HOW VETERANS AND MILITArY SPOUSES CAN advance THEIR job search TODAY
It’s no secret that looking for a job is a grind. I even tell our clients that “looking for a job, is a full-time job.”
It’s much more than simply hitting the “apply” button on your preferred job search platform. It takes effort! Fortunately, our team at Mission43 is uniquely positioned to help veterans and military spouses conduct successful job searches. Here are a few tips to get your job search amped up!
1. Networking (perhaps the most important part)
Networking doesn’t have to be a formal, drawn-out process. It can be as casual as a five-minute phone call with an old colleague. Or, it can be as easy as meeting a new LinkedIn connection at a local coffee shop. Developing and nurturing your professional relationships is very important. Often times, these relationships can be the start of new opportunities. A few tips to maximize your networking efforts:
Bring value to your network; don’t just make continuous asks of them. Help your connections network as well.
Build a solid online (LinkedIn) presence and protect it. Pro Tip: Mission43 directly helps you with this!
Do a few informational interviews with folks in your network, and identify a company that you’d like to work for. When you get on the call, don’t ask for a job. Ask about the company and gather key information that can set you apart when you enter the interview process!
Numerous jobs are filled, often through professional networks, that are never posted online to the public. Often times a hiring manager identifies a need in their company, they remember you from a previous conversation, and the next thing you know, you’ve filled a role that you didn’t even know existed. I can’t count the number of times that we have had a client that was referred to a role before it was even posted. Never underestimate the power of networking!
2. Attend a Career Fair
Career fairs are still effective events to attend in order to find your next role. They can serve as active networking opportunities, placing you in front of key recruiters and talent acquisition professionals. Organizations are there to meet people and the vetting process begins immediately, so make sure that you are prepared for it! A few things to remember before you attend:
Dress appropriately – dress as if you are going to an in-person interview
Bring a few copies of your resume – Pro Tip: Mission43 can help you draft one!
Create your own business card (name, phone number, and email address) so that recruiters and talent acquisition professionals will remember you. It doesn’t have to be anything creative, just straight forward and to the point works best.
Lastly, do your own research before showing up to the career fair. Learn about the employers and identify the ones you are most interested in. Develop a plan to initiate a conversation when you are there and tailor your resumes to the employers that you’re going to be speaking with (again, Mission43 can help you with this!).
3. Let MISSION43 help
Everyone needs assistance during their job search. Whether it’s drafting a resume, practicing for an interview, updating your LinkedIn profile, or even just having someone to bounce ideas off of, you don’t have to go-it-alone! We offer 1-on-1, personalized employment assistance and we’ve helped thousands of people just like you find success in their job search! Best part is, it’s FREE. If you are a military veteran or a military spouse, join today and unlock these valuable employment benefits!
Zach Tibbits, Mission43 Employment Director - HHUSA Idaho Area Manager
(Email / LinkedIn)