Any recent or soon to be retirees out there? If so, what resources have been most productive for finding a quality job?

2014-02-27T19:14:48-05:00

Response by LTJG Robert M. made Apr 10 at 2014 4:29 PM

2014-04-10T16:29:37-04:00

Network, Network, Network. Use Linked-In, develop an NON-Military Resume, get a resume writer if you are struggling on doing this, source job boards, Monster, CareerBuilder and lastly, Network, Network, Network!

Response by CWO2 Shelby DuBois made Apr 11 at 2014 3:18 PM

2014-04-11T15:18:17-04:00

If I had to do it over again.... and in this economy, who says I won't .... I would definitely use the friends and networking avenue first and foremost. Second would be the most direct path between two points. Research the company I want to target...find a way to talk to either a hiring manager or a human resources type and send my resume and love letter to them directly. Don't bypass the resume mills...those career / job fairs are a way to get your resume dispersed to a wider audience..more eyes on it the better. While there...don't just go to drop off your resume...pick up business cards and literature and send a second resume electronically. Sometimes your paper one might get lost in the stacks of other resumes or that stack might go in an in box for a week before someone looks at it. Be proactive... the squeaky wheel gets the paycheck. There is a way to stay on a recruiters radar without being a stalker. But you have to stay focused and on the hunt. Know the company's product line, locations, etc..I love it when I call someone who sent me a resume saying what an assest they'd be to our company and his/her first question is 'So...what do you guys do there?" That's one less candidate to worry with.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Sep 16 at 2014 11:53 PM

2014-09-16T23:53:15-04:00

CW3 Private RallyPoint Member this one is excellent. USAjobs is the site that lists all the federal jobs, but they take 4 months after the close date before you start working (at least in my case). Are you getting short?

Response by SFC Rich Carey made Sep 17 at 2014 11:02 AM

2014-09-17T11:02:21-04:00

First do some homework on the area you plan to go. Check the Bureau of Labor Statistics to see what the the Top and Least jobs in the area. "BLS is the principal fact-finding agency for the Federal Government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics". Check with the local Universities and Colleges to see if they have any type of workshops, like University of North Florida's Veteran STAR. KNow who you are and what you want to do, ELEVATOR SPEECH..... I hear this all the time, "So what do you want to do?", the answer with some hem and hawing, "I just want a job." or "I did blank, blank, blank in the military". Work on your resume - it is not fine. I talk to Veterans all the time and I hear "I put in 256 resumes and I haven't been intereviewed", my response, "That tells me there is something wrong with your resume", next words I hear "No, my resume is fine". You need to network, network, network, you are trying to build relationships and that contact may know someone that needs you. It does take work, it is like having a full time job.

Response by MSgt William Morris made Sep 18 at 2014 1:09 PM

2014-09-18T13:09:16-04:00

In my opinion, the biggest challenge is finding the right job. It's a matter of doing a lot of research, a lot of soul searching, and establishing reasonable parameters to work with. Too many people get out of the military and think they are going to land that high level job right off the bat. Finding a civilian job that is comparable to the military position are often times impossible. So finding a close match or even considering a different path entirely are not out of the question. Then it's a matter of finding the network. Job fairs, monster.com etc. are not a bad start, but they are very limited. Finding trade publications can lead you to trade specific jobs. Find company websites and if they don't have a career tab, submit a resume to the operations manager. It also helps to discover what certifications are important and getting some of them under your belt. PMP, Cisco, CompTia, etc, are good examples of certs to have. Active security clearances are also a plus. After months of nothing, I finally took a position that was well below my skill set. Within a year I was making as much as I did in the military. In about three years I was making substantially more. I had to start from the bottom, but getting to the top is easy, you just have to get in that door.