One of the most difficult things for veterans to do when they come back from war or being deployed is finding employment. As a result, some veterans simply go unemployed for months and sometimes even years. As a veteran, in order to continue receiving benefits, you might have to fill out a job search log. Here are some tips from your Veterans Affairs Charleston advocates on what to put in your log.
Date of Contact
This is the date when you contacted the employer where you conducted your job search. This should include the method of contact, too. Did you email the potential employer? Or make a phone call? Did you go to the place of employment in person? Be sure to include the exact day because that information will be needed when you’re matching it up with the week for which you’re applying for benefits.
Employer Information
The next thing to include in your job search log is the contact information for the employer that you contacted. This should include their name, the name of the company, the phone number and any other information you have. It should also include the city and state where the employer is located.
Type of Work
Another piece of information to include on your job search log is the type of work that you applied for. You don’t have to go into a lot of detail with this information, but simply include a job title or a very brief description of what you applied for. Some examples would be “janitor,” or “teller” or “administrative assistant,” just to give you an idea.
Result of Contact
Finally, you should include the result of your contact with the potential employer. Did they schedule an interview for you in the near future? Did they accept your application and resume and tell you they will keep it on file? Are you still waiting to hear something from the employer? Even if the employer told you that they aren’t hiring at this time, be sure to include this in your log as well.
Tips for Keeping a Log
Keeping a job search log is the best way to show you’ve been putting the effort in to search for employment. You should make notes every time you make another inquiry. You can keep these notes organized by keeping them in a notebook and having columns for each entry. This will help you when you need to go to the Veterans Affairs Charleston office to apply for benefits.
