We all know that networking is an essential part of an effective job search campaign, but it’s not like throwing some A-1 on a steak. To get the most out of it, there needs to be a plan, well executed, just like any good military operation.

• Where – You need to focus on where to meet hiring managers and other key personnel for companies you’re targeting away from the office (see “Personal Branding” http://bit.ly/L9XzaF). These opportunities (trade shows, industry professional organizations, company support work at charitable events) can often be found on LinkedIn profiles and company websites.
• Planning – Arrive early and offer to help setup (if appropriate). There will be fewer people then and they will appreciate your help. If you travel there with another job seeker, fine, but then split up. You need to follow your own path and it’s easier to approach potential contacts that way.
• Business Cards - You’ll need a handful of business cards that you can have made locally at business supply stores or on-line from Vista Print, Zazzle, GotPrint, and others. Write comments on the back of business cards you collect right away. This information should include date, event, and any interesting observations of that person to avoid a memory lapse later.
• At the Events – Be well informed about the latest company news, new product lines, and developments so that you can ask informed questions. You need to actively engage people to establish a reputation and create valuable relationships (which is largely why we network anyway). Look for individuals who may be alone and introduce yourself to them. They’d probably enjoy having someone speak with. Once you’ve learned what you can from that person, you need to move on. Don’t directly ask anyone for a job (though some events have open jobs posted nearby), simply say that you’re in transition and ask for advice and referrals to get a warm follow-up.
• Follow-up – Email those you met, comment on your meeting to remind them who you are, and ask to connect on LinkedIn. Follow-up with referrals.

Most people spend too much time on their resumes. After all, the reader will probably spend only 8-10 seconds before moving on to the next one. At the same time, many resumes I see need serious help, so here are some general guidelines:

• Objective – Don’t list one. Your objective is whatever job you’re applying for.
• Summary – This should be the first major element of your resume that lists major strengths that would add value to an employer’s organization.
• The “Meat and Potatoes” – Give a brief description of your responsibilities and then describe how well you did your job (bullets are great here). If you can quantify those accomplishments with numbers, %, $, etc., it’s far better.
• Awards and Decorations – Don’t list them but do incorporate wording used in awards (and performance appraisals) into your work history accomplishments. Third party praise about you always carries more weight.
• The Basics – Don’t use colored or expensive paper, 1-2 pages, leave plenty of “white space”, and don’t crowd the margins (1/2” min., preferably ¾”-1”).
• Layout – Unless you recently graduated from college, your degree(s) should be at or near the end of your resume.
• References – Don’t list them; don’t even mention “available on request”. If asked for them, have a list ready and then contact your references to prep them and send them a copy of your resume to refresh their memory.
• ATS – Does your resume get past the “Applicant Tracking Systems” that most large and many medium size companies use? See http://bit.ly/15cLu7b

Want to see a pretty good resume? Try http://bit.ly/1aVIPHs (though I think it has too much generic blah, blah, blah at the beginning). The idea is to be clear and concise, while impressing the reader with demonstrated value. You’re simply trying to generate interest that will lead to an interview; it’s not an autobiography.

You’ve done all the work and finally been called in for an interview (adapt, as necessary for a phone or SKYPE interview). Remember these key points:

• Your Questions - Create a list of specific questions about the company and the industry (use their website, as well as Google & other sources).
• Their Questions – Prepare yourself for questions they may ask you, including the tough ones (salary, experience, how long unemployed, etc.).
• Arrive Early - Drive to the company a day ahead of time to make sure you know where you’re going. Talk to the receptionist to get more information.
• Decorations - Notice how the office is decorated (awards & diplomas, sports stuff, family photos, etc.) and comment on them IF there’s time.
• Ideal Candidate - Ask the interviewer early on to describe the ideal candidate, then use the interview to describe how your skills and strengths match.
• Good Responses - If you have any doubt that your interviewer understands your answer, ask,”Did I answer your question?”.
• Turnaround Questions – When you give an answer, don’t hesitate to follow-up with a related question to get more information and to engage the interviewer.
• Distractions – Unless all your questions have been answered, don’t get side tracked with unrelated topics by the interviewer (golf, families, politics, etc.).
• Salary -Avoid the subject and, if pressed, say that you need to know more about the job & then, if necessary, focus on total compensation (medical, vacation, etc.)
• Follow-up – Ask when a decision will be made and allow a few days after that before following-up by phone, if possible (more direct).
• Thank You/Follow-up – Within one day, send a written (typed) letter to thank them & also include any information you didn’t cover during the interview.

