If you plan to seek civilian employment (as opposed to a government job), get started drafting your resume.

There are hundreds of resources available on writing resumes. Do a search for ‘military resume’ on the internet.  There are hundreds of sites to help you, some are free and some charge a fee.  Be sure you understand what you’re getting before you pay any money!

Keep in mind this is your first DRAFT.  Don’t feel like you have to have a polished product this week!  The important thing right now is for you get started and put something on paper. Your resume will become an important tool in your Career Toolbox.  You’ll be adjusting and tweaking it for years to come!  So relax…… and build your resume one section at a time.

This is part of a complete step-by-step military retirement checklist. I’ll be posting weekly action steps here, so please subscribe over in the right-hand column so you’re sure to get each update.

If you plan to seek employment with the government, you need to research the requirements for resumes and applications.  Different agencies have different requirements.  Jobs exist at the Federal, State, county, city and local government level.  Local government jobs may include utilities, schools and hospitals.

With any job search, the most important thing you can do is network.  Yes, much more important than your resume, you need to start meeting people who work in the area that you want to work in.

It’s been proven that 80% of all employment opportunities are never advertised to the public, including government.  And while they may have to advertise a position as required by law, you can bet they will hire someone they already know, or someone personally referred by someone they know.  (As long as no hiring guidelines or laws are being broken.)

So while you do your homework on resume and application formats, make some phone calls too.  Find out who the decision makers are.  Put yourself in a position to meet the people who have inside knowledge of employment opportunities.  If you’re the right person for the job, they will help you write your resume and application to fit the position!

This is part of a complete step-by-step military retirement checklist. I’ll be posting weekly action steps here, so please subscribe over in the right-hand column so you’re sure to get each update.

Generate a chronological list of all jobs/ positions you’ve held in the past.  Start with your current position and work backwards.  List dates as ‘From –To’ month and year held, job titles and a one line description of duties.  If you held more than one job within the same command, break them out individually.  Go all the way back to boot camp!

A good place to find most of this information is on your security clearance questionnaire, application for Officer Candidate School, past Fitness Reports/ Evaluations, etc.  Also list the type of equipment you worked on and the Command or Unit assigned to. Keep this list in a simple one or two line format.  Don’t try to describe everything you did during each tour.  You should have copies of fitness reports for that.

This list will become useful for a number of things; writing your resumes, your biography for a retirement ceremony program, a Command letter outlining your tours for an End of Career award, etc.  You never know who will ask for this information, so it’s a good idea to have it already done in an easy to read format!

This is part of a complete step-by-step military retirement checklist. I’ll be posting weekly action steps here, so please subscribe over in the right-hand column so you’re sure to get each update.

Make a list of jobs or businesses you might be interested in or that you’ve always been interested in.  Commit to ‘try on’ these careers temporarily to see if you really like them.  Pick one at a time and focus on it for 1-2 weeks.  Go to the library, read books about it, and surf the internet for information.

Call several people who are working in these jobs and ask for an information interview by phone or in person.  Tell them you’re researching the industry and simply want to ask some general questions.  Ask them what the standard salary range is, type of work done, hours, travel requirements, skills required, or anything that’s important to you. Ask them what they like and don’t like about their job.  Maybe you could volunteer to actually work in the environment for a short time.

This exercise will give you valuable information whether you plan to look for a job or start your own business. Do this for each of the careers/ businesses you listed one at a time.  Be thorough and learn everything you can.  Keep notes on what you like and don’t like about each one.

Do NOT use this time for serious job hunting. This is research.  You do not need a resume, a portfolio or a blue suit.  All you need is sincere curiosity, some enthusiasm and enough courage to make that first phone call!  That said, be sure to add the names and numbers of people you speak with to your now-growing network.

This is part of a complete step-by-step military retirement checklist. I’ll be posting weekly action steps here, so please subscribe over in the right-hand column so you’re sure to get each update.

Make a list of jobs or businesses you might be interested in. Pick one at a time and focus on it for 1-2 weeks. Go to the library, read books about it, and surf the internet for information.

Call several people who are working in these jobs and ask for an information interview by phone or in person. Tell them you’re researching the industry and simply want to ask some general questions. Ask them what the standard salary range is, type of work done, hours, travel requirements, skills required, or anything that’s important to you. Ask them what they like and don’t like about their job. Maybe you could volunteer to actually work in the environment for a short time.

Do NOT use this time for serious job hunting. This is research. You do not need a resume, a portfolio or a blue suit. All you need is sincere curiosity, some enthusiasm and enough courage to make that first phone call!
(Be sure to add the names and numbers of people you speak with to your network. )

When I decided to retire after 26 years in the Navy, I found myself overwhelmed by two things:

1.  Too much information on how to make a military transition, and
2.  Not enough information on how to make the transition into military retirement.

