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How can I get a Job?

Veteran

WILLIAM SCOTT Tucker, GA

I've been retired for three years. I have the skills, talent, drive and motivation but have not been able to get a good job.

13 June 2019 17 replies General

Answers

Veteran

Brandon Hughes Washington, DC

William,

I don't know your situation or resume, but here are a few practical steps to create a new career. I have done this a few times in my life and it seems to work. These have most recently been used to create a consulting company, but as an individual job seeker, these are equally as powerful if you are consistent and motivated.

0 . Turn your 5 year plan into a strategy road map. The time doesnt matter but look at what you want and back plan from there. Maybe you are missing something in your background (or overlooking) that employers aren't seeing.

1. Choose WHO/WHAT you want to be. Do you see yourself as an executive, a small team leader, what industry do you want to be in? If you aren't sure, choose something you have a passion for or tend to gravitate to if the conversation presents itself.

2. Get involved. Join a local chamber of commerce (individual memberships are usually a few hundred a year) and go to the events, meet people, and ask questions..

3. Provide new contacts with an ROI. Always offer to help, even if its not for money. 99% of people will never take you up on it, but they will appreciate and remember you for it. Give new contacts in the industry a return on investment for taking the time to meet you.

Example: You "Nice to meet you, if you need, I can come talk to your staff about leadership for 30 minutes and share my experiences as being part of an Marine team." One, this establishes you as a subject matter expert, it builds a relationship with a potential employer, and this is a story you can share with others.

4. Once you know an industry or job you are interested to target, change your resume (1 page) to language that your target company/job you want. This is the hardest part for a military person, and even harder for military mentors who havent been in the service. This is a translation and requires you to be a little less humble, creative, and to the point.

Old Example - Title: Gunnery Sgt., 202nd Expeditionary Corp. Responsibilities: Lead trainer for a squadron of marines and successfully deployed to 3 combat zones.

Change to: Title: Training Manager, U.S. Marines, Highlights - Successfully completed over 25 projects over 3 continents (missions, training exercises, deployments, etc) by efficiently managing human resources, coordinating logistics, and ensuring projects we successfully accepted by customer (i.e. commander was happy, training exercise ended and you weren't fired, etc).

These two examples appear very different but once you learn the language of your target company its much easier to change your previous accomplishments to make them relevant to your employer.

5. Don't be afraid to try something completely new. As another advisor wrote, try an internship, volunteer, attend trade or business conferences you never thought of. You might find your calling. You may even want to start your own business.

6. Most important. Tell people what you are looking for and how they can help. When you meet people and they ask you what you do say very confindently "I just retired from an amazing career in leadership from the Marine Corps and looking for a new role in XXXX. If you know anyone in this industry I would love to chat with them....oh by the way, if I can ever help you out or speak with your staff about XXXX I would be more than happy to help.

These are just a few of many thoughts on this. I have met so many amazing people in the military and outside who struggle because they don't understand what they have to offer and how to ask.

I hope this helps and more than happy to follow up as well.

Sincerely,

Brandon Hughes
CEO/Founder of FAO Global

15 July 2019 Helpful answer

Advisor

Kimberly Smith Chicago, IL

Thank you for your service. Have you looked at AT&T for opportunities? We are hiring 20,000 veterans by 2020 and we have the types of jobs you are looking for in technology especially where you can use your cyber security degree! check out the link https://www.att.jobs/
where available jobs are regularly listed. Identify yourself as a veteran and you can also post "KS2382" as reference which is my user ID as an internal point of reference. Let me know if you have any questions and good luck!

26 June 2019 Helpful answer

Veteran

Joseph DFiennes Colorado Springs, CO

Hey Gunny. For what it's worth, perhaps the reason why you haven't been able to land a good job yet is because you know your own worth. Had I myself not have left for college right now I'd be able to retire this year or in 2022 as an officer. We might not be too far off in age but I missed my opportunity(ies) to serve our country more and I'm suffering from survivor's guilt because of it. I'm writing this to you at parade rest because I dont deserve to be at ease with lifers such as yourself.

