Job Search

As of around 10 this morning, I am on the market.

It isn’t a complete surprise, in that the company has been experiencing financial woes for months now, but I didn’t think it would happen for a few months. I had been quietly dabbling in the job market for a while but not aggressively enough, as it turns out. They’re paying me through the end of March and I’ve managed to build my savings back up a little, so I can make it for a couple of months, anyway.

If anyone has any leads, I’d appreciate them. My skills are in the national security business and I had already planned to submit several applications for intelligence analyst and similar postions with the feds. I’m also looking to see what I can find with the many local think tanks, defense consultant firms, and even the mass media. If anyone has contacts in those areas or ideas for other private sector possibilities in the D.C. Metro area, I’m open to suggestions.

FILED UNDER: OTB History
James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. Tom says:

    James

    Sorry to hear about the change in status. I will keep my eyes and ears open for you.

    Tom

  2. joy says:

    James,

    Sorry to hear that. :-/

  3. Richard says:

    James,

    I too send my best wishes no the job hunt.

  4. I hope that you find something quickly, and that it is a position which still allows you to maintain OTB.

  5. James Joyner says:

    Thanks, all. And, yes, it has occured to me that a job in the Intelligence Community might preclude continuing the blog, at least in its current form.

  6. jen says:

    I’m so sorry. If you want to email your resume to me, I can forward it to some folks.

  7. SMASH says:

    James,

    I may be able to help. Check your email.

  8. James Joyner says:

    Jen and SMASH,

    Thanks! Resumes are already sent to both of you.

  9. I have a couple former students who work at the DIA — apparently their decision and clearance processes are the quickest of all the Intel agencies.

    Good luck. Link to my site if it pans out …

  10. Bryan says:

    I blame the evil Bush economy.

    Seriously, hope this is a *very* temporary position, and that the new gig allows you to maintain the blog.

  11. Mark Hasty says:

    Sorry to hear it, James. But you’re too good to be idle for long.

  12. Kate says:

    Wish I had advice or leads, but I have never actually had a job, so I’ve no experience in looking for one.

    But if you need tips on how to skip out on the bill collectors or stretching a box of Kraft Dinner into 3 days of meals… you know who to ask!

    But something tells me you’ll land on your feet. Any potential employer who google searches “James Joyner” is going to find some impressive stuff.

    🙂

  13. Jon Henke says:

    I’d hate to see this blog end so quickly after I found it. My sympathies on this bad day, but good luck on the next.

  14. Ursula says:

    I agree with the others above that you are too good to be idle for long. Unfortunately, don’t know anyone in the industries you are pursuing. So keeping fingers crossed that something will turn up. Will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

  15. Jem says:

    James, sorry to hear about your sudden unemployment. If you’d care to send me a resume, I’d be more than happy to get you into the pipeline at my company. If you don’t currently have a clearance, it could take a little time–but we’re looking to hire lots of folks into intelligence-related work.

  16. Jalal Abu Jarhead says:

    Best of luck, James. It’s a real wrench when it happens, but I’m sure you’ll land on your feet. Soon.

  17. Mac Swift says:

    These guys might have some openings or resources for national security related jobs

    American Military University
    http://www.amu.edu

    Good luck!

  18. Mac Swift says:

    Whoops, bad link. Here’s the right one:

    http://www.apus.edu/AMU/home/AMU/

    You can get a direct link to their employment page here.

  19. Good luck. Wish I could help, but my DC contacts are mostly long gone. Somebody with your talents though will get snapped up ASAP. Steve

  20. Paul says:

    (there has to be one in every crowd)

    GREAT! Now you can blog full time!

    P

  21. Jim says:

    James,
    I might be able to help. Check your email and let me know what you are really looking for. I haven’t been in the area long but as someone who left the Army about 7 minths ago, I am familiar with many of the recruiters.

    Jim

  22. Ravi Nanavati says:

    Don’t know if the kind of job you’re looking for is advertised normally, but if you want to keep tabs on ads of interest I’d suggest http://rssjobs.com

    Good luck.

  23. Doug says:

    I can’t offer much, but my scaffolding crew needs some help.

  24. Cam says:

    James,

    I’m really sorry to hear about this. I’ll keep my ears open (and I think I might actually know about a job soon to be opening up in the area… not sure if you’d be interested or not).

  25. Josh McClain says:

    James,

    Check your email my friend and keep me posted.

  26. MikeC says:

    I was watching Tech Tv and the FBI is hiring over 900 Intelligence analysts. They will even offer a basic training 101 course to hire people.

  27. Kathianne says:

    Hey, sorry about the turn of events, trust me you are better off than moi, nearly 50. Did you see the stuff regarding the FBI analyst positions? Damn, it’s right up you alley. Check Chicago Tribune last Friday.

  28. James Joyner says:

    Kathianne,

    Thanks. And, yes, I sympathize. At 38 and single, I could be in worse shape.

    Yep on the FBI. I saw the ad in the Sunday WaPo a week ago and spent most of this past weekend working on the KSAs. I was doing it as a preemptive move hoping to have an offer before the bottom fell out on the current job but, so it goes.

    Bureaucracy being what it is, I’m not too optimistic of being able to get hired by them before the money runs out, although I’ll certainly put in for it. “Hundreds” of positions sound good.

  29. Good luck, James.

  30. John Little says:

    SAIC (www.saic.com) has tons of openings in your area. Good luck.

  31. Amanda says:

    James,
    The National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base posts a new job for an intelligence specialist about every week. You can sign up for email-alerts here:
    https://jobs.quickhire.com/scripts/wpafb.exe
    Good luck!

  32. I assume you’ve been checking out SACI, DFI, BAH, and the like?