Paul Turlington ⋅ Ellicott City, MD UPS ⋅ 17 years experience

I work in the DC area for UPS. Most employers in the DC area including UPS expect you to apply online. DC is a great area for veterans seeking opportunities in public affairs.

Doug Bohrer ⋅ Northbrook, IL Retired IT Cyber Security and Compliance, USAF 1972-76, MSM 1976 ⋅ 45 years experience

I would apply on line to companies known for actively recruiting veterans. The company I work for, Allstate Insurance, has a program to train veterans as licensed insurance representatives which is free to the veterans. We have an active veterans group. If you send me your resume, I will try to get it to the right people for the public relations job you are looking for. Being a veteran is considered a big plus at Allstate.

If you link to me on linked in, I can help you with your resume and linked in site. I set mine up using a couple of books on how to set up linked in.
Doug Bohrer

Heather Pahman ⋅ U.S. Air Force, Staff Sergeant ⋅ 9 years served

Thank you all very much. As a mother of two, relocating to the U.S. BEFORE I have a job, is just not an option. Terry and Susan, I especially appreciate the feedback about using social media. I was going to ask how effective social media is in landing a job and ask for tips on my LinkedIn Account.

Pierre Millet ⋅ Phoenix, AZ National Collective Bureau Orgnization (ONBC) ⋅ 25 years experience

Hi, Heather:
Thank you so much for your service. Charles, Terry and the others are right. Transitioning is tough work, said Mr. Terry that it's correct but you can explorer in the College community in all states of the American Union, and contact with the Veterans Affairs Department. They can help you in your general preparation and take work-study there immediately if it's possible.

Thanks.

Terry Dutcher ⋅ Dallas, TX AT&T ⋅ 14 years experience

I was in a simliar situation when I got out of the Navy in 1999. I was stationed in Hawaii which is not as far as Japan but still disconnected from mainland US. I was able to find a job prior to me getting out but only because I had a contact with the company I was going to work for. It also helped that my contact and new chain of command I was working for were all ex military and I was going to work on a defense contract for the Marine Corp.

My advice is to make connections using social media. There are plenty of companies out there who are looking for Veterans with your skill set. Another thing to check is veterans organizations. See if you can get engaged in those. its another networking opportunity. Other things to consider is maybe opening up your job search. Maybe another city might open up some oppoirtunities that you never thought about otherwise.

Transitioning is tough work. But you can succeed in this process.

Alana Long ⋅ Raleigh, NC IBM ⋅ 20 years experience

Perhaps you can look for an internship rather than a permanent job - that way you could still gain experience (and a paycheck) and a potential employer might be more willing to take a chance on someone coming in new.

Susan Hallen ⋅ Elk Grove Village, IL IBM ⋅ 35 years experience

I would also start with research and a list of the PR firms you think would be a good fit, then leverage this forum and LinkedIn to find contacts that can make introductions. Charles is right, it is very difficult from that distance, but it is truly amazing by looking in LinkedIn and finding the person that you know that has connections, how quickly you can gain a personal connection, which is the strongest way to find a new role.

Charles Boice ⋅ Pensacola, FL State of Florida, Dept. of Labor & Employment Security ⋅ 28 years experience

Are you still in the military? It is difficult to job-search that far away. The best plan is to go ahead and relocate to the area where you want to live. Employers are reluctant to pay for transportation especially if you are just entering a field.
Once you are settled you can personally contact any employer in your field and try to arrange an interview. Contact the State Employment Office in your area. Ask to see an employment counselor but remember that you must do a self-directed job search to contact any and all prospective employer and arrange the interview, even if there are no openings. Job search is hard work. Flooding the market with resumes is not the best way to go about it. Personal contact with the hiring person is the answer.