Joe Paschall ⋅ Madison , AL nLogic, LLC ⋅ 26 years experience

Good answer from Benjamin. I will add that you are asking the wrong question. The question should be "when should I start networking" to which the answer would be "at 2 years before you take off the uniform". If you have done no networking to date, and are 90 days from taking off the uniform and planning to send out resumes "in the blind" and apply online without knowing anyone in the company, you are heading down a long hard road. If you have already been networking for a year or so, have a LinkedIn Profile fully populated, and have a few hundred connections, THEN the answer is to start sending resumes to specific folks 90--120 days in advance. But ths only works if you have done all the prep ahead of time.

William Smith ⋅ Suffern , NY Right Management ⋅ 25 years experience

Joe,

Both Benjamin and Joe have given you some excellant advice. Statistics show that over 75% of the jobs today are obtained through networking.

I am a career consultant working with several veteran groups who assist vets transition into the civilian workforce. I would be glad to review your resume and offer some suggestions.

Best Regards,

Bill Smith

Benjamin Edgson ⋅ Lewis Center , OH Abrasive Technology ⋅ 10 years experience

Joe -- Thank you for your service to our country.

I don' t think it's ever too early to send out your resume, although it would be wise to detail when you will be available either on your resume and/or cover letter to set clear expectations with your potential employer.

It is also never too early to start leveraging your network. Don't rely solely on a resume to get you an interview. Identify people you know who can help you find work and ask them to introduce you to a hiring manager or make a recommendation for you.

Use tools like LinkedIn to identify people in organizations where you'd like to work and reach out to them proactively. When doing so, be respectful, ask them to share what their experience has been (how they found the job, what they like about working there, what the culture is like, etc.), and see if they can offer any help introducing you to others in the organization.

Good luck!

Joe Botto ⋅ Wildomar , CA U.S. Army, Sergeant First Class ⋅ 16 years served

Thank you Benjamin

Joe Botto ⋅ Wildomar , CA U.S. Army, Sergeant First Class ⋅ 16 years served

Thanks Joe. I have been networking for a while now and have a few people wanting me to send my resume. Thanks again,

Joe