1

Start planning as early as you can. Attend transition assistance programs AT LEAST twice. Learn to translate your military accomplishments into 'civilian speak.' Learn different types of resumes and cover letters.

Depending on your situation, the GI Bill and a part time job are a nice way to slide into a new life.

2

start early and understand how to turn your skills and accomplishments in to civilian speak

3

Don't be afraid to venture out and get a mentor to help with getting a job...TAPS at some bases just try to rush though things to "present" information - just to fill a block....not really to help those leaving the military

4

Remember you will not always be in the uniform that said, your character and work ethic speak volumes as you never know who is watching

5

Network, network, Network! Don't close any doors, be open to any/all opportunities. Don't chase money....it won't buy you happiness and job satisfaction. If you have the option, follow your passions into your civilian job career.

6

Don't put too much energy and focus into the military. Your military career, however long it may be, it temporary. Your family and future employment are forever. Make investments in your family and future potential career. The top 3 enlisted ranks are limited to 3% of the total force. I have seen so many good people get sucked into shooting for the highest rank possible....wasting time and energy better spent on family and education and training. The Military was here long before you, and will be here long after.....get yours before you separate or retire....in 3 months the people in your work center won't remember who you are and if you play your cards right; you'll be making great money in the real world with fond military memories.

7

If you are retiring, you have to start preparing ten years out to complete educations, certification, etc. in the field you want to work in, and really kick it up five years out. If you are separating after a hitch, start planning as soon as you decide to separate.

8

Make sure everything re: medical conditions are in your record. Even hangnails! Go to the doctor very regularly for everything - from lack of sleep to a hang nail. Also Take NOTES during your separation briefings - get names and numbers for everyone!!!

9

Veteran preference is watered down propaganda

10

You are a skilled professional don't be afraid to sell it.

11

Get your resume done early by a professional writer, not trans-assistance personnel.

12

Be proactive..have a plan

13

Plan ahead and use every possible resource available.

14

Start getting resume out to Companies before your retirement, go to job fairs and network. If you know your job will require certifications such as a CDL get it while still active duty so military will pay for it.

15

Don't be discouraged by non military managers. They have a tendency to look down on your abilities. Make sure the selling of yourself is the most important job you will ever do. Do what you like you will be more positive in your position.

16

Be sure to take a break and then do whats next in your life.

17

Keep your records up to date when getting out

18

Make sure that you do your homework and have all documents in order.

19

start your transition a year before, looking for your next goal in life.

20

Civilian working world was a shocker. 180 degrees from the high integrity, teamwork type environment of the military

21

Be prepared for the transition. Get your degree, certification, experience. Whatever you think you will do for a living after the military, be prepared before you transition.

22

Make sure you have a very good resume written out in civilian language and not military jargon. Also if applying for a gov't job make sure you claim your veterans preference and fill out a SF15.

23

Complete your education & keep current with new technology. Make sure your resume is in civilian terms not military jargon. Also, make sure to capture all your military job experience and training.

24

Before you get out or seperate, make sure your DD Form 214 is current and has all your information on it. Get your final physical and make sure you get your VA Disability review. Choose the right GI Bill.

25

Remember you are entering the civilian world and you need to adapt to civilian ways in order to succeed. Keep what you learned in the military in your heart and don't try to push it on civilians

26

Resume building in TAP

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VA Benefits

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Use the services that are available to you

29

Be certain of your next career path research those possibilities gain knowledge, certs. Schooling if needed

30

Don't sell yourself short and do not settle for substandard pay because you have a military retirement check.

31

Make sure all your records are correct and make copies for yourself. File with the VA quickly. (Most of us never reported medical issues while serving but years later they WILL surface).

32

Get assistance in covering your military training into civilian jobs opportunities.

33

Resume building is tough and requires a lot of work and time to customize just one for the job you're applying for. In addition, interviewing can be just as difficult depending on how much time you have spend in the military. I found Veteran job help locally. They help you work your resume and give you insight into how to interview and even will help you practice in mock interviews.

