Wasn't Ready to Retire
May 12, 2008
After 21 years, I still wanted to stay. I love the Air Force and the many opportunities it afforded me. However, the signs were there that it was time to leave.
An aptitude test in high school once told me I should be a cosmetologist. As an 18-year-old male geek, I was more enamored with computers than with cutting hair. I ran to the recruiter's office who was more than happy to enlist me in a hard to fill spot that had computers in the description.
Now, I think a day hanging out with women would be a great job. When I retired, I wanted to make sure I found the right job for me (I took the TAP seminar twice). The problem was I had done so many things in the Air Force and really enjoyed the variety. How was I going to find ONE job that I would love to go to every morning?
There are several books out there that will help you including "Do What You Love, the Money Will Follow" or "I Could Do Anything if I Just Knew What It Was." I decided on Technical Writing and Training.
There was a trainer spot opening up in my last unit and I had been asked to fill it. My philosophy to not stand still precluded me from taking the job (which ended up taking over a year to get funded -- whew!). As it happened, my wife was offered a job in Houston. After following me around for 20+ years, it was my turn to follow her -- and I am glad I did. The cost of living in Houston is a lot lower than in California.
While I had a nice savings built up, because I was picky, it seemed to dwindle pretty quickly as the months passed. I ended up taking a part-time job for little more than minimum wage. This allowed me to continue my job search, kept me from being insulated, helped me to network, AND helped pay for Christmas.
The job I finally took came from a small business owner who worked in the oil industry. He hired me because I was a technical person doing writing work instead of a writer doing technical work. As I was told during the Transition Assistance seminar, "There is no job security, only skills security." and my skills transferred between industries I had not thought to look at. Don't limit yourself. Ask those closest to you what they think you would enjoy doing. Sometimes you can't see the forest for the trees.
(Submitted by Mr. William Gray, Jr.)
