Prepare for Your Military to Civilian Transition

More workers than ever are voluntarily leaving their jobs. Last year we called “The Great Resignation” and it’s a global trend that has been steadily increasing to September’s all-time high of 3% that was released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on November 5. In other words, 4.5M people voluntarily left their jobs. That’s more than the entire population of Los Angeles, the second-most populated city in the United States.

73% of CEOs recently surveyed by Fortune and Deloitte report that they expect the labor and skills shortage will be disruptive to their organizations over the next 12 months.

It’s Your Time to Shine

This is great news for military spouses and veterans because they’re uniquely prepared to take advantage of The Great Resignation. After all, no one has more experience running into an escalating conflict and doing the hard work of finding solutions in unstable environments than our military. A lot of people may talk about “problem-solving” but let’s be honest – nobody solves problems better than those who served in the military.

Historically, getting hired has been a challenge for military service members. Military families know employers are often reluctant to hire military spouses who are likely to relocate every 2.5 years during PCS (Permanent Change of Station). Shout out to Military.com’s Jacey Eckhart who has debunked the myth that if a company hires a military spouse, they will just leave. The reality is that military job seekers often prefer long-term roles that will last at least five years, according to a recent Military.com survey.

Times are Changing

In the U.S., as millions of people continue to leave their jobs there have been more than 11M job openings in January 2022. With such a tight job market, employers are competing for employees. To attract talent, they’re offering incentives like hiring bonuses, profit sharing, retirement benefits, tuition reimbursement, additional time off, and other perks like free gifts to workers at all levels. Do your research on what your companies offer and negotiate for what you want.

Organizations are being forced to adapt. Besides adding incentives, they’re also adding new ways to work. Finally, companies are realizing what we’ve always known: you don’t have to be physically present in the office full-time to deliver outstanding results. In July, Mercer, the global HR consulting firm, reported that 70% of employers planned to replace their predominantly office-based model with a hybrid model that includes remote work at least a few days a week. Adobe, Salesforce, Spotify and Twitter are among the companies that have already embraced the hybrid model.

Earlier this year, Microsoft’s Work Lab report The Next Great Disruption is Hybrid Work—Are We Ready, identified trends impacting how we will work in the future. The number one trend confirmed that flexible work is here to stay. “The data is clear: extreme flexibility and hybrid work will define the post-pandemic workplace.” This is more good news, especially if you are going to PCS.

Highlight Your Unique Combination of Skills

As you prepare your resume I suggest reflecting on these 12 in-demand skills. Most military leaders have at least one of these skills or a combination of them if not all of them.

Operations Leadership
Resource Management
Process Improvement
Budgeting and Reporting
Client Expectation Management
Quality Control
Profit and Loss
Forecasting
Project Management
Team Development
Inventory Management
Lean Six Sigma

Now that we’ve laid the groundwork for why are you are so uniquely qualified to take advantage of the job market, let’s talk about determining what position and company is the best fit for you.

Is it a Match?

Organizations and candidates have a keen interest in making sure they are a good match for each other. Here are five categories of questions to consider to determine if an employer will be a good fit. Some of these are also good to ask during the interview process. I advise my clients to ask some version of these questions to get a clear picture. Ideally, everyone will respond similarly. But, what will you learn if everyone has vastly different responses?

1. What is the organization’s work structure?

Do you prefer to work in the office or at home?

Find out how the organization is structured. From the top down? Or is it a highly matrixed organization?

2. What is your top priority?

This is a common question I ask clients if you had to prioritize these four things, what would come out on top when you rate the following, Salary, Work-life balance, Purpose, and Location. It might look like this:

#1-Location (Tampa, FL)

#2-Salary ($125K+)

#3-Work-Life Balance (40 hours per week maximum, in a remote or hybrid environment)

#4-Purpose (Making an impact on the local or global community)

When exploring what you need, ask yourself, do you know what the minimum salary is? What is your ideal salary? Even the best job can be lacking if you’re unhappy with the salary. Break down income and benefits in those you need, those you want, and those you deserve. Also, check sites like Payscale.com to research salaries in your field and location so you know the going rate. For more about income and benefits, I recommend Allison Doyle’s article at https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-decide-if-a-job-is-a-good-fit-2061406

You may be looking forward to only working 40-hours per week instead of feeling like you’re working 40 hours per day! Does the organization encourage a work/life balance? Or are you expected to put in a 60+hour workweek?

What inspires you? What type of work would give you purpose and fulfills you?

3. Do you want to work for your potential boss?

That’s right. This time, it’s your call. YOU decide whom you work for. Your future boss is likely to be involved somewhere within the hiring process. Ask questions to get to know their personality and leadership style.

Keep in mind, you’ve worked with high-caliber professionals who are impeccably trained and lead with unwavering integrity and character. It is to your benefit to carefully evaluate the person you’ll be working for.

Do they have at least some of the leadership characterizes you admire and value? You cannot feel valued by someone you don’t. If you’d like to know more, I encourage you to read this article on the Six Personality Traits of a Leader from Military.com.

4. Is the company/organization military friendly?

Do they have an active veteran affinity group or veteran resource group that provides support and networking opportunities such as mentoring, community outreach, career development, and cultural awareness activities? If you’re not sure, the organization’s office of diversity, equity, and inclusion would be a good place to ask.

5. Is the job aligned and secure?

Is the employer in a growing or declining industry?
When was the last time they had layoffs or a workforce reduction?
Have they been in the news? A Google news search can yield a wealth of information.
How does the organization’s mission and goals align with yours?

As organizations are forced to adapt to meet the changing standards of the workforce, military spouses and veterans can capitalize on their abilities to adapt quickly and be flexible. By creating a stellar resume and asking the right questions to determine if the position is the right fit, they can separate themselves from the competition and take advantage of the incredibly diverse job market.

Written by Cassie Hatcher, CEO of Career Confidence LLC, a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and Certified Veteran Career Strategist (CVCS) who translates military leadership experience to ensure your resume is on-target for the civilian workforce.

For 8+ years, Career Confidence Resume Services has specialized in translating military experience into accomplishments-focused resumes. Our goal is to help military service members to find their next mission with a resume that captures employers’ attention and highlights their unique military experience.

If you are a military service member, click here to get in contact with us

If you are a civilian professional, manager, or executive click here to contact us

We have a couple of great resources including a free quiz specific for Military & Veterans to answer the question “What Type of Resume Do I Need?” This quiz takes 5 minutes on average to complete.

Also, grab your Free Military to Civilian Resume Template, where you can insert your experience, education, training, and certifications. Take the guesswork out of securing civilian employment and successfully transition from military-to-civilian employment.