Are you looking for a new job? Are you going to be a civilian again for the first time in a long time? How much time do you think you will need to dedicate to your job search? Well, if you do not already have a job lined up you might want to commit to some job search goals. If you are getting out of the military soon and will have some terminal leave then that is the perfect time to work on your job search goals. Sure you want to relax a while and who will blame you…I want to encourage you to set some specific goals for your job search which I believe will improve your chances of getting the job you want.
You can include some or all of the following in your goals…the more you can do the better.
- Set aside a few hours or more to research opportunities.
o Start by browsing through the wanted adds…you never know what you may find but I wouldn’t spend a lot of time here...statistically not many people actually find their next job through the classifieds.
o Conduct key word searches on some of the larger career websites. These include Career Builder, Monster Jobs, USA Jobs, US Job Bank, Yahoo Jobs, etc.
o Visit corporate career websites to see if there are jobs you would be interested in.
o Call friends and family to see if they know anyone looking to fill a job you would be qualified for.
- Choose at least one opportunity you’re interested in and then tailor your resume to the job description.
- Submit your resume for the job.
- Consider using one of the social networking websites to increase your opportunities. The following is an excerpt from the Linkedin website’s FAQ’s.
LinkedIn is a place to find and leverage professional opportunities, now and throughout your career. LinkedIn enables you to:
· Present yourself and your professional capabilities
· Find and reconnect with colleagues and classmates
· Leverage powerful tools to find and reach the people you need
· Build a powerful network of trusted professionals
· Discover professional relationships and opportunities
· Tap into inside connections and information
· Get the edge that gives you competitive advantage
There are already 8.5 million professionals in the LinkedIn Network, and that number is growing fast. Whether you seek a job, a hire, a reference, a sales lead, an expert, or an inside connection at one of 50,000 companies, LinkedIn is an irreplaceable resource for building your professional relationships and achieving your goals.
- Research career opportunities you may have never thought about while you were in the military. There are millions of opportunities you are probably perfect for. Have you ever thought about being an out doors tour guide? What about working for a small manufacturing company? Have you ever seen a commercial on TV and think you could do that? Explore the possibilities and go where your heart leads you.
Sounds like it can take a lot of time…well, your results may in fact be directly proportional to the amount of effort your put into your job search. It would be great if the world were knocking down your door to hire you after you get out of the military but it is not likely. You have a lot to offer potential employers but many of them don’t realize the benefits of hiring veterans. Don’t sell your self short and unless you really want to be a greeter at Wal-Mart you’ll need to put forth some effort. Speaking of Wal-Mart…they have a lot of career opportunities well suited for veterans…you may want to consider them.