It’s not easy to plan your post-military life in the waning days of your active duty time. Deployments, field training, family time, and the normal everyday challenges stand in your way as obstacles. The time you have is usually filled with friends, loved ones, or just focused on you. For me, it was easy to get caught up in the “bubble” I lived in – if it didn’t have an impact on my world, I didn’t give it much attention.
I separated from the Army twice – the first time after four years and the second after twenty. There was a huge difference in how I approached each of those transitions. There were no transition assistance programs available during my initial transition, but I’m not sure it would have helped me much due to a terrible economy. The lessons I learned and the struggle I experienced following my first transition made me aware of the challenges ahead and how I needed to overcome them before I planned my second transition.
Transition Obstacles to Overcome
These challenges are the same today as they were then:
- Find a way to translate military experience so that it relates to the private sector
- Obtain training and education to compete in the job market
- Know your peer group and how you stack up
- Understand the outside forces that will impact the transition (economy, your savings/sustainability, etc.)
So how do you improve your chances of a smooth transition? I wish I had a magic potion or an easy solution to help you, but there isn’t one. The “secret sauce” is you and how well you prepare for that transition.
The funny thing is that everyone who is currently serving our country will inevitably transition out of the military, yet the emphasis on transition doesn’t happen until a service member decides that they will not reenlist or until they begin attending transitional services classes. They attend the classes because they are mandatory and likely have a “short timer” approach to most things. They can recite the months, days, and hours until their ETS, yet don’t always have a plan on what they will do once they separate. You’ve seen them and so have I.
Before You Take Off the Uniform
Unless you are an impulse buyer, you probably spend lots of time planning your vacation, researching the purchase of a new TV, and other important decisions. Planning your transition should also be a methodical process, and should begin the day you take the oath, not after you’ve made a decision to not reenlist.
As you plan to take off the uniform, here are 4 keys to remember.
Make short and long-term goals
Too many people decide to leave the military without first making short and long-term goals for success. Before building a plan, you must know what you want to do in the private sector. What education and experience is required? How competitive is the industry job market? Research the job market to know how you stack up against the competition in that field. Identify the gaps in education or experience that you need to make your resume stand out. Determine whether these gaps require additional time on active duty to improve your chances of a successful transition.
Know what you’re passionate about
What gets you excited? What are you naturally creative about? If you can apply your passion to your job, you’ll be more productive and successful. Some people are able to turn their passion into employment. But, even if you don’t plan on starting your own company, find a way to apply your passion into your next position. Take some time to think about your passion. Ask friends and family to help you.
Understand your peer group
It’s important to know how your skills, experience, and education will compare to others. Too often people misidentify which peer group they are aligned with. You’ll know your peer group when you compare the value you bring to a position compares equally or better than everyone else. A recruiter or hiring manager takes 5-7 seconds to evaluate a resume. And more than 34% of applicants are underqualified for the position they apply to. How do you plan to stand out?
Increase your chances of obtaining the job you want by ensuring you meet or exceed the qualifications when compared to your peers. If you’ve been in information technology for the last ten years, but spent much of it performing security while deployed, you shouldn’t state that you have ten years of information technology experience. Be honest with yourself and your potential employer.
Don’t focus on the income or title
Although money pays the bills and it’s important, you don’t want that to be your primary focus. You may have to initially take a position that is not a perfect match for your passion and experience. Sometimes it’s best to get into a company and take note of areas where you could apply your passion and talents. Some of the best positions in companies are those that were created by an employee who presented it to management on how it would add value. Doing so demonstrates an understanding of the big picture of an organization and how positions are aligned to achieve desired top and bottom line results.
Although these are a few simple tips, it still begins and ends with you and the amount of effort you’re willing to apply to make the transition smoother.
You can find other helpful tips at Mentors for Military or a more in-depth approach to the transition by reading the book Master the Transition, available at Lulu, Barnes and Noble, or Amazon.
You can access the Department of Defense’s Transition Assistance Program at this link.
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