Daily Leap Career Video of the Week: A New Mission for Veterans—Disaster Relief

Each week we present our Daily Leap Career Video of the Week. The video we share presents news or advice related to career development, searching for a job, the economy and employment, and other career-related topics.

In this video, Jake Wood, co-founder and the president of the disaster relief nonprofit Team Rubicon, explains how military veterans can effectively contribute to disaster relief responses—and in the process, regain purpose, community, and self-worth.

Learn more in the video below:

Remembering Our Veterans and Active Duty Personnel

With heartfelt gratitude for their outstanding service, bravery, and sacrifice, we dedicate today’s Daily Leap post to our nation's veterans and active duty personnel who now look to transition from the armed services to the civilian workforce.

• G.I. Jobs released its annual list of top 100 military-friendly employers (annual revenue exceeding $500 million) on Military Friendly.com. The web site also lists top military-friendly schools, military spouse friendly employers, and military spouse friendly schools.


• Looking to career transition to the civilian building and construction trades? Go to Helmets to Hardhats for current opportunities.


• Hope for Warriors announced its first Above & Beyond Seminar specifically for women veterans to be held in Washington, DC, in January 2014.


• Are you a post-9/11 disabled veteran with a passion for entrepreneurship and small business management? EBV may just be the resource to kick-off your civilian career!

The Inevitable Changes Transitioning Veterans Will Experience

All veterans, whether you have served 2 years or 22 years, will experience extensive changes as you make the transition into working in the private sector. Of course military life is full of changes - changes in duty locations, being ready to deploy at a moment's notice if necessary, and changing assignments. However, there is security and a sense of constancy in the military that will be disrupted with your transition.

For many people, to varying degrees, change can be a major producer of stress. There are all sorts of uncertainties that lie ahead. Let's look at a few of the most common changes that veterans face.

• Job security. Although there has been some downsizing - or force shaping - happening in the military, for the most part service members don't have to worry about their employer doing massive layoffs or closing their doors unexpectedly.

• Friends and coworkers. Service members move wherever the military chooses to send them. When transitioning, many veterans choose to move across the country, thus leaving behind their close friends and the coworkers they are used to.

• Structure. Although you must be flexible in the military, you often know what to expect. No matter what is thrown your way, there is a very strict, rigid structure in place that you can count on. The fear of the "unknown" civilian world causes stress for many veterans.

• Freedom. You can't dress as you want, style your hair any way you want, get tattoos and body piercings where you want, or quit whenever you want in the military. The freedom that veterans face when they transition can be both freeing and daunting all at the same time. 

• Management Style. Military leaders take a "holistic" approach to managing their team. They get involved in their team's personal lives and their financial stability. In the military, it is as though you are a member of a very large family. Like most families, the military encourages mangers to stay current in what is happening in the members of their team's personal business. This approach does not happen in the private sector, in fact it is frowned upon. This change in leadership style can be difficult for service members to overcome.

Check back on Thursday and we will explore the different symptoms of stress and what you can do about it.

Methods for Veterans to Leverage LinkedIn During Their Transition

The statistics are different depending on the survey you read. However, one fact remains consistent - LinkedIn is a critical tool in the job search process. In a recent survey by Jobvite, 92% of human resources professionals said they use social media in the recruiting process with 92% of those surveyed using LinkedIn as their number one choice. (See the full results here)

Transitioning veterans should take advantage of the business networking opportunities that LinkedIn has to offer. Whether you are passively or actively job searching, your LinkedIn profile can be the difference as to whether or not you see positive results from your search. Here are some special circumstances that veterans should take into consideration when creating their profile on LinkedIn.

• Make sure potential employers can find you by loading your LI profile with industry-specific keywords. Research your industry on sites like o*net and the occupational outlook handbook to define keywords. Use these same resources to ensure you are translating your military skills effectively.

• Capture the attention of recruiters with a compelling headline. As a default, LinkedIn uses your most recent job title and company as your headline. Be different and stand out from the crowd when you show up in recruiter searches by customizing your headline. 

