Job Hunting Tips for Transitioning Military Personnel
Job hunting is a full-time job. The first step is to list what you want to do, what you are qualified to do and where you want to live. When asked what you want to do, “I don’t know, I just need a job,” is not the right answer. Job hunting must be planned, deliberate and focused. As a military professional you would not attack an objective without deliberate planning nor should you approach job hunting in a haphazard manner. In fact, the military decision making process is a perfect tool for job hunting. Your objective is to secure meaningful employment. You must research the job market and know your knowledge, skills and ability and how you can contribute to a given job. Understanding the labor market, industries and the process for securing employment is something you need to know and that takes time and effort. While you must do all of this preparatory work, the key to landing an interview and an offer is best accomplished through aggressive and relentless networking. If you are answering ads, your chances of an offer are roughly one in a hundred, if you are a referral they are one in seven. Therefore, networking is the key to finding a good job. This is especially important when you realize that over three-quarters of companies invest in employee referral programs many of which provide referral bonuses for their employees. Referrals can come from employees within a company or from trusted sources who know someone in the company. How’s your profile on LinkedIn, Facebook and other social media? Employers are using social media as a tool to find candidates. You must have a professional looking LinkedIn profile with a good quality business photo. Remember that whatever you say will follow you. So think about how others may be influenced by your opinions and comments on social media and blogs. Google your name and see what comes up because recruiters will do that. The internet works both ways. They will look at you and you should be looking at them, their company and their industry. This is where you gather your intelligence before you participate in an interview either on the phone or in-person. To paraphrase Sun Tsu, “know your enemy (recruiter) as you know yourself and you shall win a thousand battles.” Work multiple leads at the same time. Between networking, writing thank you notes and cover letters for resumes, socializing with strangers, and reading to understand the job hunting process, you will be busy if you are serious about your journey. Keep multiple leads active. Remember that no offer is firm until you have it in writing and even at that point it could evaporate so keep multiple irons in the fire. Remember, “It ain’t over, ‘til it’s over.”
Bob Ulin, Montel Williams and Mark Ranger Jones in Kabul, Afghanistan