Resources for Career Transition

Self-Marketing for Military to Civilian Career Transitions looks at the new context of work with its universal entrepreneurial culture. Whether you own your own business or are part of a giant multi-national corporation, you can't afford to think of yourself or your career in any other terms. The challenges of the job market and economy today require new thinking and new approaches. Men and women who are moving from the military to civilian life will soon find themselves in an environment where everything seems to be up for grabs. This includes how to look for work. The corporate world is under pressure, as are many other sectors of our economy. Job candidates with proven problem-solving skills are in high demand. In this respect, individuals with military background and experience bring a great deal to the table, but they must learn to adopt a self-marketing mentality to increase their visibility and reputation-their "personal brand." Many people may be reluctant to adopt the self-marketing approach to career change because of the persistent negative associations with the term "selling." They worry that self-promotion may be perceived by others as egotistical and "pushy." They shrink at the thought selling anything-let alone themselves! Turning this perception around is the first step in understanding yourself as a true marketing professional. All professional marketing is founded on the principle of service and a values-based, solution-oriented approach to self-marketing is the most powerful and effective strategy in today's business environment-whether you are changing careers or starting an enterprise of your own. Bu here's the challenge: you can't help anybody if they don't know you're there. Nowadays capturing the attention of the public is not easy. There has never been a time when people been so inundated with information. Getting and holding the attention of your target audience requires a continuous and diversified communication strategy. Remember, the ultimate goal of all your self-marketing efforts is to promote yourself and your brand in such a way that you occupy top-of-mind space with potential employers and/or clients. Self-Marketing for Military to Civilian Career Transitions looks at this new context of work with its universal entrepreneurial culture. Whether you own your own business or are part of a giant multi-national corporation, you can't afford to think of yourself or your career in any other terms. You are a business, supplying needed goods and services to customer, even if that "customer" happens to be your boss.

Career success is an "inside-out" process. This is true if you're just starting out or if you are a senior executive looking for new opportunities. It is especially true with the transition from a military career to work in the civilian world. Sadly, this all important initial phase of the career transition process is very often overlooked or done in a cursory, half-hearted manner. The good news is that if you dedicate yourself to a careful self-assessment before you launch your next job search, you will find yourself in an elite group of professionals who know what they want, know what they have to offer, and know where their careers are taking them. Choosing a career that is both personally and financially rewarding depends on successfully completing a series of logical steps, which define the "inside-out" approach. These steps help you identify your: • Values • Personality type • Work preferences, and • "Motivated skills." Values guide your choices. The clearer you are about what your commitments and core beliefs, the more effective your decision-making becomes. Knowing your personality type has two important benefits. First, it will help you understand recurring patterns and preferences in your life. For example, knowing your personality type helps you understand why you naturally excel in some situations and struggle in others. Second, an understanding of the variety of personality types helps you understand and work effectively with others whose types differ from your own. Knowing your work preferences is a key ingredient to choosing a career in an area that you find enjoyable and stimulating…and avoiding others where you are more likely to become bored, dissatisfied, or stressed. A "motivated skill" is one that you do well and enjoy using. The extent to which you use your motivated skills in any career determines the degree of satisfaction and success you are likely to achieve. Success in any field is difficult, but if you are able to do work that brings you enjoyment and fulfillment, you are more than halfway there. These are the four elements of personal assessment. When you know these, you will know which careers to focus on and which to avoid. This knowledge helps you focus your research and develop an effective job search strategy. Just as important, knowing yourself in this way, contributes greatly to your self-confidence and "posture" as you networking and meet with prospective employers. Personal assessment is the master key to career success.