We all hear how Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Blogging (blah, blah, blah) all get you your job faster, right? So… how’s that working out for you?

Now we’re assuming here that your Facebook page doesn’t show you test driving a beer bong, you don’t have multiple misspellings on your LinkedIn profile, and Google doesn’t turn up a namesake of yours on the terrorist watch-list.

LinkedIn: Don’t just create an account, make it stand out with a professional looking photo and a well-stated but succinct description of your value to an employer (they won’t care what you’ve done if they don’t think it will help them). Avoid overused LinkedIn buzzwords (Google them), but do use industry specific jargon. For more, look at Rebecca Henniger’s article - http://bit.ly/13H1pyn.

Facebook: Make sure your privacy settings are for “Friends Only” if you have anything that you wouldn’t want a prospective employer to see. Better yet, get help scanning and monitoring appropriate postings and photos on your wall. You can download a tool - www.Reppler.com – to monitor and report across your social networks.  There’s also a new app on Facebook by the “Social Jobs Partnership” that pulls together other job listings. It may offer an additional resource worth considering beyond Indeed.com and SimplyHired.com. For more Facebook ideas, refer to an article by David Nicola of SmartRecruiters - http://bit.ly/1dZfRY8.

Twitter:  Join discussions in industries where you’d like to work. Research a chat topic, then post a comment or pose another question (not, however, “where can I find a flippin job!”). You should also “Follow” key executives at your target companies. For more, visit – http://on.mash.to/169iBcr.

Personal Branding may be as foreign a term to you as a SITREP would be to a civilian, but it’s the HOW of an effective job search.

WHY? It’s a strong path to getting the job you want before it’s ever posted.

HOW? When companies promote from within, a job opening occurs. The way to position yourself for those jobs is to create a strong image with the companies. You can conduct a proactive job search using the key elements listed below:
·  Identify major brand components – your strengths and value proposition.
·  Develop a list of 20-30 companies where you’d like to work.
·  Use Social Media – LinkedIn, Facebook, BranchOut, Twitter, etc., to identify the key players at those companies.
·  Research the companies (where you’ll also find executives and other important people) using Google Alerts, Reference USA, Mergent, IBIS, etc. (available at university and business libraries) to focus your strategy by learning their challenges, business directions, new products, and leadership.
·  Advance your position by identifying where you can meet company           personnel (they’re far easier to engage when they’re away from the office). With at least 3 specific outcomes in mind:
    o Attend trade shows - visit their booths & talk with the staff.
    o Join professional organizations – volunteer for committee work.
    o Visit community events – identify charitable organizations they support         (through website, FB page, Corp. Responsibilities Report).
· Integrate what you’ve learned to create and implement focused         communications that demonstrate your value to the targeted companies.

The concept is to make yourself well known where you’d like to work, that’s personal branding. You don’t want to be reactive with your job search by chasing the same employment listings everyone else does, you need to be proactive! That way, before an opening is ever posted, you have an advanced opportunity.

You’ve spent a lot of years in the military and now you’re going to explore your options in the civilian world. You can’t just rely on what you've learned in your Transition GPS/TAP/ETAP/TRS etc.; that just puts you in “the pack” of everyone else who’s looking. An aggressive career plan that will help you get the job you want, where you want to work, is not only possible, it’s essential if you don’t want to be out searching again in a couple years.

Consider this, the late Mark Hovind, former CEO of Job Bait, did extensive research into the job search process and discovered this:

Does this mean that job seekers should just call a company that interests them or show up at their front door? Probably not, but it’s clear that investing time and effort into approaching a hiring manager directly has a far better payoff in long term success than relying on job boards, recruiters, or even networking (which should be well planned and executed). Those approaches can certainly help, but the primary focus should be on the direct approach.

That leads us to the next question. How should a job seeker approach a hiring manager directly? The answer can be found in a number of ways – connecting (and researching) others through social media (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc.), informational interviewing, creating “special reports” and proposals to demonstrate your capabilities and to “Brand” yourself as the best qualified job candidate. Very little, if any of this, is covered in Transition GPS, TAP, ETAP, Turbo TAP, TRS, etc. With limited time available and a one-size-fits-all approach, those programs have to deal with the basics of resumes, networking, job interviewing techniques, and other more fundamental issues. That only takes veterans so far and does not fully prepare them for the highly competitive job search environment that they face.

Do you feel fully prepared to capitalize on your military experience in searching for a rewarding career in the civilian world?

by Murray Schrantz - True North Transitions