Stewart, Cooper & Coon-placing executives in $200K+ positions

  • ABOUT SC&C
  • CONTACT US
  • CLIENT LOGIN
  • STAFF LOGIN
  • MY CART
    No products in cart.
  • Home
  • Individual Executive Placement
    • Client Profile & Successes
      • Video Testimonials
      • Placed Client Interviews
      • Online Reviews
      • Client Success Stories
    • Cutting Edge Branding
      • Why Use an Executive Coach & Career Strategist
      • Career WebFolio©
      • The ViewPoint©
      • The Master Interview©
    • The Basics
      • 8 Executive Career Change Dilemmas
      • Placement Data
      • It’s Not About Job Search!
  • Boards of Directors
  • Military Transition
    • Unique Challenges –Military To Civilian Transition
    • General Officer Program
    • ETAP / CTAP Schedule
    • Meet Military Team
    • Contact
  • Retained Search
    • Why Choose SC&C
    • SC&C Search Process
    • Completed Searches
    • Meet Our Team
  • Career Resources
  • Home
  • Career
  • Networking Advice for Vets Entering the Corporate Workforce
September 23, 2023

Networking Advice for Vets Entering the Corporate Workforce

Networking Advice for Vets Entering the Corporate Workforce

by fredcoon / Wednesday, 28 September 2016 / Published in Career, Job Market, LinkedIn, Military, OD Blog, Social media

Professional networking may not immediately come naturally for soldiers entering the corporate marketplace.  While it is rarely used in a military career, it is everything in the civilian workforce.  Networking simply does not warrant a higher ranking in the military.  Yet in the private sector, every professional is looking for the next opportunity, regardless of their satisfaction in their present position.

Meeting people socially for lunch or coffee, running groups, conferences, dinner parties and so on is what initially gets professionals in the door and sitting in front of their next potential employer.

Military Networking - Soldier and Civilain Shaking hands

The Major Challenges

It is difficult to understand why 20+ years as a military professional could actually be detrimental to landing a civilian job, without the right preparation.  Even with transferable experience such as human resources or public affairs, soldiers generally hit the job market over-qualified for entry level positions, yet without enough civilian experience to land an upper management position.

Veterans offer a unique set of skills, experiences and leadership abilities learned and perfected during their years in the military, especially those in live combat.  Nevertheless, veterans consistently name finding a civilian job the most difficult hurdle in their transition.  Much of this is due to their inexperience in networking.

 

First Steps

The first action toward moving into the civilian workforce is to attend a Transition Assistance Program (TAP). This three-day workshop covers topics such as career exploration, job search strategies and resume, cover letter, and interview preparation.   This type of crash course can prepare you for approaching recruiting services who can educate you further in resume and interview groundwork as well as actual job placement.

Consider your transferable skills such as training, finance, and public affairs.  List your current network including fellow vets, friends, neighbors, and any post military groups you belong to.

Expand your network by attending job fairs, career centers, social events and informational interviews. To begin building your professional network, start with veterans who are already in the corporate world. Even if there are no positions directly available with these fellow military personnel, there is a wealth of information to be gleaned.

Social Media Networking

There are numerous online tools available to help you build your own personal brand and spread the word on your availability for employment in the civilian corporate world.  One option is to share your knowledge and experience through a social media campaign.  For example, creating and maintaining a professional profile page through LinkedIn is free and simple, and allows you to reach prospective employers you may not have been otherwise able to.  LinkedIn can also assist veterans in finding or creating groups based on their professional pursuits.

Another option is to explore a few of the top blogs in your field and participate in the comment discussions.  This is a great way to get your name noticed and your knowledge recognized. After you get a solid impression of a particular blog, you might think about writing a few articles of your own and running them past the owner for publishing.  Joining up with other professionals in a blog format will show employers that you are an active member of your field and you posses the ability to communicate civilly and professionally.

In the same way LinkedIn allows members with similar interests and goals to convene in virtual groups, Facebook can be used in much the same way.  Creating your own group or page dedicated to your area of expertise is also a useful way to make connections and keep your followers aware of new developments in your field or areas of expertise you may have acquired.  Finding other transitioning military veterans through established Facebook groups is an ideal way to locate support and additional resources.  Twitter provides a forum where you can follow employers of interest and keep current on the market you wish to enter.

Military Networking - Grouping contacts

There is no doubt that transitioning from the military to the civilian workforce can be a taxing experience, but there is comfort in knowing that you have the capability of cultivating and maintaining a professional network and support system that will provide you with necessary exposure and associations to propel you past your competition into the civilian job of your preference.

 

By Fred Coon, CEO

 

Take your job search and LinkedIn profile to new levels and achieve your career goals with LinkedInSecrets.us. Leveraging LinkedIn for Job Search Success 2015 will transform how you use LinkedIn on a daily basis and create a profile that will WOW recruiters and hiring managers.

 

 

0
  • Tweet
Tagged under: how to network as a vet in the corporate world, job assistance for vets in the workforce, LinkedIn groups for vets, military to corporate transition, networking for vets in the civilian job market

What you can read next

9 Ways Executives Can Conduct More Effectual Job Interviews
The Relevance of Transparency in Business
Navigating the Tech Industry: Tools for Employers and Job Seekers

Notice: Undefined variable: user_ID in /var/www/html/stewartcoopercoon.com/wp-content/themes/kallyas/comments.php on line 73

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Submit Your Resume

Contact Us

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Career Resources
  • Individual Executive Placement
  • Boards of Directors
  • Military Transition
  • Retained Executive Search
  • Contact
  • Sitemap

Our site is SSL enabled, ensuring all communications to and from our website are encrypted and your information secured.

© 1997 - 2023 Stewart, Cooper & Coon, Inc. | 2942 N 24th St | Suite 114-(727) | Phoenix, AZ 85016 |
Phone: 602-385-3000 | Toll Free: 866-883-4200
TOP
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT