1

Get as much education as possible prior to transitioning.

2

civillian employment is far different from millitary
the loyalty and discipline is not there, if you are lucky to work with other millitary personel that makes it easier to transition
I know this because I have helped others into field they knew nothing of
and have turned out to be some of the best in our field.

3

Learn the corporate language early. Learn how to translate your experience in the military, and you have a whole bunch, thru your resume and oration to civilian speak, as soon as possible. Seek out an organization like RP6.ORG to assist you with your transition quest for education, housing, and employment, among other things to get your facts organized and find your direction. Another critical motion is to network as soon as possible, because that will land you the critical interview.

4

Ensuring you get your medical records evaluated before you separate.

5

Know your finances; plan in advance to pay off bills two to three years out from decision to leave military; attend ACAP/TAP 18-24 months out; insure you have VA paperwork done six months from leaving military; do not get a false sense of security for retirement check; plan plan and plan for 4-6 months of savings for housing cost; make yourself financially smart; check credit score and clear up credit history; insure you know exactly what is happening with your bills, don't assume your spouse or significant other is money smart; if you are going to purchase a home before leaving the service do it one to two years out; and most important, do not procrastinate on any of the above.

6

The true meaning of networking and understanding the diverse jobs that are out there. Applying to the right positions and tailoring your resume to the position.

7

Plan as far ahead as possible.

8

Take full advantage of free education provided before you begin to transition

9

The most important aspect of job search is developing, nurturing, and leveraging both personal and professional networks. You must make the effort to meet people, and get to know them.

10

Use those skills learned on active duty to secure a place in today's civilian workforce. Use the dependability and all the other attributes learned in the military. They may not need infantry but they can use the skills that made you an effective infantry soldier.

11

Research your transition location beforehand, and don't assume you can just walk into a job.

12

Network, Network, Network. Most companies require you to have in addition to a degree, technical experience. So knowing the right people to get you that interview is important. We spend many hours submitting resumes to find employers will not look at you if you do not have the technical experience.

13

Many veterans need to learn to write their resumes eliminating military terminology and acronyms as it only confuses employers. Do not use military leadership titles i.e. Platoon Sergeant, First Sergeant, Squad Leader, Company Commander, etc as the majority of civilians have no idea what those leadership positions are. Instead use "supervisor" or "manager." Too many veterans expect to be able to acquire a job in the private sector equal to the leadership position they had in the military as well as receive a salary equal to or greater than their military pay. Lower your expectations, get your foot in the door, and then prove yourself.

14

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.

15

Start networking one year out, at six months, contact a good POC at the job you finally chose and touch base monthly to indicate your continued interest. Have at least six months of your basic pay in savings

16

Stay in. Dont get out, life is easier in the military no matter how green the grass looks

17

Referrals and resources are your best friend. When I wasn't actively looking for a job I was volunteering with different organizations. Building my network and resource bank increased the number of jobs I saw and the number of people I could call upon for suggestions, referrals and references.

18

Identify your skills. Evaluate your military service. What did you do daily? Make a list. Once your list is complete, pair skills you used with each task. Pay special attention to your transferable skills -- those you can easily use in different organizations.

19

1. Never forget your oath, remember others have traveled the same road, You will have to adapt to civilian life but never forget you are a soldier. Be as you were in uniform, (strong) a lot of us have made it so can you. God Bless and thanks for your service. Have family members help you rehearse and stand tall in the interview. Let them know they are taking on the best.

20

start transitioning process at least 24 months out.

21

Start early and build your network over the previous 24 months. Ensure you get help with your resume and translate it in to civilian terms

22

Get real work experience in whatever field you are trying to get into.

23

1. Ensure your resume contains no military jargon or acronyms. Whatever your leadership position in the military, translate it to a comparable civilian position, i.e. Platoon Sergeant = Supervisor or Manager. 2. Do not expect to obtain a civilian job at the same level of leadership you had in the Army.

24

Network, network, and network somemore. A friend of your long lost third cousin has the job you want, so network.

25

Have a strong resume that indicates all your military training and translate that training to your resume.

