Being in the military is great, and re-enlisting is the best option for some people. That said, it’s usually not a good idea to re-enlist simply because you can’t find a job. When making the military transition to civilian life, job hunting can leave you high and dry, but if that’s your sole purpose for joining the military again, you won’t have the commitment your team members need. Instead, it is important to learn why you aren’t finding a job and to fix the mistakes you’re making. Here are the five most common boo-boos ex-military personnel make when job hunting in the civilian world for the first time.

5. Having a negative attitude

Not every job you do will be your dream job. Sometimes, we all have to do what we have to do to support our families. If your dream is to own your own construction business and you’re applying to be a lowly carpenter, try to think positively. During the job interview, if you have a negative outlook, this negativity will shine through. Look at every job as a chance to learn and grow as a person. No one ever said that the first job you take has to be a career.

4. Devoting too little time to job hunting

Have you ever heard anyone say that looking for a job is a full-time job? They weren’t exaggerating. If you’re out of work, you should be spending at least 8 hours a day searching for opportunities, filling out applications, readying your professional resume, and networking. Jobs don’t just fall from the sky.

3. Providing a sub-par resume

Your military resume may have helped you to get promotions while in the military, but a professional resume does more than help you in the civilian world–it is you. Your resume is your first impression and if that first impression doesn’t leave a lasting imprint on potential employers (or if it leaves a bad imprint), you’re out of luck. It’s a great idea to seek help with your professional resume from a certified professional resume writer.

2. Not doing your homework

Do you know what the job outlook is in your career field of choice? You should. It’s important to do your homework when job hunting so that your can look for jobs in the right places. Also important is research any company where you are applying. Learn exactly what is required of you in a certain job (should you get it!), and beef up your professional resume to highlight the most important skills. For example, if you are applying for a job as a Human Resources Manager, and you’ll be asked to talk to the press, you might want to cite public speaking skills you have. On the other hand, if the Human Resources Manager works purely in-house, team work awards and skills are more relevant.

1. Not considering all of your options

The number one reason your job hunting is failing? You’re probably not considering all of your options. If you want a job as a pilot, but there are only one or two airports in your area, your chances at getting a job are slim. Do an inventory of your skills. Make a list of all of the responsibilities that you enjoyed while in the military. For example, did you like speaking in public schools about the military? Maybe you could work as a recruiter. Did you enjoy going on outdoor excursions? Perhaps you’d be best suited for an outdoor job, such as a ranger. Don’t limit yourself–check out all of the jobs available in your area, and give them a chance.

This entry was posted on Saturday, June 9th, 2007 at 7:24 pm and is filed under Career Change, Job Search. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Being in the military is great, and re-enlisting is the best option for some people. That said, it’s usually not a good idea to re-enlist simply because you can’t find a job. When making the military transition to civilian life, job hunting can leave you high and dry, but if that’s your sole purpose for joining the military again, you won’t have the commitment your team members need. Instead, it is important to learn why you aren’t finding a job and to fix the mistakes you’re making. Here are the five most common boo-boos ex-military personnel make when job hunting in the civilian world for the first time.

5. Having a negative attitude

Not every job you do will be your dream job. Sometimes, we all have to do what we have to do to support our families. If your dream is to own your own construction business and you’re applying to be a lowly carpenter, try to think positively. During the job interview, if you have a negative outlook, this negativity will shine through. Look at every job as a chance to learn and grow as a person. No one ever said that the first job you take has to be a career.

4. Devoting too little time to job hunting

Have you ever heard anyone say that looking for a job is a full-time job? They weren’t exaggerating. If you’re out of work, you should be spending at least 8 hours a day searching for opportunities, filling out applications, readying your professional resume, and networking. Jobs don’t just fall from the sky.

3. Providing a sub-par resume

Your military resume may have helped you to get promotions while in the military, but a professional resume does more than help you in the civilian world–it is you. Your resume is your first impression and if that first impression doesn’t leave a lasting imprint on potential employers (or if it leaves a bad imprint), you’re out of luck. It’s a great idea to seek help with your professional resume from a certified professional resume writer.

2. Not doing your homework

Do you know what the job outlook is in your career field of choice? You should. It’s important to do your homework when job hunting so that your can look for jobs in the right places. Also important is research any company where you are applying. Learn exactly what is required of you in a certain job (should you get it!), and beef up your professional resume to highlight the most important skills. For example, if you are applying for a job as a Human Resources Manager, and you’ll be asked to talk to the press, you might want to cite public speaking skills you have. On the other hand, if the Human Resources Manager works purely in-house, team work awards and skills are more relevant.

1. Not considering all of your options

The number one reason your job hunting is failing? You’re probably not considering all of your options. If you want a job as a pilot, but there are only one or two airports in your area, your chances at getting a job are slim. Do an inventory of your skills. Make a list of all of the responsibilities that you enjoyed while in the military. For example, did you like speaking in public schools about the military? Maybe you could work as a recruiter. Did you enjoy going on outdoor excursions? Perhaps you’d be best suited for an outdoor job, such as a ranger. Don’t limit yourself–check out all of the jobs available in your area, and give them a chance.

This entry was posted on Saturday, June 9th, 2007 at 7:24 pm and is filed under Career Change, Job Search. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.