If you're a veteran struggling to get hired after returning to civilian life, you're not alone.
It's estimated that between 200,000 and 250,000 veterans return to civilian life each year, and many of them find it hard to secure a job after serving.
So, why are veterans struggling with the job search? And what can these veterans do to up their chances of getting hired?
In this week's episode of Well This Happened, we discussed Rich's tough situation.
Rich left his job to take care of a sick family member. Now, 2 years later, Rich is trying to re-enter the work force. However, he's finding it difficult to explain that 2 year gap in his work history during interviews. We asked you how you would answer this question, did you guess correctly? Find out if you won here!
Do you think you're facing age discrimination or ageism in your job search? Do you feel like no one is hiring you because you're older than the competition? You're not alone with these feelings. However, there's some important things you need to know if you want to overcome this challenge...
Okay, so first, I want to tackle a HUGE misconception about age discrimination in the workforce.
I was walking to my Commencement Ceremony with two of my pals from college. It was a May morning wearing the disguise of a mid-August afternoon – uncomfortably humid and the sun was merciless. Related: 5 Things You Should Be Doing If You’re Unemployed On the way to campus, an older woman stopped us in our tracks. “Congratulations,” she began with a smile beaming at us like the hot sun “you guys should be so proud of yourselves.” Graduation is a big deal. It is the culmination of your career as a student and the beginning of the rest of your life. Taking that step is something worthy of congratulations, yet I didn’t feel like being congratulated. Maybe it was because all my classmates and I kept hearing about for weeks leading up to graduation was how hard it was going to be for us to find full-time work so we could pay off our loans so that we could finally begin our lives. Or maybe it was because we were about to be handed a ton of responsibility, the likes of which we’ve never seen before. Graduation is not to be a scary day, but it is quickly becoming one. For some, jobs were already lined up or maybe interviews were on the horizon. But, for many, the only certainty was that loans were going to start kicking in very soon. Finding a job in this day and age is a whole new animal compared to what it was like even five years ago. Most likely, you’re going to spend hours on your computer, scouring the likes of Indeed, Monster, and CareerBuilder. How do you go about getting an interview in this seemingly hopeless situation? Well, there are a few tips for those trying to sort through these murky waters.
You know the saying, “Applying to jobs is a full-time job”? Don’t listen to it. Related: Resume not working? Watch our resume tutorials NOW! Applying to jobs you’re not qualified for (which 50% of job seekers reportedly do!) is counter-productive to your job search. Competition is too fierce. Even qualified applicants aren’t getting callbacks.
When you are unemployed and looking for work, a job search can feel even more pressured-filled. The lack of income and feelings of insecurity make it hard to stay positive and focused on the goal of getting hired. Related: 5 Things You Should Be Doing If You’re Unemployed We lack confidence. That’s why the following three critical job search tips will help so much when you are unemployed:
Leaving your job and relocating with your partner can be a challenging feat. Between the stress of moving and getting comfortable in your new home, it can be hard to find work. So, how can you overcome the 'unemployment stigma' that goes along with it? Related: 3 Techniques To Fight Unemployment Stigma Here's what our approved career experts had to say:
