Hart-Dole-Inouye Federal Center  Military and Family Support Center

A successful job search is a result of preparation, persistence and timely follow-up of all leads and involves using a variety of resources such as networking through business, community, professional, associations, friends and acquaintances.

Taking a course at one of the Michigan colleges in your career specialty is a great way to meet local professors and students who have a lot of local contacts. Journals, magazines and newspapers serve to keep you up to date on what is happening in your field and also list the classified advertisements that offer potential employment opportunities.

For job seekers interested in government employment, there are many options right here in Michigan. The federal government, including jobs for the Defense Logistics Agency, lists openings through USAJOBS.

The state's unemployment is generally higher than the city of Battle Creek and the county of Calhoun. Reference the following:

• Michigan Labor Market website for current rates
• U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics website to compare unemployment rates with other states, and to see Battle Creek's current rate

Michigan's governor is making jobs one of the top priorities. Michigan is offering tax incentives to bring in new businesses. Michigan's history is rich in auto manufacturing. Michigan is planning for the future by offering various training and education programs to prepare our citizens for higher educational and technical jobs such as medical and medical research, technology and going-green industries.

See the state of Michigan's website for Michigan educational and job opportunities, links to employment agencies in Michigan and the different programs Michigan is offering.

There are many federal, state, county and city employment opportunities, as well as the Department of Military Affairs and the Veterans Administration within Battle Creek and other local areas. Please visit their respective websites for more information and job postings:

• City jobs
• County jobs
• State jobs

You can also visit the USAJOBS website for openings for other federal jobs with the Department of Military Affairs, the VA and others.

Transition assistance is not available on the site. The Military Transition Assistance Program is available through the website military.com/military-transition/transition-assistance-program-overview.html.

There are many educational opportunities for spouses and children in the Battle Creek areas. Check online to see which provides resources to find student financial aid. All campuses have financial aid counselors available to assist their students with loans or grants, as well as tuition assistance. Find college scholarship information online.

Federal financial aid information can be found on the U.S. Department of Education website.

Most colleges have financial aid offices for military students.

Michigan's Unemployment Insurance Agency offers two methods for filing unemployment claims on its website. You may file a claim by phone or online as long as you meet the following criteria: You have been employed by at least one, but not more than 19, Michigan employers during the last 18 months; you did not file an unemployment claim against another state during the past 12 months; and you did not work under more than one social security number during the past 18 months. You must file by telephone if you do not know your employer's mailing address.

Helpful tips for applying online:

• Website load times can be slow. Click a link once and wait for a response without clicking again.
• Apply online during non-peak hours, 8 p.m.-8 a.m. The 24-hours-a-day website operates faster when fewer people are on the site.