This valuable piece of paper empowers you to buy a house with no money down. VA interest rates are typically 1% or so higher than a conventional loan, but that’s a small price to pay for not having to provide a large amount of cash up front.

Complete VA Form 26-1880 “Request for a Certificate of Eligibility for VA Home Loan Benefits”. If you have received a certificate in the past, it’s a good idea to have a current one in your files, as the amount of benefits change regularly. Even if you don’t plan to purchase a home in the foreseeable future, it’ll be easier to complete the form while you’re transitioning and have all your military data readily available.

This is a huge benefit to you for having served. Please take advantage of it!

Most of my clients call me while they’re still on active military duty. They’ve contacted me to help them find a job. Many times they’re hoping to find a job doing the same thing they were doing in the service. Our initial conversation usually goes something like this:

Client: I have a buddy who works for “XYZ” company and he said all I need to do is shoot him a resume and I’m as good as hired.
Coach: Does your buddy have hiring authority?
Client: No, but he’s good friends with the boss.
Coach: And has the boss asked your friend to solicit resumes for an open position?
Client: Well, no, but he says I’m a shoe-in.
Coach: What is the job he thinks you’re a shoe-in for?
Client: I don’t know exactly, but it would be doing the same thing I‘m doing now.

You get the idea…

Here’s the problem: My client is not clear about what they want to do, what qualifications they have, what jobs are available, and who has the power to hire them. In the military, we never had to search for or apply for a job. So it’s understandable why we don’t know how to do it. The good news is that it’s a skill that can be learned. Here are 5 basic tactics for Job Search success:

1. Treat your job search as a full time job.
Schedule time every day to work on your resume, make phone calls, set up interviews and visit companies that interest you. Your job search is an investment in you and your future; it deserves your best effort. It’s a job that can’t be delegated or procrastinated and be expected to succeed. If you’re on terminal leave, treat your job search as if it was your full-time job – work on it 8 hours a day!

2. Know exactly what your career objective is.
As with any goal you set in life, the clearer and more specific it is, the more likely it is you’ll achieve it. Have a specific answer to the question, “What type of job are you looking for?” People are usually eager to help you, but they need a clear picture of what you want to do. They can’t read your mind, so help them help you. Instead of responding with “Oh, I don’t know. I think I want to work with airplanes. I can do almost anything”, answer “I have 12 years of experience coordinating aircraft maintenance schedules. I plan to pursue a career as a Production Manager in the Aircraft Manufacturing industry.” See the difference?

3. Network, network, network!
Not just with military personnel or people in your office. Start adding civilians and other professionals to your address book. As your personal circle of contacts expands, your network increases exponentially. If you know 100 people and they each know 100 people, you have a network of 10,000 people! Some of your most powerful connections won’t be the people you communicate with regularly. Your most powerful connections will be with the people you know only as a brief acquaintance; Those folks who are on the fringes of your social and professional circle. The people you associate with regularly usually share the same experiences, beliefs and knowledge as you. They know what you know. People you barely know will tend to have new, different ideas and contacts. They will be the ones to provide access to the resources you need to expand and grow.

4. Practice interviewing before you go on one.
Interviews are similar to stage performances. They go a lot more smoothly if you’ve had a dress rehearsal before going in front of a “live audience”. You’ll be much more relaxed and confident during your actual interview if you practice! Ask a friend to role-play with you. Give them a list of questions that might be asked during an interview and have them play the role of the employer. Then you answer the questions as you would during an actual interview. This exercise is even more powerful if you schedule a specific time for it. Get dressed in the clothes you plan to wear to the actual interview. Then be on time for your mock appointment.

