Career counselors do not need to be experts on the military in order to be effective with this population. They possess a wealth of resources available to them and to enlisted service members.

Counselors will encourage you to share your stories, describe your skills, and discuss your experiences in the military.  Career counselors can effectively help you further develop your self and occupational knowledge. Career counselors can then help you to consolidate what they know and help you to make career decisions in the civilian world.

Transitional Challenges:

Many of the developmental challenges civilian employees and civilian family’s factor into career choices including childcare, social networks, financial gains, and transportation, also apply to enlisted soldiers.

Another challenge not often considered is how frequent relocation while serving in the military might make it difficult to establish or to maintain civilian professional and social networks. Research has indicated that military personnel and their families move nearly twice as often as other Americans move. They also make international moves at 4 times the rate of civilian families. This somewhat nomadic tendency can sometimes make it hard to obtain the help necessary to establish a healthy and successful life once your time in the military has ended. Professional and social networks are often developed simply over the time spent in one location and are frequently used as a method of locating jobs. Therefore the frequent moves associated with military service might decrease the likelihood of an individual learning about specific career opportunities.

Things to consider:

·    Many enlisted service members are not participating in transition assistance workshops and, therefore, are not receiving task-based information on resume writing and job search strategies. It is important to keep in mind that many enlisted service members entered the military following high school graduation and have never experienced post graduation civilian work. Without previous civilian work experience, some enlisted service members re-enter the military without giving civilian life a chance. 

·      Many soldiers do not fully realize the psychological effects of service in wartime until they are out of the army. Often they feel fine until later when they begin to experience flashbacks and nightmares.  Many soldiers have confided that being alone was particularly difficult, and after making the transition would go to places like malls and diners just to be around people. Sudden noises or sharp movements, however, produced significant anxiety in many soldiers who left the military and entered civilian life. Few people can understand what it was like to transition from being with other soldiers 24 hours a day for 6 months to living alone and dealing with the memories of a war experience.

·      Many soldiers also experienced anger management problems in as little as 6 months after leaving the military. These uncontrollable emotions caused untold amounts of frustration and led to the end of many military marriages. 

Soldiers making the transition want a career that is stable, intellectual, and honorable.  They are not just looking for a paycheck today, but rather stability down the road. 

So with these obstacles preventing soldiers from moving forward, what can they do to overcome these obstacles and succeed in the civilian world?

The first step is to seek counsel that can help make the transition in the civilian world easier by tackling any emotional issues that may have developed.

Next, you need to:

·    Explore your interests and values and relate them to your career options.

·    Understand how your military training can translate into civilian jobs.

·    Know what you need financially in order to be comfortable, such as sufficient income and benefits to prepare for a stable future.

A counselor can help you create goals to ease the transition. They can help you outline activities, organize the time needed for each activity, and prioritize each activity.

Career counselors can assist enlisted service members in translating their experience into language that is attractive to civilian employers. Career counselors create activities so you are able to achieve your goals. 

 Activities you should consider:

·      Make a list of your interests and highlight leadership experience or management of people, data, or equipment, and use that experience to find a career that you will enjoy.

·    Explore and clarify your values and beliefs.  This will help you to see who you are, what you want and what you are capable of doing.

·    Explore your military skills to understand how they can be applied to civilian work.

·    Go over government job requirements to see if the skills, values and interests you obtained in the military might work best in a government position.

·    Next, you might consider meeting with a financial adviser either in the private sector or through your local VA Office. Increase your understanding of what you need in terms of salary and benefits to meet your lifestyle goals.

Remember:

A variety of resources is available for enlisted service members in transition. Visit www.jobbankinfo.org, this web site is associated with the U.S. Department of Labor America’s Job Bank and is designed for service members making the transition into the civilian world.

Did you know…?

Each year over 250,000 military personnel and families leave the military. While some plan to go into full-time retirement, most intend to start a new career. Many of their spouses also are looking for jobs in order to make ends meat in these hard times of economic struggles.

Soldiers are faced with many challenges when they leave the military. Many of the developmental challenges they are face in civilian life include career choices, emotional instability from the war, childcare, social networking, and financial gains.  They have a lot on their plate.

Millions of these veterans are interested in changing jobs and careers. Many want to start their own businesses.  Faced with the overwhelming tasks of writing a resume, contacting potential employers, networking for information and referrals, or learning how to start and run a successful business, many veterans and their families need sound advice on how to best make it in the civilian world.  

As I mentioned in my other articles the military provides services to help coach and train you so you make the transition smoothly.   Unfortunately, many use that option as a last resort. Be smart and use your resources!

Let’s not forget….

