Hi Jayson,

You are about to embark on a very frustrating process in transitioning to civilian life.

The world you have known is about to clash with a world in which you have not been a part of in however many years in service you have under your belt. You are bound to be floored by what appears to be a lack of uniformity, a lack of respect, lack of direction, and a complete 180 from everything you are used to.

In order to find meaningful employment, you will want to align your job search with the skills your MOS afforded you in your years of service. A lot of former military feel they need to go the route of security guard, corrections officers, police officers, or private security contractors.

Before you try to find a job in the civilian world, you must decide if you want to continue the line of work you performed in service, or if you want to branch out and try new things. If you want to branch out and try new things, what type of work interests you?

You need a solid plan to attack this new world. Figure out what you want to do and build a resume based off of the experiences your time in the military afforded you.

For example, I started off as a 19D Cavalry Scout. When it was discovered I knew how to type, i was asked to move into Battalion level S1 PAC Admin as the awards clerk. While I was there I helped to implement the Modern Army Record Keeping System (MARKS). When I got out, I was able to use that experience to get a job in software implementation/help-desk industry and from there I moved along until I made my way into IT Business Analysis.

So think about what you want to do and where you want to be in 5 years and make an action plan, then attack the hell out of that plan until you get to where you want to be.

You may also want to register with your local workforce/unemployment services office. They have programs to help soldiers obtain work and you will work with a dedicated counselor who will help transition you to the world of civilian employment.

Let me know if you have any questions.