• LinkedIn profiles with photographs are 7 times more likely to be viewed when the profile comes up in search results. Make sure the photo you include is professional. Don't use your official military photo as your LI photo. This will give the impression that you are not ready to make the transition to the private sector.

• Manage the message you send with your profile. In addition to using a non-military photo, take the focus off your military status by avoiding military language, refraining from referring to your rank, and translating your military skills to private sector language.

• Ensure potential employers can find you. Use your personal email address, not your military address, as your LinkedIn contact method. Set your profile as public so that recruiters and potential hiring managers can find you when they do a search.

• List an end date or availability date on your LI profile. Give employers an idea of when you will be available to start with their company and remove the ambiguity of whether or not you are officially leaving the military.

Three Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Transition From the Military

I teach a monthly class for veterans who are preparing to transition out of the military. I am amazed at how many people go into the transition process flying by the seat of their pants. In this earlier blog post, I put together a transition schedule that starts as far out as 18 months.

The process of transitioning out of the military is long and arduous, whether you have served 4 years or 24 years. Going into your transition unprepared - especially when there are so many resources available - is never a good idea. Here are 3 questions you can ask yourself to help get prepared. These three questions may not be all you need, but take the time to carefully consider your answers in order to get on target to achieve your goals.

What do I want to do?
This is, hands down, the most important question you will ask yourself during the transition process. Chances are that you have held multiple positions in various career fields in the military. If you try to put together a resume that encompasses everything you will overwhelm the reader with unnecessary, irrelevant information. Once you have identified your target, you can do your research that will help you define your transferable skills into your new career in the private sector.

Where do I want to live and work?
It is very important to decide on your geographic location in conjunction with your research in your career field. If you want to be a cactus farmer, you will have quite a hard time if you want to move to Anchorage, Alaska. Use resources such as the Occupational Outlook Handbook (www.bls.gov/oco) and the O-net at onetonline.org to compare labor markets and ensure when and if you relocate, there will be openings in your career field of choice.

How can I demonstrate that I am qualified?
Once you have answered questions 1 and 2, you are ready to start marketing yourself to potential employers. Before you start identifying your selling points, you have to conduct research (bls.gov/oco and onetnonline.org )and do some early job searching to identify what employers really want to know about you.

Keep in mind that we are a distracted society with our minds going in all directions. Therefore, make your resume easy to read by targeting it to the specific hiring manager's needs. Once you know what skills you want to highlight, then you can bring out the Problem-Action-Result formula in order to demonstrate how you can positively impact an organization.

The 5 Most Common Military Transition Mistakes

I have been working with veterans and teaching career development skills to transitioning service members since 2007. In these years I have assisted thousands of veterans in the job search process as they make the switch to the private sector as a civilian employee. Below I have compiled a list of what I have seen to be the most common mistakes that transitioning service members tend to make in their job search.

Starting Too Late
In this earlier blog post, I detailed a timeline of the military transition process that started as far out as 18 months. There are some veteran's who don't have get the chance to start the transition process well in advance. However, if given the opportunity to plan your transition in advance, take full advantage of the time to get your plans together so you are not caught unprepared.

Lack of Planning
I meet veterans all the time who have no idea what career they want to target when they get out of the military. Writing a resume and entering the job search process without a target is like going fishing with the wrong bait - your chances of success are lowered immensely. Take the time time to figure out what you want to do, research the qualifications or education required in the field, and find out if what you want to do and where you want to live are a match in terms of job prospects.

Undervaluing Yourself
Whether you are a Chief in the Air Force or a Marine who has served for 4 years, by doing your research in advance, you will be able to identify your prospects and find out where your skills fit into the private sector. The military takes away the focus on the individual and highlights team accomplishments. While team work is important, give yourself credit for what you brought to the team and how you can add value in the private sector.

