Resources for Military Job Seekers
The Department of Defense (DoD) recently redesigned the Transition Assistance Program (TAP). According to the TAP web site, the redesigned TAP “changes the current program from a discontinuous set of activities into a cohesive, modular, outcome based program that provides opportunities and aids in successful transition into a ‘career ready’ civilian.” The new program is called Transition GPS and is planned to be in full use by the end of 2013.
I think those of us who regularly work with military job seekers will welcome any improvement to the government transition program. However, no matter how good this program eventually becomes, collective wisdom offers that a multi-pronged approach to the veteran job search will likely continue to be the most successful strategy. Certainly at the BMI family of companies, this has proven true for more than 21 years – we have put our core advice in the Top 10 Tips for a Military to Civilian Transition that can be found here.
A key challenge for any military job seeker is how to close the communication gap between the military lingo that describes the skills and training they received in the service and the keywords and phrases that civilian hiring managers are seeking as part of their corporate job descriptions. The can be an issue – the vast majority of resources for military job seekers that exist, whether they be web-based technology solutions or generalized training programs, are not backed by any actual military placement experience. Nobody responsible for the bulk of these services has ever actually placed a veteran in a job.
When seeking to expand the resources you utilize, ask that key question, “Have you helped military job seekers of my rank and background previously, and if so, can you give some examples of opportunities / interviews / placements?” Whether you are seeking a military placement firm, military job fairs, a military job board, military-friendly companies, or a professional military resume writer, you should be able to identify a record of success.
Gather your tools and sharpen your skills. Then land a job by using the best resources you can find.
Image courtesy Kevan Davis