Oregon job opportunities

Explore your  ​​options

Sometimes our job titles don’t tell the whole story. Take time to explore our career paths to find the areas that match your qualifications and interests. 

Write with the recruiter and hiring manager in mind

You’ve developed a wide range of skills that can transfer to different jobs within the county, but you need to make that clear to the people screening your application materials.

• Use non-military language to describe your skills and experience.
  
• Consider the required and preferred skills and experience stated on each job announcement, then clearly describe how your experience and qualifications match.
  
• A number of online tools can help you translate military skills into plain English. The O-NET military crosswalk search tool is a good place to start. Other options include CareerOneStop’s military to civilian occupation translator and Military.com’s skills translator. 

Highlight transferable skills and qualifications

If you qualify for veterans’ preference and you believe you possess skills that would transfer well to a specific job opening, and/or special qualifications that relate to the position, be sure to explain how your skills and/or qualifications relate to the required and preferred skills and qualifications stated on the job announcement. 

Read the job announcement – then read it again

Our job announcements state the minimum and preferred qualifications for each position. Be sure you clearly demonstrate how you meet those qualifications on your application. Make sure you understand what materials are required to apply for each opening and take the time to review your application and other materials before you submit your application. 

Be clear and complete

 If you are required to answer supplemental questions as part of the application process, be sure to include all relevant information for each question. Be as concise as possible, but don’t leave out any experience or skills that directly relate to each answer. Any training or experience you refer to in your responses should match the information on your application. (In other words, if you answer a question using details about a particular job, make sure the job appears in the work history section of your application.) 

Don’t delay

Apply for an opening that interests you as soon as you can. Some recruitments may close without warning. 

Veterans preference in employment eligibility 

Qualifying for veterans’ preference

The following documents must be submitted to qualify for veterans’ preference:

Veterans (qualifying for 5 points)

                                          i.     A copy of the Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (DD214 or 215).

or

                                         ii.     a letter from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs indicating the applicant receives a non-service connected pension

Disabled Veterans (qualifying for 10 points)

                                          i.     A copy of form DD214 and a copy of a letter from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs indicating a disability rating unless the information is included on the DD214 or 215

or

                                         ii.     A copy of a letter from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs indicating the person is receiving service-connected compensation

                             or

                       iii.  A copy of form DD214 showing an award of the Purple Heart

Note: The DD214 must state character of service as honorable. Not all DD214 copies included the character of service. Please submit service copy 2, 3 or member copy 4.  

Veteran

You must have served on active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States (US):

1. For more than 90 consecutive days beginning on or before January 31, 1955; or 
2. For more than 178 consecutive days; or
3. For 178 days or less and has a disability rating from the US Department of Veteran’s Affairs; or 
4. For at least one day in a combat zone; or 
5. Received a combat or campaign ribbon or an expeditionary medal for service in the Armed Forces.
6. You are receiving a non-service connected pension from the US Department of Veterans Affairs.​

 Disabled Veteran

 You must be:

1. A person whose discharge or release from active duty was for a disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty; or
   
2. Have a disability rating from the US Department of Veterans Affairs; or
3. Awarded the Purple Heart for wounds received in combat.

Or

1.     A person who is receiving service-connected compensation from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs under 38 U.S.C. 1110 or 1131.

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