Not Taking Advantage of Resources
Most veterans don't take advantage of the multitude of resources that are available to them. For starters, go through your installation's Transition Assistance Program. It may be a week long, but it is full of relevant information that you can immediately apply to your job search. Also, don't let pride get in the way of utilizing the unemployment insurance benefits that may be available to you if needed. Check with your local transition office to find out what resources can help you, and take full advantage of all the resources to which you - as a veteran who served our country - are entitled.

Failure to Translate Your Military Skills
Keep in mind that less than 1% of the population has served in the military. It will be difficult for a potential employer to determine how you fit into their work environment if they don't speak your language. Here are some resources from a previous blog post that can help you ensure your ability to remove the military language from your resume and interview answers.

Veteran's Job Search Quiz - Test Your Knowledge, Part 1

There are many common misconceptions - both among veterans and non-veterans. Take part one of the quiz below to see if you have clear expectations of your military transition job search process.

1. Employers tend to hire a veteran over a non-veteran if they have two candidates that are equally qualified.
False. Unfortunately these common misconceptions I spoke of earlier can negatively impact the hiring decision for a veteran. Less than 1% of the population has served in the military. If the civilian that is making the decision does not understand that the veteran has transferable skills, they will tend to shy away from hiring the veteran. To be successful in the transition process, veterans must learn to speak the language of the industry in which they are targeting jobs.

2. Your salary will be up to twice as much in the private sector as you made in the military.
False. There are some cases where veterans have exceeded or even doubled their military pay in the private sector. However, that is usually the exception versus the norm. Do your research on websites such as www.salary.com and www.bls.gov to determine the salary range in your industry and where you want to live. Use military retirement pay calculators on websites such as www.military.com to determine the amount of retirement pay you will receive. Be sure to calculate the loss of benefits such as Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) and Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH).

3. Private sector employers believe that military veterans do not have the ability to manage profit and loss.
True. The perception in the private sector is that the military has unlimited funds and they do not have to manage with budget constraints or staffing challenges. It is true that the military does not even come close to turning a profit - that is not their purpose. However, most civilians are not aware of things like force shaping or high year tenure that have drawn down the military significantly in recent years. As a veteran, you must dispel these myths by discussing your focus on cost reduction, efficiency management, and budget oversight.

So, how did you do? Check back on Thursday for a continuation of the Veteran's Employment Quiz.

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: Veterans Day Edition

With heartfelt gratitude for their outstanding service, bravery, and sacrifice, we dedicate this weekly roundup to our nation's veterans and active duty personnel who now look to transition from the armed services to the civilian workforce.

• CMF re-aired a November 2011 podcast in recognition of Veterans Day in Florida’s Seminole County and to raise public awareness to the "issue of women veterans and the propensity of many of us to overlook women veterans”.

• Teach for America announced its first veterans recruitment initiative, You Served For America, Now Teach For America.


• Operation Workforce, which serves as an online one-stop for veteran resources and services in Georgia, was announced at the Georgia Jobs for Veterans Employer Breakfast.


• Michigan Governor Rick Snyder declared November as Hire a Veteran Month and announced a series of upcoming career fairs for veterans titled Operation Vet Connection 2012.


• U.S. News & World Report highlighted scholarship opportunities for veterans transitioning to civilian life, including the GI Bill and Post-9/11 GI Bill, the American Legion's Nontraditional Student Scholarship and the Veterans United Foundation Scholarship Program.

Career Change Tips for Military Transitioners

I often work with people transitioning out of the military who have no desire to continue along their same career path in the private sector. I once had an Air Force aviation mechanic tell me he never wanted to touch an airplane again unless it was flying him on vacation! What does a military veteran do when all the training, experience and knowledge they possess is in a career field they no longer want? Try this step by step approach.

Step 1 - Determine what you DO want to do
You know what you don't want. However, until you figure out what career you want to pursue, it is nearly impossible to define your transferable skills. You can start by making a comprehensive list of your skills and examining which skills you enjoy using the most. In this previous blog post, I offer some additional resources.

