Happy 4th of July 2011
When are you getting out of the military?
Many patriots are really not thinking about or preparing for what they will be doing when they get out of the Armed Services. The reality is a many soldiers in the military may be tired of the increasingly long and extended tours. Fighting in wars may not be what they want to do for the rest of their lives. I know every new theater of war the United States enters there seems to be this learning curve where when we go in to a war there are things that happen that we are not prepared for. The fact is there are things the commanders have to do to adjust to fighting a war on someone else’s turf. The main thing is staying in a theater of war longer than planned.
There my be other reasons why you would like to get out of the service but the job market is not so good right now. So you stay in and keep trying to move up in the ranks basically doing the same thing not accomplishing objectives you may have set for yourself.
Here are some things to consider, If you are an expert in combat arms there are many police forces that need good people that know how to defuse bombs and handle weapons. But if you want to develop a different vocation or change direction, the first thing is try to change your job MOS (Military Occupational Specialties) while you are in the military. You may qualify for a promotion, see if there are any slots in a different MOS but close to what you are doing. Take online studies in a field not related to your military job but aimed at your new occupation out of the military. So you say the military is doing stop loss well if you re-up use that money yo pay for college courses while you are having to spend extra time in the military.
Also consider looking at the job market, what jobs are hot now? Where are the jobs? Texas has one of the best job markets in the USA. Start thinking a head because you can get a lot done in 6 years. There are also job malls like Careerbuilder.com I have a link widget on my blog page check it out there are many services on that site that can help you find the next thing you do out of the service. Careerbuilder.com it the best job mall on the internet and have operations in many countries in Europe. Click on the link and you will see how to sign up and get emails concerning specific jobs you might be interested in. Don’t wait, start looking now for your future opportunity.
Consider this information from Careerbuilder:
The US unemployment is at an all time high. While the market shows some signs of recovery the labor pool is saturated new college graduates and
well qualified unemployed people that are willing to take a pay cut. Returning services members will be competing with highly skilled labor force.
Education
Here are some things to think about. Unemployment for Citizens with a four-year degree is 4%. Combining your service with a degree is a great
way to secure a job and successfully transition from service member to civilian. If you can’t wait getting certified is a great way to prove to prospective
employers that you’re trainable and have a marketable skill. Information Technology is a field with many certifications available. University of Maryland University College & University of Phoenix are two colleges that tailor to the military and distance learning. The military also offer clep exams to test out of some courses.
Networking
Many of you are serving with reservist and guardsmen. Using sites like Facebook and LinkedIn is a great way of keeping in touch and possibly finding a job via referral oh yeah and don’t forget your local church, many churches have job fairs. Referrals are the number one way of finding a job in the US.
Job Hunting
A resume is key to finding a job. Its important to find a way to show your qualifications to perspective employers. If you were in the top of your class at AIT or in boot camp its important to tell your story. Awards and Medals are also key things to point out. Posting your resume on sites like careerbuilder.com can niche sites for the military like “Operation hero for hire ” are great starts. Make sure to apply for jobs
as well as making your resume searchable on the resume database.
http://www.operationheroforhire.com
RHSRJR