I myself am working on patenting and licensing a handful of inventions as a way to not only give back in other ways I didn't and couldn't. I imagine how helping others as much as possible through inventing will pay the debt(s) I owe for those I didnt realize at the time I could have served further. I struggle with it every day and wonder what took me so damn long to realize the power I possessed. Had I known what I know now I would recommend myself to pursue these thoughts I had 10 plus years ago and who knows, a marine could be a recipient of a medal on the civilian side for inventions. I guess I was too much of a shit bird to get any while in. Not even my good cookie.

I might have told myself to pursue what I thought would be a good opportunity 14 years ago but blew that one too - life insurance sales. I imagine how much residuals I would have coming to me up to this point and maybe that would be my military retirement. Perhaps that could be a suggestion to you if you don't want to invent. Maybe independent contracting is for you. Active/Reservists & Veterans could be your audience. Worked for me when selling solar.

I need my ideas to come to market because I owe my daughters that legacy I didnt get to give them and that is being either a commissioned or warrant officer. Perhaps them possibly being fourth generation Marine I might be able to guide them to Quantico in ways my family nor the Corps. never cared to help me with. But that is on me. I just read an article about The Commandant being disgusted in all the bad conduct discharges of marines in the past decade. If I was commissioned not on my watch.

I dont know if this will help you sir but whenever I see another Marine looking for some advice or anybody for that matter but especially us who've served I have to do what I can to help. I owe it to you since you did it for 22 years and I only did a pathetic 4. Blame those officer recruiters for not keeping me on the horn and blame me too since the buck stops here.

Well Gunny Highway, hoorah and wish me luck with my smart device, side mirror, teddy bear/doll/action figure, sports balls, paper towel, travel pillow, and evergreen greeting card and gift inventions. I need as much as I can get to give back what I owe. If you want more information about licensing invention ideas....and I know as a salty marine you had to have come up with some ideas trying to stretch those razor thin resources into elite combat readiness...go on the YouTube and enter InventRight TV. Those folks are helping keep me from self destruction so my kids have a better chance than their folks did I dont deserve those angels. They deserve a better future and inventions, I pray, can give it to them..you and I both know those underpaying jobs wont cut it. Maybe back in the days when a livable salary was more predominant. Work only when you want to not when you have to. Money spends the same way being cut a check every quarter for royalties or a company buying your patent outright. See more of the world but instead of pitching pennies try doing it this time with deeper pockets.

Anyhow over and out.

Advisor

Rebecca Splinter Tacoma, WA

So many good suggestions in the foregoing. It's already been said but I'd emphasize that it's important to target your resume to a specific position for which you're applying. It's no longer useful to have one resume that you provide for every job you apply for. To get screened IN (i.e., get an interview), your resume needs to include key words that match the things the employer is looking for--of course, only those that match your expertise. I work for Wells Fargo so will just add that Wells Fargo's recruiting group has the ability to align a number of military roles to jobs within Wells Fargo, and also that Wells always has a lot of jobs we are trying to fill.

Advisor

Mary Sheridan Park Ridge, IL

Thank you for your service, William! Have you had someone review your resume? If you haven’t, please send it my way. Sometimes having a second pair of eyes can help, especially if you aren’t getting the kinds of responses you’d expect.

Have you set up job searches with specific
Keywords relative to your desired role? Indeed, LinkedIn, Glassdoor? All great resources. There are also IT staffing services that aggressively hunt for IT candidates that may interest you (permanent placement option).

Robert Half has a technology division and a veterans outreach program;
https://www.roberthalf.com/about-robert-half/corporate-responsibility/veterans-careers

Best regards,
Mary
marytsheridan@yahoo.com

Veteran

Brandon Hughes Washington, DC

William,

I don't know your situation or resume, but here are a few practical steps to create a new career. I have done this a few times in my life and it seems to work. These have most recently been used to create a consulting company, but as an individual job seeker, these are equally as powerful if you are consistent and motivated.

0 . Turn your 5 year plan into a strategy road map. The time doesnt matter but look at what you want and back plan from there. Maybe you are missing something in your background (or overlooking) that employers aren't seeing.

1. Choose WHO/WHAT you want to be. Do you see yourself as an executive, a small team leader, what industry do you want to be in? If you aren't sure, choose something you have a passion for or tend to gravitate to if the conversation presents itself.