34

Education. Finish your degree or ensure you have a transferable skill that will support you on the outside.

35

Get all of the education you can while on active duty. Degrees do make a difference

36

Be prepared to accept a lower level job! Many military I have interviewed felt we owed them thus we should hire them and pay them a hire wage than others applying for the same job. This "you owe me" mentality needs to change. Being retired, nobody owed me anything though I am grateful for being recognized for my service. But like my father, I never speak of what I did or the sacrifices I made. That is personal and my colleagues are aware of it. In other words, humble yourself a little!

37

Start the retirement process at least six months prior to retirement. Get a complete set of your medical records. Start the job hunting at three months.

38

You start over - no matter what your rank or title in the military - civilians will never understand what it means...leave it at the door...

39

Get a degree before you get out.

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Be Patient

41

Network, complete college degree and consider an advanced degree, obtain recognized certifications if necessary, and know that most companies don't consider military experience as "real work experience".

42

Non-governmental civilian workforce is different from military. Have a good understanding of how businesses run.

43

Managing civilians are much different than managing military members.

44

Stress teamwork, communications, and people skills learned in the military. Many people have college degrees. The skills I describe above are mostly lacking in non-military degreed people from my experience and apply regardless of occupation.

45

Be prepared. Think all of your options through before making the decision to retire if you have the choice to do so. In my case, I turned down an assignment to Germany and, because I was over 20 years in the service, I had to retire. Even though I knew the ramifications of turning down the assignment, I did not have a plan in place to transition over to civilian life from RAF Lakenheath. To say it was a disaster is an understatement.

46

You don't receive your Travel Pay until after your terminal leave ends. Don't budget this money into any home buying plans as it could take months to deposit.

47

Don't be scared to work! Show your worth by example!

48

Ensure all medical is completely taken care of. Everything is documented. Have personal copies of everything. Have VA package submitted.

49

Watch your tax withholding from your retirement pay. Ensure you have enough withheld.

50

Translate military skills into civilian terminology and don't rely on "management" experience to open doors.

51

Prepare for your transition as soon as possible and don't limit yourself to your military specialty. You have universal leadership skills that are transferable to any sector.

52

Help veterans with any disabilities claims prior to leaving the service, Make copies of all your medical files

53

Utilize the transition assistance programs available.

54

That the civilian workforce would hold my retirement medical benefits against me and not pay me the same as the other folks.

55

Get to know how military jargon and skills translate to the civilian world.

56

Don't take time off, have a job before terminal leave is over. Also most of the civilian world is clueless of what goes on outside of the U.S.

57

Take care of yourself. I was so intent on not being a roadie that I didn't get my VA done until three years after retirement.

58

Pick a veteran-friendly employer who hires and retains veterans. I did not do that (I'm the ONLY combat vet in my workplace of 200) and I'm absolutely miserable. Makes my PTS from MST flare up a lot more than it should. Trying to get a civilain gov't job right now and will use my Post 9/11 GI Bill soon to get my Master's degree so I can get out of the 'hell' I'm in now. Plus fighting the ineptness of the VA doesn't help matters.

59

Transition takes time. There are things about the civilian world which will really bother you at first, and you just need to learn to let them go.

60

Talk to multiple trusted veterans that made the transition and pick their brain for recommendations. Reach out to trusted resources for guidance and assistance.

61

Get a good understanding of medical benefits both military a job sponsored. Watch out for employers that resent veteran's preference programs.

62

Network! Find a mentor and get help finding a market segment or career you'd really like to work in. One of the toughest times I've had is trying to figure out where I want to work and what I want to do. A mentor will be able to help ground you and focus your efforts. Choose what you want to do, or you'll never find the right opportunity.

63

Education, Education, Education. Use your GI Bill and get it.

64

Realize that the market is a challenge and that you have skills and options...do not get target fixated nor frustrated...life is a process and the ability to adapt to changing situation dynamics, learned or honed in the service is a great asset.

