignments managing sensitive and critical IT requirements and databases. In those assignments, I supervised and trained up to 30 personnel and briefed executive level persons on foreign naval activities.

My most recent venture involved the start of a web-based dot.com business.

Analysis

The revision highlights critical elements of the candidate’s career history and deletes extra information not required at this point.

The revision placed his career history in strict reverse chronological order (except for his recent personal professional endeavors, used as a short closing statement), without jumping back and forth, as in the client’s version.

Since the client is seeking a high level position as a CIO or Director of IT, the new CIO certification is a critical starting element. The section on Naval service removes military terms (Chief Petty Officer and IS), and translates it to Intelligence Specialist, and highlights his expertise managing critical IT requirements.

Removing many of the numbers and specifics and translating the military jargon, allows the person listening to think of questions and not be so confused.

The revision is broken down into four short bullets, to allow for a breath between thoughts.

Following Up

When you deliver a well prepared 60-second infomercial, you can follow up by asking, “What more can I tell you?” or “What else would you like to know?”

Questions that may be posed about military service include: Tell me more about your military service? Where were you stationed? Were you deployed? What does an intelligence specialist do? What rank were you? How long were you in?

Finalizing the Response

To help prepare the infomercial, one pertinent exercise is to tighten the script even more, so that the response becomes about 45-seconds (audio tape it—so you can hear how it sounds and how long it actually takes to deliver the response).

Of course, you do not want to recite your 60-second infomercial as if it was being read, but rather summarize it naturally—this requires practice.

Role play the response with a friend or colleague. And certainly keep a copy of your response in your telephone interview file, so you can refer to the bullet points during the interview screening interviews.

Bottom Line

A well prepared 60-second informational / Tell Me About Yourself response will help you overcome the competition, who may not be as prepared – thus positioning you with a stellar first impression during an interview or networking event.

About the author…

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Reversing the Top 5 Veterans’ Job Search Mistakes

Diane Hudson — Tue, 11 May 2021 17:14:43 +0000

Making the transition from military to corporate employment can be a challenge.

Prior preparation and planning can avert some of the challenges, as usual.

The Top 5 Mistakes

1. Not preparing in advance.

Many veterans fail to prepare in advance of leaving the military. Consequently, when they are ready to seek their first non-military job in some 20 years, they are ill-prepared; without a resume, a plan, focus, updated interviewing wardrobe, and/or interviewing practice.

Waiting until you are “out” is a big mistake. The unemployed “clock” starts ticking as soon as your discharge is official, and the longer you are unemployed, the more that civilian employers will question your quality and work ethic.

Reverse:

Plan two years in advance of military retirement.

Make plans to relocate, obtain education or certification, identify companies to target, prepare an initial resume, and begin networking (take advantage of online networking so plentifully available, even from deployment locations).

At a minimum, begin your LinkedIn Profile so supports your job search NOW. [Related: LinkedIn for Job Search.]

Civilian employers will not be supportive of your efforts to leave (unless firing you counts), so take advantage of the support and resources available for you now.

2. Devaluing or undervaluing military experience.

“I just did my job. What value do I have to offer a non-military employer? How will I fare against the non-military competition?” I hear these comments and questions often from my military clients, who genuinely are unaware of the value they have to offer a non-military employer.

Reverse:

Make a long list of major career accomplishments and projects; use your performance evaluations and award justifications. Then number them in order of importance in terms of major accomplishment for you — and in terms of project scope.

In comparison with most of your civilian competitors, you have:

Substantial training in leadership.

Demonstrated leadership skills.

Substantial experience managing and supervising subordinates.

Understanding of the importance of flexibility and skills in meeting diverse, unexpected challenges.

Ability to lead through change and in stressful environments.

Specialized technical skills at a higher level than most civilians.

Don’t forget to include those standard values you bring to a potential employer. In addition, you are well-disciplined and healthy.