Step 2 - Research your target career field
Use resources such as the Occupational Outlook Handbook, O*Net Online, and www.acinet.org to define what skills, qualifications, education, and certifications are required in your career field. This research process will help you focus your resume and remove any irrelevant information. Military members have so many varied responsibilities. If you try to tell a potential employer everything, you will overwhelm them into believing you are unqualified.

Step 3 - Look at your experience in a new light
If you look at your military experience too literally, you will automatically dismiss yourself as unqualified. However, try stepping outside your comfort zone and examining how similar your skill sets are to what the employer is seeking.

For example, an electronics specialist who has been fixing aircraft for the last 10 years may automatically consider themselves unqualified for a contract administrator position. However, this person can present themselves as a project manager - every time they fixed an aircraft they managed a project. Project management requires communication, planning, scheduling, budgeting, inventory management, documentation management, problem solving, and customer service. All of these skills are needed as a contract manager.

Military Transition Job Seekers: Learn to Take Credit for Yourself

I was talking today with a military member transitioning to the private sector who has more than 10 years of experience in his field. Despite the fact that he has a proven track record of success in his area of specialty, he shied away from labeling himself an expert. This modesty - and unwillingness to give yourself credit - is a common problem for people transitioning out of the military to the civilian world.

In the military you are conditioned to think of yourself as part of a team that works together to achieve a common goal. The ability to work effectively as part of a team is a very valuable trait that many employers find attractive. However, in order to market yourself effectively once you transition into the civilian world, you must learn to give yourself the credit that you rightly deserve. Here are some tips for overcoming this obstacle.

• Think about the role you played in the team. What value did you bring? What idea or innovation did you think of that may not have happened otherwise?

• When writing your resume or preparing for an interview, you must define your selling points. Don't think of it as bragging. Stating you are the best (fill in the blank) in the world is bragging and arrogant. However, simply stating what qualities make you effective at what you do is not bragging.

• Back up your assertions with measurable accomplishments that demonstrate your ability to utilize your skills. When you can back up your statements with stories, examples, and statistics, you transform from bragging to stating the facts of what make you good at what you do.

• Focus on value and benefits. Think long and hard at what makes you cost-effective as an employee. How will you earn the money that your employer will pay you? Take the focus off of yourself and put it back on the employer by talking about what value and benefits your potential employer will receive when they add you to their team.

• Don't fool yourself into thinking employers will value modesty. What an employer truly values is an employee that has taken the time to learn about the employer's needs and problems, then takes this information and creates a targeted presentation - both in the resume and interview - of how the employee can resolve the employer's problems and meet their needs.

High Five Weekly Career Transitions Roundup

Memorial Day Weekend Edition

With heartfelt gratitude for their outstanding service, bravery, and sacrifice, we dedicate this weekly roundup to our nation's veterans and active duty personnel who now look to transition from the armed services to the civilian workforce.

1. The Value of a Veteran in a Competitive Business Environment

This recent article on the Corporate Gray Blog cites a study of academic research by Syracuse University's Institute for Veterans and Military Families titled The Business Case for Hiring a Veteran: Beyond the Clichés, which "supports a robust, specific, and compelling business case for hiring individuals with military background and experience."



2. Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA)

IAVA is the country's first and largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Among its many programs for vets and their families, IAVA's Combat to Careers initiative:

• provides free business suits to veterans
• helps hundreds of them navigate the job market at Smart Job Fairs
• offers critical training to vets through Google Resume Workshops
• advocates in government and business arenas on behalf of unemployed veterans
.
3. From Camo to Corporate: Transitioning from the Military to Corporate America

The blog Camo to Corporate serves as a forum of inspiring success stories, tips and advice, book reviews, as well as a collection of web links to military organizations, recruiting firms, and online resources to help veterans and active duty personnel transition successfully to careers in the civilian world.