65

It's not what it seems or what we are told. Jobs aren't easy to apply and get. The military we are taught constant improvement. Civilian companies claim that, but actually discourage it. For those who are still in....stay in until they kick you out.

66

Whatever your goals are, with the rest of your life, keep your expectations realistic. Timing may play a huge factor in whether you're able to land the job/profession you desire. The economy will always fluctuate.

67

For retirees, start your transition plan five years out.

68

Don't spend your TSP!!!

69

Get your DD-214 right the first time. Most things you can adjust and fix but the process for the 214 was all electronic and results were bad and discovered "after" separation when it is impossible to find help to correct

70

Plan early. Get your education/certifications while you're still active duty and network. You will need total income to be 25% more than you make to offset taxes that aren't on BAH/BAS/specialty pay.

71

The civilian workforce does not understand how to follow rules, be dedicated to your assignment. Discipline,respect, honor. Be prepared to be disgusted with your co workers and the management for being lazy and lacking any moral character.

72

Prepare! Network with those you know as far in advance as possible. One year in not unrealistic. Remember, it's not who you know, but who KNOWS you.

73

Plan ahead by asking your self, what do I want to do when i get out of the military, and what do i need to do to maintain my current lifestyle. You have to be willing to accept employment that helps pay the bills while continuing to network to find that job you really want. In the military, we move, settle down, do our job, then move again, all the while someone was there to help with our transition. Once you exit the military, you are on your own...period! Civilians don't care if you wore a uniform, what your rank was or how many times you deployed down range. They want to know what your skillset is, what you can do for them, and if you have an education.

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TAPS Class

75

Be realistic with the salary you are going to get. Do you research. Many think getting that $70k a year job right out of the military is a realistic outlook, but in reality if the community does not support it you'll have pie in the face.

76

Find as many civilian friends as possible so you can learn what makes them tick and assimilate sooner. It's important to also have those friendships with fellow Veterans you meet because with your shared experiences you can rely on each other but you won't make any advancements in your transition by just having Veteran friends.

77

Make sure to go to the TAPS class about 3 years out from your anticipated date of separation. Then go 2 years out and 1 year out. Be very familiar with how www.usa.jobs.gov works. Keep up to date with how any of your recent friends retired and see how they are doing in the job market. Have a good resume ready to go. Above all be patient. I retired as a E-7, Master Sergent from the Air Force. It took 4 years, but now I am a GS-12.

78

Make sure all of your training, everything from Self Aide Buddy Care to Tech School, is documented and you have a copy. Many schools and employers will use it as skill verification.

79

If transitioning to a commercial industry, be aware that it will be very difficult to do a lateral move unless leaving the military early. If after retiring from the military, the transition is not smooth and networking will need to be aggressive to ensure the void is filled. Ensure the resume provides a clear description of management training in nonmilitary terms.

80

Plan out the transition at least several years in advance, as best as one can thus it is only a transition and not a shock.

81

Search & Consider All options to make use of your government service time already spent, ensuring future success. Life time endeavor - build on skills of interest to fit alternate career paths with retirement (pension) benefits couple with professional -personal development.

82

Civilians are strange creatures. They are late for meetings and no one thinks twice about it, they are very territorial, fail to see the "big picture" or objective and carve out their own little fiefdoms in the workplace and they don't stray from it. It's a weird dynamic. They aren't going to change so it's up to veterans to get used to the new environment.

83

If you are retiring, start planning five years out. This does not include obtaining the education or certification you need for the career you want when you retire. For "one hitch & done", start planning once you get to your first permanent duty station.

84

Prepare, Prepare, Prepare! Start preparing for your separation early, two years in advance, you should be looking ahead.... Obtain some schooling, even a two year degree or national certification in some kind of trade is extremely helpful. If your service offers an associates degree program, enroll, education is important on a resume and will help yours move to the top of a candidates pile faster. Save all of your certificates, training documents and performance reports, these will help you highlight what you have accomplished when writing / elaborating on your resume and make it easier to remember what you have done.

85

Be prepared. Your resume and networking with recruiters can help a departing service member acquire a job quickly.