26

Network

27

Keep all options for new jobs open. Don't try to find that "perfect" fit that matches what you did in the military. Also remember you may have to start at the bottom again, but vets tend to rise faster than others

28

Stay active be flexible. 👍

29

Start early, devise a plan and work it, scrub all military-speak from your vocabulary, read everything available about resume writing and interviews, be patient, don't be discouraged, job-hunting is hard on everyone, not just the military

30

Have a plan! Transition takes time be prepared for that. Don't leave the military without knowing what your going to do when you seperate. Whether it's going back to school or going in to the workforce. Look for companies that offer training programs for their employees. These companies care about their employees and tend to be closer to the structure service members are used to.

31

Go back to school and begin a new career. During your education do not forget to participate in an Internship program to gain the necessary experience to succeed. Also looking into programs available and organization that will help you network and understand all the unwritten rules in your new environment. Do not discount Volunteering in programs to assist your fellow veteran. You can include Volunteered time on your resume.

32

1) Network, network, network. You never know where or when the next opportunity will come from. Maintain your professional bearing and retain that "get it done" mentality, but drop the military jargon, civilians don't speak MOS, ETS, REFRAD, etc. 2) Maintain your grooming standards, civilian employers like employees that look and act like professionals. Don't be sloppy. 3) Be flexible but don't sacrifice your family if you can help it. A good paying job on the 11-7 shift might seem attractive but not if your wife and kids need you around more than the paycheck. 4) If you are going into a manufacturing setting learn to speak LEAN, SIX SIGMA, Continuous Improvement, Quality, Error proofing....its all the rage in companies trying to be the best. If you don't know what they are Google them and learn. 5) Have someone other than your spouse,(unless they are an English major) proof your resume. A poorly done resume will most likely find its way into the trash. USE SPELL CHECK. Know the difference between there and their, Our and are, etc. Dress for success. 6) Use the Coach Coughlin rule, if you are on time you are late, if you are early you are on time. Words to live by.

33

You are going to need to accept a few facts: 1. Civilians have never faced real-world life-or-death situations. This gives them a perverse sense of priorities. It also makes them view you negatively when you fail to panic as much as everyone else about trivial matters. You can easily develop a reputation for being apathetic, uncommitted, etc. 2. Civilians may "thank you for your service," however, their gratitude tends to run shallow. Often, the fact that you have seen and done things they never will makes them extremely uncomfortable in your presence. 3. Civilians do not grasp the concept of "embracing the suck-factor." No matter how hard you work pulling their bacon out of the fire, no matter how brilliant and driven you are, your office mates will often run you down behind your back if you ever make light of any "crisis du jour."

34

Must prepare by learning the civilian lingo, i.e learn how to properly translate military experience into civilian experience. You must network to avoid applying in website. Most company take a long time to contact you back and in some instances the companies don't even let you know that you are no longer consider. If you apply for federal jobs, make sure that you include everything that you have done, have reliable references that will recommend you.

35

Having concrete and realistic goals, career paths to transition to. Without these two important factors, there's not much to transition to and beginning to process to assist you from military to civilian workforce.

36

Have a direction you want to go well before you separate and aggressively prepare yourself for attaining your goal (s). It's never to early to think about what you want to be when you grow up and waiting for until the final year of service is too late.

37

Ask yourself these 2 questions: 1. What do you want to do as a civilian? 2. Where do you want to work/what location? **Without the answers to these questions it is almost impossible to assist you in your next career. Network, Network and Network- do this well in advance; go and meet with companies who are hiring- even if you are not out of the military yet. Talk with Recruiters and Hiring Managers at Career Fairs- be Honest about your timeline and don't get discouraged when a recruiter tells you they don't have a job for you right now. Remember also; you didn't start out at the rank/level you are in the military you earned that through your hard work. The same will be for your civilian career.

38

DO not rely on government retirement, when you retire, unless you plan on having no bills, Unless you have a technical job skill, plan on starting at the bottom and and be prepared to move from job to job for pay raises.