4. Marine Executive Association (MEA)

MEA is a national, volunteer, non-profit organization of former and current active duty marines who provide transition assistance to fellow marines, such as:

• resume review
• job hunting and interview tips and techniques
• job posting by employers to the MEA web site
• resume posting by marines for employer download
• resume and interview coaching
.
5. Disney Kicks Off Career Expos for Returning Vets

The Wall Street Journal reported that the Walt Disney Co. announced the kickoff of a series of career expo events aimed at helping returning veterans make the transition to civilian life. The career expos are part of Disney's 2012 Heroes Work Here initiative to:

• provide at least 1,000 jobs and career opportunities for returning U.S. veterans over the next three years
• support military families and veterans during their transition into civilian life
• launch a national public awareness campaign to encourage all employers across the U.S. to hire veterans
.

Veterans Hiring Initiatives and Resources

A recent report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed the veteran unemployment rate for those who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan to be 12.1%. The number of overall unemployed veterans is close to the 8.3% unemployment rate for the rest of the population. The jobless rate for young veterans – age 18 to 24 – is a staggering 30%. In 2011, there were more than 250,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans jobless.

Veterans face some unique challenges in their job search. It is my opinion that we, as a society owe the military service members every effort we can give to assist them in transitioning out of the military or returning from an extended deployment. Here are some veteran’s hiring program highlights.

Feds Hire Vets – www.fedshirevets.gov

This is based on an Executive Order that was signed by President Obama in 2009 that established the Veteran’s Hiring Initiative. This initiative is designed to help the men and women who have served our country in the military find employment in the federal government. Resources include links to hiring managers and officials, tips and advice on the federal employment process and a government agency directory.

Hiring Our Heroes – http://www.uschamber.com/hiringourheroes

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and RecruitMilitary.com are partnering to present 50 hiring fairs for veterans and military spouses throughout 2012. Check their website to find a list of the upcoming career fairs dedicated to hiring military veterans.

The Veteran’s 100,000 Jobs Mission – http://www.100000jobsmission.com

A number of leading U.S. companies such as J.P. Morgan Chase, Delta Airlines, Verizon and AT&T, to name a few, launched the 100,000 Jobs Mission in 2011. Its goal is to hire 100,000 transitioning service members and military veterans by 2020. Participating companies offer job listings by Military Occupation Code or keywords and geographic location on the site.

Heroes Work Here – Website Link

This is the Walt Disney Company’s veteran’s initiative that was launched in 2012 and aims to hire 1,000 veterans over the next 3 years. This encompasses all of the Disney Corporation’s companies such as the theme parks, movie studios, ESPN and ABC.

I would just like to personally say thank you for your service to our country. I hope one of these resources will point you in the right direction as you navigate the military to private sector conversion.

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share these every weekend so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

1. Why You Remain Stuck in a Career You Hate
"I believe there are even deeper reasons for this epidemic of people hating what they do each day for their living.  These reasons touch on underlying emotional, spiritual and behavioral conditions, and reveal a deep disconnection to what it means to live joyfully, authentically, and meaningfully."

2. Why Every Job Seeker Needs to Blog
"Your blog demonstrates your ability to think and your ability to write, and these abilities are important to your future boss."

3. 10 Dos & Don'ts for Shifting from a Military to Civilian Career
"Though transitioning from military to civilian life requires hard work and planning, if executed well, it can be an exciting, purposeful mission filled with large rewards and meaning."

4. Bridging the Gap to an Encore Career 
"A new survey ... estimates that 31 million people between ages 44 and 70 are interested in encore careers."

5. How to Curate Your Own Personal Job Feed
"You have to become a curator of your own personal job feed, narrowing down all of the various websites and listings to a truly personalized stream of opportunities."

Subtle Ways Military Veterans Can Begin the Transition to Civilian Life

Military veterans face a myriad of challenges when they begin their transition into the private sector workforce. I have talked in previous blog posts about translating your skills in both the resume and interview. However, I would like to explore some of the subtle ways you can demonstrate you are ready and able to make the transition into the civilian world. Remember, the point of this exercise is to show how you will fit right in, and often that is more psychology than fact!