86

Try to determine what you want to do early. If education is important to getting your target position, then leverage your TA to take classes directly related to your target vocation. Some jobs can have a direct transition from military to your civilian counterpart; in this case make sure you are establishing a good rapport with them. Shed your military attitude and jargon and embrace your future contracting job culture. Sad to say, but at least a year prior to separation, focus all of your efforts of your new life. The fact is that even though you still have time left in the military, when your leadership knows YOU are done THEY are done with you. It may be in your best interest to keep your intentions on the DL. Give 100% as you are in transition, but give the good stuff to you new employer, school, or family. The fact is that the mi9litary is always temporary, your family is forever.

87

Start preparing early and get your education squared away before retiring. Additionally, pay off your consumer debt before retiring so you can survive on your retirement until you start another career.

88

Start while you are still serving so that you can come right out and hit the ground running.

89

Learn to speak in civilian terms, and accept that civilians have no idea what skill sets you bring to the table and may have a negative military bias. Market yourself in a way that benefits an employer. Believe in yourself, have patience, and hang up your uniform. You need to deal with people, not command them.

90

Do your homework. The resume is often the biggest thing transitioning veterans get wrong. They do a poor job translating their skills, they often use the wrong format, more than two pages, use acronyms.

91

Be prepared for a lack of standards and accountability.

92

Figure out what you want to be when you grow up and ensure your resume reflects the position you desire...in business English. Employers don't want someone who can do "anything." They want to fill a specific position

93

Learn hpw to translate your military skills into private sector terms.

94

Prepare: financially, education and know your rights.

95

Have a plan on to achieve your goals! Then have a backup plan.

96

Gain as much knowledge as you can.

97

If you know your passion prior to departing the military, focus on that now. I didn't and I wish that I had. I am playing catch-up for many years working in an arena that I simply wasn't happy.

98

Be flexible. There is a lot more gray thinking in the civilian world than you are most likely used to in your military career. Flexibility in your job search as well, you may not find the perfect job right away. Be prepared to change directions, I went back to college and ended in a completely new career.

99

Be prepared and have a good resume without the military jargon.

100

Make sure your clearance is up to date before leaving, get any certifications before leaving, and get a job lined up before leaving

101

Be smart and focused.

102

Make sure that you use your education benefits, and that you get a marketable degree.

103

Start Planning at least 5 yrs ahead of your retirement! If you are separating instead of retiring, make sure that you have resume, endorsements ready to go. And keep a copy of all your medical records, you never know what might come back in 20-40 yrs that can be tied back to something you did in the military

104

Never take the skills you developed for granted, because you may have to change careers after you leave the services. Keep this in mind, the whole time you are serving in the military, and plan accordingly.. Additional education is a great plan of action in all cases...

105

Create an employment plan two years before separating from the military.

106

Stay calm and work from the ground up. You already know how to prioritize things, that is where the magic happens. I started as a temp driver from my specialty and now I am an Operations Manager in two years. No matter if you are doing the bottom end of your job, if you do what you have always done, you will be noticed and moved up faster than all others.

107

Take your time and learn a little about the perspective company you wish to apply with. This will help you get that second critical interview. Your resume already speaks volumes about you.

108

Set aside at least 3 months of pay to smooth the initial transition.

109

Start preparing at least 2 years prior to retirement or separation.

110

Get your degree, and don't look back; make a clean cut.

111

Start preparing 2-3 years before you separate, if you can. Get your finances in order, reduce your debt and get money into a savings account. You just don't know when you will need a safety net.

112

Don't assume that issues that bothered you while you were on duty will go away when you take the uniform off (In my case PTSD)...Make sure you have copies of all of your medical records and be prepared

113

There is a difference between civilian workforce and the military workforce. In the military everyone knows where they are in the structure. In the civilian world it is not so clear.

114

Life isn't always greener on the civilian side.

