THE TRANSITION

The Most Important Skills

You Must Learn

In Order to Succeed In the Civilian World

(Part 1)

How to succeed after you Finished Serving in the Military Service

The transition from military life civilian life can be easy or hard depending if you are properly prepared for this important transition.  When leaving the military you have many options and with the proper tools and preparations, you can make this transition an easy one. Most people who have served in the military prefer to find a long lasting career in the civilian world rather than to continue a life long career in the military.

Searching for a job that fits your skill-set and conforms to your separation date can be difficult and discouraging at times. This is why I have provided you with some helpful tips, from preparation, to where you need to go online for the biggest career move you will ever make and how you can become a success at whatever career you chose.

1. Step one: Writing a professional resume that will get you noticed.

Your resume is important; it is the stepping-stone to your future career. You should always have a resume available so that you can update and modify it. When it comes time to present your resume to an employer, it you need to have a polished resume available.

In place of a resume, the military uses a Field Service Record to determine qualifications for an assignment. Therefore, there is no need to learn how to write a resume. Chances are that the first time you have to create your first civilian resume; you will have no idea how to go about it.   You may feel a bit lost, but do not feel bad everyone feels a little lost at first.

To transform your military accomplishments into a professional civilian resume. The information in your military service record, while critical to your resume content, is written in a language that civilians do not understand. Combine learning to construct a resume with translating military language into civilian-speak, so you can find the job of your dreams in civilian life.

Resume writing can be simple with the help of tools or people skilled at translating military achievements into civilian skills. There are a number of automatic skills translators that will convert your military specialty into a civilian occupation. These are helpful if you plan to continue doing the same type of work you have been doing. Armed with your converted civilian job description, you can start building your resume using samples written for that position or industry.

If you are seeking employment in an area other than what you were doing in the service, use sample resumes from that occupation as a guide. Talk to the research librarian at your local library or contact a freelancer. Tell them you are seeking employment in a certain industry and need sample resumes, industry information and a listing of employers. They can be an amazing resource.

Purchase a How to Write a Resume book available at any bookstore. Choose one that outlines the steps for constructing accomplishment.  Use bullets, display an organized format and use wording to make yourself look professional and an expert in your field of chose. This will enable you to effectively translate your achievements into language that makes sense to civilian employers.

Some online web-based resume generators are very good at creating a resume for you. Be sure you look for one tailored specifically to military transitions that helps you translate your experience into language that will be understood by civilians.

Ask for help! Work with a friend who is also writing their resume. Have someone knowledgeable review your drafts. Ask a recruiter for their comments. While the military encourages a Can-Do attitude, this is not a good time to ‘act like you’re above all’ do as best you can.  Be yourself and show your future employer that you want to grow and become a team player.

Below is an example of some sample resumes you can get ideas from:

Resume Sample # 1

Military Man
129 Pie Lane
Cheektowaga, New York 14225-1330
Tel. 1-555-555-5555
staceychil@aol.com

