Another Point of View

Your Resume

Times change and so do resumes.  Twenty years ago, most resumes, once written, were cast in stone, i.e. professionally printed on bond paper and only under great pressure was even one word changed.  You had 50 copies with matching envelopes.  You wrote individual letters of application to prospective employers and/or in response to advertisements in the newspaper.

                                                                                 

Today, your resume is simply a means of communication.  And, for the most part, it is a  temporary connection to employment.  Rarely do you compose a resume that fits all sizes and opportunities.  It should be targeted communication.  Equally important is to make sure your letter of interest, along with your resume, specifically catches the attention of the hiring manager so you go to the “to call” pile, not the round file at her desk. 

Today, your resume is most frequently transmitted electronically.  If applying for a position you discovered on the internet, you will either cut/paste your resume to their site, or you will fill in the information they request, in the format they have set up.

So is all the hard work writing a resume worth it?  Absolutely.  Just as a business plan is important to a business, so is your resume important to your career.  Writing a good resume forces you to:

1)Think about what you’ve done in the past

2)Edit your achievements into concise statements

3)Provide factual information that is helpful to the hiring professional

4)Gives you examples that you can highlight or expand on when in an interview

Think of it as career homework.  Remember the work and research that went into a paper for your teacher or professor.  Your resume is your career paper.  The more research (remembering) you do into what you’ve accomplished to date, the more valuable your resume will be to your career search.  It will, as I said above, also provide the information you need that triggers accomplishments for you in an interview.

So - - get writing - - remember what you’ve accomplished - - and start the journey.  Need help?  Go to http://jobsearch.about.com  Alison Doyle provides excellent resources and advice.  She’s a great resource.

Career Opportunities for Vets

One of the challenges that face veterans is the very people who could/should hire them have had no military experience.  And, in some cases, their parents didn't either.  They have no understanding of the discipline, dedication and  loyalty a veteran brings to the job every day.  When I'm working with someone who has just left service, the first thing we talk about is the difference between "git 'er done" in the military and "git 'er done" in the civilian world. 

For most of us, we do not have jobs that directly rely on the safety, well being and life of someone in our company.  Therefore, that sense of urgency and dedication is not a part of the job.  We go home to our families at night (or for those who travel - - almost always on the weekends); we sleep in comfortable beds; and job assignments have deadlines - - but even those have been known to be flexible. 

Most importantly, there is no job security in today's market.  You are in charge of your career, not your supervisor or the CEO of the company.  For most veterans, that is a difficult concept to accept because they feel when the "sign on" for a career position it is similar to when they "signed on" in the military.  It isn't.  The company they work for today could be sold/merged within the next 6 months to a year; or their entire department could be outsourced tomorrow and the job search starts all over again.

If you have success stories - - please share them with me on this site.  To learn more, go to http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/LinkedinMilitaryVeteransEmployment/

Recruiters Standing By

I have read several emails on LinkedIn Military Veterans Employment that express frustration at finding a civilian job once you leave active military service.  The more advance preparation you can do before you are separated from the service, the less stressful it will be when you leave the military world for the civilian world.  You will hear alot about "networking" not only on my blog, but with Alison Doyle at www.about.com (http://jobsearch.about.com/mbiopage.htm), on Netshare's weekly conference call for professionals who are in career transition and in the many career books written about how to be successful in your career search. 

I feel your career search should be a three-pronged approach.  One is the referral/networking methodoloy; Second is actual job boards on the internet and in the newspaper; Third (and the one to try first) are the three firms dedicated to helping you find a career position in the civilian world once you've left military service.  They are:  www.bradley-morris.com;  www.orioninternational.com; www.lucasgroup.com  Each of them will have advantages, but I strongly suggest you apply online to all three, follow-up with a phone call or email (if they give you a contact person) and rewrite, reformat, redo your resume' in whatever style each of them suggests.

Do not take great ownership in your resume.  It is simply a piece of paper with accurate information about you, designed to catch someone's attention.  And one size will not fill all.  Thanks to computers, it is very easy to rewrite your resume to meet the criteria of a recruiter or hiring professional.  The most important part of a resume is no misspelled words.  That will quickly deep-six your career progress.

So, if you recently separated from the military, go online to each of the sites above today!!!  Follow the directions and get it started.  If you'll soon be separating from the military, same advice....do it today!!!

And, yes, it can be a little scary to enter the civilian world.  I recently worked with a Lt. Colonel who experienced a great deal of frustration at finding a career position.  The first position he accepted wasn't the right one for him.  Interestingly, the perfect position came about because of who he knew in a fraternal organization to which he belonged.  And, once they began considering him for a prominent position, the deal was done in a matter of two days. 

Get ready for a roller coaster ride.  But do not get discouraged.  You will find a position.