Military Times EDGE

Soaring unemployment rates and dismal economic forecasts continue to strike fear in the hearts of many a job-seeker. For soon-to-be and recent college graduates, the prospect of that first job hunt may be all the more daunting. And with reason.

According to a new report published by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, employers expect to hire 7 percent fewer graduates from the college Class of 2010 than they hired from the Class of 2009.

Whether you hope to use your college degree to advance your military career or step out into the civilian work force, good grammar, in your speech and on paper, is one sure way to give yourself an edge.

If you think misplaced apostrophes and incorrect verb tenses don’t matter, think again. According to one recent survey from temporary staffing firm Accountemps, 75 percent of executives interviewed said just one or two typos in a resume would remove applicants from consideration for a job. Forty percent said it takes only one typo to rule candidates out.

Just as you would not wear dirty, rumpled clothes to an interview or spout profanities to your interviewer, nor should you assume that employers are going to be so blown away by your experiences and charm that poor communication skills and a less-than-impressive command of the English language aren’t going to matter.

Often, mistakes on resumes and in cover letters are the result of poor proofreading. Spell-check programs are not going to catch every mistake. Consider these bloopers posted on the Hall of Fame section of Resumania (www.resumania.com):
1. “I’m attacking my resume for your review.”
2. “Hope to hear from you, shorty.”
3. “Chapter president, 1887-1992”
4. “I prefer a fast-paste work environment.”

Sure, they’re humorous. But I’m willing to bet none of these resumes and cover letters made it past the first cut.

Other times, grammar mistakes are the result of ignorance. Maybe you’ve forgotten what you’ve learned in high school English class, or you were so busy goofing off that you never learned it in the first place. Examples of some common, everyday no-no’s made in speech:
1. “Between you and I.”
2. “Me and my former colleague created an award-winning presentation.”
3. “I did not take it laying down.”

Avoiding mistakes in writing and speech is simple. First, ensure you have a command of what is right and wrong. Most schools offer writing refresher courses, many of them free, or have writing resource centers. On-base education centers or school career offices also have people on hand who can red-line your work.

Finally, always read over your resume and cover letter before submitting it for employment. When in doubt, ask a friend or trusted adviser to proof your work. And practice before interviews. Record yourself and critique your performance, or have someone else critique it for you.

Ever Googled yourself or someone else you know? Here’s something to consider: Admissions officers at schools where you have applied may be Googling YOU. And what they find could take your name off the list of prospective students.

Last year, I interviewed Drew Myers, president of the military-to-civilian recruiting firm RecruitMilitary.com. Myers spoke then of the importance of keeping your image clean and respectable on social-networking sites, so would-be employers don’t find any unpleasant surprises when they check up on you online.

It should come as no surprise that colleges and universities are looking at you, too. A recent survey by education services company Kaplan Inc. found that 10 percent of admissions officers from prestigious schools had looked up applicants’ profiles on Web sites such as MySpace and Facebook. Of those using the profiles, 38 percent said it had a “negative impact” on the applicant.

Job-placement firm Bradley-Morris, which specializes in veteran job placement, has a good article on its Web site about so-called cyberskeletons and how they can haunt you in the job search. The information has applicability to the college admissions process as well.

If you’re preparing to graduate from college and embark on your civilian job search, the time to start looking for employment is now.

According to a 2007 Graduating Student Survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, students who began their job search early were rewarded for their efforts with job offers firmly in hand in advance of graduation.

Getting an early start is all the more important when you consider this sobering fact: Another recent NACE survey – the Job Outlook 2009 Spring Update – found that, as the economy has continued to suffer its downturn, employers expect to hire 22 percent fewer new graduates from the Class of 2009 than they hired from the Class of 2008.

Fortunately, your time in uniform continues to be a draw for would-be employers, who are looking to hire people with the leadership skills and strong work ethic that has become synonymous with military experience.

Last year, I wrote an article about the job-search process for service members leaving uniform and entering the civilian work force, but the advice offered by military hiring experts has relevance for service-members-turned-students as well.

James Madison University also has a very comprehensive job and internship search process section on its site. Chances are, your own school has a pretty cool job search section on its Web site as well.

During our nation’s ongoing economic crisis, much emphasis has been placed on finding or pursuing “recession-proof jobs.” But what if you’re not yet at the job-search stage?

It seems reasonable to assume that recession-proof jobs are most successfully pursued by those with corresponding recession-proof college majors.

If you are considering a college degree or have recently embarked on your higher — education journey, it makes sense to evaluate whether careers in your intended field are going to continue to survive — and even thrive – or go the way of the dinosaurs.

My colleague, Adam Stone, recently wrote an excellent story that profiles seven bulletproof careers. Reader’s Digest magazine did its own profile of nine recession-proof fields. The jobs highlighted in both stories span a range of college majors and training programs, offering a little something for every type of thinker.

It’s always good thinking to select a major that will allow you to work in a field you love. Another really smart move? Making sure that major will allow you the greatest chance of employability in uncertain economic times.

The International Franchise Expo must rank among Washington, D.C.’s tastiest trade shows thanks to “restaurant row,” where franchise restaurants entice potential new owners with samples of sandwiches, smoothies, tacos and pizza.

This year’s expo is coming up March 20-22 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, and it’s free for veterans who can produce proof of their service.

Attending the annual expo really is a great way to learn more about the concept, to find out what new franchises are out there — it’s not just a food-service industry by a long shot — and to learn which companies offer discounts to vets through the International Franchise Association’s VetFran program.

If you’re new to the idea of franchising, you won’t want to miss the “Franchising 101 for Veterans” seminar scheduled for 3:30-5 p.m. Saturday, March 21. Our good friend Ed Totanes — Navy veteran and Virginia Barbeque franchisee — is a panelist at this year’s seminar.

You can read more about Ed’s entrepreneurial endeavors in the premier edition of EDGE the magazine, which will be included in Feb. 2 subscriber editions of the Military Times newspapers.

In the meantime, here’s more information about the show.