Dates and Time
Although this may not be as easy as it sounds, begin to use the standard, civilian method of telling time when interacting with a civilian. Want to meet for an interview at 1300, you better explain to your civilian interviewer that you will be there at 1:00 pm. Additionally, in the military you state the day, then the month, then the year when writing your dates. Try to transition into month, day, year when stating your dates so that you will fit in better.

Drop the Alphabet Soup
Acronyms and military lingo are second nature for a military veteran. However, you can't use those same acronyms and terminology in a conversation with a civilian and expect them to be able to follow your meaning. Most every acronym you have used in the military will need to be translated in your conversations. For example, don't call yourself an NCOIC - civilians have no idea what that means. Instead call yourself the manager or team leader of whichever field of speciality in which you worked.

Ease up on the Formality
The combination of my knowledge of military terminology and my tendency to call everyone sir or ma'am has most people convinced I am a military veteran. I am not a veteran, I am simply polite. I am not suggesting you suddenly lose your manners. However, you may want to loosen up a bit in your communication style. It is okay to call people sir or ma'am in conversation, but do you need to do it every single time you answer a question in a conversation with them? Find a balance between casual conversation and polite manners so you don't intimidate people.

Military to Civilian Transition Culture Shock

The transition from a military career to a civilian career can be a very eye-opening experience. This is especially the case when you went straight from high school into the military, served a 20+ year career, and are now facing the task of adapting to the civilian workforce.

You may have noticed from my other posts that I am a big proponent of the motto "Be Prepared." I am a co-leader of two girl scout troops after all! The same applies to the military to civilian transition. If you know, in advance, some of the challenges you may face, you can tackle them much easier. Here are a few I have compiled:

• In the military, a supervisor is involved in all aspects of his team's life - both work and personal. This is very different from the private sector. Supervisors in the private sector do not get involved with their employee's personal life.

• For obvious reasons, fitness is a high priority in the military. That is not the case for many civilian workers. It is often hard for a former military service member to relate to someone who is disinterested and unwilling to take care of their health and fitness.

• Most every task that is assigned in the military comes with very detailed instructions and guidelines. Many veterans become frustrated with the lack of step-by-step instructions and the overall lack of structure they may face. In fact, the company is quite structured - just not to the same level as the military.

• Economic conditions do not often affect the military the way they do the civilian world. In the military you don't often have to worry about profit margins and your company going out of business. You know that you will have a job every week in the military. Unfortunately, in the private sector, the economy plays a large role in a company's success and often causes reductions in force.

• In the military you wear military provided uniforms and are provided clear-cut expectations of what you must wear to work every day. When you enter the civilian work force, the expense of purchasing a work wardrobe is quite costly. However, don't forget about the stress of figuring out what is appropriate and expected of you to wear to work every day.

• Don't forget the small things that you will have to change such as the way you state the time and the way you write your dates. Chances are, if you don't conform the civilian way of telling time, the first time you tell your team to return from lunch at 1300 on 1 October they may look at you like you are crazy.

Pros and Cons of Discussing War Experience on a Military Transition Resume

U.S. veterans with war experience on their resumes are sometimes having a difficult time finding work. This is a subject that I find upsetting since I am thankful beyond words for our veterans who have been overseas fighting in any of the conflicts our country is involved in. However, there are many people out there who are engaging in passive discrimination when they discover that veterans have war experience.

Whether you disclose your overseas experience is your own choice and I would like to offer what I feel are the positive and negative aspects of listing war experience on a resume.

Cons
> The main reason veterans are being discriminated against is due to the fear of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Employers fear that the veteran employee may be suffering from PTSD and will therefore not be an effective candidate.

> Most civilians don’t know about all the screening, testing, and reintegration training that veterans go through before they transition back to their regular life state-side. This lack of knowledge may also be the cause of a bias against hiring war veterans.

