Job Search Plan of Action
Take some time to assess yourself and determine what exactly you want from a job. This will help you find options that are based on your skills, interests, and values. Narrowing your goals is also important as there are thousands of jobs on the market and there is no standard application process that all civilian employers follow. It may even feel overwhelming at times. This is because the job search process requires time, effort, and planning. Try to maintain a positive outlook. Employers do post new positions continuously.
If you are still unsure of what types of jobs interest you and you are currently enrolled at SMC in 3 units or more, we recommend that you Schedule an Appointment with the Career Services Center.
If you are not currently enrolled at SMC in 3 units or more, we recommend that you start off by enrolling in Counseling 12 - Exploring Careers and College Majors, a 1 unit course taught by career counselors.
We understand that you may have questions as you either develop your current career path or change careers. The following campus websites are great places to start your career and academic journey at SMC. Contact each area for more information hours of operations and appointment scheduling.
- Admissions and Records oversees several functions related to admissions, enrollment, transcripts, and graduation.
- Career Services Center assists students with exploring majors and careers as well as can help you gain real-world experience.
- Center for Students with Disabilities ensures students with disabilities have equal access to all programs and activities on campus.
- Counseling (Academic)can help you develop an educational plan and course load appropriate to your educational goals.
- Financial Aid and Scholarship helps students apply for and receive different types of financial aid such as grants, scholarships, loans, etc.
- Student Veteran's Association is a student club creating community among veteran students.
- Veteran Peer Mentors are SMC students who are veterans and have been at the college for at least 1 year and can help provide support to you as a new student.
- Veterans Success Center is dedicated to providing programs and services in support of the academic success of student veterans.
- Vet Net Ally Awareness Program is a network of faculty, staff, and administrators at SMC committed to creating a welcoming and supportive environment for military service members and veterans.
For your military service, download a copy of your Verification of Military Experience and Training (VMET) through the Department of Defense.
In addition you can get an official transcript of your education and training credits from your service branch. The DD From 214 is your discharge papers and separation documents. Some of the information you might find listed on your report include:
- Date and place of entry into active duty;
- Date and place of release from active duty;
- Last duty assignment and rank;
- Military job specialty;
- Military education;
- Decorations, medals, badge, citations and campaign awards received;
- Total creditable service;
- Foreign service credited; and
- Separation information
Note that each branch has their own system for recording your military (and civilian) education and experience. Check with your branch for additional details.
Employers hire through three major methods:
- Publicly Posted Vacancies;
- Unadvertised Methods/Networking; and
- Recruiters/Recruiting Agencies.
And for most jobs, regardless of the employer/program's choice of hiring method, you may still need to submit a resume, job application and/or cover letter through some type of electronic measure, such as by email or through a job board or company website. Technology has completely transformed the job search landscape. This has made it more likely for an employer to receive far more applications than the resources they have to read them. As a result, more and more employers are resorting to the use of applicant tracking system (ATS) software, to not only help them organize job applications but also forward the most relevant resumes and qualified job seekers to a hiring manager and/or recruiter. Therefore, it is important that you carefully analyze each job posting to ensure you meet the minimum qualifications. See The Secret to Applicant Tracking Systems, for more information.
Draft a list of your skills, honors, awards, education, trainings, certifications, projects, experience, etc. while serving in the military as well as a civilian. Don't forget to include your leadership and supervision experience, technical and/or interpersonal skills, coursework, research, accommodations, etc. The information you gather during this step will be helpful regardless of what type of resume you are creating and who will be viewing it.
View Highlighting Your Experience on your Resume to learn how to show employers/programs how well you can perform a job/duty.
After gathering your information, the next step is to translate your military experience to civilian language. This includes the skills, awards, education, experience, etc. you gathered in the previous step.
Hiring managers spend on average 6 seconds reviewing a resume. Given that, civilian employers are unlikely to take the time to research military-related terminology. To impress these employers, you will want to be able to market your abilities, experience, and skills to in way they are able to understand. View Military to Civilian Translations for more information.
