How did you "Make it" After your Service?

Sgt Dave Knight — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 10:16:40 -0400

The post military dispersion of personnel is something that intrigues me. For instance, you have 3 guys that have the same rank and job in the military. One guy goes back home and becomes a cop, another guy lands a job at J.P. Morgan, and the last guy gets a job digging ditches.

When I first learned I would be transitioning I polished up my resume, attended SEPS/TAPS as early as possible, put my resume on every job board known to mankind, attended job fairs, spam bombed every USAJob that was hiring in my area, applied for every job I felt I qualified for, and started using leave time for interviews. I started doing all of this a year out. For the first 9 months, no one took me seriously. I would receive phone calls from potential employers who were put-off by the fact I would not be available immediately (the sorrows of being under contract). Despite all of this my search was less than fruitful.

With three months to go on my contract I finally met a few prized allies in my search for employment, Technical Recruiters. After you go to SEPS/TAPS, polish your resume, and decide what you want to do when you grow up; build a Linkedin Profile and start looking for recruiters. Recruiters can help you find a job that best suits your skills and abilities. They are not miracle workers, but they can help alleviate some of the stress about finding a new job after your service. The only caveat is that Recruiters work for and are paid by the companies they are staffing, so at the end of the day they are working with you not for you.

I was fortunate to have 2 job offers with 90 days left on my contract. The first was with an Oil and Gas outfit in Texas and the other with a Manufacturing company in Northern Indiana. I knew that the Oil and Gas industry was all work and no play, so I decided to take less pay and better work/life balance at the manufacturing company as their Safety and Environmental Manager (it helped that the President of the company was a Marine like me).

What steps did you take during your transition that helped you succeed outside the military? What valuable advice would you give to young men and women transitioning from their first career in the service?

Comic Courtesy of Maximillian Uriarte of Terminal Lance @ http://www.terminallance.com

Terminal Lance - Home

Time in the Marine Corps doesn’t exist as it does in the regular world. Einstein and Stephen Hawking would be dumbfounded at the mental gymnastics required to extrapolate the chronological mind-fucking that takes place every day across the Corps.The fabric of timeis less “fabric” and more like a few fucked up strings that kind of don’t weave in any particular order or reason.

Response by SCPO David Lockwood made Aug 11 at 2015 10:17 AM

SCPO David Lockwood — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 10:17:55 -0400

Doing well. Great job excellent benefits. They found me. At the time I was not looking for a job, I was going to stay low and enjoy retirement for a while but I couldn't pass this up.

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Aug 11 at 2015 10:24 AM

Capt Seid Waddell — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 10:24:55 -0400

Sgt Dave Knight, "(it helped that the President of the company was a Marine like me)".

Bingo. The personal connection is the thing that gets most of the jobs.

Response by Sgt David G Duchesneau made Aug 11 at 2015 10:40 AM

Sgt David G Duchesneau — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 10:40:49 -0400

One day at a time and keep it all real simple! Be yourself, be honest and never compromise yourself or your beliefs. And for God's sake, maintain a sense of humor!

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Aug 11 at 2015 11:23 AM

SSgt Alex Robinson — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 11:23:40 -0400

I started with what I knew and built in it and eventually started my own consulting firm.

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Aug 11 at 2015 11:25 AM

SSgt Alex Robinson — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 11:25:34 -0400

Thanks for sharing

Response by Cpl Micah Wing made Aug 11 at 2015 12:31 PM

Cpl Micah Wing — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 12:31:20 -0400

I am still trying to adjust back to "normal" life. I miss being with my Marines. I don't think I will ever be fully used to it.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 11 at 2015 5:59 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 17:59:29 -0400

Well, the Terminal Lance strip fits all too accurate. I am an infantryman and I met a lot of skepsism when I hit the job market. There is a stigma against combat arms (and I am not saying that is is combat arms exclusive, but that's the part I know) and I always have to explain my MOS choice in every job interview since. I am not saying that it has stopped me dead in my tracks, but it has slowed me down at times. I have omitted my MOS from my resume - there is says I am a soldier and a manager. all very true.. but leaving that nuance that I am so proud of. The Army has never helped me get a job.. and probably never will.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Aug 13 at 2015 5:19 AM

PO1 John Miller — Thu, 13 Aug 2015 05:19:00 -0400

Honestly, I wrote my resume in about 1 day (with editing here and there) about a month before I went on terminal leave and had a job offer about 2 weeks into my terminal leave.