Getting out of the military can be a scary and daunting task. There are many helpful resources available to the military service member before he or she separates from the military. However, it requires time away from your unit in order to use these services, not always an easy thing to get. All military members are required to go to Transition Assistance Program (TAP) class before separating. This class is designed to help you in your separation; however, some topics may not be covered.

Use Civilian Terms: Some military professions and qualifications are difficult to translate into civilian terms. What does the submarine qualification ‘Chief of the Watch’ means to a civilian employer? It does not mean much if just stated “Qualified Chief of the Watch.’ However, if worded as such “Qualified Chief of the Watch, senior supervisor watch in the forward compartment. Supervises operation of the hydraulic plants, seawater systems, fresh water systems and atmosphere monitoring systems. Supervises all off watch operations.” By describing the position, you have provided some information in civilian terms what you do!

Electronic resumes: Get started as soon as possible filling out electronic resumes. Most large companies have their own electronic resume services, and they do not talk to each other. You should have an updated resume in each company’s database that you are interested in. Do not worry about space. Many of us in the military are taught that 1 year of experience equals 1 page of your resume. This is not the case with electronic resumes. Electronic resumes will inform the user of how many characters are allowed in a particular field.

A good tip with electronic resumes is to include your education, training and qualification s using different wordings. For instance if you were qualified 9mm pistol, you will want to list it as “Qualified 9mm pistol.” In another location list it is “Small Arms qualified.” This can help get you seen if a Human Resources Person does a search for a 9mm qualified person or a small arms qualified person. The most important aspect of job hunting is to get past the human resources obstacle.  

Separating versus Retirement: The veteran and civilian have different mental images of retirement. A veteran views retiring from the military as a transition period that he has rightly deserved. A veteran that retires from military serve usually transitions to another career. To a civilian, retirement generally means sandy beaches and moving to the south. Retirement means not working anymore. Therefore during an interview a veteran may want to avoid saying he has retired from the military, but rather that he has separated after 20 years of service.

Bring information to the interview: Bring some folders to the job interview with you. These folders should include a copy of your resume, your SMART (Navy and Marine Corps schools) transcript, information about positions you held, references, information about skills you have acquired. Many people will appreciate your in depth information.

Get Educated! Maximize all of the educational opportunities available to you while you are in the service. Take CLEP exams, get military schools, take distance learning courses, take the NETg courses available on websites like www.nko.navy.mil. These courses matter!

Separating from the military was one of the most anxiety filed times of my life. I was more at ease when I was forward deployed in a foreign country than having to search for a job with a mortgage and three children to feed. However, it can be done and done successfully.

Some beneficial web sites:

www.usajobs.gov – A list of all available jobs with the United States Government, not just military positions or Department of Defense but the Department of Agriculture, the Peace Corps, the State Department and Homeland Security.

www.rayjobs.com – Jobs for Raytheon

https://www.donhr.navy.mil – the Department of Navy Human Resources. The job listed here are usually listed on www.usajobs.com however, the DONHR has its own electronic resume submission guides.

www.nko.navy.mil – Navy Knowledge Portal on-line. This website provides any Active duty, Reserve or Retired Navy or Marine Corp member with access to NETg courses, SMART transcripts and a complete reference library.

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