Military Career Transition Help on How to Get Hired

5. You Don’t Have a LinkedIn Profile (Or, Even Worse, It’s Not Complete)In a 2012  JobVite survey, 89% of hiring decision-makers and recruiters reported using social media sites such as LinkedIn to find their candidates. If this is the case, shouldn’t you have a profile already?Your knowledge of managing your online presence lets me know how proficient you are in using technology to communicate. It also allows me to see your skills, even if they’re nascent. If you have an incomplete profile, it may communicate that you might also expect me to complete your work for you.Take the time and get your LinkedIn profile set up right.  There are lots of  places  and  resources available online  to get help at no cost, so there isn’t any excuse for not having one. Additionally, a complete LinkedIn profile allows you to take advantage of LinkedIn Labs’  Resume Builder  to automatically generate 11 different resume styles based on your LinkedIn profile. Talk about a time saver!6. You Think Social Media Is For Kids or Sharing War StoriesIf you think social media is a huge waste of time and doesn’t offer real value, watch this  video.The reality is that two out of three job seekers will get their next job using social media.  What does that mean to you? It translates to lesser-qualified people using technology to their advantage to get hired. They know how to use each of the social networking sites to the maximum extent in their transition action plans. If you think Twitter is of little use to a job seeker or professional, your competition will be happy to land the job you want because  they’re using it and you aren’t.7. You Didn’t Prepare For The InterviewDuring the course of your military career, you’ve conducted countless boards and interviews. It seems to make sense that you should have no problem interviewing. After all, you did pretty well in your transition class mock interviews, didn’t you?Wrong approach. I’ve seen instances where the most j unior service member outperformed a much more seasoned military leader because of one simple strategy: practice, practice, practice.  Practice with someone who regularly hires or who has hired people at your level recently.Why do you need to practice? Because you need to be able to be conversational, convey energy and yet let me know you’re aware of what my business is, who my competitors are and even who I am. Did you go to the company’s website to see if we have a Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter page? Did we make the news recently?  Google News  is a great way to find this out.I want you to distinguish yourself from the regular job seeker. I want to know you’re as passionate about my company and what we do as I am, not just out to get a paycheck and benefits. Make sure you have a set of questions that I  haven’t heard before, and when we’re about to finish the interview, ask for the job. Don’t worry; I’m not going to be offended, because I want to see that fire in your belly. Just don’t overdo it by saying something presumptuous such as, “So… when do I start?”8. You Wrote a Thank You Note (But Only to Say Thank You)Sending a thank you note is something that sets you apart from the competitors also vying for this position. And while it’s appreciated and infinitely better than sending nothing at all, don’t just send the note to say thank you;  use it to tell me how much passion you have for my company and the job. Remind me of those things that excited you during our interview and, if there were any areas you looked vulnerable in, ease my concerns.9. You Don’t Know What You Want to DoWhen asked what you want to do, the worst possible answer you can give is, “I don’t know” or “anything.”  You have to be able say specifically what types of positions you’re interested in and how you can add value to them.  If you don’t, you’re essentially saying, “Invest lots of time and money in me, and maybe it will help me figure out if I want to do something else.”If you have no clue where to start, start by looking at colleagues with backgrounds similar to yours who have recently transitioned. Which industries are they in? What companies are they working for? Where are they living? What job titles do they have now? The LinkedIn Labs  Veterans App  is a great tool to help with this. Be sure to check it out. Start volunteering to gain professional experience and seek out internships long before you sign your DD214.Employers want to feel secure in knowing that you’ll last and that they can depend on you in your new work environment. Doing an internship or volunteering will help both the employer and you determine if a position is a good fit. Additionally, due to the flood of resumes that come in for each job posting, applicants who have volunteered or performed internships will stand out well ahead of the others.Military professionals, especially senior ones, have a lot to offer our country when they hang up the uniform. The  President and American companies are working hard  to ensure that servicemembers and veterans have well-paying jobs with opportunities to advance. However, no one is ever guaranteed a job, and the more senior you are, the more challenging the transition can be in terms of education, credentials, certification and relevant industry experience required. Having a powerful network is essential and can open doors for you. That said, your comrades, friends and family can generally get you  tothe door, but it remains up to you to be fully prepared when the door is opened.Eager to hear your thoughts please share them in the comments section!