5. View rejection as a positive opportunity to learn.
When you’re rejected during your job search, understand that it’s not a personal rejection. It’s not that they don’t want you, they don’t even know you. Being passed on for a job opening simply means that your skills and talents didn’t match the position description. If you believe that you had the right skills for the job, then ask yourself why the employer didn’t think so. Could your resume be clearer? Did you confidently articulate your accomplishments during the interview? Is there anything you could do differently at the next interview to highlight your strengths? Maybe you truly weren’t a good match for the job or company. If that’s so, then you wouldn’t have wanted to get it anyway!

View rejections as opportunities to tweak your resume, polish interview skills and maybe even reevaluate what types of jobs you’re seeking.

For most of my life, I made New Year’s resolutions. Made them and forgot them. And my life went along, day by day, kind of wandering without a destination. Then one New Year’s Day as I was announcing my resolutions, it hit me like a ton of bricks… what was I doing?! Where was I going? What was I doing with my life?

That day I set my first goal – to learn how to set goals. It was a long learning curve, but I persisted. And today I have settled on a process that serves me well. Because to the degree I follow it, I always achieve the goal I set. Here are my time-proven steps for achieving what you want in life:

Step 1. Keep a Master List of Lifetime Goals. I organize mine into 7 categories: Career/ Business, Finances, Health, Leisure Fun, Family/ Relationships, Personal and Spiritual Growth, and Physical Environment. For each category, I write down what I want to do before I leave this life. These are my BIG GOALS. The things that “if I could have, do, or be anything”, what are they?

Write each goal in positive “I have it now” language. For example, “I am a trim, toned 145 pounds”. Make sure your goal is quantifiable, that is, don’t simply say “I want to Iose weight”. Write your goal with as much detail as possible.

Add to your Master List as often as you like. (I have over 100 goals currently!) Periodically update your goals, making them clearer, more specific or larger. Stay flexible!

Step 2. Select Annual Goals from your Master Lifetime Goals list. Pick one or two from each category. Ask yourself “what would make this a homerun year for me if I were to achieve it?” Create a list of goals you want to achieve in the next 12 months.

Now give each goal on your 12-month list a reality check. Do you honestly believe you can achieve this goal? If not, why not? Does this goal conflict with any of your other goals? How would you feel 5, 10, 20 and 50 years from now if you never achieved this goal? Would it really matter? Having asked and answered all of these questions about your goal, do you still want this goal?

Step 3. Once you have a solid 12-Month Goals list, take each goal and break it down into broad action steps. For example, if you have a goal of Family Vacation in Hawaii, your action steps might be 1) schedule time on family and work calendars, 2) research transportation and lodging arrangements, 3) calculate budget, and 4) finalize travel arrangements. Identify any obstacles you must overcome to achieve each step. These might become action steps in themselves. Is there someone or something that stands in the way of you completing each action? What must you do to overcome them? Perhaps you need the help of a certain person or group to achieve your goal. An added action might be to contact and enlist the help of these persons. Do you need to learn a new skill to achieve your goal? What must you do to accomplish that?

When you have a fairly comprehensive list of actions, set a “no later than” completion date for each of the steps you have listed. Rearrange your goals with their actions in chronological order according to the completion dates from nearest to farthest date due.

(Okay, by now you’re saying “Kathy… you’re killing me! What is with all the LISTS?! I’m never going to do this!) It sounds cumbersome, but you only do this once a year. Hang in there for another paragraph… I promise, there’s a method to my madness.

Step 4. Now that you have broad actions identified for achieving your annual goals, break them down even further. Take each action and create a 20-minute Task List. Write down tasks that will take you no more than 20 minutes to complete. For example, under Research Transportation and Lodging Arrangements, you might list “get airfare comparison online from SideStep.com” and “check Navy Lodge website for availability”.

Once you have your 20-minute tasks, they become your “time fillers” that we all look for between meetings, phone calls, and appointments. You know, that white space in your day that you currently fill with wondering what to do or maybe catching a quick game of computer solitaire? That time when you say I wish I had more time so I could get started on that big project?

By having a planned 20-minute task list, you can now fill that white space with actions that will move you closer to your goals. Before you know it… you will have achieved your goals with NO EFFORT!

