How to Break Back into the Job Search – EP 12
Returning back to work after years away is difficult enough, but for military spouses the process is even more overwhelming. Today’s guest will share how to leverage your volunteer experience, tips to craft your resume, and how to get your foot in the door.
Evie King is the Vice-President and Executive Director of InDependent. Her dedication to the organization propelled her from the Community Manager in May 2016, to the Operations Director role in December 2016, and in 2018 she moved into her current roles. Evie found InDependent in 2015 after searching “military spouse wellness” on the internet and learned that there was a supportive community of military spouses who were also on their own wellness journeys.
Evie started out her career as a hard hat and steel-toed boot wearing corporate accountant for a manufacturing company. She stayed there for three years before marrying her soldier in 2011. Currently, Evie is a full-time recruiter for WWC Global, a woman-owned government consulting firm headquartered in Tampa, FL.
Things we discussed in this episode:
- Things to keep in mind when you are breaking back into your job search
- How volunteering can benefit your professional and personal growth
- Why you should strategically consider volunteer opportunities
- How to seek resume-building experience through volunteering
- How to get your foot in the door within organizations that you want to work for
- Why you should be picky and shop around before selecting volunteer roles
- How volunteer experience fits into your resume
- How to bring up volunteer experience in job interviews
- Do’s and don’ts of your resume
- How to craft your resume
- The importance of your cover letter
Meet Laura:
Laura Briggs is empowering the freelance generation. Through her public speaking, coaching, and writing, she helps freelancers build the business of their dreams without sacrificing all their time, family, or sanity. Laura burned out as an inner-city middle school teacher before becoming an accidental freelancer with a Google search for “how to become a freelance writer.” Since then, she’s become a contributor to Entrepreneur, Business Insider, and Writer’s Weekly. She worked for more than 300 clients around the world including Microsoft, Truecar, and the Mobile Marketing Association. She’s delivered two TEDx talks on the power of the freelance economy for enabling freedom and flexibility and how it’s being used to address the technical skills gap in the U.S. Laura is the host of the Advanced Freelancing podcast, a sought-after public speaker on the gig and digital freelance economy, and a freelance coach focused on aspiring six-figure freelancers. Laura’s books, courses, and coaching have reached over 11,000 people.
As a military spouse, Laura is passionate about serving her community and founded Operation Freelance, a nonprofit organization that teaches veterans and military spouses how to become freelancers and start their own business.