To get a post-military job, drop the jargon, GI

Through his sister, who is involved in real estate, he met an employee at HomeBanc Mortgage Corp. That connection ultimately led to a job for Trumble as a mortgage banker for the firm. His total time in the job-search game — 45 days.

For military folks, networking might be easier than you think. There is an endless reservoir of people to call upon that were also once in the military. Don’t be embarrassed to call all the buddies you made in the service, says Wally Adamchik, author of "NO YELLING: The Nine Secrets of Marine Corps Leadership You Must Know to Win in Business." “It’s just leveraging the people you know and using them to meet folks. That’s a foreign concept for a military person.”

And don’t forget to check out the myriad sources online. There are government-run sites to help ex-military personnel find jobs, and there are also independent sites for networking and job postings. Most bases offer transition services for ex-GIs, so go back to Uncle Sam and find out what you’re eligible for.

Fact file Here are some helpful Web sites for ex-GIs seeking work: Military.com TogetherWeServed.com VetFriends.com G.I.Jobs.net

Troy Ponto, a former flight engineer in the Marines who retired last June, got an e-mail about a job at Advanced Technology Services, which maintains equipment for factories, through the transition assistance office at his military base in North Carolina.

Ponto faced a difficult career challenge. He wanted to be a manager but since he entered the Marines 20 years ago and never got a college degree, he was facing an uphill battle to get the title of boss even though he managed almost 70 men during his service.

He decided to take the get-your-foot-in-the-door approach and find a job that would offer him the opportunity for advancement. He is now the site coordinator for the company — not quite a manager yet — handling troubleshooting of equipment.

For Ponto, the interview process was a challenge as he tried to take what he did in the military and translate that into civilian terms.

“I recommend to anyone coming out to not be afraid of accepting an interview, even though it might not be your dream job, in order to get experience with interviewing,” he says.

You have to make sure the hiring manager understands the skills you can bring to the job.

“You can’t just say I’m drug free and I know how to follow orders,” Adamchik adds. “Employers today want people who can think.”

Talk about a specific assignment that shows how you were able to map out a plan and then execute it. Keep code names for military operations, or model numbers of helicopters or tanks to yourself.

Former military folks may have to pay some dues before they find just the right job. That might mean taking a short-term internship to learn the ropes.

You might consider offering to do the job for a few months with no strings attached, and put it in writing if the hiring manager is more comfortable with that, advises Brian Drum, a consultant who also writes a monthly career column for military.com. He also suggests going through a temporary staffing agency. Many companies often hire temps as full-time employee once they see an individual can get the job done.

Above all, don’t get disheartened when you hit some roadblocks initially. And don’t take just take any job out of desperation. Many veterans are entitled to unemployment benefits when they leave the military, so take some time and look for the right gig.

“That first job is always the hardest to find,” explains Drum. “Don’t settle on any job because it can derail you for a while if it’s not the right one."

Andersen, the Marine who was a helicopter crewman in Iraq, took a low-paying job for a home-improvement retailer in San Diego even though it wasn’t what he wanted. He ended up leaving after only a brief period because he felt his direct boss was anti-military and figured his chances of moving up the ladder were slim.

He now is a financial service specialist for a bank in Atlanta, and even though it’s not the exact job title he hoped for he sees room for advancement.

“I’m going to prove myself to my employer,” he says,  “and see how high I can go.”

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