Sir, Yes, Sir! Advice When Transferring from Military to Private Sector

I recently conversed with an old friend regarding employment challenges for recently discharged military personnel.  When it comes to making the transition, some former military applicants may find it a bit challenging being able to find a competitive and challenging position.  It’s certainly not a result of lack of real world experience.  Nothing could be further from the truth.

“So, Kathleen,” you ask, “Why is it tough for me to get a job in the private sector with all of this great training and experience I gained from my time in the service?”

It's All In How You Say It

Here’s my opinion:  I think it’s sometimes a challenge for HR folks, who have not been in the military service, to be able to feasibly understand how your skills and experience can translate to their needs.  So, you have to help them with the translation.

Some tips for you:

• Take some time to communicate your work skills.  Don’t assume that titles easily translate for the average HR person, with no time or exposure to the military.  You have to “dumb it down” for us.

• Focus on the things you have learned from your military tenure.  Things such as:  Responsibility, Tenacity/Perserverence, Ability to follow directions, Teamwork, Decision-making, Planning, Preparation, Leadership.  Any company, in their right mind, should want to snatch you up because you’ve learned these things already in the line of fire, and these qualities cannot be taught!

• Remember that an interview is just as much about chemistry as it is about qualifications.  Do yourself a favor and show how you have personality and drive and initiative.  As an interviewer, I want to see these qualities come through when I meet with you — don’t assume that I will see these things through your record.  The interviewer also wants to see your humility and gratitude for what you have been given by the military experience.  Make sure you shine proudly upon your service, and speak highly of your experiences in the military. 

• When interviewing, spell things out – avoid using abbreviations — to describe your work, your training and your experience.  The military is chocked-full of abbreviations, like many organizations, but you want the HR person to understand what you did.  

• Take a copy of your DD214 with you to your interview.  The HR Manager will likely need it anyways, and it shows you were prepared and able to produce this document right away.  It distiguishes you from your other former military contemporaries who don’t think about offering it.

• When you interview, think of it as you would sitting in your service review board.  Dress professionally, sit up straight, offer good eye contact, but don’t forget to smile, and be engaging. 

Summary: 
As an HR Manager, I want to understand that you know more than how to rebuild an M16 in 30 seconds.  You have to overcome some ignorance on my part, and convey to me that you are the type of ideal employee that I would be a fool to let you out of my “line of sight!”


Kathleen Lapekas – PHR
Action HR Consultant
For Personal Attention to Personnel Matters…
www.actionhrconsultant.com

Interview Question: "So, why are you looking to leave your current job?"

Why Did You Leave?  Why Do You Want To Leave?

When interviewing for a new position, invariably you will be asked why you are looking to leave (or why you left) your previous employers.  This helps the interviewer understand what motivates you, and what drives your decisions. 

• It's Not Just About Money:  Avoid stating your reason for changing jobs was due solely to earning more money.  It's a legitimate reason, but in truth, if you left a job for a .25 cents an hour more, I'm guessing that you'll probably leave MY company as soon as a "bigger and better deal" comes around.  I would be more impressed if you left the company because you found a position with more challenge, more responsibilities and more potential to grow professionally.  

• Never Bad-Mouth A Company:  Also, avoid stating your reason for leaving was because you hated your job.  Again, this may be true, but consider the following story...     

One day, I had an interview with a candidate that really left me scratching my head a bit.  He was applying for a technician position, and came highly qualified.  He had all the requisite skills, experience and credentials.  However, he was probably one of the most miserable people I have EVER interviewed.  In the interview, he was bad-mouthing his current employer to an extreme.  He resented the fact that his company had hired him, and was paying him too much money. 

Now, wearing "golden handcuffs," he realized he couldn't afford to leave this place he had grown to hate so much.  Frustrated, he said to me, now, he wasn't "employable" by other companies (apparently every place he had applied had turned him down).  He reasoned that it was because all of these companies were scared that he would not stay because their pay was lower.  He stated that he felt as if he had "sold his soul to the Devil when he accepted the job there."  

That Little Chip On Your Shoulder

I felt bad for him.  This guy wasn't getting hired not because he was already earning too much...he was not getting hired because of the humongous chip on his shoulder! 

For the record, as a Hiring Manager, I wouldn't bring that sort of behavior into my firm either.  But, to this day, it amazed me.  This bitter young man, with all the potential in the world, had long forgotten where he had come from.  He had lost that sparkle for enjoyment of his work.  He resented the very company that allowed him to provide for his family.  I'm confident his work quality and output reflected this resentment as well. 

