As summer draws to a close and we get our supplies and schedules ready for the new school year, there is another piece of the puzzle in need of a fall refresh: the job search.
With schools transitioning back to in-person learning, it creates an opportunity to engage more actively in the job market. As a job seeker, now is the time to dive in and make sure you are a key candidate through some homework of your own.
Research
There is no such thing as too much insight when you’re searching for a job, and this includes knowledge of yourself and the market around you.
For those of us who have been balancing children at home during the pandemic, there are new ways to apply our skills in a rapidly changing job market. These can include professional skills gained from job experience or personal schooling, but we can also gain impactful skills from our evolving home life and volunteer contributions.
Each of our skills has an impact on our ability to perform in a new role, but to explain them to a future employer, we must be able to list them ourselves. Luckily, there are numerous assessments and tools available to explore career skills. Some great resources to get started are:
On the other hand, we need to explore how these skills are valued in the market around us. My strong aptitude for homemade chocolate chip cookies may not be exactly marketable, but the time management I can leverage while running a dynamic household is a key skill. There are a variety of tools to match nuanced, in-demand skills to opportunities on the job market. To start this part of your homework, I recommend:
Resume
For those who patiently waited until the end of summer to begin your job search, it’s an opportune time to make sure your resume is up-to-date with your skills and accomplishments. Your research and self-reflection will hold no value if it isn’t incorporated into your resume for recruiters and hiring managers. Hire Heroes USA offers free resume and job search support to military spouses and veteran job seekers to ensure you have a strong foundational resume.
The purpose of a foundation is to be built upon, and this is when combining the research with the resume comes into play. The best recommendation I can give to any job seeker is not to use a one-size-fits-all approach to the resume. Instead, tailor the document to each individual role. Making connections between a specific opportunity and your potential is what allows you to advance to the next step in the process.
Restarting a job search can be a lot of work, but the start of the school year is an excellent time to put in the effort. One of the largest hiring peaks of the year is in the fall, so take advantage of this fast-approaching season and renewed availability to take the next step in your career.
Happy hunting!
Sidney Hubner is a Transition Specialist with the Serving Spouses Team at Hire Heroes USA where she has supported more than 400 military spouses and veterans in finding meaningful employment…so far. She is a military spouse herself, married to a USMC veteran and has personal experience navigating the balance between career, family, and military life. She has a diverse professional background across the social work field, including child welfare, domestic violence survivor support, and homeless employment empowerment. Since joining Hire Heroes USA in 2018, Sidney has engaged with clients individually as their personal Transition Specialist and in groups by facilitating more than eight virtual workshops. While she has always helped with behind-the-scenes projects, her passion is social advocacy through building unique relationships with clients to ensure they have all the tools and support to achieve their career goals.
Looking for more support from Hire Heroes USA Serving Spouses Program? Check out all their posts here.
As usual, great insight and guidance on all things career, Sidney! I chuckled at the line about chocolate chip cookies, but yes— the many skills we acquire as military spouses certainly translate into the “real world.” Thank you!