The Navy is "rightsizing" again and, according to some reports, will shed 40,000 of its approximately 370,000 active-duty billets over the next six years. The reality of naval service is that it is not lifetime employment-virtually every one of us will have another career (or two). Contrary to conventional wisdom, preparing early for a successful transition is not disloyal to the military-it is in the best interest of your service. A history of successful alumni contributes to the appeal of military service.
For many transitioning servicemembers, finding that first civilian job is both stressful and frustrating. The fear of the unknown has the potential to drive those leaving active duty to seek immediate safe harbor-turning over their job searches to recruiters or taking their first job offers. Neither is necessarily a bad solution, but it is important to ensure that transition anxiety is not limiting your ability to find a job you love. The most sophisticated job seekers do not use any single method to find a job; they execute against a portfolio of straightforward strategies to increase their pipeline of opportunities. Although these job search tools are relatively obvious, it is surprising how few people actually take the time to use them effectively in combination.
Military Staffing Firms. Companies such as Orion, Lucas, and Cameron-Brooks provide specialized services to help marketable transitioning personnel. Many provide "high-touch" career services such as assessment, resume writing, and interviewing skills that often culminate in a job placement with one of their client companies. In most cases, these placements happen through hiring fairs held throughout the country. The most significant advantage of recruiters is that you often get personalized assistance and direct connections to employers actively seeking to hire military personnel. Some recruiting firms, however, represent a more limited set of employers and career fields-so be sure to ask to see their client lists.
Online Job Boards. There is absolutely no downside to uploading your resume and spending the time to browse a few of the hundreds of thousands of job postings. Scanning jobs online is a great way to get a feel for the breadth of available openings and a sense of careers that might pique your interest. Many of these career sites have automated search agents that automatically scan postings and will alert you for potential matches. Do not use just one job board-use a few national and specialized career sites.
Your Network. Not surprisingly, this is the single best vehicle for developing a set of career options. You almost certainly know someone who is in an interesting career field or works for a company you find appealing. Well prior to your transition, start networking; it will pay dividends. Interestingly enough, companies often view their internal employee referral programs as one of their most consistently productive sources of great employees-so they are looking for you, too.
Direct Applications. Almost every corporate Web site lists career opportunities under its "about us" section. Contrary to conventional wisdom, companies actually do evaluate direct applicants. Pay special attention to government positions, as they are required by law to give preference to veterans in the hiring process. For more information on veterans' preference, see www.dol.gov/elaws/vetspref.htm. In addition, many government contractors are required to take affirmative action to employ veterans.
Associations. Most military associations and service academies offer some type of career services. Often, they host career fairs and provide help with resume writing and networking. Like military staffing firms, they tend to bring together a smaller, but highly focused network of employers who are actively seeking to hire veterans.
Executive Recruiters. Executive recruiters such as Korn-Ferry, Heidrich & Struggles, and Spencer Stuart focus on helping companies recruit senior executives. Corporations increasingly are aware that having senior military personnel on their management teams or on their boards of directors is advantageous as they pursue military customers. Generally, executive recruiters are not interested in mid-level managers-so, unless you are quite senior, they probably are not a viable option.
Consider Educational Options. For many people, leveraging their military benefits to get additional training or an advanced degree is a great postmilitary option. Taking your great military experience and coupling it with a degree can materially accelerate your civilian career.
An early start to your portfolio-driven job search will result in greater choices, increased confidence, and a better outcome. When you finally are piped ashore for the last time, you will not need to look back; you will be well on your way to a great second career.
Mr. Michel is President of Mililary.com, a company focused on connecting service members, veterans, and their families to all the benefits earned in service to America. He is a former naval officer.