It's been a long time since you were on a job search, so you need to adjust your approach, your language, and your mindset. The civilian job market has it's own rules, but they aren't consistent, and networking (knowing people) is often more important than qualifications or experience.
Sources of jobs:
These are good places to get started. Don't fall into the trap of plastering your resume all over the Internet. It's like using a shotgun or a hand grenade when a rifle is the best weapon for the mission.
- Indeed (a Job-Hunt sponsor) is a giant "job aggregator" site - a new kind of job site which collects jobs posted on other job sites, in newspapers, and on association Websites as well as employer Websites, so it's a great central resource for jobs. See Job-Hunt's Guide to Using Indeed to Find a Job for help using it.
- Craigslist is a very large online classifieds ads network, broken down by state or city and state, so pick the one appropriate for your job search and check out both the jobs and the "gigs" (short term jobs). Watch out for the scams. See Job-Hunt's Free 20-Minute Guide to Using Craigslist to Find a Job for tips on leveraging it to your advantage.
- Federal Government Jobs:
- USPS jobs is where you will find jobs with the Post Office. USPS has always had a veterans' "preference" program, and you should receive credit for your military service, particularly if you were disabled as a resul.
- Job Hunt's jobs by state lisitngs - over 8,000 (and growing) links to employer recruiting pages, networking and job search support groups, and job search and career resources, organized by state.
Often, veterans find that a "transitional" job for Uncle Sam, the USPS, or a government contractor will enable the move from military to civilian career more smoothly.
Sources of job search support and networking:
A job search can be a lonely process, and everyone needs help with it, at least once in a while. Other people have different contacts, perspective, and experience that can be very helpful.
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About the author...
Online job search expert Susan P. Joyce is a Vietnam era veteran of the U.S.M.C. Susan has been observing the online job search world and teaching online job search skills since 1995. In 1998, her company, NETability, Inc. purchased Job-Hunt.org, and Susan has been editor and publisher of Job-Hunt since then. Follow Susan on Twitter at @jobhuntorg.
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