One, there is an abundance of information and resources available for folks retiring from the military and entering civilian life.  You can find advice on how to clarify your skills and talents, write a resume, survive an interview, and network like a pro.  The Transition Assistance Program (TAP) coordinators make every effort to provide valuable information on what you need to do and what your timeline should be to do it in.  There are self-help and career transition books, career and personality assessments, headhunters, and hundreds of websites loaded with information.

While this is all very valuable, I discovered I didn’t know where to start and couldn’t find anyone to tell me.  Some would say “Start with your resume”.  Okay, but I don’t know what I want to do.  Others would suggest I take some personality assessments.  I did.  And discovered that I was perfectly suited to do what I was doing in the military.  So why wasn’t I happy doing it anymore?  Did I really want to pursue my second career in the same field?  (By the way, you can take these assessments at different times in your life and get different answers.)

Which brings me to number two, not enough information on how to make a military transition. I felt like I was sitting in the middle of a large pile of jigsaw puzzle pieces.  I had numerous skills, tons of experience and an abundance of enthusiasm.  I needed help putting it all together and making sense of it.  All I needed was the first few edge pieces of my puzzle to fit together and the rest of the picture would fall into place.

I realized that the first piece missing from the puzzle of information was a checklist. My military training had taught me to always read the book, look at the manual, use the step-by-step checklist.  Don’t rely on your memory or try to reinvent the wheel.  People got hurt and equipment was damaged when we did that!

I’m not trying to reinvent the transition process here.  There’s really no new information.  Rather, I offer you the missing piece.

I’m offering you the step-by-step checklist so you don’t miss anything.

(I’ll be posting weekly action steps here, so please subscribe over in the right-hand column so you’re sure to get each update.)

Panic, doubt and fear all stem from a lack of knowledge, the unknown.  Not knowing what to do, what will happen next or even how to begin.  I have combined everything you have to do for the Navy before you retire with the personal things you want to think about and explore before you actually leave.

My desire is to help you find the edge pieces to start putting together your own puzzle. What I wish for you is to have an effortless transition, to enjoy the process, and to create a civilian lifestyle that brings you constant joy and deep satisfaction.  God bless you on your journey.

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.

You’re Qualified…Why Aren’t You Getting Any Response To Your Resume?

You’ve mailed your resume to prospective employers, posted it online, and handed it to friends already working in civilian companies. But nobody is calling you back. Why not?

Many transitioners assume their military background puts them at a disadvantage in the civilian job market. Quite the contrary – You’re military background may actually make you more qualified than your civilian competition. However, employers often overlook perfectly qualified candidates (military and civilian) if their resume is too long, difficult to read, or contains words they don’t understand. Since your resume may be the only introduction employers have with you, it’s imperative that it present you in the very best possible light.

Many jobseekers never receive the consideration they deserve because their skills and accomplishments are hidden in run-on statements and military jargon. If your resume contains jargon or long lists of data, you may not be presenting yourself in the best way possible.

Most Resumes Are Quickly Glanced Over…NOT Read!

A common misconception among jobseekers is that employers read their resume from beginning to end. This simply isn’t true. Many companies receive thousands of resumes each month. There isn’t time to read them all. Your resume will be given an initial, quick 20 second glance to determine whether or not you are qualified for the position. A few resumes may be kept on file, but most find their way into the recycle bin. It’s vital that you use a resume format that highlights your key qualifications instantly. Use a format that can be read and understood in those first 20 seconds! This is essential to getting your resume to the second stage of actually being read in more detail. Once you’ve done that, be sure you have translated any military jargon into language that an employer can easily understand.

5 Secrets to Getting Your Resume Noticed:
1. Create a HIGHLIGHTS OF QUALIFICATIONS section at the top of your resume to showcase your most important qualifications.

2. Use bulleted statements instead of paragraphs. For example:

HIGHLIGHTS OF QUALIFICATIONS
• Total years of relevant experience
• Most relevant skills
• Computer experience
• Security Clearance Level 3. Only include your military experience that directly relates to the job you’re applying for. (Remember, your goal is to get an interview, not tell your life story.)

4. Avoid ALL military jargon. Translate your accomplishments into civilian equivalent terms that employers can understand.

5. List only your education and training that directly applies to the job you’re applying for. List any certifications and licenses you have that the employer may find valuable.

Your resume is one of the most important documents you will ever write. Done well, it will open doors to future opportunities. Done poorly, it can leave you waiting by the phone. Use whatever resources you have to create a resume that communicates your skills and qualifications in the best way possible. You never get a second chance to make a first impression.