Raymond Woodrow, eMBA, CMgr FCMI, GCGI on LinkedIn: Well sadly all good things must come to an end. I am now officially into… | 12 comments (2024)

99.9% of high school graduates have no idea what they want to do, and I can't say that I blame them as I was one of them.Why don't guidance counselors ask them questions like this?What makes you happy?Is there a career that revolves around that?If not, could you create one?How important is making a lot of money to you?Do you prefer to help others or help yourself?Do you require set processes and structure?If you went into the military, would you want to be an officer or enlisted?From those questions you can then exclude a lot of options and silo out paths forward. Only seems like a logical progression to figure out the means to an end...

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"I got mad skills!"Let's face it, military service members are highly trained. So having skills to take with you to the civilian job market is not a problem.But what skills do you WANT to transfer with you to your next career? The first step in beginning your civilian job search is deciding what you DON'T want to do. So many of my clients have told me they don't want to do what they have been doing for decades of their military career once they move on. That's great. Knowing what you don't want is a big part of the "aim small, miss small" approach ESEL takes to military transition.So it's also time to decide what are the top skills you want to focus on in your new career. These will become part of your brand as you start to market yourself in the job market.#militarytransition #notetoself #eselseminars #careerstrategies #careerdevelopment

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"I got mad skills!"Let's face it, military service members are highly trained. So having skills to take with you to the civilian job market is not a problem.But what skills do you WANT to transfer with you to your next career? The first step in beginning your civilian job search is deciding what you DON'T want to do. So many of my clients have told me they don't want to do what they have been doing for decades of their military career once they move on. That's great. Knowing what you don't want is a big part of the "aim small, miss small" approach ESEL takes to military transition.So it's also time to decide what are the top skills you want to focus on in your new career. These will become part of your brand as you start to market yourself in the job market.#militarytransition #notetoself #eselseminars #careerstrategies #careerdevelopment

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"I got mad skills!"Let's face it, military service members are highly trained. So having skills to take with you to the civilian job market is not a problem.But what skills do you WANT to transfer with you to your next career? The first step in beginning your civilian job search is deciding what you DON'T want to do. So many of my clients have told me they don't want to do what they have been doing for decades of their military career once they move on. That's great. Knowing what you don't want is a big part of the "aim small, miss small" approach ESEL takes to military transition.So it's also time to decide what are the top skills you want to focus on in your new career. These will become part of your brand as you start to market yourself in the job market.#militarytransition #notetoself #eselseminars #careerstrategies #careerdevelopment

"I got mad skills!"Let's face it, military service members are highly trained. So having skills to take with you to the civilian job market is not a problem.But what skills do you WANT to transfer with you to your next career? The first step in beginning your civilian job search is deciding what you DON'T want to do. So many of my clients have told me they don't want to do what they have been doing for decades of their military career once they move on. That's great. Knowing what you don't want is a big part of the "aim small, miss small" approach ESEL takes to military transition.So it's also time to decide what are the top skills you want to focus on in your new career. These will become part of your brand as you start to market yourself in the job market.#militarytransition #notetoself #eselseminars #careerstrategies #careerdevelopment

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The question of… should I include training completed while in the military on a federal resume or not? If I do, do the courses completed need to be transferred from military terminology into federal job duties?Any feedback I get is greatly appreciated. Additionally, if anyone is willing to give feedback on my current resume, please let me know.What helped you?

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I've got 300 days before I leave the Royal Navy; Let's chat about realising your personal value ⚓ The first 65 days flew by quick! With just 300 days left in uniform, and it's got me thinking about something important: personal value. You know, the stuff you've "civilianised" onto a MS Word document when you're learning to actually adult and making your CV.Creating that piece of A4 has been a journey to say the least – realising the awesome things I've done, the skills I've picked up, and the unique viewpoint I bring to the table. But the most important thing I've discovered is; personal value is more than just the usual CV spiel. It's about your tenacity and the effort you put into everything but also the cost you put onto your lifetime. Trying to articulate that as a Service Leaver is incredibly difficult: Transforming your mindset from "I'm a Level X Lieutenant" to "I think my worth sits in the salary range of 'X to X'" is so unnatural to us.As I gear up for what's next, I'm beyond excited to take the skills from my Naval career and dive into new adventures. Here's to the next 300 days of figuring it all out and embracing the new horizon!

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#Veterans: we know how challenging it can be to transition from your time in service to civilian life. This transition can be particularly frustrating in the job market when translating your military skills to the civilian job market. What challenges have you faced in your post-service job search? Let's chat about it in the comments 👇#Hireveterans #Jobseekers #opentowork #Veteranjobs #Veterancareers #Veteransupport

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For all my fellow military folks who are going through the transition process or are about to begin their transition journey, I would like to share a personal story that, I would hope, will resonate with some of you all and perhaps help you in your path of self/career discovery.Many of us may feel compelled to go with industries that align closely with our former Military Occupational Specialties (MOS), Air Force Specialty Codes (AFSC), or Navy Enlisted Classification (NEC)/naval officer designators. I admit, there is a sense of security and certainty that goes along with choosing a career that is virtually a continuation of our time in the service. After all, the adage of "if it ain't broke, why fix it?" does make things simpler.However, there may be some out there that are unsure of what to do after the military or simply want to pursue a calling that is 180-degrees away from their old career fields.Case in point: I was an air defense artillery officer in the Army. During the early months of my transition, I assumed that folks like me would choose a defense contractor job that not only fit my old MOS like a glove, but would make use of my security clearance. In retrospect, I imposed a mental stovepipe that occluded my judgment into considering other possibilities out there.It was not until Disneyland reached out that I realized I may possess knowledge, skills, and attributes beyond the technical/tactical competencies that I possessed as an air defender. While I am still undergoing the military fellowship program with Disney, I find that the other soft skills and leadership experience I forged from my time as an Army officer were just as invaluable as my skills in air defense planning.The takeaway message I hope to relay to my readers is this: you are MORE than your former military job/career field! While I am definitely not discounting the technical and tactical skills we learned from our years in service, I am hoping to bring awareness of our other skills that we picked up and honed along the way. In our collective pursuit of serving after service, do not be afraid to lean into your other talents - you might be surprised by what you are capable of.Good luck!

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Food for thought: transitioning from military to civilian life can be challenging, especially when it comes to choosing a new career path. As a service leaver myself, it took me months of research to find roles that aligned with my skill set, offered professional development, and a fulfilling work/life balance. Many of us leave the military for this reason, but with determination and a focus on continuing professional development, we can find success in our new civilian careers. #transitioningmilitary #careerdevelopment #resettlement #serviceleaver

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