The military lifestyle is structured, to say the least. If you’re leaving that environment, the newfound freedom can be a lot to take. In fact, the general change in daily routine can be the very hardest part of the military transition. Chances are that, as a member of the military, you’ve come into contact with civilians every day…but are you ready to be one? Here are a few things to remember.

With freedom comes responsibility. I’m not trying to say that you weren’t responsible while in the military. You had HUGE responsibilities, keeping our country safe. However, when in the military, if you don’t do your job, there is direct and immediate punishment. In the civilian world, the “punishment” for not being responsible is less apparent. For example, during training, if you don’t stay fit and can’t run as long as everyone else, you’ll be forced to do extra workouts. In the civilian world, if you don’t stay fit, the “punishment” will be health problems later in life or an inability to physically do the activities you want to do. You have to be more responsible and just as disciplined. Most of all, this is true with your career. Just because you aren’t on the battlefield doesn’t mean that your job isn’t important.

Not everyone has come from the military. One of the most frustrating things about entering a civilian career is that you’re going to meet a lot of stupid people. I’m not kidding. Your military transition to a civilian career will truly make you want to tear out your hair at times! Try to remain calm. Being in the military doesn’t make you better than other people, but it does mean that you’ve had life experiences that other people your age have not had. This includes your new boss and managers. Try to be understanding towards these people–they really don’t know what it’s like to be calling shots that could mean putting people you know in life or death situations.

It takes time to make a career change. You can be the most adaptable person in the world, but you shouldn’t expect to instantly be happy with your new life. Change takes time. There’s no ifs, ands, or buts about that! Before you decide that you hate your new career, take a bit of time to get a feel for it. If you have a bad attitude from the start, you won’t be happy. Have an open mind. If you truly don’t like your new career after a month, look for something new, but at the end of the day, it’s important to keep in mind that the transition to a civilian life is hard and you need to be strong through this change.

…so where are the phone calls?

The scenario is more common that you’d imagine–man (or woman) is discharged from the military, man has major life experiences under his belt, man gets no calls about jobs. It’s frustrating and makes the military transition to civilian life even harder than it already is! However, what many people fail to realize is that there’s a huge difference between having the experience for a good resume and actually having a good resume. Here are a few points to consider:

• Your resume is your first impression. If it’s wrinkled or smudged, what does that say about your character? It’s like having a dirty uniform. Beyond that, your resume needs to be organized in an easy-to-read fashion that highlights you best assets. If it’s not, your military resume might as well scream “This person doesn’t know what he/she’s doing!”

• Sometimes, you need to translate. Of course, having all of your military accomplishments on your resume is a great idea, but remember that most civilians don’t know abbreviations that are commonly used in the military and don’t want to wait for you to explain them. Make sure that your information is clear! If you won a medal, explain what that medal indicates. If you had certain duties, spell them out. Before you take your resume to potential employers, have a civilian friend or family member read it and fix anything they do not understand.

• You actually have to go on job interviews to get the job. When you’re discharged, the mayor isn’t going to call you and offer you a position (well, in most cases–some people get lucky). You have to hit the pavement! Finding a job is hard work, and you may have to submit your resume to 100 different companies to even get 5 callbacks for interviews.

• Focus on what you do have, not what you don’t have. Many people who join the military have not gone to college. Often, they’d never held jobs outside of the military. You are not alone. However, if you focus on these things, your potential employer will fixate on them. Don’t use phrases like “I don’t have a college degree, but…” on your military resume, because people will never get past the “but.” Be confident in presenting the skills you do have.

• Tailor your resume with each application. It’s a great idea to have one basic resume. Hiring a professional for this job is a great idea as well. However, with each application, consider tweaking your resume. For example, if you’re applying to a job with many technical duties, list the technical experiences you’ve had in the military first on your military resume. On the other hand, if you’re apply for a teaching job, list your military teaching experiences first.

Don’t get too frustrated. You can and will find a job! Make sure that you carry resumes with you wherever you go, and don’t be afraid to hand them out to your superiors before you leave–they might know a department that is hiring and would be perfect for you. Having a good military resume is the basis to getting a good job, so make sure that yours shines so that you get to the interview pile instead of the rejection pile!

I’m used to moving all over the place depending on my charge and the mission to which I am assigned.  I’ve viewed a number of military, government and civilian positions that say under relocation package: “Household effects only” - what all does that include?

I just got nixxed….  I was attempting to apply for a specific vacancy announcement.  When I went to set up my account I found out that it took three days to get into the system and so I missed the deadline by one day.  My advise to all, plan ahead and don’t wait until the last minute.

 Any one else got a helpful tip on timely applications for positions and how not to duplicate my experience… we can all learn from each other.

When I was looking at opportunities within a military or federal agency, I knew what I was worth, I knew my classification, I knew what my salary would be (give or take the range offered with experience) - I spent almost four weeks trying ti figure out what that translated into within a corporate pay structure. 

 Then DoD released the NSPS and it broadened the range of opportunities….  I think I’ve figured out how to translate my previous compensation into real corporate business salary packages.

One of the things that I noticed when I made the transition out of the military into a civilian-type career was the ‘fear of change’.

I had spent 20 years in a very structured environment, everything was clearly articulated for me and expectations were clear on every level.  There was some real fear when I realized that businesses do not always articulate exactly what they want or what they are looking for — but they still expect you to hit the moving target.

 I’m wondering how others have managed to cope with the change from a very specific work space to a vague and plagued with second guessing.

Hello everyone,

My blog is officially up and running. I am very excited to share in my experiences and meet new people.

I have met many people throughout my military and business career whom often need a little guidance when it comes to their career choices in the military and transitioning out of the military. I am here to help in any way possible.

Feel free to contact me via the online form.