“OK, warrior, time to start thinking about getting social for our next task. Some of us are great in crowds and meeting new people, some not so much. So go for a walk with someone this week in a public area, say hello to 10 people while smiling and, if you have a pet or a child, get on the floor and play with them for 5 minutes a day.”
Remember when we talked about all this in our last post? Now’s the time to understand why.
We all can and should pay attention to resume preparation, furthering of education and planning, but without the ability to get an interview and present ourselves in a positive manner, it is for naught.
I can go to work, talk to everyone, mingle, and fit in with most anyone. However, taken out of my comfort zone, I am sometimes pathetic in how withdrawn I appear. No big deal, because lots of people feel that way. Not just Veterans, either, but people in general.
Yes, Veterans tend to come home and feel like a fish out of water, but everyone’s first day at school or work or even a new church is a bit odd. Even everyday things can make people uncomfortable.
I was in the bread section at Walmart yesterday and it got a bit crowded for my comfort level, so I immediately was out of there. My wife found me in the tomatoes section. Knowing I hate tomatoes, we walked over to the ice cream, instead. I generally deal with the public with humor, realizing there is a time and place.
The best way to get comfortable with networking is to just start doing it. Get off the couch and into the world, my friends. There are excellent ways to network on the internet and I highly advise it. Explore our Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube pages to learn more about careers at VA and start connecting.
Make sure you have created and are maintaining a reputable presence on several social network sites. Not just the fun ones, but also the business ones like LinkedIn. And for goodness’ sake, if you’re still wasting time playing the games, put down the controller and “Ruck up!”
Just this weekend, one of my wife’s friends in California posted that he was looking to hire an employee at his business. Funny, only his network knows about it.
Now it’s time to take your well-prepared resume into the world. We will talk more about attire later, but dress to impress in business dress or casual.
- Look on Facebook or a local community news page (it’s www.Nola.com in my neighborhood) and find out where the career events and job fairs are.
- Check with your college or the local college’s career center, the local employment office, the library, the Chamber of Commerce.
- Talk to your postal representative, your mayor (if your town is small enough) and, of course, the local Veterans Service Officer.
Always look sharp, always have a copy of your resume, and always be prepared with a “30-second bio” to share with anyone. We will talk more about resources next time, but keep studying and going over these steps in the meantime.
If you are good at networking and have many social circles, take a look at which ones are lifting you up, and which ones are bringing you down. Get the point? Focus on the ones that will lead you to greater things. Make sure you still have a “Battle Buddy” for this exercise, also. We still need each other to stay motivated and aid each other in excelling.
Our next post will expand on resources available as we continue to prepare for those all-important interviews.
I want to remind you that we get what we earn. It is not so much the time, but the quality of our efforts that produce the desired results. Measure results, not time.
The Veteran’s Approach to a Job Search Series:
- Military mentality.
- Identify skills, education, and experience.
- Decide what you are qualified to do.
- Prepare your resume.
- Continue your education, if necessary.
- Plan your work, work your plan.
- Network with everyone.
- Use all your resources.
- Dress to impress.
- Follow-up.
- Stay motivated, motivate others.
- Volunteer or get a part-time job.
About the Author:
Darren Sherrard is the associate director for Recruitment Marketing and Advertising at VA’s Office of Workforce Management and Consulting. Darren retired from the U.S. Army with 20 years of service. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Applied Management, is a Senior Fellow of Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education, a Certified Contracting Officer Representative (COR) II and a Federal Acquisition Corps Program Manager (PM) I.
