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So how do you deal with the question of having "no" or not enough experience when trying to get into the corporate world. The majority of my adult life has been spent in the military and now as a recent graduate for college and a newly commissioned reserve officer, I find myself trying to get into the corporate and professional world. I have had plenty of interviews and the majority come back saying we like you we like your background and training but you do not have enough experience for our company. Now I am trying to get into entry level management or entry level IT. So how do you overcome this problem?
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Experience
Transition Experience
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 5
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2LT Garcia, it has been my experience in the civilian world that employers don't know how to relate military training and experience to the civilian equivalent. Sometimes it's a matter of educating the employer of your duties and responsibilities on the military side and how they apply in the civilian market. For example "Platoon Leader" often means very little to a civilian employer, but when you talk about the supervision and operations management of a group of thirty-some soldiers over a specific period of time you have something a little more concrete and measureable that an employer can relate to. Hope this helps.
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I have tried doing this and talked with a few corporate military recruiters on how to translate my experience and training. However its normally after the interviews when I do follow ups, that they tell me that they feel I have no "real" experience.
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That being said, you may want to consider proactively addressing this issue during the interview and head the issue off at the pass. When an opening presents itself, you could use that opportunity to expound on your training and experience. Another thought is to look for companies that are more in tune with military experiences. Organizations like hiring our heroes put on job fairs with "military friendly" companies. I know there are two scheduled in Nebraska this spring, no doubt there are some in Colorado.
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2LT Garcia. You might try looking at GS jobs. Veterans get a point preference and it's highly likely that people on the hiring committee are veterans themselves and will understand how your military experience translates into civilian work experience.
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It is not what you say but how you say it. People in general could care less what another person wants. You have to sell what your saying in a manner in which they feel they are getting what they want. Read "How To Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie. A lot of corporate leaders will swear by it and have read it.
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