> There are some people who are fundamentally opposed to the war effort in which you served. This is usually based on their personal opinions, belief, and political persuasion. Unfortunately, you have no way of knowing whether or not this could be an issue when you send in the resume.

Pros
> Being able to demonstrate leadership under the pressure of a battlefield situation is a testament to your management skills.

> In many fields such as law enforcement and intelligence analysis, the real-world experience from war makes you more valuable to an employer.

Whether you decide to discuss your war experience or not, highlight your most relevant military experience and translate your military terminology into understandable terms that civilians understand.

5 Marketable Skills Every Veteran Possesses.

I spent two days last week at a veteran hiring event that was kicked off by multiple state senators, congressmen, and representatives. There were more than 150 employers at the event who expressed a dedication to hiring veterans. It was a well-attended successful event.

Throughout the event, the focus was on the inherent benefits an employer gets from hiring veterans. I want to point out what I think are the 5 most marketable skills that every veteran develops during their career of military service. Use these selling points to set yourself apart from the competition during your military transition job search process.

Leadership
Once a military member leaves their entry-level rank, they are often tasked with leadership. Whether mentoring and supervising junior military members or managing tasks, the military teaches excellent leadership skills. Managing for results, especially in challenging or difficult situations, is the backbone of the military.

Teamwork
There is no stronger sense of loyalty, camaraderie, and dedication to your team mates than in the military. Very few tasks are undertaken alone and almost nothing is achieved solo in the military. Team work is essential to a successful military career. Where else can you see such a diverse group of people come together to achieve so much success than in the military?

Efficiency Under Pressure
Working under tight deadlines, working with limited resources, and getting the job done under adverse conditions is all part of a day’s work in the military. There is no overtime in the military, there is only stay until the job gets done – no matter how long the work day may be. Work ethic and military experience must go hand-in-hand.

Respect
Respect for – and accountability to – authority, policies, and procedures is ingrained in military members. Military members know the importance of following procedures, regulations, and policies – as it can be the difference between life and death in many situations. Veterans also understand where they fit in an organization and the importance of respecting authority and the leadership structure.

Ability to Overcome Adversity
Stamina, flexibility, strength, dedication, focus, persistence, and determination are all words that come to mind to describe the military work ethic. Veterans often have a “can-do” attitude, usually because failure is simply not an option when talking about the obstacles they must overcome every day.

The Pros and Cons of Working Overseas After Your Military Transition.

With the U.S. being involved in multiple military actions worldwide, there are many opportunities for people to find work overseas. These opportunities often are filled by military veterans who go to work overseas after their separation. Like any situation, there are good and bad aspects to the prospect. Here are a few you may not have considered.

Pro: The pay for working in a volatile area such as Iraq or Afghanistan is usually significantly more than you would earn in the states. Although the tax laws constantly change, there are significant tax breaks for income earned in a foreign country. Currently, the first $91,500 of foreign earnings are excluded from taxation. To check the current status of the tax laws visit the following link: http://www.irs.gov/publications/p54/ch04.html#en_US_publink100047398.

Con: The people who work overseas are usually salaried employees so their hours are long and they work more than 5 days a week. When working in a volatile country, often there is not much to do besides sleep and work. I have spoken with people who made as much as $120,000 per year in the logistics career field working in Afghanistan. However, this same person worked 6 or 7 days a week and as many as 80 hours per week.

Pro: There is no better way to experience a country’s culture and understand its citizens’ perspectives than working and living every day in the country. Working overseas you will be exposed to all types of new adventures and will have the opportunity to travel abroad more often.

Con: Usually, when working overseas, you go alone. That means you are thousands of miles away from family and friends. If you have been in the military, you are used to deploying to different locations or traveling away from your family for weeks or months at a time. However, many spouses and family members expect this to stop once you leave the military. Make sure everyone in your family supports your decision.

Pro: There are many opportunities with different government contractors as well as the federal government. From teaching English as a second language in China to repairing F-16’s in Saudi Arabia, the opportunities are very plentiful.

