Jobs for Veterans
Today is the 70th Anniversary of D-Day, so I’m thinking about veterans, and all they’ve done for us. In doing so, I thought I’d share some specific tips for veterans who need help with their job search. I am a big fan, after all, of men in uniform, and really, all veterans—take your pacifist tripe, somewhere else, hippie—and it drives me crazy to hear stories of people returning from the battlefield, unable to get a job. Politicians, those useless manipulators, make pretty speeches about “sacrifice” and “pride,” but speeches don’t pay your rent and they don’t put some money in your pocket. Not to mention, many of us get our sense of self worth from our job, so to be unemployed is especially miserable.
If you’re reading this, and you’re a veteran, and your job search is going in the toilet, shoot me an email, and I’ll give you a free session. (Handsome vets should never feel obligated, per se, to show up in uniform but hey! Don’t let me stop you from doing what looks good feels right.)
Here’s 4 points to get you started:
1.What’s your story: You’re a vet, and you’re looking for a job, but what kind of job and why? You have to take control of your narrative, and decide what you want to do, and why, as well as what specific skills you bring. You have to take control of your story, because otherwise, all an employer knows is that you were in the military. From a hiring point of view, that’s not super helpful. Employers need to know how your skills can benefit them. Help hiring managers to help you by making it easy for them to see you playing a role on their team. This is your time to organize your story—i.e. your resume, LinkedIn and oral presentation—so as to make the strongest impression as quickly as possible. Not sure what you want? No problem. Start by writing out a list of your skills, and your interests and go from there. This sounds daunting, I know, but if you don’t take charge of your narrative (AKA your life), you’re going to end up working at a crap job, for someone else who did. You survived boot camp; you can do this. I promise.
2. Start identifying your network, in order to identify your opportunities: Recently, a friend told me that there was a law in the military against fraternizing. Whoa. Listen, for all the amazing adventures I’ve experienced, you know how many I created all by lonesome? Zero. Your network of friends, family, soldiers, co-religionists, other people who love goldens, Knicks fans, people who craft their own beer, “GoT” addicts: that’s your best and fastest way to get a job. Your network is as big or as small, as organized or as useless, as you decide. It’s up to you to determine what it is you want to do, and to let everyone you know in on the secret. Instead of saying, “Um, I want a job,” specify what type of job, what industry and what you have to offer. The more people who know what you want, the more opportunities you’re creating. Does your church, for example, have an email newsletter? Ask if they’d mention you and your (specific) search. All they can say is no, and if you’re a vet, they’d probably be ashamed to deny you. Put your search on Facebook, reach out to friends and friends of friends who are working in your desired industry. Create a Twitter account and start following people/companies you’re interested in. Don’t give me that look; you’re the one who needs a job, Kid.
3. Present as you wish to be perceived. Give people a reason to be interested in you. Present on-line, and in the real world, as the competent, determined person you are. Inside you might feel like a fraud: welcome to the club. We’re all making it up as we go. That’s no crime. The crime is to sabotage yourself from a job you know you can do because you don’t believe in yourself.
4. Create a daily structure for your job hunt. Yes, it’s true: getting a job is the worst, most depressing job ever. Thus, you have to create a routine and stick to it, otherwise, it’s 3:15 pm on a Wednesday, and you’re drunk and watching cartoons. Again. This will just end up making you feel even more like a loser, who can’t function in society. And the way you feel about yourself, will determine what you create for yourself. Get up, hit the gym, or go for a run, get dressed, and start working on your search by 9:00 am. Part of your job search is networking, so meet people for coffee (if you can afford it), go to the library, if you’re in NYC, check out nyc.gov, or call 311, for many great and free resources. If you did well in the military, you probably thrive in a heavily-structured environment, so give yourself the structure and discipline to win. Give yourself the opportunity to end up with a job you love, and not just something to endure.
Those were four quickie tips to get you started. Want something more personalized, Soldier? Email me at carlotazee@gmail.com, and become a fan of my Facebook page, “Carlotaworldwide Creativity Yenta,” and as promised, it truly is my privilege to give each veteran one free session.