39

TAPS Class

40

plan ahead begin networking early to ensure a smooth transition

41

Start preparing early. ACCAP is not going to help you, they spend little time on helping you write resume. The officer corps is well connected and seems to have a good understanding of the networking process. Of that is the way work in the military. The enlisted corps is not that lucky. Networking is important. Deciding what you will do and stick with it. Make sure you have a degree (4) years in that field so you can earn a living wage. You will need medical care and no one is going to pay for your family. The rules are always changing on what you can receive at the on post hospital and they don't always allow you to be seen. If you have a family the VA will not take care of them. Trying to translate you military skills to civilian is hard, using the web site tranlators will limit you. Be willing to relocate to where the jobs are for your new career.

42

When preparing a resume, use civilian wording. Change all military wording, to include your military job description, into civilian equivalant. That help me get hired on pretty quick. DO NOT walk into a civilian job acting like you are a First Sergeant, Sergeant Major, Military Officer of what ever rank. Once you are out of the military, you are now no different than any other civilian and you will be treated that way. One cares where you came from or what your rank was. You are now an average Joe.

43

Be persistent, be patient, network, network, network.

44

Networking is vitally important to your transition.

45

Service members need to identify the industry that they want to work in and then seek out the required education and certifications. The civilian workforce is built on education and certifications. It may mean going back to school and learning the civilian way to do things you already perform in the military.

46

Go to a small state college or local community college ASAP...get enrolled in BASIC classes...Use your GIBILL benefits and take your time deciding on your next steps..

47

First, get all of your medical issues, that you ignored to continue the mission, documented. It will make the VA claims process much easier. Also, find a Veterans Service Officer to help file and track the claim. DO NOT try to navigate the claims process yourself. Second, the civilian world is not structured at all like the military. Discipline, in my experience, usually leaves something to be desired. Third, do not take things personally and allow things to wash over your shoulder. Fourth and most important, be flexible and have a positive attitude. Your attitude will rub off on other people.

48

Lose the jargon and specific acronyms/nomenclatures of training or equipment used on resumes. The goals are to broadly show: 1) you can learn new things quickly and easily, 2) you can multitask, 3) you have teamwork/leadership skills

49

That your expectations of employment in the civilian world may be greatly limited due to education and civilian experience. Take transition serious and move where the best employment opportunities are not based on where your family is.

50

Prepare at least 5 years out make a plan, and adjust accordingly but at least have an idea of what you want to do and where you want to do it at. 2 years out refine the plan and start executing it.

51

To establish a network with people in the field of work you wish to pursue and to effectively translate your military skills into civilian speak.

52

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.

53

Be proactive in deciding what you want to attempt when you leave the service. Read, research, be positive when talking with civilians and ask them what the perception of the military is in their community. Do some volunteer work as you move into the civilian sector.

54

Be prepared for significant reduction in salary and to rebrand yourself.

55

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.

56

Start transition about 6-9 months out. You can't be in the military one day and just appear "on the other side" the next.

57

do not anticipate that anywhere along the process; will those who are conducting your transition, assist you in understanding what exactly are your benefits and how complicated and bureaucratic they are to get you into the system, and treated fairly in doing so. The system is comprised of different standards and associated by pay grade and position upon your separation and or retirement. IT SHOULD BE ONE STANDARD!

58

Don't take too long of a break and don't expect civilian counterparts to be even remotely like the people you worked with in the military.

59

Start planning for new career early. Having a plan means to explore your chosen career field, start training/education to make yourself stand out in that field. Have a back up plan for when primary plan falls through and jobs are not available. Do not plan on / count on government contractor jobs; they are increasingly rare.

60

Start Early. Vist your transition office when your window opens.

61

No one in the civilian job market is going to understand what skills you have. And that the positive skill-set you learned in the military is not common place. Things like dependability, being punctual, understanding deadlines, chains of command, loyalty, implied tasks, being able to talk to people face to face instead of via email and even a rudimentary knowledge of how to work as a team are completely alien to most.

