Take full advantage of interval between return, new position

With the government's plan to release 50,000 soldiers over the next five years, the job market is going to be flooded with new applicants unadjusted to the civilian job search. Many entered the armed services right out of school and have never written a resume or gone on an interview.

It may seem like a daunting and overwhelming task, but military job seekers can make themselves more attractive candidates to civilian employers after a tour.

According to quarterly reports from Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc., it takes job seekers about four months on average to find a new position. It is an ample amount of time to conduct professional self-improvement.

By taking a proactive stance to increase marketable skills, a candidate will increase opportunities for securing a satisfying position. From taking a computer language course at a local community college to starting an MBA program online at a high-profile university, job seekers will increase their marketability simply by being enrolled.

Human resource executives notice which candidates have taken it upon themselves to update their skills through education. Companies want employees who have the zeal to be life-long learners as well as be self-starters.

Luckily, military service stresses those skills as well.

Also, going back to or restarting school, no matter the level, keeps a person in tune with the latest trends in a particular field of study, especially in a technical area. For example, certain computer languages that were widely used in the late 1980s or 1990s have all but disappeared and, therefore, are of no use to a job candidate on a resume. In fact, many computer skills from the late 1990s and early 2000s have changed dramatically.

That is important for job seekers who are returning to the job market after several years' absence, no matter what the reason. However, by brushing up on general computer skills, a job seeker will not be embarrassed should technical questions arise during an interview.

If the cost of further education is a concern, fear not. After a person has obtained desired employment, the employer may even pay for all or part of an employee's continuing education if there is something to be gained by both parties.

Know what your potential employer's policy is on tuition reimbursement. Many companies want educated employees.

Another good use of time during the off-hours of the job search is to list all transferable experiences gained at former positions, not only in the military, but also in positions held before a term of service. Military experience is invaluable and should be brought up in interviews. Be specific and be ready to discuss these experiences at the next interview.

Many job seekers fail to focus on the array of experiences they have acquired. Experiences gained at a former position can be transferred to fit certain qualifications potential employers are requesting.

A good place to start is to think of special projects that were successful during past experiences. Simply ask, "What did I learn as a result of that project, and what new skills did I acquire along the way?" Write down all of the answers, using detail.

Training experiences at a former job, such as in the military, are rich with transferable skills, especially regarding leadership. Let us say that an employee was asked by a former employer to take a particular software training class so that he or she could install that software and train an entire department. The experience then becomes a marketable skill.

The entire experience only may have lasted a month or six weeks. Nevertheless, it could show a hiring executive that the candidate can handle responsibility and lead a group of co-workers toward something positive for the company.

Also, the candidate in this case related to the interviewer that his former employer had so much confidence in him that he was selected from several prospects to take the training session and lead a team to advance the company's goals in an ever-changing economic climate.

At night, job seekers should take advantage of personal contacts, professionals in the desired fields where a job is being sought, to gain a mini-education and develop a network of professionals who would be willing to help in the job hunt. Ideally, a contact might know of a job opening at his or her place of employment or at an affiliate.

Meet the contact in person versus communication by phone or email. The contact will respond more favorably to an in-person plea for help.

Since the contact is away from the workday pressures of an office environment, he or she is more apt to focus and lend more time. When speaking with a contact, be a good listener. Think of the contact as an expert. Be sure to find out about new and upcoming trends in the field. This is especially important for a job seeker who has designs on shifting careers.

Other information that should be drawn from a contact, especially if the contact is an old friend, is names and phone numbers of colleagues who would be receptive to a phone call. Soon enough, a job seeker will have created a "web" of contacts.

Another good use of time at night is to do volunteer work. Hiring executives are trained to be good judges of character.

This is why job seekers should go out and gain an edge by doing volunteer work when between jobs. Nothing but positives can come out of such an undertaking, especially if a leadership role is taken. Also, job leads can come from meeting like-minded people in the volunteer organization.

By becoming more active in community or church-sponsored events, a job seeker can hone many attributes and obtain desirable skills. For example, organizing a concert in conjunction with a local park district would show a potential employer organizational and leadership skills. Enlisting a group of people to serve a meal to those less fortunate would also be a valued experience.

Best of all, volunteer work builds self-esteem -- vital to one's own ability to succeed, particularly in the all-important job interview.

John A. Challenger is chief executive officer of Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc. He may be one of the most oft-quoted business executives. His breadth of knowledge on corporate practices, workplace issues, the economy and societal trends is sought out by major broadcast and print media.