Now that you have translated your experience in a way civilians are able to understand, the next step is to draft your resume. Choose a resume type (federal vs civilian) that best fits the position you are interested in and/or the type that is specified in the job application. Federal resumes are different than resumes submitted for civilian jobs. They are unique in appearance, content, and often times, terminology. Please schedule an appointment with the Career Services Center, if you need assistance with creating a federal resume.
In addition to determining what type of resume to use, you will also need to choose one of the three formats to use. Based on your skills and experience, you might want to use one format over another. To help you decide which resume to use, schedule an appointment with the Career Services Center
- Reverse-Chronological - Work history is highlighted, starting with the most recent experience first, then going back in time.
- Functional - Skills and abilities are focused on, rather than work history. However, this resume order may not be ATS friendly. See The Secret to Applicant Tracking Systems, for more information.
- Combination/Hybrid- Hybrid of both the reverse chronological and functional formats. Combination resumes usually provide the most comprehensive overview of your career.
When drafting your resume, make sure to open a blank Word/Google Doc. Refrain from creating you resume in Adobe Photoshop or using online templates or resume builders. When creating/designing a resume in Adobe Photoshop, then saving the file as a PDF, text boxes/picture images are created versus individual texts and characters. As a result, ATS platforms are not able to read your resume. See The Secret to Applicant Tracking Systems, for more information)
Finally, unless a .doc file is explicitly asked for, you should always provide a PDF copy of your resume since this ensures your layout will be consistent for all viewers.
Once you have decided on the type of resume you want to use/need, you might also consider building a master resume. A master resume is your all-in-one document that includes the length and breath of your skills as well as your academic and work experience (paid and unpaid). It is formatted similar to the resume you submit to an employer but it has no page limit. This is a living document that you are always adding to as you gain additional experience and training.
And, although creating a master resume can be time consuming at first, the long-term return is worth your initial time and effort. Applying to multiple jobs requires submitting a uniquely 1-page tailored resume for each position. By having a master resume, you position yourself to be able to create and adapt your master resume for multiple roles. Having a master resume available also makes it easier on your memory, as you will have a chronological work history and skills list all in one place.
View From Master Resume to Tailored Resume for more information and sample resumes.
Hiring managers may receive hundreds to thousands of resumes for a single job. On average, they spend about 6 seconds scanning your resume. In the amount of time they are willing to give you, it is your job to provide the employer/program a brief and concise story of who you are as an applicant and how well you are a fit for a position. The best way to increase your chances of an employer/program spending more time reviewing your resume, having your resume stand out as well as being invited to interview is to tailor your resume to the job/program description. Employers/programs have limited time and resources to interpret your skills, knowledge, and experiences. You need to make the connection between your background and the job duties, qualifications and skill set requested by an employer/program. For more information, visit Tailoring Your Resume.
If you have a master resume, you've done most of the work already. You can make a direct copy of your master resume and tailor it for the specific opportunities you find. However, first and foremost, make sure you save/make a copy of your file before you change anything. View From Master Resume to Tailored Resume for more information and sample resumes.
Many employers are starting to use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). ATS is software used by companies of all sizes to automate the hiring process. They parse and store resume and application information in ways that make it easier for hiring managers and/or recruiters to easily filter and search for information. There are even programs that will rank how well your resume and application matches the job description. Therefore, make sure to tailor your resume and prioritize your most relevant skills and experience. See The Secret to Applicant Tracking Systems, for more information.
After you are done creating your tailored resume, you will also want to draft a cover letter/letter of inquiry. These types of letters provide you with an opportunity to personally introduce yourself to a prospective employer as well as sell your skills and experience.
For more information, view What are Cover Letters and Letters of Inquiry?
Congratulations on your offer! You are probably feeling very excited and relieved to have received an offer. However, before you accept the offer, make sure you received the offer in writing and are aware of how long you have to respond to the offer. For more information, visit Responding to Employment Offers.