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Guest post: Debunking myths about post-military job searches

Today, I have a great post about debunking myths about the post-military job search from Emma over at Smile As It Happens. Enjoy!

Emma is a mid 20-something year old with a passion for life, love, fitness, and helping others. She loves to be active and get involved in as many sport and community activities as possible. Emma is currently studying to become a Career & Life Coach, and loves to network with people from around the world! Check out Emma’s blog at http://smileasithappens.blogspot.com/!

The transition from military to civilian life can be stressful, especially when a person is looking for a job. Unfortunately, many veterans hear certain myths about the job hunting process, and those myths cause even more stress. Don’t let these myths derail your job search by focusing on the truths behind them instead.

Myth #1: There aren’t any jobs available to people with service-connected disabilities.
Truth: Not only are plenty of positions open to people with service-connected disabilities, but there are organizations that assist those individuals in finding jobs and training for them if necessary. The U.S. Department of Veterans not only runs a number of programs providing those services, but also offers support in the form of counseling and case management.
Myth #2: Requesting job referrals takes a long time, and in the process, you make yourself into a nuisance.
Truth: First of all, asking a former employer, educator, or another individual for a referral is almost never annoying. To the contrary, most people are flattered by such requests. What’s more, asking could not be easier thanks to new mobile recruiting services like JIBE. These platforms allow you to inquire about referrals and references through Facebook, LinkedIn, and other similar websites.
Myth #3: Companies never specifically look for veterans when hiring.   
Truth: Actually, there are many reasons why a company might prefer employees who are veterans. Servicemen and women are renowned for their integrity and discipline. What’s more, many incentive programs exist to ensure that veterans are employed in a wide variety of fields. As such, you can always go to a website like VeteranJobListings.com, where companies list job openings for military members and where veterans can apply for those jobs. Comment from Lisa: Disney and Wal-Mart are just two of many large corporations that have initiatives to hire vets!

Myth #4: No jobs are available.
Truth: Even in times of high unemployment, jobs are always available in certain fields — and yours might be among them. Whenever companies are letting significant numbers of full-time employees go, that creates a need at those companies for freelancers, part-time employees, and/or temporary workers. Accepting one of those positions can be a great way to get your proverbial foot in the door: You’ll be in great shape when your employer is looking for full-time employees again.

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