12 Reasons Why Junior Military Officers (JMO) Should Avoid Recruiters | Jay Wren

I had a bad experience with a professional recruiting firm back when I was on my way to getting out of the service. As this article says, they did nothing for me, probably as I had no particular special skill set to offer, and they are out to pad their own pockets and not get you a job. I came away disillusioned and ended up getting something on my own doing a lot of the things which are discussed in a number of pieces here on RP. The job hunting tips work for everyone of every rank, in some manner or fashion. A lot of good experience and ideas shared here on RP.

Any military officer should be able to articulate their leadership experience and its relevance to fitting with the civilian organization he/she is applying for, and find their own opportunities. I'd also double down on avoiding recruiters if you are only dropping to a drilling reserve status (there is a time and a place to tactfully disclose that detail).

I honestly think it depends on the individual. I have used recruiters with great success when trying to get a job all the way across the country in a small field. No one knew my name or skill set. The recruiter got my foot in the door with multiple companies in about 3 days. Something I couldn't do in 3 months. That said, I am a degreed engineer. That is very sellable.