I was out in Omaha, Nebraska, for the retirement of an Air Force friend. I tried to restrain myself, but I could not help asking about his job hunt. That's just the kind of friend I am.
Chris dutifully told me about all the applications he had submitted online. He confessed he didn't want to reach out to anyone in his network, because he did not want to bother them. "It's just a matter of time," he said.
I hate to rain on anyone's optimism parade, but I also hate to see any transitioning service member, veteran or military spouse waste a lot of time on methods that do not work. I simply could not restrain myself. "Do you know the unwritten rules of the job hunt?"
Chris sighed. "I hate unwritten rules."
My heart went out to him. Of course, he hated unwritten rules. What part of "Air Force" was I not understanding?
Anyone who has ever transitioned from the military can tell you: The job-hunt process is anything but straightforward. This is especially true when you are looking at jobs that pay more money. Those jobs represent more of a risk to the employer, so they are more carefully held behind unwritten rules.
As the master of perceiving unwritten rules, I love them. That is why all of our master classes skip over the job-hunt basics you learned by Googling. We go right to the unwritten rules and strategies you need to land the job.
Here are the top 10 unwritten rules of the job hunt that every military person needs to know.
1. You Can't Get a 6-Figure Salary by Applying Online
The higher the salary, the less likely it is that you will land a job without doing some networking. Our free Networking Without Awkwardness master classes teaches you how to have the right kind of conversations with people you already know.
2. Civilians Can't Understand the Military Terms on Your Resume
P.S.: Your resume is a clusterfudge of military terms. No matter how many times the civilian recruiter or hiring manager watched "Full Metal Jacket" or "Top Gun: Maverick," they still don't equate "communications" with "IT." Ask a civilian friend to circle all the terms on your resume that seem "military" to them. Then work with a civilian coach or recruiter to identify which terms should be left as-is and which need to be translated into civilian vocabulary. Sign up for our free Translation Lab master class today.
3. Everyone Expects to Talk to You During Your Transition
I know it sounds weird, but everyone you ever worked with kind of expects to hear from you when you are getting out of the military. It is not an imposition for you to reach out to past co-workers -- peers, bosses, mentors, subordinates. This is where job leads come from, and this is how you will deliver them to other people later.
4. No One Has a Job for You Today
Once upon a time, someone you worked for said, "Look me up when you get out of the military." They meant it. They liked your workstyle. They were impressed with your knowledge. They could imagine a time they would want to hire you. Yet, the statistical likelihood that they have a job open for you at the exact moment you are getting out is very, very low indeed. Do get in touch, however. They will have an idea about who you should talk to next.
5. Don't Take Job-Seeking Advice from Active-Duty Military Members
The Marines, sailors, airmen, Coasties, Guardians and soldiers you work with today love you, but they only know what they have heard. The most relevant job-hunting advice comes from recruiters, hiring managers and post-military friends who found a job within the last year. Find all of our free master classes in our video library.
6. Don't Approach a Friend Cold
When you reach out to a friend who works at one of your target companies, first look at the job listings they have available. Use that information to ask whether that is the right level you should be applying for or if they have any tips for putting together a better application. It is a wonder how much people offer if only you would ask.
7. Avoid Oversharing
It is understood that this is a very turbulent time for you. You are naturally chock-full of indecision, uncertainty and existential angst. Share that with your family, closest friend, career coach and therapist. Don't share your feelings with anyone who is employed and might someday be a lead to a job. Instead, tell them what kind of job you are looking for, even if you aren't quite sure.
8. Hiring Is Cyclical
Certain periods of the year are better for hiring than others. Contracts come through. There is a lull in deadlines. Human resource workers come back to the office ready to clear their desks. Christmas ends. Strategize how to make the most of the hottest hiring season of the year with our free Postseason Playbook master class.
9. Look Up the Interviewer
Before you go into any kind of phone call, informational interview or formal interview, look up the interviewer on LinkedIn. It is only polite. The information is readily available, and you are expected to use it.
10. The Humble Brag Is Not the News We Are Looking For
The longer you are on the job hunt, the more likely it is that your entire feed will be full of other people landing jobs. You get the idea that the only information anyone wants to hear from you is that you got a job already. Not so. Job-hunt info is best delivered not by social post, but by email. Keep your circle informed regularly about how one of their job leads turned out. Or that you applied to something at their firm. Or that you had an interesting conversation with a mutual friend.
We are all rooting for you, job seeker. We know how valuable you are to the work world we live in. Keep moving forward and get in touch with me on LinkedIn with all of your job-hunting questions.
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