Why is it that some people have everything they want and others are struggling just to keep up? If you aren’t achieving your goals in life, if you aren’t living the life you always wanted – You may simply need to rethink how you spend your time. Personally, I’ve discovered that the 20-minute task list absolutely helps me achieve all of my goals… and then some.

In fact, the first year I used this method, I had achieved all my annual goals by April. Hmmm… Time to set some bigger goals!

You don’t have to have incurred injuries in military combat to qualify for veteran’s disability compensation. Any condition documented in your military medical record can be considered for this benefit. As long as the injury or medical condition was not pre-existing to your active duty military service, it can be submitted for consideration.

Contact the local Veteran’s Administration (VA) or Disabled American Veterans (DAV) to evaluate your military medical record for possible disabilities incurred during your active duty service. You will need to provide them with a complete copy of your medical record and DD form 214′s. Have them help you complete VA Form 21-526.

It makes no sense to “leave money on the table.” Take advantage of every veteran benefit your military service entitles you to…you’ve earned it!

All the things you leave undone, ignore or tolerate, actually drain your energy and sap your creativity. Ignoring them doesn’t make them go away. And tolerating or accepting them doesn’t lessen the negative impact they have on you.

Make a list of the ‘noise’ in your life…everything you can think of that would make you feel better if it were taken care of or dealt with permanently. Organize your list into 4 major categories;

1. Physical Environment (examples: personal papers filed neatly, plants being fed and watered, clothes all ironed, adequate lighting, car in good repair, appliances working),
2. Relationships (examples: let go of old relationships, caught up with letters and phone calls, nothing ‘unsaid’ in current relationship, always tell the truth, spoken to parents recently),
3. Financial (examples: pay bills in-full and on-time, no credit card debt, save 10% of income, live within your means, up-to-date will and insurance),
4. Health/Well-Being (examples: exercise regularly, don’t smoke, make healthy food choices, meditate daily, take vacations, think positively).

Make this list as long as you like. Once you have your list, commit to deal permanently with at least one item per week. As you quiet the ‘noise’, you’ll have more natural energy and vitality. Create some space for your new life to grow and take shape in. And please… Don’t suffer with this…. make a game of it and have FUN!

If you want to be successful, heed advice from people who have already done what you want to do.

If you want to make a million dollars in the real estate market, ask advice from a real estate millionaire. (Why would you ask advice from your brother-in-law whose only experience in real estate is paying off the mortgage of the house he’s currently living in?)
Associate with people who shoot a lower golf score, or have a more profitable investment portfolio, or have made a million dollars in real estate, or who do anything that you want to do better than you currently do it.

You’ll learn what they know by listening to what they say and watching what they do. You’ll improve yourself if you take action on what you learn.

Your Serviceman’s Group Life Insurance (SGLI) will expire 120 days after your military separation/ retirement date. Veterans Group Life Insurance (VGLI) will be offered to you during your transition. It’s a bit more expensive than other insurance because it provides benefits for veterans and servicemembers who may not be able to get insurance from private companies due to the high risks involved in military service. You can read more about it at The Veteran’s Affairs Life Insurance .

It’s easier to get new insurance when you’re already covered, so you may want to purchase a policy before you leave the service. You can get price quotes from a variety of companies at Insurance.com.

Let’s face it, most of us spend the majority of our waking moments at work — and yet few of us are actually doing work that we’re passionate about. But who says it has to be that way?

VocationVacations is the only company of its kind. They offer their clients (“vocationers”) one- to- three day, hands-on, dream job immersion experiences under the tutelage of expert mentors.
At Vocation Vacations, they believe “work” can be much, much more than just a four- letter word. They’ve made it their business to offer you the chance to test-drive your dream job — completely risk-free!

No need to quit your day job. No need to tell the boss. Just spend a couple days on a Vocation Vacation, working one-on-one with a Vocation Vacations Mentor, to see what your dream job is really like.