Con: Many people don’t know where to start when looking for a position abroad. Here are some resources for you to use to begin your search. For federal employment opportunities overseas go to http://www.usajobs.gov/ei/employmentoverseas.asp and for other opportunities try http://jobs.goabroad.com. Also, consider how difficult it will be to job hunt from your overseas location. Set aside the finances necessary to support yourself while you transition back into life in the U.S.

Start Early to be Prepared for your Military Transition.

I teach part of a Transition Assistance Program for military veteran’s in my local area. I often meet people who are 12 to 18 months from their retirement date in my class. Many would say that they are starting too early. However, I disagree with this statement. I believe it is never too early to get started when preparing for a successful transition from a military to civilian career.

Here is a schedule you can use as a guideline for your military transition:

18 months before separation
* Attend your Transition Assistance Program on your military base..
* Define the type of career field and position you would like to pursue when you make your transition.
* Perform research on your career field of choice. Define the skills, qualifications, and education that are required in this field.
* Gather all your performance evaluations, awards and decorations, training programs, and certifications you have attained during your career.
* Review your career and define the relevant transferable skills you have attained during your career.
* Begin to prepare your resume targeted toward your career field of choice.
* Make contact with your network. Identify previous peers, former supervisors, and subordinates who work in companies or industries that you would like to target.

12 to 18 months before separation
* Refine and finalize your resume. Ensure it is targeted to the position for which you would like to apply and that the resume has translated your skills and accomplishments into “civilian” terms.
* Ensure all your networking contacts have a copy of your resume and are aware of the type of position you are seeking as well as your date of availability.

6 to 9 months before separation
* Consider attending another Transition Assistance Program on your military base to refresh your memory and refine your knowledge.
* Begin preparing for an interview. Create a list of skills and benefits that you can offer a company. Write STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) stories that demonstrate your ability to employ your most marketable skills.
* Begin actively attending career fairs in the market where you wish to live.
Start the federal application process if you are looking to work for the federal government.

3 to 6 months before separation
* Touch base will all your networking contacts again. Let each person know your separation date is imminent and request 15 minutes of their time to discuss the opportunities in their company.
* Begin actively applying to open positions in the civilian workplace. Apply to job postings on company websites as well as job boards such as www.indeed.com and www.careerbuilder.com.
* Refine your interviewing skills. Ensure you are prepared to answer questions such as “tell me about yourself” and “what are your strengths” by defining your marketable skills, benefits, and accomplishments.

How to Leverage your Military Contacts During your Transition

The career transition from being in the military to working in the civilian workforce can be challenging. Use all the tools available to you to make the transition as smooth as possible. One very valuable tool is networking. No matter the size of the base where you work, the military can be as intertwined as a small town and the opportunities for networking are abundant.

I had a situation where one of my clients – a retired Air Force veteran – worked for a company. Her husband was recruited by the same company. They have since hired two other military members they worked with previously and are still recruiting to fill more open positions. This is an example of leveraging your networking contacts at its finest! Here are some ideas to help you achieve the same success.

People you have worked for or worked with
These contacts are often the most obvious choice. Former supervisors and co-workers know your work ethic, know your skills, and are very familiar with your abilities. Keep in regular contact with all your former supervisors and as many co-workers as possible, even after they leave the military. Make sure to let them know when you are ready to make the transition. Don’t forget to touch base with your supervisors and co-workers who are still in the military. They may have contacts they know that can help you network your way into a job.

People who have worked for you
Don’t forget to talk with the people whom you have supervised when you are separating from the military. These people know your leadership style, your skills, and know first-hand what you are capable of achieving. Spread the word among your team that you are looking for a job and be clear as to the type of position you are seeking.

Military contractors you have interacted with
This opens your list of contacts considerably. I can recount many examples of military service members who separated from the military and went to work for the contracting company they used to coordinate with during their military career. You are already familiar with the company’s product, their goals, and how to interact with their customers. Leverage these contacts and the biggest change in your career might just be who signs your paychecks.