The lesson here:  
When you're interviewing for a position, no matter how bad your last employer may have been, you NEVER bad-mouth them.   You wind up only looking like a complete jerk, and no one will want to hire you either. 

What Did You Like Most About Your Last Job?

If the interviewer asks you what you liked about your last job, be prepared to give an answer that speaks positively about the company, such as commenting how you appreciated the company for getting the opportunity to knowledge or skills from there. 

What Did You Like Least About Your Last Job?

If the interviewer asks you what you liked LEAST about your last job, choose wisely what you say....remember, this question is asked to understand what motivates your decisions.  I think answers that suggest that you were under-utilized, and that you were unchallenged are very fair, and would  probably speak to your desire for greater challenge and optimization of your skills/experience. 

Kathleen Lapekas - PHR

Action HR Consulting

For Personal Attention to Personnel Matters...

http://www.actionhrconsultant.com/

Confucius Say, "Don't Jump Without A Parachute"

Anyone who's actively looking for work can probably acknowledge that it's much easier to find a job if you have a job.  Why is that?  It seems counter-intuitive that you have to be working, in order for another job to fall into place at the right time.  I have a theory that I'd like to share about that...

Employers Have A Lot To Choose From

Let's acknowledge that the job market is....shall we say....soft.  It's not easy to find a job, especially one that pays what you need it to pay and offers you the flexibility and benefits that you desire.  Employers are struggling with the tight market to remain profitable.  One of the areas they have cut their costs is in labor.  So, as business begins to ramp back up, employers are reluctant still to hire a large workforce again.  They may chose to fill their positions part-time, thus saving on the costs of benefits.  They may chose to fill their positions temporarily -- so that they can weather the storm if it begins to rain again.  They may chose to max out their current team with overloading them with the work previously done by the 5 they had to let go.  I've seen all of these strategies at some point.

If You're Working, You Are "Employable"

But, as an HR Manager, when I have a flood of resumes for a position I'm trying to fill, I've got the opportunity to be selective.  And the ones that rise to the top, generally, are the ones who are qualified and are currently employed (even if they're not doing the same type of work that they are applying for).  Because if you're employed, in the minds of HR-people, then you're EMPLOYABLE.  If you're employed, even if it's a temporary position, it shows that you're still motivated, driven, willing to work and that are a person who can hold and maintain employment.

The sad truth is that the longer a person is unemployed (collecting unemployment) the less and less he/she is likely to be viewed as employable.  I'm not bashing unemployment, or those who have to go on unemployment to temporarily help them in transition.  In this blog, I suppose though, that I'm really trying to reach out to those people who argue that they can make more money collecting unemployment than by taking a lower-paying (or even a minimum-wage) job.  It is scary to think that some people rationalize it that way.  Worse yet, they are actually shooting themselves in the foot, long-term, and will likely wind up having a lower-paying position long-term because they chose unemployment over being employed somewhere.   

Don't Take A Rest...Get Back On The Horse

Unemployment has been extended for 2 years in our state.  So, feasibly, a person who had work skills, experience, drive and motivation, and was caught up in a massive layoff, now can coast for 2 years.  They can sleep in, watch TV, do whatever they want to do, without any restrictions to their schedules.  But, after those 2 years are exhausted, they are not considered desirable employees to hire over those that stayed working.  I suppose there is truth in the phrase, "it's very hard to push a rope."  I find a high number of employers who are extremely reluctant to consider someone who's been out of work for an extended (longer than say 6 months) period of time.  So, time passes, and the chances get slimmer and slimmer. 

Making Lemonade

Typically, preference will be given to those who show that they are driven, and willing to do work (even if they feel it's beneath them for a while).  Funny, but those folks rarely stay down.  Those are the folks that make lemonade (when life's thrown them lemons).  Those are the ones that rise to the top and are quickly snatched up by employers for the better job opportunities.  Those are the folks that quickly seem to get promoted to jobs with greater responsibilities and higher pay.       

The solution:  Get working a soon as you can!  Network with people to stay informed of opportunities out there; work with recruiters whose business is to find people jobs; or go to a temporary staffing company to get working again.  By all means, work on developing your skills, education and such...But try to work while you're doing so.  The busier you are, the better.   

Summary: 

Let me say it once again, it's much easier to find a job when you have a job.  Don't become a statistic.  Don't kick back and collect unemployment.  Get out there and stay employed.  Time flies far too quickly, and the longer you're unemployed, the harder it will be to find a good job.  Those who elect to remain unemployed will be competing for the minimum wage jobs once their unemployment runs out. 

Kathleen Lapekas - PHR

Action HR Consulting

For Personal Attention to Personnel Matters...

http://www.actionhrconsultant.com/