Your new story is ready to be written as you begin your post-military career. During your transition from the military, it’s important to take time to reflect on your personal desires and passions. As you dwell on your passion, think about your life’s work, your calling or vocation. Fred Smith realized this when he studied delivery problems and created FEDEX after he got home from Vietnam. Guardsman Evan Hafer parlayed his passion for coffee and weapons as he formed Black Rifle Coffee Company, boldly stating in 2017 he would hire 10K veterans.
The good news; your previous experience will provide clues on your passion and perhaps your future occupation or vocation. Draw upon your knowledge from the military. What did you enjoy the most? Perhaps leading, mentoring of others, training, physical fitness, firing of weapons? These agreeable recollections will serve you well during your personal analysis and assist you in determining your professional direction.
Translating Your Work in the Military to a Civilian Job
By way of example, you may have found working in the arms room or organizing the supply room personally satisfying. If so, perhaps you are well-suited for post military career in logistics. Perhaps you found working with the personnel section on awards for your soldiers or being forced to initiate a UCMJ action interesting. If so, you may look at getting an HR certification as you leave the service.
Your terrific recruiting skills could lead to a lucrative position in sales or business development. Or, perhaps the 18 months you spent as school house instructor was a personally satisfying. Because you enjoy instructing and enlightening others, you might consider being a corporate trainer or a high school educator. Have you been playing with computers at home, school or in the orderly room? Maybe now is the time to study for the IT certification you have been thinking about. Discover commercial project management, especially if you enjoyed planning and executing field problems and operations. Perhaps you desire to attend seminary or go back to school.
Regardless, there are many options. You may have already worked out your personal strategic plan. If not, maybe now is the time to perform some analysis, figure out what you really enjoy doing and develop a path to success. Take time to consider how to evolve your passion into your next professional career.
Be a student of your desires
There is no greater time to study your personal and professional desires, as they relate to your life’s work or vocation. Accomplishing work you enjoy and are good at will help the world the most. This is where your passions reside and what you were meant to do.
Bottom line, you owe it to yourself to think about what you are great at; because what you do uniquely well, is what you were meant to do. And, that is exactly what World War II Veteran Carl Buchan did, when he founded Lowes.
Wishing you a lucrative and fulfilling transition.