Compared to the average civilian, military members move way ahead of their civilian counterparts. They have the upper hand. Military members have commitment to core values, great work ethic, trustworthiness and loyalty. Everything they do…working or training…is oriented to defend our country, so they develop a mindset of a winner. Second place is not an option.

Remember when you are looking for a career or starting a business you are not second best, you are the man on top.  You are the main burrito!

“I’m Home What Now?”

The first thing you should do is do your own research.  Go to your computer and get on the internet.

The best place to find the information you will need is on the internet:

The greatest amount of information regarding your transition from a military to civilian career is on the World Wide Web. The internet is where you can get tips on:

·    Writing resumes

·    Reviewing the details of others who have successfully left the military for corporate America

·    Posting your resume for interested employers

·    Recruiting specialists

The Internet can be the most powerful tool in your job search. Use it effectively, and your chances of finding the ideal civilian career are improved tremendously.

Where should you go? Go to the job boards.  They are very popular on the Internet; however, you need a resource that caters specifically to you as a job seeker leaving the military. Some of the most popular military transition websites include:

·          Military.LucasCareers.com

·          Transition Assistance Online

·          MilitaryHire.com

·          VetJobs.com

·          DOD Job Search

Another option on the internet is:

Recruiting Firms

Several recruiting firms online can help separating military job seekers find work. Many of them hire through conferences where employers and you are brought together for 2 to 3 days of interviews. Beforehand they will train you on interviewing skills, information on companies with whom they will be speaking, and what to expect throughout the process. Conferences are a great option to look into; it has been perfected over the years so that both you and employers get the most out of their experience. Prominent recruiting firms in the military transition discipline include:

·          Lucas Group

·          Orion International

·          Cameron-Brooks

·          Bradley-Morris

Information is at the fingertips of those who are prepared to work at finding their civilian career. Effective use of the Web can help you transition with ease. Researching Information gives you an idea of what to expect during your job search, and that gives you confidence. Check out some of the resources that I listed above, do not forget to search the Internet thoroughly, determine which services work best for you, and find that dream career! You are in control of your life, make the most of it.

We invest years and millions of dollars toward the difficult process of transforming civilians into soldiers. So why is there so little being done to help the soldier return to his or her civilian life?

Making a career move can be a frightening and overwhelming experience for an American soldier.  Leaving the military to move into the civilian world can seem even more challenging.

Many soldiers are coming home from the war and getting extremely frustrated with themselves because they were not able to manage as they did before when they were civilians.

Researchers found about 19 percent of returning service members report that they experienced a possible traumatic brain injury while deployed, with 7 percent reporting both a probable brain injury and PTSD or major depression.

Those numbers provide just a glimpse into the problem. Many soldiers do not go to VA hospitals or prefer to seek private help.  Often they do not seek treatment for psychological illnesses because they fear it will harm their careers. But even among those who do seek help for PTSD or major depression, about half receive treatment that researchers consider “simply insufficient” for their illnesses.

One of the problems is many veterans are reluctant to take that first step. The easier it is to gain access to treatment, and the more socially acceptable it is for veterans to look for help, the more likely they may feel comfortable enough to acknowledge the problem and look for solutions. However, in order for our soldiers to get better these services have to be made more available first.

What they are finding is that many soldiers are so determined to jump back into civilian life, that they ignore the emotional scars left on them after returning from active duty. This of course only heightens the problems as they become more emotionally unstable.  As a result, they are unable to hold a job, have relationships, and take care of their families and kids at home.

There is a major health crisis facing these men and women who have served our nation, but we can change this by getting the government to provide more funding so we can establish the right programs to get them on their feet.

One problem we face is that unless a soldier asks for help, there is a good chance he will never receive it. Although postwar emotional problems are more widely understood than ever before, only a third of troubled veterans seek care. Early intervention is critical for treatment.

I believe we should make it mandatory that soldiers are tested before they retire from the military and go into the civilian world.

The military needs to be proactive about mental health. Did you know that suicide is very high among soldiers returning from the war?  Many soldiers have killed themselves since returning home. While the government hasn’t completely ignored the issue, it has not done nearly enough.

More has to be done for our precious soldiers.

I believe we should have group-counseling programs available in all fifty states; enough so all veterans would have access to get to them.  The government should fund these programs and they should be run by professionals so they receive the appropriate therapy to help them make a healthy transition in to civilian live.

Other countries have started this and they are noticing a decrease in veterans and soldier’s depression and an increase in their confidence and self-esteem after they complete the intensive group counseling.

Soldiers and veterans who participate in this program are also showing better relationships with their families and their workplaces. It is clear that the program is helping peacekeepers re-integrate into civilian life.

