Being a part of the military gives a sense of purpose and pride after you get through the process of joining. You not only are broken down and molded into who the military wants you to be, but you also learn the value of teamwork and have the drive to get the mission done.
5 Differences Between Working for the Military and a Defense Contractor
Many military members transition out of the military into government jobs either choose to work directly for the DoD or government contractors. And there are a number of differences between the role of service member and contractor. We are just going to dive into a few of them to help you decide if working for a government contractor is the next right step for you in your career.
1. Instability
One of the great things about being in the military is the steady paycheck it provides. You also typically do not have to worry about losing your job. You have a signed contract with the military and most often members can extend their service by their own choice. But as a contractor, depending on how big or small the company you work for is, there can be a lot of instability. Government contracts can end with the company you are working with and begin with a new company. Sometimes you can transfer to the new company and continue working for the government, but you might lose the benefits you had begun to build up with the previous company. And sometimes when new companies come in, they bring in a new workforce.
There is also the chance that if work dries up, the company you work for and they may have to reduce their staff. The larger the company is, the more likely it can provide more stability or have the ability to move people around based on government contracts. Being aware of this when deciding what company to work for and planning ahead financially if you find yourself between jobs is important.
2. Role of government contractors
The second big difference when it comes to switching from service member to contractor is your role goes from being the customer to the one providing a service. Instead of being the one making the final choice you are there to provide insight and guidance to the service member or civilian representative. It is their mission, and you are there to support it. Depending on what level of leadership you were working at while in the military, this can be a minor change or be a huge disruption on how you look at your role in your new career.
3. The concept of responsibility
Another difference a number of veterans talk about is how the team dynamics are not the same among the civilian community, and this is no different with contractors. Depending on where you work and who you work with can have a huge impact on the dynamics. But sometimes in our drive to get the mission done at all costs, we can end up stepping on toes in our new role. It is important to understand the roles and responsibilities that you have been assigned and work to support the role you have been given.
4. Diversity
Another possible difference you may see is the level of diversity. The military draws in people from across the country. Diversity could be limited in your new role. And because most contractors stay in the same area for long periods of time, it could be more than just a diversity of race that you find lacking. One veteran I talked to discussed how it went from a mixed diverse group that she worked with to a group of over 90% white men. Another woman I talked to said that her new job surprised her by having a majority of females. It was an adjustment to working with almost all women after working with almost all men. It depends on where you work what the diversity will be like. But it is something to pay attention to when going through the interview process.
5. Tracking your hours
The pay is often higher when you work for a contractor. But it also may require longer hours or your hours may be limited by the contract in place. Either way, you will spend time managing your hours. In the military, you worked and got paid. There was no additional pay for working extra hours or holidays. It all was the same. But many government jobs both as a civilian and contractor require you to track your hours and make sure that you are doing billable work for the hours you are in the office.
preparation is key
Working for a defense contractor can be a great option for military members transitioning from active duty. It can help you stay connected to the mission of the military and may help you utilize your security clearance. But it is important to make sure you understand the differences that are there and how to prepare for them.