2. Get involved. Join a local chamber of commerce (individual memberships are usually a few hundred a year) and go to the events, meet people, and ask questions..

3. Provide new contacts with an ROI. Always offer to help, even if its not for money. 99% of people will never take you up on it, but they will appreciate and remember you for it. Give new contacts in the industry a return on investment for taking the time to meet you.

Example: You "Nice to meet you, if you need, I can come talk to your staff about leadership for 30 minutes and share my experiences as being part of an Marine team." One, this establishes you as a subject matter expert, it builds a relationship with a potential employer, and this is a story you can share with others.

4. Once you know an industry or job you are interested to target, change your resume (1 page) to language that your target company/job you want. This is the hardest part for a military person, and even harder for military mentors who havent been in the service. This is a translation and requires you to be a little less humble, creative, and to the point.

Old Example - Title: Gunnery Sgt., 202nd Expeditionary Corp. Responsibilities: Lead trainer for a squadron of marines and successfully deployed to 3 combat zones.

Change to: Title: Training Manager, U.S. Marines, Highlights - Successfully completed over 25 projects over 3 continents (missions, training exercises, deployments, etc) by efficiently managing human resources, coordinating logistics, and ensuring projects we successfully accepted by customer (i.e. commander was happy, training exercise ended and you weren't fired, etc).

These two examples appear very different but once you learn the language of your target company its much easier to change your previous accomplishments to make them relevant to your employer.

5. Don't be afraid to try something completely new. As another advisor wrote, try an internship, volunteer, attend trade or business conferences you never thought of. You might find your calling. You may even want to start your own business.

6. Most important. Tell people what you are looking for and how they can help. When you meet people and they ask you what you do say very confindently "I just retired from an amazing career in leadership from the Marine Corps and looking for a new role in XXXX. If you know anyone in this industry I would love to chat with them....oh by the way, if I can ever help you out or speak with your staff about XXXX I would be more than happy to help.

These are just a few of many thoughts on this. I have met so many amazing people in the military and outside who struggle because they don't understand what they have to offer and how to ask.

I hope this helps and more than happy to follow up as well.

Sincerely,

Brandon Hughes
CEO/Founder of FAO Global

Advisor

Steven Sachs Washougal, WA

Hi, Mr. Scott. Thank you for helping to protect me and my loved ones during your military service.

A key move I have seen work over and over is for someone to volunteer as an "intern," often with no pay, for some company that does what you want to do. People get to know you, to trust you, and to think of you when an opening occurs in the company. It gives you a tremendous advantage.

This way, you're not just a picture and a resume. It is often very effective. This is not wasting your time "giving your time away." It is establishing you as a person.

I hope you find this helpful, sir.

. . . Dr. Steve Sachs
Former career counselor and professor emeritus

Advisor

Joshua Hampshire Dallas, TX

Thanks for your service! Kimberly beat me to the punch. AT&T is a great place to work...I've been here 21 years. I highly recommend checking us out. We hire a lot of veterans, and have won several awards for great place to work, Diversity Inc., HRC, community minded company...the list goes on.

Advisor

Taube Weiner Dedham, MA

Scott,
Thank you for your service. As a career coach, I would be honored if you would let me help you to both figure out what you'd really like to do and how to best that that position. No cost to you!

With a great deal of Thanks,
Taube Weiner (pronounced like Tobi)

TransitionsbyTaube.com
TransitionsbyTaube@gmail.com

Advisor

Dean Patelis Alpharetta, GA

Thank you for serving. I found out that joining a professional networking group can be a great help. Get resume professionally done, brush up on how you want to introduce yourself, find a passion that inspires you. I retired in 93 and am doing what I love helping others as a financial advisor. Empowering clients with knowledge so they can make informed decisions about life goals. Best of luck in your endeavors.

Advisor

Dean Patelis Alpharetta, GA

Thank you for serving. I found out that joining a professional networking group can be a great help. Get resume professionally done, brush up on how you want to introduce yourself, find a passion that inspires you. I retired in 93 and am doing what I love helping others as a financial advisor. Empowering clients with knowledge so they can make informed decisions about life goals. Best of luck in your endeavors.

