Remember the movie “Castaway” with Tom Hanks? He played a man who crashed landed on a deserted island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. And he lived there for many years, alone, until one day the tide washed up a piece of metal that he used to build something that helped him get off the island. The point was that you never know what will wash in with the tide and how it could be the very thing that will save you. This has been my experience with job hunting. You never know what will happen, so be prepared to use every resource.
4-MINUTE READ
What is Veterati?
Veterati is a digital platform for veterans & military spouses to access mentorship-on-demand from successful professionals across the nation. Our mission is to create mentorship conversations between 1.5 million transitioning veterans and 100 million Americans currently employed across America. The Global Head of Military Programs of the #1 veteran employer in the United States calls the proprietary mentorship-on-demand software we’ve developed for veterans “The Uber of mentorship, a game-changer.”
Veterans! I’d like to introduce you to a new program designed specifically as an entryway into technology sales. Tech Qualled is an innovative program that places veterans in the technology industry. Fueled by a passion for the tech industry and assisting transitioning military members, the four co-founders of this organization have created a unique job placement platform that trains and places vets into high tech sales. In this article, I’m going to review the program and explain why it could be a great fit for your transition.
If there is one thing I know after recruiting for over two decades in the private sector and defense industry it’s that military service members are an elite talent pool. A talent pool that is largely overlooked due to a lack of understanding of military culture and its ultimate purpose. In fact, service members can contribute a lot more to businesses success than those who have never served at all. The biggest challenge facing service members today is articulating their skills and experiences to be seen as viable candidates to individuals who make hiring decisions. This is why I have dedicated my career in helping service members find meaningful careers after service. So listen up!
If you are in a career transition, before you do anything else, you must first answer this question, “Who am I?”
Transitioning from any position into a new one, unless you are going to be doing exactly the same thing, requires getting this question answered first. Spend time figuring out who you are before you start looking for that next great career step and you will be much happier during the search and especially afterwards. Yes, being unemployed is an awful feeling, however nowhere as bad as how you could feel if you jump into a job you really don’t want. Here are four tasks that will help you answer the question, “Who am I?”
Any major life transition causes a complexity of emotions including fear, anguish and excitement. A military transition is no different and arguably may be more complex. You’re leaving a security blanket and leaping into the unknown. With that comes an unbelievable growth experience that requires hard work, incredible tenacity and thorough self-introspection.
When you came out the other side, what did you learn? What did you learn about the process of the transition? What made you successful? When asking these questions to transitioned veterans, most often you’ll get the high-level responses such as: “I networked or prepared well for my interviews.” I want to take it one step further and dive deeper to provide you with 10 “secrets” or creative approaches that you often may not hear.
Dmitry Rukhlin is one of our Veterati mentors and is a highly regarded member of the veteran community. His commitment to serving veterans led him to write about his own transition in Leaving Active Duty: Real-life Stories and Advice for Junior Military Officers. Dmitry graduated from the U.S Naval Academy in 2004 and is now the Chief Operating Officer of Kraus USA Inc.
Chad Storlie is one of our super mentors here at Veterati and is a highly regarded member of the veteran community. His commitment to serve veterans in any capacity has led him to write two books: Combat Leader to Corporate America and Battlefield to Business Success. Chad is a mid-level marketing executive and has worked in marketing and sales roles for various companies, including General Electric, Comcast, and Manugistics.
He has been published in over 80 publications including Harvard Business Review, USAA Member Community, Military.com, Businessweek, Forbes, and USA Today. Chad’s 20+ years of service in the infantry, special forces, and joint headquarters units has provided him with a unique perspective for transitioning veterans.
For many transitioning veterans discovering what industry to pursue a career in can be a complicated and frustrating endeavor. You are not alone. Common questions that probably run through your head are: what would I be good at in the civilian world? Where can I make the most money? What industry has the best opportunity for career growth? What if I choose something I hate?
©2024 - Veterati - All rights reserved