Developing Military Officer to Civilian Transition Strategies
If you are planning to use the skills and experience you gained in your military job to obtain a proper civilian position, you need to know some important strategies. Many service members face challenges when they leave active duty. They do not know how to handle those challenges properly and as a result, they and their families suffer a lot. You can make the military transition smoothly, if you follow some basic strategies.
Discuss About the Transition with Your Family
Before leaving your military employment, discuss the challenges associated with military to civilian transition with your family. Career changes can stress the family, because this transition may involve physical moves, income reduction and loss of support network. You can develop a family budget well before leaving your military job and start saving money. Research the geographical locations that have potential job options. Consider the schools, cost of living and other life factors in that location. Realize that stress is normal at this stage. Preparing and seeking help can make the military transition smooth.
Problems In Demilitarizing the Language
Many service members face difficulties while writing a resume. They find it hard to translate military occupational specialties properly to suit the requirements of potential civilian employers. It takes time to understand how to demilitarize the language.
Using Improper Resume Styles
Using improper resume style is yet another problem faced by military people. More often they write ineffective content, articulating a vast amount of data to potential employers. You can solve this problem by viewing resume examples and samples available online.
Lack of Understanding About Current Interviewing Methods
More often, veterans lack knowledge of the current methods in behavioral interviewing process. Though they have valuable skills that are valued and in high demand, they are not able to get a suitable civilian job, as they do not know how to market themselves in an interview. You can eliminate this problem by following the Transferability of Skills Strategy. In order to write a successful resume, you need to understand how to separate your skills, talents and experience from the actual military environment in which you acquired them. You need to identify all your skills and connect them to your current career goals. Then present them in a proper manner, which can be understood by a civilian employer easily.
If all your skills, qualifications and experience are embedded within your military job, an employer may find it difficult to recognize them. Hence, you need to display your skills without focusing on your record of service as a military officer. Changing the wording and presentation suitable to the civilian word can help you get success in finding a right job. Be sure to highlight your capabilities and experience prominently, so that they get the attention they deserve. Searching for a good job that fits and utilizes your military skills may be difficult, but it helps you get an exciting and highly rewarding career.
Written by: Shadeed Eleazer
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