Objective:	Professional engineer with more than 40 years of experience in electrical design and development of automation equipment. Excellent supervision and labor relations. Ability to design and successfully implement cost-savings and service-improving procedures. Skilled in vendor evaluations, customer presentations, programming, debugging and installing automation equipment.
Qualification Summary:	·       Background in the principles and practices of electrical generation, engineering design and construction ·       Excellent supervisory experience, including setting goals and objectives, project development, work planning and organization, budget monitoring and cost control.
Professional Experience:	Home Automations Control Systems (HACS); Buffalo, NY, , (2003 – Present) Technical Engineer/Owner/Founder Designed and developed dynamic audio/video equipment. Responsible for scheduling, budget and production including offshore ventures.   Micro Designs; Buffalo, NY, (1970 – Present) Owner / Product Designer / Consulting Engineer Responsible for consultation for designing, developing and production of numerous products within all time and budget constrains Resulted in saving money for clients by solving design problems, reducing total engineering and manufacturing costs, and by creating better and more saleable electro-mechanical products   Elan Home Systems: Project Engineer, (2006-2008) Developed highly specialized designs and specifications.  Managed project schedules and budgets including packaging and executing Aton Technology’s DLA product line.  Aton Technology is dynamic new line of speaker selectors targeted to consumers.  Patent Status:  Pending.   Elan Home Systems Project Engineer,  (1998-2004) Performed highly specialized designs, research, and analysis on a project-by-project basis. Coordinated projects with other departments, outside agencies, contractors and consultants. Directed, prepared, reviewed and approved contract documents and specifications, making modifications and recommending alternatives as needed. Exercised cost control, monitored schedules, investigated complex problems, recommended solutions   Moog Music; Williamsville, NY, (1970 – 1972) Electrical  Engineering Technician / Designer Responsible for the creation, development and testing for first digital sampling keyboard for a customer of Moog Music.   Emerson Industrial Controls; Grand Island, NY Electrical Engineering Technician (1971 – 1972) Electrical Engineer  - Microprocessor / CMOS (1972 – 1981) Coordinated multiple technical/electrical and engineering projects to ensure on-time within budget completion; responsibility encompassed project development, consultation, research, planning, documentation, submission, approval designing, budget, analysis/testing, production, repair and customer service.      Sylvania Factory; Batavia, NY                                                                                                            Electrical  Engineering Lab Intern & Engineer 1967 – 1970 Factory Gold-room testing and tube circuits used in TV production.
Career Highlights & Accomplishments	·        In 2007, Received an awarded from Custom Retailer Magazine ·        Honoree in the Audio Category for the Innovations Design and Engineering Showcase at the 2003 Consumer Electronics Show. ·        Honored as a “Mark of Excellence” Award Winner by TechHome, a division of CEA, in 2003. ·                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Honorees in the Innovations Design and Engineering Showcase at the 1996 Consumer Electronics Show. Home Automation  / Consumer Electronics Designed DLA Speaker Level Audio Router used with home theater/stereo receivers Redesigned volume controls and infrared repeaters/emitters Designed new electronic volume controls for ELAN Home Systems Designed and project managed more than $4 million of turn-key electronic manufacturing for ELAN Home Systems Designed 35 different home automation products Industrial Electronics /Industrial Automation Designed several gas station LED signs Designed/patented a microprocessor controlled chain lift for Columbus McKinnon                                 Corp. Designed numerous other industrial automation products for Mixing Equipment Co. Designed several patented microprocessor waste water sampling and measuring controls Designed more than 40 different microprocessor and related control boards for Emerson Industrial Controls Designed a digital phase locked loop motor control system (the first of its kind) for Wer Industrial (Currently, Emerson Industrial Controls). Responsible for the creation of  PLC products    Patents Inventor on various patents.   DLA Speaker Level Audio Router.  Patent pending   Microprocessor Controlled Disabled Person Mover Patent # 4,944,056 Method and apparatus for transporting a disabled person   Microprocessor Controlled Chain Lift Patent # 4,636,962 Microprocessor-controlled hoist system, January 13, 1987;     Microprocessor Measuring & Level Flow Control for Fluids System Patent # 4,326,173 Digital phase locked loop frequency control system   Microprocessor Flow Measurement System              Patent # 4,272,761 Operations control system
Computer Skills:	Visual Basic, Electronics Workbench, Matlab, Autocad, Tango, Protel, Orcad, MS Windows / Office Suite, DOS Applications; “C”,  PLC programming,  Motion Control, Operator Interface   Spreadsheet, Word-Processing, Microsoft Word and HTML Languages.
Education:	Griffin College,  Seattle, Washington Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, May 1967

References and Additional Experience: Furnished upon request.

Resume Sample # 2

Military Man
129 Pie Lane
Cheektowaga, New York 14225-1330
Tel. 1-555-555-5555
staceychil@aol.com

Summary

Accomplished financial management executive with more than 20 years of experience.

Highly qualified executive offering over 20 years of financial management, governance and business development experience.  Results-focused an effectual leader with proven ability to turnaround troubled companies and businesses.  Talent for proactively identifying and resolving problems – reversing negative sales trends, controlling sales costs, automating accounting systems, maximizing productivity and delivering enormous profit increases. Experienced in finance management, implementation of new systems, policies and procedures aimed at improving efficiency and profitability whilst also investigating incidents of fraud and non-regulatory compliance.  Advanced computer skills.  Strengths in:

·        Strategies Financial Planning

·        Negotiations & Relations

·        Account Systems Development

·        Profitability Improvement

·        Productivity  Enhancement

·        Cost Control Programs

·        Team Leadership & Collaboration

·        Corporate and Policy governance

Management Philosophy:

In today’s competitive world, the best way to ensure organizational success is to motivate to empower the employees and delight the customer. Today’s customers — and tomorrow’s — want responsiveness, low cost and high quality. If a company does not meet or exceed the customer’s needs, their competition will decline.

It’s no longer enough for employees to simply “embrace” change: continuous improvement must become a way of doing business, where people actively seek improvements and where systems and processes support and drive initiative. Good leadership and empowering the employers is the key. The work environment must be such that people work without fear, within a culture that encourages pride in both personal and organizational accomplishments.

