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May 2005
"I am the one [Service] Chief that is working real hard to make my Navy smaller in manpower."
-- Admiral Vern Clark, December 3,2003.
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. Anytime the "Corporation" starts to consider downsizing, it's not uncommon to pause and take stock of our own careers. The reality of Naval Service is that it isn't lifetime employment -- virtually every one of us will have another career (or two). Sooner than you might expect, you'll be hanging up your Blues for the last time ... and starting the next phase of your life. Contrary to conventional wisdom, preparing early for a successful transition isn't disloyal to the Navy or Marine Corps -- in fact, it's in the best interest of the Service. Not surprisingly, a long history of successful alumni materially contributes to the appeal of military service. [More on this in an upcoming column]
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 search to a JMO recruiter or taking their first job offer. Neither are necessarily bad solutions, but it's important to ensure that transition anxiety isn't limiting your ability to find a job you love. The most sophisticated job seekers don't 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's surprising how few people actually take the time to use them effectively in combination.
Military Staffing Firms (A.K.A. JMO Recruiters). Companies like Orion, Lucas, and Cameron-Brooks provide specialized services to help marketable transitioning personnel. Many provide "high-touch" career services like assessment, resume writing, interviewing skills, which often culminate in a job placement with one of their "client" companies. In most cases, these placements happen through hiring fairs -- rapid-fire, meet and interview conferences held throughout the county. The most significant advantage of JMO recruiters are 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 -- be sure to ask to see their client list. In addition, a few of them may insist that you stop actively looking while they represent you -- a potentially option-limiting requirement. All in all, however, they provide a great service and have helped countless transitioning personnel find jobs.
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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 peak your interest. Many of these career sites have automated "search agents" which automatically scan postings and will alert you for potential matches. In addition, the best boards have great content on dressing for success, negotiating a salary, and assessing your interests. Don't just use one job board -- use a few national and specialized career sites. Boards offer seekers choice, anonymity, and reach; but generally do not provide personalized career services.
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, it will pay dividends to start networking early. 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 website lists career opportunities under the "About Us" section of their site. 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 http://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, networking, etc. 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 like Korn-Ferry, Heidrich & Struggles, and Spencer Stuart focus on helping companies recruit senior executives. Corporations are increasingly aware that having senior military personnel on their management team or on their Board 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 are probably 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 post-military 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 choice, increased confidence, and a better outcome. When you are finally piped ashore for the last time, you won't need to look back ... you'll be well on your way to a great second career.
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© 2005 Christopher Michel. All opinions expressed in this article
are the author's and do not necessarily reflect those of Military.com.
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Chris is President of Military Advantage, the nation's largest military and veteran membership organization. Through Military.com, the company connects over 4 million members to the lifelong benefits of military service and provides public and private sector clients efficient access to the military market. Members trust Military.com for career, education and financial services. Founded in 1999, Military Advantage has raised over $30 million from leading investors and strategic partners, including A&E Television Networks. In 2004, Military Advantage was acquired by Monster Worldwide (Nasdaq: MNST).
Prior to founding Military Advantage, Chris was a strategy consultant assisting companies in the airline, entertainment, and financial services industries.
Chris also served as a Naval Flight Officer in the United States Navy. While on active duty, Chris flew as a P-3 Navigator, Tactical Coordinator and Mission Commander in support of maritime interdiction operations in the Red Sea, NATO enforcement operations in the Adriatic, and counter-narcotics missions in Central America. Following his operational tour, Chris worked in the Pentagon as Aide to the Chief of the Naval Reserve.
An advocate for servicemembers and Veterans, Chris is a frequent speaker and has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Business Week, Financial Times, and others. He is also a regular guest on CNN and other national radio and TV programs. In addition, he writes the monthly "Charting your Course" column for U.S. Naval Institute's Proceedings magazine and is working on his first book to be published by Simon & Schuster in 2005. He is an elected Director of the U.S. Naval Institute, a Trustee of the U.S. Naval Institute Foundation and a past Director of the U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation and the USS Arizona Memorial Fund.
Chris earned his commission from the NROTC program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he was named a Distinguished Naval Graduate. He also holds an MBA from the Harvard Business School.
Chris
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