Using a Job Board Helped in Tough Times

I decided that after four years of service, three of which were with a child, that both my husband and I could not continue going on with the whole duel military thing. So we decided that since I had less years in than I would be the one to get out.

Living in San Diego was not going to cut it on one paycheck from the military. So we packed up our things and moved to Virginia. Being from San Diego, I began to wonder if we were going to be able to handle things on our own with no family. But those thoughts would soon have to disappear if I was wanted to be strong for my family and I would do anything to be with my husband. Once we moved to Virginia and I began to hunt for a job.

I ended up paying more than $400 to VA personnel to help find me a job and to no avail. I was now out $400 and no job. So I continued to look on my own and was offered a position with K-Mart as a holiday manager working part time and only making $7.25 an hour. Like that was going to pay the bills, but I still followed the steps to getting a job for the savings were diminishing before our eyes. During the time that I was waiting for the position at K-Mart to open up, I received a call stating that they had seen my resume on a job board and would like to come in for an interview.

Well this would be the answer to my prayers. The organization was Magellan Professional Solutions and they needed an assistant for the office. Now I love my job, I get to help people by finding them jobs after they transition and the best part of it is that the people that I find jobs do not have to end up like I did and fork out an arm and a leg to find nothing. Check out veteran job boards, you have nothing to lose.

(Submitted by Mrs. Sharleene Davidson)

Don't Give Up, It Will Work Out

I separated from active duty prior to 9/11. It was definitely a different story back then so I can not relate to a combat veteran. I do know that you guys face greater challenges but legislation is also somewhat moving in your favor as an OEF/OIF veteran.

The best advice I can offer though is that you utilize to the fullest extent any transition tools that you may be entitled to. TAPS class is often not taken seriously but all the information presented to you there will be most helpful in your job search and the handling of all your prior service affairs -- so attend, take good notes and ask questions when in doubt. It is your entitlement and a requirement for one to have this class prior to separating from active duty. 

You may not be interested in the Postal Service, but as a veteran with less than 180 days from separation you have hiring preference. Enroll at your hometown VA Medical Center even if you have no intention of using it now, you may very well find that you need treatment and by then your eligibility might have changed -- trust me on this one I work for the department.

Do not get discouraged if you run into a jerk that does not want to do their job. Remind them they have a job because of you and don't hesitate to let a superior know you are not getting the services you need. If you separated needing dental work, you must apply at the VA within 180 days or you loose your entitlement. It is different if you had a dental injury while in combat.

Make sure that you obtain copies of all your military records, particularly medical records (preferably before you leave the service). Get acquainted with a Veteran Service Officer via a Veteran Service Organization or Veteran State Office in your hometown. Don't rely on them for everything. They do not know everything you may be entitled to. Network and do not hesitate to reach out to organizations that serve veterans and other fellow veterans. You can often learn more about the VA through those guys that hang around at the medical centers than you can from an employee.

Do not cheat yourself -- regardless of what you did in the military, you have gained some experiences and have done things that your fellow civilian citizen can at times only dream of and you need to use that to your advantage when it comes to writing your resume. Just know that you do not have to be handicapped to qualify for a service related injury/illness compensation claim; I will let you figure that one out on your own. Last but not least, contact the VA toll free number and request a current book of benefits that you are entitled to. I can say I was fortunate but it also took a lot work, sacrifice and perseverance to make some progress and to get the help I needed. It is definitely a different world when you become a civilian again and it will require patience, discipline and perseverance to deal with the bureaucracy that exists out here particularly in the government. Don’t give up, it will all work out for you! 

(Submitted by Sarai AguayoGarcia)

Put the Uniform Away on Friday, Started the Job on Monday

I put my uniform in storage on a Friday and on Monday I started a job with the government. When I decided to get out I was about a year and a half out from my ETS date. I was a nine-year SSG (P) with a few marketable skills and no college degrees. Got a wife and at that point I had no children. My only "goal" was to have a job waiting for me when I took terminal leave. These are the questions I asked myself a year and a half out. 1. What do I want to do? Then what will I do if I don't get the job I really want? My job now was actually plan C of five logical avenuees I could take. My two dream jobs just didn't work out, but a couple of my back-up plans did. 2. What does my resume say about me? What do I offer future employers? A good clean resume was the hardest and most important part of my job hunting process.

• Some of the big things I learned:
• Resumes are not 1 size fits all. I have four different resumes custom fit for four different jobs.
• Bullet Points read so much more easier than paragraph style.
• And it pays to have someone "write" a professional resume for you but it does not pay to have someone "write" a federal resume. I found USAjobs was easy once I had a nice solid resume.

When I started exploring USAjobs I asked myself how does this site (and its sister sites) work? The single most important lesson someone explained to me was the importance of tailoring your resume and application to the the "duties" section. He explained how the initial resumes are often filtered by computer, by personnel who probably know nothing about the actual job. They are only looking for keywords that match the "duties" section. After a couple "no gos" I tightened my shot group and targeted those duties WORD FOR WORD. Then I started getting call backs from organizations. Get your heiny in the door then wow them with your deep vault of practical knowledge or shining personality face to face.

Hope that helps somebody... (Submitted by R. Flores)

I Was 100% on My Own

I transitioned from active duty to civilian life in 1997. I was about 24. I was a specialist and my MOS was 71L -- administrative assistant. I actually started the process late 1995,early 1996. I was from New York but wanted to move to the South but I was not sure where. I was stationed in Hawaii so visiting areas was not an option.