62

Get your degree/training needed for the civilian side of the house. No matter what you know or how good you are at your job, nothing matters out here other than having a piece of paper from an institution of higher learning. It's sad but true, I tell people all the time that my 25 years in the Army gave me a PHD but it's not worth a dime on the outside. So bottom line, do what you have to in order to get that piece of paper in your hand.

63

Make sure that your unit helps you with getting out. Mine did not help, without some phone calls, I retired as a E9. If you have problems give a call to some of the service agencies

64

start networking early; get a realistic expectation of what your are qualified for. too many veterans after 20 years of service think they are above starting at the bottom of a company to work their way up; even though they may be going into the same field its still a career change

65

1. Know the type of job you want to pursue and develop goals that support your choice. 2. Recruiters aren’t the enemy. 3. If you have 20+ years of leadership experience, save yourself the time and effort and skip corporate management development programs. 4. Bias against Veterans does exist. 5. Put yourself out there. Don't afraid to ask for help from industry leaders. Always grow your network. 6. If you live in a major metropolitan area with a military base nearby, the market is potentially flooded with qualified veterans. 7. Avoid “dating” yourself in your resume and LinkedIn profile. Age discrimination is alive and well. Generally, avoid graduation dates outside of the last 10 years. The same goes for work experience; focus on the last 10 years (15 max). 8. Eliminate “retired” on your resume and LinkedIn profile. Whether enlisted or officer, that word paints you into the re-TIRED corner. 9. Don’t hide your military service either. 10. If you are expecting to be a supervisor just because you supervised people in the military, then readjust your expectations. Regardless of your experience or education, you will have to prove your worth to the company that hires you before you’re moved into positions of greater responsibility. 11. Check your online presence (“Google yourself”). First impressions are crucial. Whether you like it or not, your online presence IS your reputation to employers. 12. Know your job salary ranges. Salary data is very useful for preliminary phone interviews if salary comes up. If anything, you’ll know who’s trying to lowball you and who’s on the up & up. O-net and Glassdoor are probably the easiest resources to use, but the Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) site is the gold standard. 13. Have someone else pay for your certifications. Lets face it, certs are expensive. If you can, get someone else to pay for them. If you have to shell out money, get the cheapest cert and make sure its applies to multiple industries. FYI, bigger firms are generally more willing to pay for certs than smaller ones. 14. Lay out your goals in your interview. This goes hand-in-hand with #13. When you're interviewing, lay our your goals like, “I want to get my (insert your industry cert). How does your company help its employees with a goal like this?” If that company can help you, great. If they can’t, it may be an indicator other things. 15. Don’t neglect your LinkedIn headline and summary. Contrary to popular belief, LinkedIn is a search engine disguised as a professional networking site. It uses a proprietary algorithm to rank and order profiles when you search for people. This is where your summary and headline is key. You have 2,000 characters in your summary with which to drive search results to you. Fill it with relevant key words and terminology for your career field. For your headline, it helps to add more than positions you’ve held or your career field. Think about adding what you bring to the table or what problem you can fix.

66

Don't put yourself out of an employment opportunity by expecting and demanding too high a salary.

67

You need to begin planning for life beyond the military early in your career. This includes keeping and maintaining a resume, expanding your civilian education in a field that you would like to pursue when your time is over, and begin the transition process as early as possible. They say retirement is not an event it is a process and that is absolutely correct.

68

Don't count on SFL or ACAP they have done nothing for me that other community service could provide such as County Career Center. Other agencies seem more willing to assist in my career search. Practice that interview speech.

69

Get all of your VA stuff out of the way before you get out. Also get as much college as you can while you're in.

70

Get your college degree before retirement, learn how to network, and expect to start below what your skill,knowledge, military education and experience demonstrates what your really worth. I have found that even other Veterans who could help you get a foot in the door do not go out of thier way to do so or they are cut off by the HR personnel before they can get to hiring managers. It's harder to land a decent position that pays well than transition workshops and vet assistant organization make it out to be.

