As we approach our biggest military networking event of the year, 2024 MilVet Net, you may have some questions about career resources and transitioning from military to civilian life. There are many decisions and choices that you can make when selecting a career and it is valuable to have enough information to make the best decision possible. You are not alone if you find the career decision-making process challenging. Making a career decision is comprised of many factors and there are things that you can do to empower yourself with the knowledge needed to improve your career decision-making process.
It is important to first understand that while you may feel out of sorts transitioning out of the military, you have already won the “career game!” By serving in the military, regardless of the amount of time you served, or the positions you held, you have been a part of something bigger than yourself and that has value.
Start with What You Know
While you may not have had a choice in the type of work that you performed while in the military, choosing an academic major and identifying career pathways is a normal part of going to college, along with the need to make a career decision. Making these decisions is not always an easy thing to do. Even if your work in the service was not directly related to what you may want to do for your next career, there are always functions that you performed and skills that you learned that can be transferred to a new career. We call these transferrable skills.
To find what your transferrable skills are, it is important to identify what specific tasks you performed in your work, skills that you acquired, procedures that you developed, or software programs that you learned from your previous work experiences. For example, while in the service, did you receive any certifications? Did you manage processes, procedures, or people? Can you turn your hobby into a career?
Dig Deeper
Now that you have identified your transferrable skills, it is time to dig deeper and learn more about yourself as an individual. One way to frame the “What do I want to do for a career?” question is to view your career options through the lens of what motivates you to get out of bed in the morning? Because it is all just fantasy and wishful thinking to dream about having a specific career but when it comes time to get out of bed to go to work, hitting that snooze button becomes your number one priority for the day.
Being introspective and truly discovering what you want to do is an essential process in making a career decision. Start this process by identifying what you value and what you would like to do in a career:
- Do you like to think?
- Do you like to put things together and work with your hands?
- Do you like to solve problems?
- Do you want to work in an office or out in the field?
Another way to discover possible career options and to learn more about yourself is to find out what career pathways other people took. SteppingBlocks, found within CareerQuest, is a career exploration tool that offers a quick personality assessment and a robust “career outcomes” feature that contains career data of previous UMGC students and alumni. Utilize this information to further investigate possible career pathways.
Answering these questions and learning more about yourself will help you begin to discover more about the type of work that you want to engage in for your next career. However, it is important to remember that there are no right or wrong answers to these questions. The correct answer is YOUR answer! Be honest with yourself, listen, and trust your gut.
Do Your Career Research
Even if you already know which industry or type of career you would like to pursue upon leaving military service, it is always important to research industries and specific companies. This allows you to stay current on their latest trends, stay apprised of updates to their mission statements, learn about possible community involvement, or hear about any recent discoveries. A dynamic tool available within CareerQuest to conduct additional research is Vault. Vault is a career intelligence platform that provides specific resources and videos from people working within various fields and industries. By utilizing the Vault platform, you can build on your existing knowledge and discover new career options and professions.
Find Your Gaps
Once you have identified what career skills and experiences you possess, you can uncover possible skills gaps by specifically researching the distinct elements (e.g., skills, tasks, education level, certifications, etc.) required within job descriptions. Also, seeking out volunteer opportunities, pursuing certifications, or taking leveling courses is an effective way to narrow any gaps. Another way to gain experience and narrow skills gaps is to take advantage of the Forage program, available within CareerQuest. Forage offers real-world virtual work simulations where you can apply your existing knowledge, or skills gained in the classroom, to complete scenarios that can then be added to your resume.
Get Connected
An internet connection is all you need to connect with fellow UMGC Alumni to learn about their career choice process and gain additional insight into what careers might best suit you. You can also build up your professional presence and establish your career identity on LinkedIn, connecting with people and companies. Finally, learning from professionals in the field by conducting an Informational Interview allows you to identify career pathways that you did not know existed, or confirm a career choice that you want to make.
Networking
Whether a networking event is held virtually or in-person, there are several motivations that people have for attending networking events. These interests can range from getting an introduction to a professional, meeting high-level executives, talking with employment recruiters, exchanging ideas, or learning more about a company’s mission. The list is truly endless. Ultimately, the primary focus of attending networking events is to meet people and gain information. Period.
The act of networking is simple, it is an exchange of information between two people—a conversation. The hardest part of networking may be not quite knowing what to say to people. This is why engaging in the previously mentioned self-discovery steps is so important. One way to prepare for a networking event is to develop some talking points about yourself. This is achieved by preparing your elevator pitch.
Put It All Together
An elevator pitch, or a professional summary, is what you would use to answer the “Tell me about yourself” inquiry during a networking event. The fundamental idea of an elevator pitch is to deliver content that provides a quick understanding of who you are, what you have done professionally, articulates possible skills or proficiencies you possess, and possibly what level of education or certifications you have obtained. It may feel like you are bragging about yourself when you deliver your elevator pitch, but this is not the case. You are providing relevant information to the other person so that they know how to assist you.
What to include in your elevator pitch is determined by what you are specifically looking for from a person during a networking event. An effective elevator pitch, or introduction statement:
- Provides a quick understanding of who you are
- Makes the other person want to know more about you
- Leads into a deeper dialogue
An example of an elevator pitch looks like this:
Hello, my name is ____________. I am a/an [insert branch of military] veteran and I [have or am pursuing] a [insert type of degree B.S(A)., master’s] in [list major or specialty]. I have over [X number of years] experience in [list your skills and qualifications]. I am interested in learning more about [insert specific topic].
The self-discovery process is intended to be iterative and on-going as you continue to learn and acquire new skills. For additional assistance with your self-discovery and career decision-making process, be sure to take advantage of additional career-related resources available to you 24/7 through CareerQuest. UMGC Career Services offers you access to several tools to assist the exploration of your next career options during or after your military transition. Specifically, access the Career Exploration for Military Transition resources provided by the US Department of Labor that are compiled within CareerQuest, along with additional military connected resources.
You’ve already had a productive first career, now let’s set you up for success in your next career!
Raelynn F. Grasso is a Career Advising Specialist at the University of Maryland Global Campus and Adjunct Psychology Professor. She has experience leading and providing individual, group, and career counseling, as well as executing and developing programs to enhance college student enrichment. Ms. Grasso’s areas of research include career decision-making, epistemic cognition, self-efficacy, and college student development. She holds a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Utah, an M.S. in Education Psychology, and a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology, both from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
This article was originally published on LinkedIn.
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