115

Learn to translate your skills and experience into terms that the civilian community understands, I have had the opportunity to interview dozens of transitioning or recently separated service members and nothing is quite so awkward as having the other interview panel members remark afterwards that they didn't understand anything the individual said.

116

Military professions carry with them a sense of common mission, goals, and rules. This does not apply in the civilian workforce (a generalization, but true in a majority of jobs). This means that your coworker might not have your back, your boss's agenda might be hidden or different than the companies, things aren't done for the betterment of the team, etc. You need to understand workplace politics, and that loyalty is not the same as in your unit or branch. Keep your eyes open, question everything, and navigate as best you can given your superior talents and abilities.

117

1) Civilian workforce has no work ethic for the most part. Everything is "its not my job". There is never any "chain of command, you have multiple bosses with multiple agendas, company rules are nonsense and rarely followed. 2) Corporate leadership is usually totally disconnected from reality. 3) Slugs/sloths in the workplace are just accepted, butt kissing is encouraged and hard honest work gets nothing.

118

Be ready for the transition. Start implementation of your plan well before you leave active duty.

119

Civilians operate and think differently than military. While my job as a government contractor directly correlates to my military position, it was difficult to explain my accomplishments, experiences, abilities, and aptitude to other potential employers.

120

Start your job research at least 6-8 months in advance prior to your projected retirement date and know what type of employment you're quilified for.

121

Keep your professional appearance at work and make friends, but be cautious of mixing the two. A coworker might become best friend, but that doesn't mean the same thing as in the service - they could be someone on the fast track and you're their next rung on the ladder.

122

Take a month off to decompress & process all you have been thru. Let your family members know that you can't just go from military to cilivians life in a short time. If you your are depressed, which most vets I retired with went thru major depression, get help immediately. Looks for civilian work at least 1 year ahead of your retirement/separation date. Try to get some practice in civilian job interviews.

123

Resume writing without mil speak, and job search skills with some coaching. Similar to a newcomers orientation with a active duty member acting as a sponsor. Partnership with a local chamber of commerce could do the same thing for separating members.

124

Many civilians, those who have NEVER served, do not always appreciate what you know, and don't believe it is easily adaptable to a civilian job with out a lot of retraining. You have to take that in stride, and see how what you know actually is adaptable - quite often it is to a large extent. Never get into a "pissing contest" over it.

125

Fight for what you want to do. Education is a key to every job, especially when looking to progress from lower positions to hire ones.

126

Ensure your DD214 is correct. Mine was done on line, was incorrect and stamped "member was not available to sign" P

127

Plan ahead & start early.

128

Take as many TAP classes allowed. Make sure to find an employment agency and learn the local habits of employers. What I learned in TAP not always was the same in the county but the knowledge helped me find a perfect job after the service. Take your time and tailor each resume to each position applying for. I made sure to answer each requirement within my resume. Don't stress over the callbacks. I was on terminal leave at the beginning of November and after sending out 10+ resumes a week. I was feeling down in the dumps by Christmas because I had zero callbacks. However, the 2nd week of January I had 2 interviews and 2 job offers. Treat each day as a work day. Wake up, shower (it makes you feel better and more energized for the rest of the day). Make a schedule of what days you will be reviewing want ads online, what days you will be making your call backs and cold calls, and be sure to schedule in personal time for exercise and appointments. If you treat job hunting like an actual job it will help you stay on point instead of becoming a procrastinator. It helped me to keep folders on my computer named with the position I applied for the date and the company so I could go back and review which resume I used and what job I applied for so when I had the interview all I had to do is click on the folder and review before the appointment.

129

Knowing someone on the inside of s company (networking) is the best way to make the initial cut. Without it, you're just another applicant.

130

Be open minded about salary and position. You may not start a the top. You may have to start somewhere and work your way up.

131

Spend time speaking with veterans who have successfully transitioned into the private sector. Transition assistance programs only scratch the surface of what you need to know to be successful. Invest in a resume writing service that specializes in translating your service experience into something the private sector employers will understand. Take time to identify companies that have veteran hiring programs. Those companies understand the value veterans bring to the table.