Graham Plaster ⋅ Annapolis , MD U.S. Navy, Lieutenant ⋅ 11 years served

Thanks All for the great advice. I am well versed in tailoring my resume for specific jobs, networking and hitting veteran oriented job fairs. For those who don't know, NortonNet is a superior networking event in the DC area. I am happy to provide info if you contact me directly. Also, as one person noticed already, I am very connected on Linkedin, with over 1400 contacts and I run a group with 27k members. I would be happy to provide advice on improving your Linkedin profile. The reason I asked about resume broadcast services is because I have seen so much success from NortonNet that I am thinking of replicating the service for the Foreign Area Officer Association (FAOA.org) and TheIntelligenceCommunity.com, but wanted to know the competition. What I see happening in the job market is that demand for jobs is overwhelming the job boards and job fairs. A resume broadcast service helps to distribute the burden a bit more for the job seeker, as long as the service is hitting the right demographic of recruiters and hiring authorities. Case in point, NortonNet focuses on government and intelligence related jobs, and screens resumes before broadcasting them to recruiters. ResumeRabbit goes out to a much larger but less focused group. I have had more success with NortonNet because it is managed and curated so effectively.

Susanne Scholz ⋅ Conway , AR Hewlett Packard ⋅ 8 years experience

Graham, This actually came in my email - could be a good resource
Are you taking advantage of all the VA for Vets Career Center tools? Widen your job search through self-assessments. Taking a series of self-assessments generates a snapshot of your professional strengths. You can identify your levels of proficiency associated with common skills (like leadership or time management). A variety of tests evaluate:
• Actual work experience
• Current skills
• Work activities you enjoy
• Interests and work preferences
• Aptitudes and abilities
Armed with the results, you can highlight those strengths in your resume. Get started today in the VA for Vets Career Center. If you need assistance, call a VA for Vets career coach at 1-855-824-8387 (TTY: 1-855-824-8833).

The Veteran Employment Services Office (VESO) oversees VA for Vets, a comprehensive career management program that enables Veterans to successfully join the federal civilian workforce. To learn more, visit www.VAforVets.VA.gov.

Get the latest VA for Vets news by joining the conversation on LinkedIn and Facebook.

Edward Haugh ⋅ Westminster , MD Hewlett Packard ⋅ 17 years experience

Job fairs are major hirings for those with clearances. In the DC area with clearances get scooped up all the time.

Betsy Arroyo ⋅ Citrus Heights , CA Hewlett Packard ⋅ 10 years experience

USAJOBS - The Federal Government s Official Jobs Site
https://www.usajobs.gov/
One would think that the Federal Government would be a good place for Veterans. When I got out of the Air Force, I worked in the same office as where I worked as a Staff Sgt, except it was a civilian GS position. The transition was seamless. I bet for most active duty jobs, there is a civilian equivalent. Just a thought.

Judy Tomlinson ⋅ Dallas , TX Energy Future Holdings ⋅ 25 years experience

I agree with Scott. Most recruiters are scanning resumes for specific "buzz" words or skills that are mentioned in the job posting. You have about 30 seconds to impress so keep your resume down to two pages. (I can help with your resume if you like.) I use Careerbuilder.com and LinkedIn to find jobs in specific fields.
Judy Tomilnson
tomlinsonjk@aol.com

Kevin McIntyre ⋅ Loveland , CO Ricoh Production Print Solutions ⋅ 30 years experience

Hi Graham,

You can try Indeed.com (http://www.indeed.com/), or Monster.com (http://www.monster.com/). The key to using these sites with any degree of success is to make sure you do a good job of creating your profile. Also, create a "web-ready" version of your resume that contains many commonly searched key words (the key words vary depending on what field you are looking to get into).

I would not look at these sites as you sole - or even your primary - means of getting your name out there. I view job hunting as a multi-facetted effort. Broadcasting your resume is fine, but don't overlook the value of narrowing your focus to specific companies and specific positions. Yes, it is painstaking, but let's face it; getting a job is not easy. It is worth the time and effort to seek out and exploit specific opportunities.

But I would tend to agree with Robin. Network, Network, Network! LinkedIn is great. You could also try hooking up with a Networking group (many chamber's of commerce or economic development organizations have these groups, or know how to contact them.

Good luck with your search. If you would like to contact me, you can view my profile to get my email address. I would be happy to respond.