On the surface, this seems like a reasonable question to ask for someone starting their job search and reaching out to their network. Quite often, this is one of the first questions transitioning military members post on LinkedIn or other military job forums.
Unfortunately, the question as written severely limits the referrals or leads your network can provide. In this article, we will review a few actions you can take to improve the questions you ask and the results you get when reaching out to your network for job leads.
Introduction
To begin, when asking for help, it is advisable to introduce yourself and provide a little background of your situation. For example, it would be helpful for people to know if you are transitioning in six months or one week.
To help you with your introduction, think about if someone approached you for advice on joining the military. What questions would you ask to help you give them good advise? You would likely want to know why they wanted to join the military and what their goals are? Information about the type of jobs they are interested in and what their strengths are would also be helpful.
With this thought process in mind, the same applies to you and your job search. Perspective respondents to your request for job leads will want to know more about you and your job/career desires so they can provide you the best responses and ultimately job leads. Also, everyone is usually very busy, so being short and precise in your request is also advisable.
The first part of your request would be an introduction and a statement of where you are in your job search. For example, “Hello all, my name is [John Doe], and I will be retiring/separating from the service within [##] months.”
Career Interests and Experience
After this, letting people know what jobs or careers you are most interested in would come next. “I am looking for leads related to [entry, mid, senior] level [job title] jobs related to the [XYZ] industry. Remember, the more specific you are, the better your network can help you.
Next, consider adding information to establish your credibility in your desired career field. “I have [##] years of [XYZ ] industry experience.”
Following this, you can list any additional skills, certifications, and experience that employers in that industry find beneficial. “I maintain a [XYZ] clearance and have achieved [XYZ] certifications.” I also have [##] years of experience doing [XYZ] work.
After clarifying the proceeding items, you can identify the size and names of the companies you want to work for. These would be your dream companies. “I am most interested in leads or insights from veterans with experience working for [small, medium, large] companies like [Google, Northrup Grumman, Disney, etc.].”
To wrap it up you can specify your desired work locations and the best method to contact you. “Any leads in the [XYZ] area would be most appreciated.” My LinkedIn profile is up to date, and my resume is available for download. Thanks in advance for any assistance or leads you can provide.
Putting it all together
In conclusion, when you put all this information together your request for job leads would look something like this.
“Hello all, my name is Jane Doe, and I will be retiring/separating from the service within six months, and I am looking for leads on senior level Project Management jobs related to the aviation field. I have 20+ years of aviation and airfield operations experience and maintain an active military clearance at the secret level. I am a certified PmP and have successfully led 10+ aviation-related projects valued at $10M+. I am most interested in leads or insights from veterans with experience working for large companies like Lockheed Marin, Boeing, Northrup Grumman or similar airlines or aviation companies located at the in the Dallas Fort Worth area. My LinkedIn profile is up to date, and my resume is available for download. Thanks in advance for any assistance or leads you can provide.”
If you are a transitioning military member or veteran, thank you for your service, and I hope you found this article beneficial. If you are a veteran who has successfully made the transition, please advise of any additional tips that have worked for you when reaching out to your network. Also, if you believe this article would benefit veterans in your network please share it. According to the USDA, each year nearly 200,000 servicemen and women will separate from active duty in the United States military.
Cheers,
Ben