Courses

WHEN (When to decide on transition and establish a timeline)

This is the first step in the process and it includes four areas or quadrants that must be laid out for each military member. This checklist must be identified early so as to allow the military transitioning member to effectively assess his/her timeline and the required items that must be checked as they get closer to the execution of their transition.

Transition Quadrants – Military, Personal, Professional (career) and Family

WHO (Figure out “WHO” you are before deciding “WHAT” to do)

Before resume writing and interviews there must be a 360 degree inventory to better understand who you have become as a professional and a mature individual. Too often military members rush to decide on “WHAT” job to get and “WHERE” to go before they understand their strengths, skills, abilities and attitudes. They also don’t understand their true financial needs. This forces them to rush to “get a job” before defining “who they would like to be when they grow up”.

Transition Plan: Phase II

WHAT (Decide “WHAT” professional track you want to follow and create a road map)

Once a transitioning military member has defined “WHO” they are and understands the paths that lay before him, he/she can begin the more effective process of deciding “WHAT” to pursue as their true career path. This phase requires a detail plan or road map that must be developed so as to assess what career “pot holes” lay before him/her.  Then, they can begin the training process (in phase IV) and work to fill those gaps as they march towards their transition deadline.

Review Transition Tracks (Employment, Entrepreneurship, Education, Retirement, International, Wounded Warrior), Learn about each sub-track, choose and develop the necessary steps to pay out the road map for the transition process.

HOW (Time to actually do the work and close the gap)

Just as when we train our military for their specific duties, we must now invest the time to train them to re-engineer their professional paths to adapt to their new environment. This phase is the longest and it may take as little as 2 weeks but as much as 6 months (with the exception of a college degree completion) depending on the transition training each member requires. During this phase, each member is assigned a counselor/advisor that serves as a career coach to ensure the transitioning member is staying on track and accountable towards his career goal.

Career training (e.g. resume, interview, attire, LinkedIn)

Track Training – Depending on the chosen path, the training pipe will be laid out to ensure each member follows a professional development that will lead them to a successful completion of their career choice by the time they are ready to transition.

WHERE (How do you know “WHERE” to network and find the right mentor)

A mentor is not someone who you go to ask “WHO” you should become as a civilian or “WHAT” you should do for career choice. A mentor is not whom you seek to ask for career counseling or timelines. This is the person you want to reach once you have already become confident and prepared for your new career. An effective mentorship program will pair you with the right mentor, in the right field at the right time in your career transition process.

Mentorship program defined, Mentorship social techniques, mentor profile

ACT (Time to put all of the tools in action)

Now that you have figured out who, what, how, when and where of your transition plan, it is time to implement it and execute your selected course of action.

Networking for professionals, Effective speaking techniques, presence and demeanor when meeting people