Did you know…?

The estimated military veteran population in the United States is about 24 million and of those, approximately four million veterans own businesses – of the total eighty million small businesses in the US.  That is to say six percent of small businesses are owned by US veterans.  Be proud! What an accomplishment!

Be proud…

“Veterans who own their own businesses do better in comparison to other business startups.”

Did you know that the majority of businesses run by veterans succeed? You have a vast depth of experience, confidence and a winning attitude. You are disciplined, determined, organized, and you have training from the military. 

Today there are a number of services to help veterans with business education and loans. It started in 1999, when Congress implemented a full array of services to help support veterans determined to succeed in the commercial market place, just as they had in the military.

During and after the Persian Gulf War, in the early 1990′s, many military reservists businesses were harmed, damaged, or even lost when they left and went to serve their time in the military.

After this terrible disaster occurred, Congress promised to make changes so military reservists would not have to go through this again.  Congress passed bills that would provide all the technical, financial and procurement assistance needed by veterans to support their small businesses.

In August 1999, Congress enacted Public Law 106-50, the Veterans Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development Act of 1999. This was initially designed to cushion the impact on small businesses when their owners or essential employees were ordered to active duty during military conflicts. The bill also provided assistance to veteran entrepreneurs and to service-disabled veteran entrepreneurs, with access to loans, loan payment deferrals during time of call-up, technical and managerial assistance.

The following necessities were established in this law:

The Office of Veterans Business Development (OVBD) was set up, to be administered by an Associate Administrator for Veterans Business Development (AANBD) within the Small Business Administration. The AANBD became responsible for the formulation, execution, and promotion of policies and programs of the SBA that provide assistance to small businesses owned and controlled by veterans and service-disabled veterans.

The national Veterans Business Development Corporation was created, to expand and improve access to technical assistance for veteran entrepreneurs. They work with public and private resources, and the business development staffs, of each Federal department to assist veterans with the formation and expansion of their small businesses.

Congress also established an Advisory Committee on Veterans Business Affairs to serve as an independent source of advice and policy recommendations concerning veterans’ business affairs.

The SBA Administrator was directed to work with the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) to provide business training and counseling services to veterans.

The Veterans Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development Act of 1999 also provides commitment to veterans by giving financial relief for military reservists ordered to active duty during times of conflict.

Now in 2008 the US government is continuing to encourage and support the entrepreneurial spirit of success in veterans.  If you are considering opening your business you should check and find out what the government can do for you to help you start your business. 

Below are some civilian tips to help you get on your way…

1.   Save up as much money as possible before starting.   A better plan is to save up as much of the needed investment money as possible, including your living expenses for the first year, or even two. Odds are that your business will not be profitable for one to two years. Even if you get plenty of business coming your way — and your customers pay you on time, which is not always a sure thing — you will want to be able to invest most of that money back in the business for space, equipment, advertising, and insurance needs.

2.   Think small. Do not rent a place if you can work somewhere else, and do not hire employees until you really need them.  You can hire independent contractors or temporary workers in the meantime.

3.   Plan ahead — you will make a profit. You should be able to state in just a few sentences how your business plans to make a substantial profit. For starters, you need to know your costs: how much you will spend purchasing inventory, paying the rent, compensating any employees, and covering what is likely to be a surprisingly long list of other costs. Then you can figure out exactly how much you need to sell each month, for how many dollars, to cover those expenses and have an adequate profit besides. These numbers are all you need to create a “break-even analysis.”

4.   Make a business plan, no matter how short it is. Understanding your profit numbers and creating a break-even analysis is the first step in making a business plan. For most small businesses, the key portions of a business plan are the break-even analysis, a profit-and-loss guess, and a cash flow projection. Projecting your cash flow is key to success.  It will make or break your business: With a cash flow spreadsheet in place, as well as a profit-and-loss forecast, you can tinker with your business idea and improve it before you start — and continue to use them after you start.

5.   Get and keep a competitive advantage. Building a competitive advantage is crucially important to long-term success. Some ways to get this advantage is by knowing more than your competitors, making a product or offer a service that is hard or impossible to imitate, being able to offer, produce or distribute your product more efficiently, having a better location, or offering superior customer service.  Being unique and having great customer service will definitely make obtain a successful business.

6.   Hire and keep good people on your staff. Good employees are hard to find.  Your goal should be to hire and retain truly excellent employees — not just reasonably competent ones. A highly competent and truly enthusiastic employee is twice as valuable as a person of average skill. Customers will more likely be loyal to an upbeat business — and are more likely to recommend it to their friends.  Using a great staff can help you bring in the cash quickly.