Make Yourself Known

Pay close attention during TAP class and take notes. It will be five years this February, and I still refer back to my notes. Military.com has been a great help with keeping me current with what is going on in the military. The military was all I knew and there was a lot of anxiety and stress for me at first.

The military was all I knew and there was a lot of anxiety and stress for me at first.

Take one step at a time. Take the initiative and be aggressive because if you just sit back waiting for someone to do it for you, it will never happen.

Wardrobe: I walked into a local discount clothing store and told one of the employees I needed help. Within one hour later I had three sets of professional apparel for interviewing.

Resume: I used all the resources provided on base and discussed in TAP class. I even went to a local resume writer, however, I pretty much paid for nothing as I had already done most of the work.

Job interviewing: Check out the company's Web page and know the basics about their mission. I applied for a job in my same field of expertise. My interview contained three pages of technical questions and four panel members. I went in with confidence, a smile, and answered the questions truthfully. Just be yourself. The good part is that your military experience and training will carry you. Networking is very important. I attended a training conference and sat down right next to the supervisor of the position I was after. I did this about five to six months before I actually retired. I told him my plans and interest and then contacted him every month. I'm fortunate to have this job because I was over qualified for the position so you need to be able to sell yourself.

I was contacted a few days after my first interview with the job offer so I cancelled the other interviews I had lined up. It doesn't always work out this well so be prepared to look around and have several interviews with various companies scheduled. Just don't get them mixed up!

I even started working my new job while on terminal leave and didn't have to relocate. In fact, I live within five miles of my job. I work for the state where there is no promotional ladder and within two years I was getting bored. The reason why I'm still with the same orgainization today is because the work is easy, co-workers are fun, I enjoy what I'm doing, but most importantly, my boss respects me and my qualifications.

A higher paying position was created and I helped to mold the position into what I want it to be. I'll admit that I was out there looking for something better especially pay wise, but then I realized that it was at my three-year mark and I was used to rotating duty assignments. Trust me, the grass isn't always greener on the other side. I continue to say the words "In the military" a lot and my office desk is surrounded by military memories, but I will never regret retiring when I did.

I served close to 25 years and never really realized just what accomplishments and sacrifices I had made until I went down memory lane. I frequently receive phone calls from people I don't know asking for my expertise. So never hesitate to write magazine articles, be a speaker at a convention or to make your name known. Even after nearly five years of retirement, there are times when I feel like I'm still transitioning. Don't be afraid to ask for help and use your resources. Good luck!

(Submitted by Cynthia Jackson)