The Veteran Career Search

By Military Connection Staff Writer Joe Silva.

Part 3 of Veteran Employment Series

Veteran employment seekers are constantly bombarded with advertisements from companies offering to train or help them get hired for the career of their dreams. Veterans who investigate these promotions are often disappointed by the dismal prospects or out-right scams that they find. I can tell you, first hand, that I have attended a job interview for “Veteran Employment” that ended up being a pyramid scheme pitch. Needless to say, I turned down that “opportunity.”

Unfortunately, there are many unscrupulous people out there, trying to make money off the backs of unemployed Veterans. No one, especially Veterans, should ever pay an employer any sort of fees, dues or payments when they get hired. Of course, depending on your desired line of work, there might be costs to rent, lease or buy uniforms, materials or equipment that could be legitimate. Veteran employment seekers shouldn’t pay any referral service to find them employment. Not all paid job-placement firms are fraudulent. However, there are so many legitimate career assistance agencies that are free to everyone, that no one should spend money at paid agencies. There are even more free services available to Veterans, including the VA’s employment resource portal.

Searching for employment is not an exact science. There isn’t one single method that finds every opportunity 100% of the time. Like hunting or fishing, employment seekers need to be vigilant and patient, baiting as many traps or casting as many nets as they can in order to produce results.

I recommend that all Veteran employment seekers use the many online resources. To start with, Veterans should register on Military Connection’s Job Board, post your résumé online, and browse our list of Veteran employers. Other online sites can also yield results. Don’t forget to frequent the websites and career portals of the companies where you would like to work. Make sure that you research and study the company’s mission statement, history, and projected goals in order to adjust your résumé to reflect that you are in sync with their company. Submit your résumé directly on their site, and be sure to check their job postings frequently for new openings.

Veteran employment seekers should use any resource at their disposal in order to find openings and transmit their availability and desire to work. Blast your career interests on Facebook and Twitter. Talk to friends, especially other Veterans, who have established themselves in your desired field, about your career search. The more people who know that you’re looking for work, the better your chances are that one of them will spot an opening and relay it to you. Some of the best referrals come from people that you know who hear of an opening within their company. In those instances, you not only have a lead, but also a possible reference.

Unemployed Veterans should not lose faith during their search. Please remember that there is a difference between a job and a career. Jobs can be highly useful to Veterans who are transitioning to civilian life or going to school. But Veterans shouldn’t settle for jobs when there are so many opportunities available to help Veteranss achieve their career goals.