Wow! Some nice responses to my initial post!
Please take a look at some of the other posts on our GOING CIVILIAN blog as I've posted some articles that might be helpful to all.
@Jewelly1: Congratulations on finding a new job in just 4 weeks! That's quick!
@James: Actually, I was an Army Brat (some still call me that!) years ago, but also served and now blog for USAA. I posed this question as the GOING CIVILIAN Community Manager to generate more discussions on a topic we hear often. You mentioned some great Headhunters that can help shorten the time from "boots-to-suits". Please feel free to take a look at some of my other blog posts on this blog and let's keep the dialogue going! Thanks for your continued support of the USAA GOING CIVILIAN Spouse Community.
@KJAll: As far as red flags, there are many in some cases. I just responded to a post on this blog discussing some of the things that can and will happen during the military-to-civilian career transition. Just a few things that make this tough for military folks include; coming across like you're still in the military while interviewing for a civilian job, the fact that a military career places you in extremely challenging situations with lots of responsibility and high intensity compared to some civilian environments, the fact that your military career often places you in charge of people very early in your career (like basic training, NCO Leadership courses, Officer Leadership courses, etc.) in comparison to some civilians who manage themselves, small teams, etc.
All of these things we learned while in the military must be managed carefully when interviewing. Some things you know how to do might be best kept to yourself initially. It might be a good idea to temper your communication during interviews so that you don't come across as "too military", or give the civilian interviewer the feeling that you might take their job away.
All of this I'm briefly mentioning here happened to me. It took me years to figure out and a good friend once told me some things that helped me effectively communicate my skills and abilities in such a way that they were more palatable or accepted in civilian circles.
This topic is obviously one I'm very passionate about. Please take a look at the posts on the GOING CIVILIAN blog under the title: Military-to-Civilian Career Transition.
I will write an article in the next few weeks on the subject of 'how military people come across in the civilian world.'
@Spouse1: I believe the main reasons for not companies not getting back to you are many:
* You send in 1 resume for 1 position, and so do hundreds of other people. Your resume is just part of the stack.
* Many people send in resumes for positions they are not even qualified for. But, since you have those "excellent references and a strong work ethic", unfortunately your get hidden in the crowd.
* Since companies are so reliant on technology and computers, imagine being the person who has to sift through the masses of resumes.
* With many companies being short-handed these days, many resumes may be overlooked because there is simply no time to communicate effectively to each and every person who submits a resume.
* With the number of Unemployed people these days, there are a lot of feet on the street. The talent pool is crowded. Companies have lots of talented people to choose from. Companies can get the exact "DNA Match" in terms of New Employees.
All that said, submitting resumes online is quick and easy, but it does not make you stand out from the crowd. You need to do other things like networking, meeting personally with the hiring manager, attend job fairs effectively, and do lots of extra work in order to get noticed.
I know this was a long blog post, but I'd like to invite each of you to take a look around the GOING CIVILIAN blog. Lots of articles have been posted AND lots more to come!
Please tell a Friend about the USAA Spouse Community too! We have important topics posted each week.
Looking forward to your questions and comments!