I researched best places to live, find a job, best industries to work in. There are plenty of magazine and websites that will give you comprehensive information on relocating. I narrowed my selection to about five areas and sent for Chamber of Commerce information for each city. It's amazing how much information you can get from the chamber of commerce. At the time I was interested in working in banking but wanted to live in an up and coming area. I choose Charlotte, NC because at that time it started appearing on "best place to live" lists and it had a wide variety of industries. For whatever reason I wanted to make sure that where I lived was not dependent on one industry.

I also was interested in working in banking. As I started to research I learned the best way to enter banking was through temp agencies so I signed up for about five and called the agencies to scheduled interviews from Hawaii for the week after my ETS date. I also started paying any credit card debt and started saving money about 18 months before I ETS because not only had I never been to Charlotte I did not know a soul there. I was 100 percent on my own. Additionally, I got a local map so I knew where all of the agencies were located and looked for extended stay hotels and apartments that included all utilies. I got all of this from the chamber of commerce.

I dropped out of college to join the Army and wanted to finish my B.A. After doing some reading on colleges I found several evening programs and got information on those programs. I ETS'd on July 27, moved to Charlotte Aug. 1 found a job at a major bank as an administrative assistant through a temp agency Aug.4, moved from a hotel to an apartment the following week. Because I worked in the bank I was able to find out about a job fair within the bank. Because I already worked at the bank I knew which jobs were available I went to the fair very prepared and was offered two permanent jobs as an administrative assistant September 1997. I also worked at the bank to learn the importance of home ownership and bought my first home in Charlotte Nov 1997. The next year 1998 I started college to work on my associates degree and in 1999 I found and accelerated bachelor's degree program and finished my BA by 2001. I always had a love of finance and wanted to be a financial planner and transitioned into that field shortly thereafter. I absolutely love what I do. My transition was extremely smooth but I did a lot of preparation in advance.

(Submitted by Tania Pellew)

What are You Waiting For?

I welcomed my transition with open arms. The Air Force found me medically disabled, therefore, my career was cut short. At my date of separation, I had nine and a half years TAFMS. With four years of contracting experience, an MBA, and 30 percent disability, I was able to land a civil service position with the DoD.

I tinkered with the possibility of working in the public sector. However,"headhunters" left a bad taste in my mouth. When I was enlisted, my credentials didn't fit the mold of those job placement agencies for newly separated military members. A warning to those enlisted members that were as fortunate as me: you will be discriminated against based on the rank you carried on active duty. I specifically hid my rank on resumes I posted on those job-search websites. I wanted employers to see me for my accomplishments as an individual. In no way did I bloat my facts or lie. I simply replaced titles that easily could be stereotyped by ignorant recruiters.

I received numerous calls from headhunters selling me their position. After 15 mins of qualification chit-chat, the discussion of rank always came up. The mood of the conversation changed completely and I was transferred from the "officer recruiter" to the "enlisted recruiter." We're talking corporate, mind you. I couldn't believe the bigotry coming from these transition military assistance recruiters. Typically these recruiters were ex-junior officers infatuated with what rank I "left with."

The civil service system is better equipped to acquire ex-enlisted professionals that have extracurricular credentials above and beyond what the military required of them. Federal service better understands those career fields where the lines between officer/enlisted were blurred.

The civil service resume can be a daunting task. The Transition Assistance Program (TAP) is ill-fitted when it comes to resume-writing for federal resumes. Sorry to say, you're on your own. Simple advice would be to keep it technical as possible and include everything. Use the USAJOBS resume system, although you will most likely need to develop a resume for each organization you apply for. At least you will have a core resume that can (hopefully) pull over to whatever system you end up using.

Now I am swimming in a sea of veteran benefits. Fight for your rights. Does a VA program/benefit needs updating? Write your congressman or governor. Don't give up the fight. You will feel overwhelmed and hopeless but don't let up. This is coming from an OEF veteran, who (supposedly) has priority over non-OIF/OEF veterans. It has taken six months since submitting my rating package through the "Prior to Discharge Program" offered by the branches of service.

I'm thankful that my case went so smoothly -- aside from the VA and corporate career experience. I wish everyone the best in their transition. It's a challenging choice in the current economic recession. However, if everyone failed to separate due to fear of a bear economy, every seven years there would be a massive number of re-enlistments. Look back at history, the economy is cyclical. One will always find an excuse to stay in uniform. If you have the experience/education, what are you waiting for? Good luck!

(Submitted by Lakin Lankford)

Difficulty Adjusting ... Any Advice?

First, let me state I am not looking for sympathy or criticism. This is merely my experience since being discharged. I served from September 1988 until March 2002. I have had a very difficult time adjusting to life outside of the military environment. The sense of responsibility, integrity, accountability, and work ethic does not translate well to civilians.

Having a "go-getter" mentality has given me labels by coworkers such as brown-noser, gungho hero, one-man show, etc. They don't seem to understand that many of us see a medial task the same as loading a missile on an F-15 (my personal experience)...it needs to be done right, done quickly, done safely, and done right now. I am on my sixth attempt at establishing a career since my discharge (honorable, by the way). I should add the this try has been successful so far with a promotion in the near future.

In regards to personal relationships, I have found that very few people can relate to what I have experienced. I know...not everyone can relate to putting weapons on aircraft or putting recruits through their paces in basic training. But I do get tired of the "deer in headlights" look when I do speak of those things. It gets disheartening after a while.

I have come to realize that we may be ready for the civilian world, but it's not ready for us. I firmly believe there needs to be a basic training/boot camp prior to seperation. I went through a TAP class back in 1998. I can say with confidence that most of the material is useless. Of course we need interview techniques, resume writing, "dress for success," and all that. But what about "establishing relationships with friends and coworkers" or "intergrity first, service before self, and excellence in all you do...core values not common in the civilian world"?

Enough of my ranting and raving. Good luck to those getting out and hang in there to those that are already out.

(Submitted by Michael Mills, II)