71

Allow yourself to get some support whether in the VA system or outside of it. A lot of people I know intentionally transition into civilian positions that are still affiliated with the military for one reason or another. Easy job to get, maybe, but also still what they are familiar with. While this may sound like a good idea initially, I have seen many of these positions come and go because they are contracting jobs. Also don't be afraid to go back to school and use your benefits. That is what they are there for. If you have spent your entire adult life serving, it is time for you to do something else that you actually enjoy. If you are having personal issues with your transition, stress, anxiety, and so on, PLEASE don't be afraid to get some support. The suck it up and drive on mentality may have worked during service, but the OPTEMPO out here is much slower and if you are used to being on all the time and functioning under high level of stress consistently, it will be a shock to the system when you flip the switch to civilian mode.

72

be aware of what your MOS really does, start a resume and get someone to look at it. Build yourself up and let them know how hiring a Veteran is an asset to their company.

73

Learn how to target your employment goals and narrow it down as much as possible to include the employer or industry then while still in the service seek out the education, skills, experience, credentialing, and certifications that will get you the job you desire. The military can and will provide if you are wise to seek it out and apply for it. And finally, learn how to translate what you did into civilian terminology and equate the skills and tasks you have completed to your civilian counterparts. While emphasizing your military training, leadership, and soft skills.

74

1) Earn your bachelors or higher degree; 2) Get civilian certifications you've earned; should have gotten my A&P License as well as my BS degree.

75

Only 10% of your job applications will result in an interview.

76

1) Learn to read a job announcement for content then learn to develop a targeted resume specifically to the job. 2) Quality over quantity..

77

Learn how to deal with civilians! It is a two way street. We have a hard time relating to them and they have a hard time understanding us. It is like two different worlds. I also believe the longer you are in, the harder it is to relate to them. Learn how to sell yourself and translate your military skills to civilian ones.

78

Use LinkedIn as a base to get you and your information out there. Start at least 1 year out when looking for "the job". And make use of resume polishing services offered for free by recruit military and hire heroes.

79

To make a copy of all your Medical and Military Records before you leave. Get all your training documents and make copies of them before you separate as you will not be able to get them when you get out. Start sending out your Resume to companies you would like to work for letting them know your status.

80

Military is not specifically translatable to civilian work. Your experience must be translated to project management experience. Your specific military training is irrelevant. You will even find some employers who fear you will "abuse" your subordinates.

81

I would recommend that a individual should have at least completed a Bachelor's Degree in the field of study that matches the type of job you would seek as a career when you leave the service. Even if it is in a different field than your military career.

82

Start the transition process at least two years out because you have to get used to the idea of being a regular civilian. Being in the Army shields us from most of the typical everyday hardships, but when you are no longer a Soldier in uniform you will no longer have that luxury. It's not as easy as everyone makes it out to be in the civilian world. You'll have to work hard to get a good job offer that may pay you something close to what you were being paid from the military.

83

Network, Network and Network. If you attend a job fair stop at every employer and ask what they do. You may not have a clue based on the company name what they have available for openings. If you just walk by you may have passed your perfect career.

84

Obtain the highest college degree you can while on active duty that you feel would support your civilian career. Ensure your security clearance is current if you have one.

85

When planning on leaving the military work on your resume,, do job searches and do budget analysis to understand your finances...at least a year out. Work on lowering your debt or paying them off prior to leaving military.

86

Have a plan. Build your network. Take time while you are still on active duty to take care of yourself - remember there are people out there starting their transition at 18 months or more out. Don't be one of these guys that is looking for some waiver to get out six months early for that once in a lifetime job opportunity - take advantage of those six months to prepare for transition and collect six more paychecks. File for unemployment benefits right away - some states (WA) will deny those benefits if you apply past the 12 month mark - Where did they go? Transfer your G.I. Bill to your dependents prior to leaving active duty. Don't try to do it all alone. They average guy only spends about 2 years doing high speed contracting jobs. Don't sit at home drinking, screwing, and playing video games expecting someone to come knocking on your door offering you a six figure job - get out there - it's your transition. Pay attention during SFL-TAP, you'll get out of it what you put into it. Finish your degree while on active duty. If not a bachelors degree, at least get your associates degree. Take advantage of internships and fellowships to avoid being one of those veterans who jumps at the first job they are offered and end up quitting that job in less than a year. Conduct a target analysis of the career and role you want. Put yourself in a mindset where you are ready for your civilian career. Remember that nobody besides (company name removed) or the like will hire you just because you are a veteran. Lots of companies are veteran ready and will give you a discount our a freebie once a year, but few are veteran ready and prepared with on-boarding, mentoring, and retention programs which are focused on veteran hires.

