Doug Damico ⋅ Bridgeville, PA Thermo Fisher Scientific ⋅ 27 years experience

I agree with Deb. Keep trying and you will find the right opportunity. Your education looks solid. While your job history may be a contributing factor, you should be able to overcome this. I recommend using your network of contacts and if you don't have a large one, start building one through face to face networking opportunities, and through social networking such as LinkedIn. My best job opportunities have all been the result of my networking contacts over the years. I hope this helps.

Kelly Ross Blake ⋅ Naperville, IL VA ⋅ 1 years experience

If all your classmates are "landing great positions," it is unlikely that your education is the problem. If the problem is your previous work history, and you are willing to disclose that problem -- as well as how you resolved it -- in your cover letter, you may be able to shut that issue down before it gains steam (e.g., "While I initially struggled with my transition to civilian employment, I have been able to develop effective supports, and I am excited by this new opportunity with your organization because..."). That's up to you.
However, those may not be the only two possible reasons you are not getting past the application stage. How does your resume look? And your cover letter? Are you matching your skills and experience to the requirements for the jobs you are applying for? Are there any reasons you would not be eligible for a career in law enforcement / public safety (i.e., would you pass their background check)? What are your references saying about you?
It might also be worth chatting with your old classmates, comparing resumes and cover letters to see what worked for them, and networking to get referrals to new openings.
Hope this helps a bit. Please email if you have any questions.
Best regards, and thank you for your service.

Jyothi Shankar ⋅ Plano, TX Mind Your Gaps ⋅ 10 years experience

I have not read all answers above and so I am sorry if I am repeating any but how about at the DFW airport?

Steven Rosenblum ⋅ Schaumburg, IL Claire's Stores Inc. ⋅ 30 years experience

Hello, Billy.
Patrick has some very good points! If you are concerned about short job tenure in the past few years, explain it briefly in a cover letter or a resume-accompanying email. If your experience and education are a concern for potential employers, that is the way it will be. It is who you are. I have a greater issue with people trying to "dumb down" their resume/background by excluding or altering it to fit the jobs they are applying towards. Be open and honest about who you are and what you have done...there will be an employer with the opportunity you are looking for and a strong fit for you.
Steve

Maria Erchul ⋅ Spokane, WA Incyte Diagnostics ⋅ 15 years experience

You will have to be creative in your job search. Consider yourself as having two options - build off your experience or build off your education. You will want to have resumes very much catered to the job your applying. The cover letter can easily address your willingness to relocate. And if you can - remove your street address on your resume - just list your email and your contact number.
Best wishes -

William (Liam) Hickey ⋅ Chicago, IL Willpower Careers ⋅ 14 years experience

Start using LinkedIn. Get your number of connections over 200 as quickly as you can.

Are you going for jobs requiring federal government clearances? Direct government hiring is a slow, extremely competitive process. You need to have one of the top three point totals from your application to get an interview. It's all in the words you use. (The remaining hundreds of applications get rejected.)

If you are applying with government contractors, having the right clearance is more valuable than any skill set or level of education. It's very expensive for corporations to get someone a clearance.

Have you looked into opportunities with the Texas state government? The border states may have need for skills related to Homeland security, too.

I also have a family friend who went from the US Postal Service to intel analyst with Immigration (Homeland Security). He may have some advice if you are interested in that.

HTH

Linda Welch ⋅ Plano, TX United States Postal Service ⋅ 40 years experience

Hi Billy! I agree with Deb that the USPS is a great place to make a career. With your education, you may find opportunities with the Postal Inspection Service. The DFW area is a great place to start a postal career with nearly 900 post offices reporting to the Dallas and Ft. Worth District Offices. The Southern Area Office is located in Dallas and the Inspection Service has a Division headquartered in Ft. Worth. Following is a post I have shared in answer to other questions.

The United States Postal Service is the second largest employer in the U.S. We offer our team variety, training, and ways to move up. We have specific programs for recent grads and skills matching for applicants with military experience.

From mail carriers to corporate management, we work together to provide efficient, affordable service to the American public. USPS is an excellent workplace for self-motivated people who enjoy independence and measurable goals with the added satisfaction of serving our communities. Visit USPS.com and check out the Careers tab!

Patrick Doyle ⋅ Exton, PA Zayo Group ⋅ 28 years experience

Billy,
I'm in an unrelated industry (telecom), but I've hired a lot of people over 25+ years, and I think your father is close to the mark. A succession of job changes in a short period causes a hiring manager some concern on a resume, just as does a job gap. When I see that, I am instantly looking for an explanation that makes sense to me, so I can put that in perspective. I think your story is not conceptually hard to follow for a non-veteran like myself.

Assuming the job losses were not related to code of conduct issues, I would make your story part of your cover letter. Stress your service, education, qualifications and character. Then simply reference that you've had some post-service challenges finding a long term engagement, your active role in addressing those challenges, and your dedication to being a consistent contributor. Then remind the reader that you were a consistent contributor for 8 years in your previous career in the Army.

I would understand that well enough to say "here's a guy who is self-aware, smart and up front". Some will still not let you through their filter, I'm afraid, but I think you have a better chance explaining the obvious job inconsistency than letting them think worse than it was.

Not easy to solve, in that to demonstrate consistency you have to get another job and hold it for a little longer. Maybe focus on large organizations and companies, which may have temp or contract to permanent programs that would feel comfortable giving you a chance to show your stuff. And in a larger organization, you would have a better opportunity to move around or up, while still building a few years of steady service before exploring other opportunities.

Hope that's at least a little helpful. I wish you better success in your hunt.

Deb Miller ⋅ Bardstown, KY US Postal Service ⋅ 16 years experience

Please keep your eyes open for US Postal Service Homeland Security jobs - we are a great place to work. Yes, I have run into the same thing, please don't be discouraged. I find the 100% "me" job and get the rejection notice. Sometimes I do think it is my MBA; however, I think at the end of the day, so many times a job is posted with someone already "picked". But, having said that, after months of trying I landed the job at the US Postal service. Admittedly not my first choice of position but it got my foot in the door. Now I am working in Marketing which I love. I know a guy who hired in using his Homeland Security degree and now is one of our operations managers. The sky is the limit once you get in. So many cool jobs being posted in USPS and several other federal agencies. I job search USAJOBS.Gov - great place to look for federal work. USPS posts our jobs @ www.usps.com. Hope this is helpful. Kentucky has some cool career sites for vets - does Texas? Could be another option.