Advisor

Henry ("Dr. Hank") Stevens Fort Lauderdale, FL

"People will do what you want them to do when what they do is what they want to do." Point being, now that you are retired, have you taken the time to step back and ask William Scott, just what is it that he wants to do?

And therein lies the core of my response to you. Define your talents and target an activity that is coincident with those talents. What ARE YOUR talents? If you do not know, here is a FREE assessment tool that will help define them for you: http://www.humanmetrics.com/hr/jtypesresult.aspx

If you would like some of my personal interpretation of the results, send me an EM to hlstevens42@gmail.com and include both your letter and percentage score.

Dr. Hank

Veteran

Kent Watson Monticello, FL

Mr. William Scott, Thank you for your service on behalf of a grateful Nation. Looking at your picture please tone it down. Maybe a light blue shirt/white shirt, tie/bowtie, and black/blue/gray suit. Networking is a critical tool to have in your toolkit. Make sure that your Resume is in terms that business or industry understand. You have leadership skills, communication skills and team building skills learned in the USMC. These kind of skills do sell. Please try to reach out to Military Friend Corporations or those with a sizeable Veteran population. What is the target audience that you are job hunting within? Best of Luck! Chief Warrant Officer Four Kent T. Watson, US Army, 34 years & 7 months, Retired.

Advisor

Steven Mathews Spring, TX

I have helped over 100 people obtain jobs in the past 6+ years. They had been sending out their standard resume for weeks and months with no responses. By not responding, the companies were effectively telling them they were not qualified. I showed them a way to transform their standard resume into a Top 1% Resume. They typically had jobs within 2-4 weeks, even when the economy was in the dumps a few years ago. This is a free opportunity. slmathesw99@gmail.com

Advisor

Robert Jurasek Hollywood, FL

Dear William,

After reading your profile, it's possible that an Instructor position at Cybrary (https://www.cybrary.it/) may be a good match for you. Once you are on the website click on Community then Instructors.

Good luck, and thank you for your Service!

Sincerely,
Bob Jurasek

Advisor

Cliff Locks Saint James, NY

Dear William,

Thank you for your service to our Country.

Two excellent resources to get you prepared for a positive job search. Both resources are a quick read.

Proving your worth to a potential employer can begin well before the negotiating interview-which is why you need to be prepared. For 15 years, Negotiating Your Salary has been the bible for salary negotiations and, updated for the new millennium, this career classic is back to coach a new generation of job hunters. Nationally known career advisor Jack Chapman teaches you when to bring up the salary issue, how to respond to interviewers' offers, and simple strategies that can help you double your salary. For the already employed, he also covers how to make the most of raises and salary reviews, and much more. This revised edition includes a new chapter on the ins and outs of negotiating with dot-coms and start-ups, and information on stock options and vesting schedules. With NEGOTIATING YOUR SALARY you can be sure to get every last penny that you deserve.

https://www.google.com/url?q=https://salarynegotiations.com/docs/Negotiating%2520Your%2520Salary%2520New%25206th%2520Edition%2520Printer%2520Friendly%2520Version.pdf&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwjcvMHU--jiAhWlpFkKHRSRAfIQFjACegQIBxAB&usg=AOvVaw3usw5SBmQ7Dx3TuICDIuzE

What Color Is Your Parachute? 2019: A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers

https://www.amazon.com/What-Color-Your-Parachute-2019/dp/0399581685/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=what+color+is+my+parachute+2019&qid=1560515802&s=gateway&sprefix=What+color+is+my+para&sr=8-1

Feel free to reach out with any questions. I wish you continued success and a great year!

www.investmentcapitalgrowth.com (chat)
cliff@investmentcapitalgrowth.com

Best regards,

Cliff Locks

Advisor

Scott Agnoli Clifton, NJ

Hello William.

Thank you for your service.

I would have to ask you, after a long career in the Marines, what is it that you like to do? What is it you have a passion for? Certainly, you have the discipline and leadership to do anything you desire.

Being retired gives you an opportunity most do not have, namely, pursuing your passion. What makes you happy and provides fulfillment?

Once you have a short list of things you would like to do, contact me and I can help you brainstorm how you may be able to define a job in which your talents and experience lend themselves.

Let me know,
Scott

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