I retired in July 1997 after a 20-year career in the U.S. Air Force. For the last 13 of those years I was a bioenvironmental engineer, a mix of industrial hygienist and environmental engineer. My training and experience encompassed all aspects of industrial hygiene, radiation safety, asbestos inspection and abatement, lead-based paint risk assessment, environmental health hazard assessment of Superfund sites, emergency response, ergonomics and more.

I had also just graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a Master of Science degree in Environmental Management. I thought I'd be getting job offers before I retired from the Air Force. I was mistaken.

My job hunt was filled with disappointment and frustration. I'd like to share my experience and the knowledge I gained from it to help make other job-seekers' journeys a little smoother.

Shock treatment

My first shock came when recruiters told me their industrial customers weren't interested in anyone with a military experience; they thought the military didn't need to comply with OSHA or EPA. This is absolutely untrue! Military bases do get cited by OSHA and EPA. Military EHS professionals are required to comply with all federal, state and local regulations. Often, Department of Defense EHS regulations are more stringent than federal regulations.

Since my bachelor's degree is in chemical engineering, I looked up colleagues in the directory of the American Industrial Hygiene Association who worked in the chemical and petrochemical industries. Again, I was shocked to learn that these industries had downsized their EHS departments two years ago. I had just read in the latest edition of a major job hunting publication that chemical companies were hiring industrial hygienists. I couldn't believe they'd publish such outdated information!

Not even federal jobs were an option. It takes from six months to a year to land a federal position. A federal application requires hours of work and extensive documentation of education, references and college transcripts. I applied to 20-some federal opportunities for environmental engineers or industrial hygienists, but I didn't have the year of specialized experience required for many of these positions.

In my frustration, I made the grave mistake of sending my resume to a career consulting firm that runs fancy ads in every major newspaper and boasts offices in 72 cities nationwide. The consultant convinced my wife and I that only through his office could I expect to obtain the high-paying position I deserved.

He claimed they had 'contacts in industry' to help me find the 'hidden job market' and that they would put me 'in front of the decision-makers.' He even said, "You'll be pleased with the job that we find you." I paid a $3,600 fee for 'a three-year contract.' In retrospect, I know that if my morale had not hit rock bottom, I never would have fallen for this scam.

It took five weeks to find out they would only help me find interviews. In other words, they told me how to call companies, try to convince them to invite me to the company to talk about career opportunities in that industry (not a job interview), and hope they would be interested in me and offer me a job. They said it would take 50 to 400 of these interviews to find a position. The company had few, if any, contacts in industry, and they never got me any interview or any job.

Consultants like this are smart. They write a contract ambiguous enough so, once you sign it, they have your money and there's nothing you can do. They fool thousands of professionals--especially those who have been laid off from their jobs and are desperate.

Next, I bought a good computer with Internet access and started checking job sites. I learned quickly that the majority of openings were in the EHS field, not industrial hygiene.

I also subscribed to the Employment Services of my professional association, which sent me a monthly booklet with EHS job listings. Over a three-month period, I sent out 218 resumes to private industry. I got one interview with a Defense contractor through the Internet and one interview with an industrial hygiene consultant through the association.

Finally, I answered an employment ad in the local newspaper that landed me a job as environmental and safety engineer with an excellent Oklahoma company.

Lessons learned

When my search was over, here's what I had learned:

1. Be prepared to do EHS work. Don't try to specialize in industrial hygiene or environmental management.

2. Ads in newspapers and trade magazines are a good source of available positions. Networking has some value but don't put too much stock in it. Lots of positions are advertised on the Internet but competition is tough.

3. Never pay anybody for a job. Professional recruiters charge the employer, not the applicant.

4. Don't put all your faith in one recruiter. Most do little more than place your name in their database.

5. Be patient and persistent! Read job ads carefully. Some are so small you may miss them the first time. The right job may be in the Sunday newspaper you failed to read. When my search was over, here's what I had learned:

1. Be prepared to do EHS work. Don't try to specialize in industrial hygiene or environmental management.

2. Ads in newspapers and trade magazines are a good source of available positions. Networking has some value but don't put too much stock in it. Lots of positions are advertised on the Internet but competition is tough.

3. Never pay anybody for a job. Professional recruiters charge the employer, not the applicant.

4. Don't put all your faith in one recruiter. Most do little more than place your name in their database.

5. Be patient and persistent! Read job ads carefully. Some are so small you may miss them the first time. The right job may be in the Sunday newspaper you failed to read. When my search was over, here's what I had learned:

1. Be prepared to do EHS work. Don't try to specialize in industrial hygiene or environmental management.

2. Ads in newspapers and trade magazines are a good source of available positions. Networking has some value but don't put too much stock in it. Lots of positions are advertised on the Internet but competition is tough.

3. Never pay anybody for a job. Professional recruiters charge the employer, not the applicant.

4. Don't put all your faith in one recruiter. Most do little more than place your name in their database.

5. Be patient and persistent! Read job ads carefully. Some are so small you may miss them the first time. The right job may be in the Sunday newspaper you failed to read.