January 30, 2017, by Sophia Beirne – Finding a job can be hard nowadays – even for military veterans. If you’re used to your work being the military, you’ll find that civilian life is a drastic change. Due to your years in the military, it may also seem like you’re too far out of the loop to jump right into the regular job market. It might take some adjustment and could need to re-learn the way you knew how to approach finding a job, but it’s possible with enough hard work and patience.
1. Use Your Discipline to Your Advantage
The military has likely instilled in you an appreciation for structure and scheduling. It’s that exact same kind of structure and scheduling that will allow you to formulate a successful job search. Plan each day as though your job is finding a job. Schedule time out of each day to check your email and look for new job postings on Gumtree. Don’t forget to take the weekends of so you can spend some time unwinding. That’s important – it will keep you from feeling burned out.
2. Throw Away Your Old Resume
Employers have changed the way they consider resumes. Some of them even use automated resume screening systems. If yours is old, you might want to trash it and completely redraft it. A resume doesn’t need to be as long as it used to be. In fact, shorter resumes are better. Condense everything down to your most relevant points of experience and highlight those in detail. You might even want to consider tailoring your resume for every potential employer.
3. Search for Jobs That Suit your Skills
If you already have a degree for work in a specific field, you may not have a difficult time finding a job seeking your credentials. If you don’t have that degree, market the skills you’ve built through your years of military service. If you were a medic, a doctor’s office might love to hire you. If you were a cook, plenty of independent eateries love to hire experienced military vets for help around the kitchen.
4. Consider Furthering Your Education
If your transition period has lead you on a quest to find yourself, you’re not alone. If you haven’t already considered doing so, you might want to look into furthering your education. Certificates, degrees, and diplomas can help you land a better job. Now that you’re transitioning back into civilian life, it’s your time to achieve your dreams. If you’ve always wanted to be a dentist, or an architect, or even a florist, now is the time to obtain the education that will help you pursue those goals.
5. Get Active on Social Media
If you already maintain a set of social media profiles, make sure all of them are set to a private or “friends only” security level. Make a separate set of social media profiles you can use to network with other professionals. You’d be surprised by the connections you can make on Facebook, or even Twitter. LinkedIn is a must for anyone who is actively seeking a job. Meet people, make connections, and get the inside scoop about what’s going on in the industry you’re looking to work in.
Nobody finds the perfect job overnight. You might have a few interviews before you even find something promising. Just remember that every interview is an opportunity to practice your face-to-face networking skills. Treat your obstacle like stepping stones.
About the Author: Sophia Beirne from Career FAQs is passionate about providing helpful content and sharing her tips and experiences. She has been featured in a number of online publications. With a background in business administration, she’s most interested in entrepreneurship and effective project management.