3. Not investing in a quality résumé.

Veterans often tell me they know they need a resume, but they don’t want to take the time to write it. Alternatively, they ask me why they need multiple types of resumes.

Reverse:

Investing in quality resume development, focusing on accomplishment-laden examples of career achievements, does not necessarily mean you have to invest money.

However, it does mean you need to, at the very least, invest the time it takes to learn how to write a highly competitive resume used in today’s employment market. Then, learn to tweak the resume to meet the requirements for specific job announcements.

You may also need two basic versions of your resume – one for corporate and one for federal applications. Don’t neglect to customize earch resume to the requirements of the job you are applying for.

4. Not networking.

I hear it all the time, “I have been in the military for 20 years, and everyone I know is military. I don’t have anyone to network with.”

Reverse:

Networking is about giving to others — reaching out. It is not about approaching everyone you know and asking for a job.

Networking is about offering to share leads and information; and asking others to share leads and information with you.

As a retiring veteran, you can easily send a note to everyone you know — military and nonmilitary (family, church, alumni, etc.), and tell them that you are proudly retiring after 20 years of service to America.

Indicate when you are available for new employment, and provide only a few reminders of your areas of expertise and credentials, i.e.,

“You may remember, I spent the last 20 years as a logistics specialist, managing supply chain operations, and most recently in the Pacific region. If you are aware of any leads or opportunities, would you be so kind as to pass them along to me.”

You do not need to send a resume – if they want the resume, they will contact you for it.

Other networking opportunities include Linkedin.com. Join groups through LinkedIn and you will continue to network even while deployed. You might also want to join fee-based online associations such as Netshare.com or Execunet.com; your alumni association, military associations, and any online networking associations in the area where you will retire.

Some job fairs will allow you to submit your resume via email, or an online posting; so even if you are not able to attend in person, you can send a resume.

Always show appreciation to your networking contacts — send them a link to an article, and don’t forget to send them all a short note of thanks for being willing to help you out, after you start your new job.

5. Giving up – seeing lack of response from employers as “rejection.”

“I got another rejection letter today. I thought I was the perfect candidate for the position.” Or “I thought I was the perfect candidate and my resume was great – and I never heard anything back at all. I was rejected again.

Reverse:

In my career as a career coach and former internal recruiter, I have never seen a “rejection” letter. I have read many letters that said, “Thank you for your resume. At this time, your qualifications do not match our requirements. We will retain your resume on file…”

This is not a rejection; rather, an opportunity. If your qualifications were not a good fit, then accepting such a position would set you up for failure. And employers want to set you up for success because then they succeed, too.

If you believe you genuinely were the perfect match, then call the company, and ask them what they were looking for in a candidate that you did not indicate on your resume.

In general, many companies do not send notification of receipt of a resume, as it is simply a matter of logistics. If a company receives hundreds of applications for one position, your resume may never be read by the hiring manager. It may be screened by a computer or HR specialist, which prevents your resume from arriving at the next level.

Bottom Line

To overcome these obstacles, follow up on applications, ask questions of HR and hiring mangers, and maintain persistence in your job search. You’ve overcome much tougher obstacles in the past, starting with boot camp.

About the author…

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Self-Sabotage: How to Avoid 8 Common Job Search Errors

Patra Frame — Tue, 11 May 2021 17:14:43 +0000

Every day I see bright, competent, experienced professionals who sabotage their job search.

Often the mistakes they make are with simple aspects of their job hunt. Whether transitioning from the military or a veteran looking for a new job, you can maximize your success by avoiding these common errors.

Fortunately, much of your military training and experience will make it easy for you to succeed.

Use Your Military Training

Plan your job search. Military life is full of planning and executing to plans. You know how, so apply that experience to your job search.

Your resume, cover letters, and all correspondence need to be well-written, error-free, and in standard formats.

Develop a good method of tracking the people and information you gain in your search so that you can use these resources effectively.

