Why to Stop Throwing Your Resume Out Like Confetti
Partnered to Serve the Military Community
John Deere has partnered with RecruitMilitary to add active-duty military personnel, veterans, National Guard members, reservists, spouses, and dependents to their team. With more than 100 locations globally, 82k full-time employees, and listed as number 84 in the Fortune 500 Companies, careers at John Deere range from professional, technical, and management to production and skilled trades.
As the Military Outreach Coordinator at John Deere, Cassie and her team participate in RecruitMilitary hiring events and programs throughout the year.
An Army spouse herself, Cassie understands the priorities of the military community and uses that experience to inform her own hiring decisions.
Bringing the Expertise of a Military Spouse to Corporate Recruiting
“I am part of a fantastic team of folks here at John Deere,” said Cassie. “I help to coordinate all the outreach that we do to transitioning service members, veterans, military spouses, and other military-affiliated personnel. Whenever we have someone military-affiliated fill out a contact card showing interest in our opportunities, my team will reach out about options or matches at our company.”
As a military spouse Cassie understands the strengths that come from that background. She also knows the challenges that job seekers face in the civilian job market. “My husband is active-duty Army. For over a decade, I have been immersed in military life,” she explains.
Starting the Job Hunt After a Career Gap
Military service required her husband to change changing duty stations frequently for the first six years of their marriage. “After having three kids, we had a heart-to-heart conversation about whether he was going to stay in the military and what I could be doing for my own career,” Cassie said. “We decided that the best course of action was for me to go back to school. I had a large career gap and knew it was going to be hard to get a job. To help bridge that gap, I got an MBA.”
After graduating with her MBA, Cassie began sending her resume to employers, hoping to land an interview. Just a few months into her job search, she realized she needed to change strategies. “I delved into the job search, but I did it totally wrong,” Cassie said. “I was throwing my resume out like confetti at a birthday party, but it was going nowhere because I wasn’t introducing myself to anyone.”
She took stock of the organizations that exist solely to help spouses, veterans, transitioning military, and military-affiliated individuals connect with employers. “I needed to start utilizing those organizations and getting coached. It was a big light bulb moment for me.”
She took a webinar on how to utilize LinkedIn, and created a RecruitMilitary profile. “I also began to really push networking,” Cassie said. “I targeted my resume for specific jobs rather than using a general resume. I was trying to connect with the right people because I had come to realize that you can have every skill or certification possible and still get turned down for a job.”
Military Spouse Skillsets are Needed in the Workplace
The hard work paid off and Cassie landed her role at John Deere. Now she uses her own experience to be the “right person” for job seekers from the military community. “Veterans and military spouses have adaptability. They have leadership skills, innovative mindsets, and are mission focused. Those are qualities and characteristics that are not easily taught and have become a business imperative for a lot of companies,” Cassie explained.
“We are grateful for organizations like RecruitMilitary and their work to help John Deere find amazing talent in the military community. And we are so grateful for the work that our military is doing every day.”
Jobs that Work with the Military Lifestyle & Values
“It’s hard to apply for a job with the knowledge that you’re only going to be there a couple of years. But companies are recognizing that if they have the opportunity to hire military spouse talent or even host a SkillBridge transitioning service member, it is in their best interests,” Cassie said. “John Deere is one of those companies. There is at least one John Deere dealership attached to every CONUS military installation – the opportunity is massive.
“There are only a few roles that are done at our major facilities that can’t be done at our dealerships. But if you are interested in John Deere Financial and helping farmers get loans for equipment, if you are interested in customer service interactions, if you are interested in on-site tech support, those are all jobs that are available at our dealerships.
“Our mission is focused on others and requires sacrifice and selfless service. A lot of military-affiliated folks are empowered by being part of that.”
Advice for Military Spouses in the Job Hunt
Common issues that military spouses face in the job search include dealing with career gaps and frequent moves. Don’t let those hold you back. “Resume gaps, especially for a military spouse, are normal and somewhat expected,” explained Cassie. “Don’t discredit your volunteer work. Many spouses get tapped for different volunteer and community-based activities. Keep track of those because you’re learning skills in each one of those instances that can translate into job experience.
“I would also say don’t limit yourself. My background began in finance, but I have found my niche in this field. I love doing military outreach and I never had considered this before.
“Be willing to research and to network. You never know who you’re going to meet and how that one interaction could change the trajectory of your career.”
See Cassie discuss her job search as a military spouse on RecruitMilitary LIVE.
Ready to take the next step in your career journey? Complete your RecruitMilitary professional profile and begin searching open jobs today.
Photo credit: April Mae Photography