Identify additional skills you want to learn or upgrade in preparation for your future. Any license or certification will give you an advantage over competition during a job search. Today, knowing how to navigate common computer software applications is required in almost any job.How confident are you in creating slide presentations or using a document editor? Perhaps taking a business management class would increase your qualifications. If a technical certification would be valuable, is it possible to complete that in the time you have left in the service? Make time today to take charge of your future.

Every entrepreneur needs cash to start or grow a business. So where does it come from? Here are 10 of the best places to look:

1. Harvest Your Hidden Savings
You may have more savings than you think. Do you own stocks or bonds? Do you have a regular or ROTH IRA savings account? How about Life Insurance? Every one of these assets can be a source of funds, either by cashing them in, or by borrowing against them. In some cases – like a Universal Life Insurance policy – you can actually borrow FROM YOURSELF, which has multiple benefits.

2. Mine Your Hidden Equity
So many entrepreneurs borrow against the equity in their homes (e.g.: take out a second mortgage) that it’s almost a rite of passage. But did you know that you can borrow against the value of your car, boat, and motorcycle?

3. The eBay Way
Speaking of hidden assets… how much junk is lying around the house that you could turn into cash? I made almost $1,000 this week just by selling things I found packed away in my attic. Don’t like eBay? Have a garage sale.

4. Friends and Family (and Fools)
Lots of businesses get started with cash infusions from mom, dad, Uncle Lou or the guy next door. Don’t be afraid to share your enthusiasm with these people. But don’t borrow money from them either. If they can afford to INVEST their money into your business, make them official stockholders. Take the time to do it right or you’ll end up with more enemies than friends.

5. Angels Are All Around You
Wealthy individuals who put some of their money into young businesses are called Angel investors. You may already know several people who can and do invest in small businesses. Put the word out that you are looking for angel capital. Start with your CPA or lawyer – they often know of angels and can get you an introduction. One key for success is to find someone who shares an interest in your industry or market.

6. The Big Bad Bank
The bank never makes it to the top of my list, but perhaps it should. If your credit is good, you’ll have no problem finding a bank to lend you $10,000 or $15,000 when you start a new business. If your credit is not so good, be sure to ask about a Small Business Association (SBA) guaranteed loan. You’ll need a complete business plan and a bit of patience, but you’ll benefit from lots of community support along the way.

7. Calling All Credit Cards
Somebody had to say it. Using credit card debt to start or grow a business is a terrible way to manage your money… but it can be done. Beware the down side. If your business fails and you’re left with $50,000 in credit card debt, you’ll wish you’d tried a different route first.

8. Pandering To Professional Investors
Venture Capitalists (VC), Private Equity Groups (PEG) and Corporate Finance Companies are all excellent sources of growth money. But this is the big leagues, finding VC dollars is not like applying for a credit card. Do your research; search for financiers that invest in your industry, and in your stage of growth. Don’t even bother to call a group that invests in nano-technology unless you are a nano- technologist!

9. Be Prepared
No matter where you’re looking for cash, you should ALWAYS have a complete, concise, and compelling business plan. On paper. In writing. With budgets and forecasts and marketing plans and… you get the idea. There is NO substitute for the research and thinking that goes into a business plan. And no serious lender or investor will pony up cash without first reading your plan.

10. Get Professional Help
If you’re having difficulty planning, forecasting, or making contact with the right kind of investor, seek help. There are all kinds of brokers, agents, and bankers here to help you. Many of the best are independent consultants who make it their business to know where the money is. For larger, more complex transactions, seek out an investment bank or securities broker. Ask for help… you’ll be amazed at how many resources your local community has to help people just like you!

About the Guest Author
David Worrell is an accomplished entrepreneur, author of the e-book Finding Funding, and writer for Entrepreneur Magazine. A business consultant, David specializes in helping emerging companies solve tough financial and strategic issues.