One of the most challenging aspects of transitioning back into civilian life is that of finding employment. In most cases the usual channels are exhaustive; Monster.com, CareerBuilder.com and others are ready to take resumes in an attempt to match candidates with employers. For the most part this is a good thing. However, one thing to keep in mind is that these web-sites are not employers.

Most employers like to think they are offering positions openly to those who have served in the Military. This is not always the case. Within my previous company I was always an advocate for looking to hire from the ranks of the U.S. Military. You get discipline, attention to detail, leadership and an occupational experience that is unlike any other in the civilian workspace.

The reality was, that the competition for these higher paying jobs was stiff and not focused on assisting a veteran's re-entry into the workforce. The focus was more on those who had attended a 4 year college or better. And in many cases it was more around not if they obtained a degree, but which institution was attended. The likes of MIT, Stanford, Princeton and others always took priority over other institutions.

This is a barrier that many in the enlisted ranks at least, find almost impossible to overcome. There are those who enlist straight out of high school who, despite the benefits available to obtain a degree, never find the time away from Duty, Assignments and deployments to actually complete a degree program. This is not to say that some institutions are not making an effort to build programs suited for these individuals. You only need look at the various on-line programs and on-base/station programs offered by 4 year institutions. The reality is, not many large corporations look at these institutions as being equal to those larger institutions.

So where does that leave the military member when it is time to separate from the military? Most are unable to translate their experience into meaningful language that Hiring managers are looking for. The networks needed to search out opportunities are non-existent and worse, the local community itself may not offer the types of positions that allow growth and experience in the commercial marketplace.

There are one thing that you should not do is give up. There are opportunities and companies who do prefer to hire former military personnel. You just have to scratch the surface a bit to find them. The Government itself is a good place to start and its ranks are filled with former men and women from the Armed Services who understand the difficulties in transitioning back into the civilian workforce.

The Veteran's Administration is a good place to start as they have a comprehensive national Job Bank designed to offer up positions in most regions across the country. However, even the VA is not subject to criticism.

After loosing my position in a Global Investment Bank after 9 years to the recent Mortgage crisis, I attended a Job Fair hosted by Recruit Military. A representative from the Veteran's Health Administration was on hand and when I inquired about the possibility of being considered for a position in my field, I was told that my resume would be taken, but that most positions were filled internally with transfers from other organizations of the VA. So again, I found myself on the outside looking in.

This again places me back in the mindset that it isn't so much what you know, but who you know. I know I am qualified for any position I apply for. The problem is, without a 4 year degree, I am finding my experience and accomplishments are not being favored over anything else that HR representatives are looking for. It doesn't seem that they even make it past my resume to offer me an interview.

I once again find myself focused on building and strengthening my network. This is something that cannot be stressed enough. Your network is only one tool in the box towards finding solid employment, but it can not be considered any less important than any degree or job board. The fact of the matter is, that those who know you or know what you have achieved within the military will be the ones to reach down and lend you a hand.

One way to do this is to look into the various Service Organizations that are out there, and I can can tell you there are many. The American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and numerous others are there to not only represent you, but to connect you with others who may need your advice, recommendation or friendship. There has to be a greater effort to validate the term "Brothers-in-Arms."