What's the process for transitioning a military job to civilians?

I'm considering enlisting but worried about finding a civilian job afterward. How do military roles translate to the civilian workforce, and are there resources to help with this transition? Would appreciate any advice or experiences!

While it's true that transitioning from a military job to a civilian career can have its challenges, the skills and experiences you gain in the military can be highly sought after in the civilian workforce. Here's the basic plan you might follow:

1. Skill Identification: First, identify the skills you acquired in your military position. Leadership, discipline, problem-solving, and teamwork are universal skills you'll find in any military role that also translate well in the civilian world. If you've specialized in a certain field, such as logistics, intelligence, or technical/electrical work, these can be directly applicable to civilian jobs too.

2. Translate Your Skills: It's important to "civilianize" your resume language. This means you convert your military experiences and parlance into terminology that a civilian hiring manager will understand. You can use online resources like the Department of Labor’s Military to Civilian Occupational Translator to help with this.

3. Networking: Start building your civilian network. Professional networking sites can be of great use. Veterans' groups or military alumni networks can also be valuable resources.

4. Use Veterans' Resources: There are numerous resources designed to help veterans transition to civilian work. These include the Department of Veterans Affairs, Career One Stop's Veteran and Military Transition Center, and the Hire Heroes USA program, all of which offer job databases, resume building, job training, and more.

5. Education: Depending on your desired civilian career, further education or certification may be necessary. Take advantage of the GI Bill and other programs that can help cover the cost.

6. Practice Interviews: Military and civilian interviews can be quite different. Make sure to practice your interviewing skills, focusing on how to explain your military experiences in a way that highlights their relevance to the civilian job.

Remember, it's never too early to start thinking about this process, and planning can make for a smoother transition. Though each person's journey will be unique, these steps should provide a useful starting point!