87

Military experience is misunderstood. Leadership experiences are not equal to or greater than college education or civilian experience.

88

Don't judge your own success by that of your peers. Analyze your own values to determine what is important to you, then go for it. Take risks. Be happy. Be a better person than you were yesterday and let that be the only person you compete or compare with. and the most important thing I've learned is that I don't need drugs or alcohol to cope. I have just over two years sober and I've never been healthier or happier.

89

Get your degree while in the service. While experience is good, all the experience in the world won't get you the job you want unless you have a degree to back it up.

90

Learn to talk, dress and act like a civilian.

91

have friends and associate before retiring from the military. it makes the transition easier

92

Document injury for VA BENIFIT and complete your college degree if possible

93

Make sure you are prepared for a lapse in benefits, both medical and financial.

94

Have an interest that is not especially linked to the military. Be sure you have some hobbies, things you like to do. Try some travel if you can afford it. It does wonders for your head. I was not regular Army but in the National Guard but I did get some time in other areas, like 8 months at school, etc. Keep busy and spend time with friends and family.

95

Have a plan/path and realistically evaluate what you will need to move forward with that plan. Certificates vs. degree, experience, translating soft skills acquired in the service to the ones needed to successfully navigate your path.

96

Traditional Transition Assistance Programs are archaic at best. Need a new model. The basic job search skills and writing resumes does not need to be a weeklong powerpoint marathon. These skills can be honed on the web, in LinkedIn, at local workshops.

97

Start your writing resume when you enter the military. NCOES should ask all of their rated subordinates to update their resumes annually and share it. Gain certifications for your MOS or job skills that carry over to the Civilian sector. Always think 5-10 years ahead.

98

Plan ahead, I was not retain in a QRB retention board. That board notified me one year out from my separation date. In that time I took advantage of a lot of programs, seminars and workshops to prepare myself. This benefit me and my family as I was able to secure employment prior to separation. The employment is part-time as I continue to seek full time opportunities which seem to be harder to land.

99

Understand that Veteran Advocates work for the agency that pays them, not the veteran. This means just because they are a veteran they might not tell you everything you need to know if it is not in their training or encouraged by their agency. It is up to the individual veteran to seek out all the relevant information he or she needs to go well prepared through the transition process.

100

Plan, Prepare, Pursue

101

Start early, have a plan, and work on something toward transition each and every day.

102

When a senior NCO has retired, even though we know what our abilities are, most recruiters you will meet are in their 20's and will stereotype you as old. Ageism is a reality.

103

Start your transition into civilian life early

104

if you decide to pursue an additional career, start prepping yourself to link up with personnel within your field of interest to gather knowledge

105

Be very proactive! You must make the time, regardless of rank, to start the transition process 12-18 months out form PCS/retirement. Too many wait, or take for granite, that someone is looking out for them and will help land them a job. Start building your time-lined master resume NOW (evals, awards, certificates, transcripts, duty descriptions, #s of those supervised and/or $$ amounts managed, leadership traits, projects, etc.) Resume conversion from military jargon to civilian translation. Build accounts NOW (indeed, monster, govt agencies, etc.) and start collecting vacancy announcements (specifically position descriptions) that are similar to what you want to do. Set aside so many hours a day/week to scan job postings in locations you want to reside in. Have back-up locations.

106

Get/Have a college degree with a technical background in math or computer science. Chemistry can't hurt.

107

Take as many classes offered in regards to transitioning from the military prior to getting out. Ask other Veterans that have transitioned what it was like and if they could do something different what would that have been.

108

Start at a minimum of two years out- putting in resumes, attending job fairs, and completing any and every course the military offers,