Posted on Dec 14, 2014
1LT Quartermaster Officer
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This coming May I will be commissioning into the PA National Guard as a Field Artillery Officer. After graduating from University of Pittsburgh I will obviously have to start looking for a civilian job.

My question is, what skills will I acquire from BOLC that I will be able to transfer into my civilan career (aside from the obvious leadership experience). What job opportunities will open up because of my training within the Field Artillery branch.

Thank you for your help and input,

Cadet Zielinski

Education:
Major: Political Science (Focus in International Relations)
Minor: German
Posted in these groups: Jon JobsTrain2 TrainingIl fullxfull 354814300 kbp8 ArtilleryArmy2lt 2LT
Edited >1 y ago
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Responses: 11
LTC Andrew Loeb
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Connor,

Start by making sure you spell "Graduate" correctly in your opening sentence, I take a little offense as your PMS at PITT for that one. Second seek out the Career Services Division at the University of Pittsburgh for career help and avenues. The unit that you are assigned with your Letter of Acceptance could have some networking opportunities. Finally next week there is a session here on campus.
Thursday, February 12 from 4-6 p.m.
Location: The McCarl Center for Nontraditional Student Success
Join the Office of Veterans Services for this spring’s Veterans Networking Event. Many top military-friendly employers will be in attendance, including Enterprise, Google, PLS Logistics Services, PNC Financial Services Group, Inc., and UPMC. Even if you currently are not looking for a job or internship, this event is a great way to begin building your professional network with companies that are dedicated to hiring veterans! Find out what employers are looking for in candidates and why it is never too early to get started planning for your future career. For more information, contact Brianna McMeekin at [login to see] .

See you in class next Monday.
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CW5 Desk Officer
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Edited >1 y ago
1LT (Join to see), here's a Googled answer to your question:

http://www.ehow.com/list_6851980_civilian-careers-ex_field-artillery-officer.html

Ideally you'll get someone who works or worked in the field to tell you about their experiences translating field artillery training and experience into a civilian job.
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SSG(P) Instructor
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Great post CW5 (Join to see) I would just add, don't limit yourself to just these fields, instead, look up the job descriptions from these professions and incorporate them into a current working resume.
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Are there any civilian jobs that I would be more competitive for by being a Field Artillery Officer?
SSG(P) Instructor
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I would capitalize on your leadership skils, try not to advertise too heavily about the military, it can have a negative spin on future opportinities....think -- keep it neutral. Have a professional work your resume up several different ways, do not place heavy emphasis on being an officer, even though it is the most repeated position in the job market...not all HR head hunters will agree. Consider a light, medium, and heavy version of your resume. If you are choosing employment with a company that hires heavy prior military, then you might want to consider using your heavy version. Do the research on demographics of employees, if they don't specifically hire veterans, consider using your light version. Best advice I can give. You should get an OER after graduating, there should be some good bullet points in that you can steal from.
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MAJ Ronnie Reams
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If you live in a high snow avalanche area, your highway department probably uses 105s howitzers or a 106 RR to blast them.
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CPT Mark Locken
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None. I am a retired active-duty FA officer. I was fortunate to have had an unusual job doing quality assurance (auditing) for TRADOC just prior to retirement. That job helped me secure a position with the VA doing very similar work. Otherwise, I would have been selling used cars or life insurance.
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1SG First Sergeant
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Surveyors, any type of management positions, personnel. I use to be in Field Artillery and saw the conversion of what I did as an artilleryman to civilian language. I was impressed. Dress your resume and go after whatever YOU want to be. Just being in the Military period carries a lot of weight compared to many and most. Military and a degree! You shouldn't have an issue getting into what your interested in.
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CW3 Kevin Storm
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Confidence, Sir, Confidence. Hell I got of Active Duty having been a I was nuclear missile crewman, no one wants a nuclear artillery missile crewman, shy of some shady third world types. But I had confidence, confidence in myself, confidence that if I could make in front of an interviewer I had a better than average chance of making the cut. It didn't always work out that way, but I never looked back! Keep this in the back of you mind, "Redlegs, we got bigger guns and shoot bigger loads! What you got?" If that didn't make you make you want to go pull a lanyard than hell I got nothing for you.
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SSG Dennis Hardesty
SSG Dennis Hardesty
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Can anyone on this site train Maintenance on the HIMARS, MLRS or M109A6 Paladin? ADC out of VA has NET Team Maintenance Instructor vacancies for each of these system? Send resume to [login to see] .
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LTC Cavalry Officer
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While I have only ever served on Active Duty since my own commissioning, thinking back to what I would have done then had I been on Reserve/Guard status and putting it into today's job/caree market, I would first find something that I would enjoy doing for a while (not necessarily for a career, but also, not a short term job). I would want to get into something that was interesting to me, and that I would enjoy doing, and not just because I got paid for doing so.
I also graduated with a BA in Political Science (focus in IR), but would have not necessarily focused specifically on that degree, rather my skill sets I honed while earning that degree: research, analytical reading/writing, critical/creative thinking, public speaking, debate/rhetoric, etc.
I was offered a job in retail store management (AAFES), but I knew that wasn;t something I was interested in, even if I wasn't going on AD.
Hope this helps, and like I told my friends that were in your shoes while I went through my Armor Officer Basic Course, good luck!
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1LT Quartermaster Officer
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Thank you for all the responses
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