Your Employment Matters: Job Search Advice and TIPS for Veterans* (Part III)

As you search for employment, it’s important to constantly gather information about where job opportunities are, the industries and sectors that are growing and the specific companies or institutions that are expanding and hiring.  Walmart has pledged to hire 100,000 veterans over the next five years beginning on Memorial Day, 2013. This new hiring program is open only to veterans who have left active-duty service in the prior 12-month period. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/15/walmart-hire-veterans

As you survey the market, you want to gather information to best determine whether an industry or a particular employer will be a good fit for you.  You will
need to assess what aptitudes are necessary, the skills and training required
and the cultural fit of the industry and employer to your personality and work
style.

Research and networking will minimize you being surprised or landing in
a position that is not a good fit for you.Although you may feel stress to find a job immediately, a systematic due diligence investigation and assessment of the fit of an industry and a particular prospective employer including its reputation for you will best prepare you to be most effective in the interviewing process and help you screen out situations where the culture and job fit will not be in your best interest. 

A good fit includes employers and positions that require skills that align with your skill set, experience, educational background and interests.  Ideally, it’s also employment that you genuinely believe will keep you engaged and interested in the work you will be expected to perform. 

Prepare a list of Career Job Sites that are applicable to your field and sites that are more general.  http://jobsearch.about.com/od/joblistings/tp/jobbanks.htm

For example, http://jobs.aol.com/ “15 Companies Hiring In January” is
also a site you can check for possible employment opportunities.

Make it a habit to check these sites every day and apply for positions you think you might be a good fit.  It’s important to check them regularly, but DON’T spend too much time on these sites. 

Keep in mind that most jobs are acquired through personal contacts and
the various search and social networking tools should be utilized to maximize
face-to-face contacts not as a substitute for them.

RESEARCH:
Follow the company online, on television and radio and in publications that pertain to the industries and employers in your areas of interest.  Often these publications contain listings for job openings. They also provide information about companies, such as whether they are laying off employees or planning to increase staff.  Again, keep your focus on potential employers that you want to work for and that might be a good fit for you.

Conduct an AOL, Bing, Google, Yahoo and LinkedIn search of your area of experience, expertise or interest. You will probably identify many unfamiliar publications, persons and firms that may be helpful. This list will provide even more contact possibilities.

Contact professional organizations in your field and attend their meetings. These organizations often hold meetings which provide networking opportunities.  You can never have too many leads.

You may need to accept part-time or temporary jobs to make ends meet, but continue to pursue the type of job that you want and are qualified to do.  Don’t
be discouraged.  There is a job you.

*Martha Sloane, Principal, MARTHA SLOANE CONSULTANTS, LTD. contributed to this post.

Thanks to Dansby White of Maplewood for his contribution to this post.