Accomplishments:
Process Improvement

·        Responsible for designing and developing systems with concise policies for various clients in different sectors at the same time Finance consultant for Steadman Group.

·        Managing relationships with an extensive client portfolio and in charge of preparing and presenting Financial and management reports, Financial plans and forecasts, budgets, working capital management, cost reduction strategies and various related assignments.

·        Offering insights into programs of mergers and acquisitions including planning and coordination of due diligence exercise.

·        Designing schemes for appraisal of the managing directors of the Group.

·        Designing and delivering training programmes for the managers in the Group including

Leadership

·        Led several businesses and coached team members, as appropriate, to develop skills and confidence in their ability to examine work processes, create solutions, and measure improvements.

·        Participated in management team process to develop vision and mission statements.

·        Recognized for ability to develop consensus for strategic planning among all employers.

·        Communicated with managers and coordinated the financial reporting of different locations to consolidate financial data.

·        Facilitated numerous learning programs on new reporting systems.

·        Identified key strategies to drive process improvements.

·        Heading a team of accountants in the Steadman Group, and ensuring effective delegation, Influence and motivating staff and achieving significant results through feedback mechanisms.

·        Overseeing the provision of accounting services and regular presentations to the board

·        Playing a pivotal role in the decision making process and providing commercial advice and analysis of financial information to the Group Board including the setting up of financial strategy and objectives

Financial and Operations Management

·        Enhance communication and information-sharing capacity.

·        Managing, directing & developing the Group’s control systems to suit its growing and developing needs including the development of financial and internal control review procedures.

·        Management and control of the Group’s cash resources and providing leadership of the complete finance function on a daily basis, monitoring management reporting, planning and forecasting

·        Solely responsible for management accounts, statutory accounts, budgets and forecasts.

1998-2006             PARADIGM RESOURCES, Director of Finance

·        Coordinating a number of significant projects including in depth examination by revenue authorities; feasibility studies and corporate strategic plans for a number of clients.

·        Coach to Directors and staff and achieved significant changes in Organisations performance through effective delegation, positive influence and strengthened coordination and communication links.

·        Conducted training in Debt management, Motivation, Team Building, & stress management

1996-2002                 STEADMAN GROUP, Financial & Commercial Director

·        Headhunted by the owners of the seven regional companies of the Steadman Group following many years service in a consultancy capacity on financial controls, operational systems and taxation

·        Participating in the Group Contracts negotiation

1992-1999                 AGGARWAL MISTRI & ASSOCIATES CPA(K), Managing Partner

·        Managing a portfolio of small and medium sized businesses with responsibility for providing statutory and non-statutory audits, financial management and tax consultancy services

·        Responsible for ensuring that all client affairs are handled in accordance with the appropriate policies and regulations

·        Supervising the activities of audit and financial personnel including delegating duties to them and dealing with any human resource issues that may arise

·        Additionally responsible for acting as a Consultant to the sister firm, Ernst Registrars, involving preparing budgets and forecasts and conducting feasibility studies

1986-1996                 CITY PANEL BEATERS, Finance Manager

·        Responsible for all the finance functions, management reporting, finance policy and procedures and the daily transactions processing, liaison with external auditors as well as ensuring compliance with all statutory rules and regulations. Introduced and implemented the Tetra plan finance software

1984-1986                 K.J. OFFICE SUPPLIES, Assistant Chief Accountant

·        Designing and implementing a management information system to facilitate board decision making at the office supply company

1982-1984                 SHAPLEY BARRET & CO ADVOCATES, Assistant Chief Accountant

·        Preparing monthly management reports and accounts and overseeing cash liquidity positions and maintaining client’s and office accounts.

Jan-Sept 1981      T.S. NANDHRA AND ASSOCIATES, Accountant

·        Preparing monthly accounts, books of accounts, and making periodic reconciliations.

Jan-Dec 1980       ASWIN BROTHERS, Audit Assistant

·        Involved in training on audit procedures and practices and carrying out various small audit, accountancy and book keeping assignments.

MBA: Finance, Leicester University

Professional: Fellow of the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants (UK)

Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Management Accountants (UK)

Member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants (Kenya)

Certificate: Corporate Governance

Fluent English, Gujarati, Hindi and Swahili.

Finally yet importantly, visit your Transition Assistance, Family Service or Career Resource office for information and assistance during your transition. It is not uncommon for literature to be left behind by recruiters and other companies.  This can provide you with a great deal of information. Another great resource at the office is the manager. He or she has dealt with various organizations helping military job seekers transition into civilian careers.