avatarJ & J (Jessica & Joshua J. Lyon, BSQP, CNP)

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Employment | Careers

Former Employment Professional Gives His Best Advice to Get the Job of Your Dreams

No yip-yap, let’s get to the work we love

Photo by Jon Ly on Unsplash

Regardless of your age or field, the fundamentals are always the same.

Best Way to Get a Job

So, the best way has always been through references. Even in some federal jobs, you’ll need a connection. References show the employer just how A) serious you are and B) how professional you are (how prepared you are). Those who a company is looking to hire.

Even some teens who wanted to get into politics, did it right. They went to college and got on an actual candidate’s team (fundraising, marketing, etc.).

Same thing for the military, CIA, and federal. If you are able to say, “I know so-and-so, we were in Langley together” for CIA. “we were in the same dive team” for wanting anything water. “they were my Army Ranger instructor” for FBI. “My first cybersecurity job was with them.” “I was on President _____’s media team, focused on video creation and advertising.”

Bad references showcase you as having done nothing.

Another thing, if your references have long forgotten you, you should have got new ones a long time ago. If you interview at a place where your reference is known, the job is almost yours.

Next, Where To Look

If you don’t have a connection in the perfect place, in the perfect company, don’t settle, expand and market. Anyone can do anything if they are willing to put in the legwork and get over whatever fallacy fear they have about publicity.

Make a 10–20 second video of yourself with standard lighting, normal business clothes, and everything else a normal top-level director would have — meaning a purpose and the demeanor of belonging.

Here is a list of some US departments:

The following is from: https://www.loc.gov/rr/news/

Executive Office of the President (EOP):

Executive Agencies:

Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Department of Commerce (DOC)

Department of Defense (DOD)

Department of Education

Department of Energy (DOE)

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

Department of the Interior (DOI)

Department of Justice (DOJ)

Department of Labor (DOL)

Department of State (DOS)

Department of Transportation (DOT)

Department of the Treasury

Department of Veterans Affairs

INDEPENDENT AGENCIES

BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AND COMMITTEES

Work for one of them.

Job Search Engines

Wherever you live, check out:

  • County Websites
  • City Websites
  • State Website
  • Other local official websites

That’s all you need.

Now, Your Resume

  • Only list skills and strengths you did independently
  • Only work jobs that the job you want to retire in would respect
  • Do not quit any job before you have another one
  • Have no gaps in your employment. The only gaps should be if you were in school and had a trust fund or you traveled to write a book.
  • Past tense language for past jobs and present tense for your current job
  • Do not overcompensate your skills, the hiring manager for any company previously stated will not even respond to your application

Interview

  • Nothing short of business professional attire. Even when I worked with individuals with IDD (intellectual limitations), we (as the whole industry) still follow the rules of dress as we teach our clients.
  • Brush your teeth (start ten years before the job interview)
  • Smell Good, not too much, or you’ll come off as a weird teenager jock who has no idea how to wear cologne
  • Know how to act in a job interview
  • Understand what the questions are really asking. The question “why should we/I hire you?” is all about why. “Because I feel I’m the best for the job” or “because I’ve done the job before” are not answers.

Why should you hire me? “Communication. Effectiveness. And time management. I have great communication between team members, communication skills when speaking in public, and know when to communicate with company leadership. I’m effective in working in mental health (including keeping HIPAA laws), in military operations, and in training employees. I have received great feedback from my references on my work with the community, other companies, and clients. Time management; I’m successful at getting projects and tasks done in the order they should be and fitting all my work in as necessary without supervision.”

I could have replaced one of them for:

  • technology
  • consumer-focus
  • task management
  • case management
  • and more

Cover Letter

Do one for every company and do it right.

ATF

If you want to work for the ATF, you will need the following for your application:

  • College transcripts
  • A resume did to their specifications (you must add the hours you worked per week for each company), and if you were military, you must add your veteran preferences.
  • DD-214 (if you are a veteran)
  • Disability letters
  • VA rating letter

Additional

Some companies require all the following for each reference:

  • full name
  • current company
  • current title
  • email
  • phone number
  • company address
  • type of reference
  • years known

So, have all that information for each reference.

A good number of references is four active ones at all times.

Thanks for reading! Thanks for the positive comments!! Thanks for sharing!!!

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