Common Errors

1. Multiple objectives, one resume.

Use one resume and list multiple job goals – and you will never get called. As an employer or recruiter, it is not my job to figure out what you want to do. But it is my job to weed out the unfocused!

Solution:

One resume tailored to each potential type of work. Remember each resume is an ADVERTISEMENT. Use yours to show your best self for the job.

2. Focus on your past.

Use a resume that shows every job and what you were responsible for, and most hiring managers will not make it past the first few entries.

Solution:

Employers want to know what you can do for them NOW. Demonstrate your value for the job you want. Your resume should show your relevant achievements and experiences in terms of your future work. Use their keywords too.

3. Ignore the Requirements.

You have seen a job ad and you are interested. You don’t match all the requirements, so you just ignore them when you apply. And you never hear from the employer.

Solution:

Apply for jobs for which you are qualified. Skip the jobs where you do not match most requirements. Meet most (80-90%)? Then, apply with a tailored resume and a cover letter that includes a section with their stated requirements and your matching or closely-related achievements.

4. Blast your resume out.

You got a list of company officials or recruiters in your area, and you e-mailed your resume to everyone on the list. So now you look desperate; but you don’t look like a great candidate.

Solution:

Target your resume to the types of organizations that have jobs you are qualified for and interested in. Contact each individually and tailor your cover letter.

5. Answer that ad immediately.

At last, an ad for what you want — and you zipped off the resume or hit the “apply” button immediately.

Solution:

Check out the organization to see if it matches your needs (and is real, not a scam). If you are still interested, put effort into showing why you are interested, why you are qualified, and what you can do for them.

6. Ignore your public reputation.

You have the skills or clearances and that’s what matters, not what is online or what your peers or past bosses say.

Solution:

Recruiters regularly check applicants out online. Check yourself out first using a search engine. Many also ask their network. What does your online presence reflect? Is it really you? What do your peers or past bosses say about you? How have you asked for and then notified your references about each opportunity so that they do know what to say?

7. Ignore your friends and networks

So you don’t want to bother your friends or family for every job lead. Or you don’t think you know anyone who might help.

Solution:

Think about your contacts. Ask for specific help. You will certainly learn something that helps in your job search. And, you may find a way in to your target company via the employee referral program.

[Related: Military Networking Letter.

8. Be defensive.

Why are there so many questions about those jerks who were your bosses? Or what you have been doing the past six months? Why do they ask about your future military obligations or why you left the service?

Solution:

Win the interviewer’s confidence that you can succeed in their organization by sounding positive about the good things and being brief about the bad:

Be prepared for common questions, and test your answers.
Don’t be negative about past bosses or jobs.
Be prepared for many employers to not know much about the military.

Bottom Line

A job search is not unlike a military campaign. It pays to collect intelligence, understand the “enemy,” prepare thoroughly, and carefully execute your well-thought-out plan. Just jumping in with both feet isn’t smart unless you have your landing zone identified and you are armed appropriately for this kind of “combat.”

More: Reversing Veterans’ Job Search Mistakes.

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How to Find Jobs Using Associations and College / Corporate Alumni Networks

Professional/Industry Association Job Postings

Finding Professional and Industry Associations

Company, Military, and Government “Alumni” Associations

Finding Company, Military, and Government Alumni Groups

College Alumni Association Sites

Your Job Search Battle Plan

“One-Stops”

Federal government programs

Job Fairs

References

College Professors

Military Women: Finding Job Search Success

1. Take advantage of every transition program offered.

Learn civilian language and expectations.

Get training you have had translated into education credits.

Obtain added education or skills needed in your field of work.

2. Learn to network.

Networking is actually simple connections with other people – not some exotic trick.

Start your networking with people you know.

Add to your current network by asking for specific contacts.

Learn about and use veterans groups within the organizations which interest you.

Join professional or community groups to meet civilians in your areas of interest.

Remember, networking is always a “two-way street.”

3. Use the support services you need.