Posted on Nov 6, 2015
Blunt advice (keeping it real) to active duty getting out and becoming civilians
32.9K
229
97
63
62
1
No matter what your rank was , you have to be willing and humble enough to start at an entry level position at your new work place. To be brutally honest the High level and a lot of mid level managers and supervisors do not care if you were a successful "ass kicking door kicker". I humbly give you all my fellow veterans this advice with respect. Be willing and able to start out from the bottom just as you did when you first entered the military.
Posted in these groups: 
Advice
Transition
Advice Transition
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 44
I disagree.
If I work at a bank for ten years and work my way up to a director position, I don't expect to take a job at another bank as a teller and work my way up again.
If you have an MOS that is applicable outside of he military, and most, other than Combat Arms are, you absolutely deserve credit for that experience. Building a login server for a TACNET is the same as building a LAN server at a retail corporate office. Except people shoot at you while you do it.
You have valuable experience, don't sell yourself short because someone at the Piggly Wiggly says your experience doesn't mean anything.
Don't panic, hold your head up, and if the employer doesn't honor your experience, you don't want to work there anyway.
That being said, be realistic. If you're a Specialist, and a cook, don't think you can apply for senior Vice President jobs.
If I work at a bank for ten years and work my way up to a director position, I don't expect to take a job at another bank as a teller and work my way up again.
If you have an MOS that is applicable outside of he military, and most, other than Combat Arms are, you absolutely deserve credit for that experience. Building a login server for a TACNET is the same as building a LAN server at a retail corporate office. Except people shoot at you while you do it.
You have valuable experience, don't sell yourself short because someone at the Piggly Wiggly says your experience doesn't mean anything.
Don't panic, hold your head up, and if the employer doesn't honor your experience, you don't want to work there anyway.
That being said, be realistic. If you're a Specialist, and a cook, don't think you can apply for senior Vice President jobs.
(23)
(1)
SSG William Kimbrell
CSM thank you.As for your last post now thats the kind of CSM I remember.Note I became the Vice president of another company (Mills Pride INC) Retired in 2001 and started my own company in 2002, doing very well, my son now runs the co. I know my military skills have and still serve me today. PS; My son is a 1st Lt in the National Guard
(1)
(0)
LCpl Mark Lefler
I feel like the IT industry is a bit different from other industries, what you know is more important then time served, and military experience can provide a person with alot of "what you know.".
(1)
(0)
MSgt Alex Taylor
I believe SFC Mergott's comment can be put into context with any career change. Even if you are the bank director, if you switch to being a lawyer, you have to start back from the bottom. Few people leaving the military today are able to transition directly from their active duties to a comparable position. Those that do usually jump a few rungs from what I've seen.
(0)
(0)
PO2 Eric Jones
LCpl Mark Lefler - Agreed, The IT industry can be different. Unfortunately many IT military professionals don't always get or don't always take the opportunity to learn as much about their trade as they can. Finding the ones that did and keeping them in service to keep the force in top shape is a challenge. Then we have the other side of the coin, the ones that can't perform the job well are the ones retained. As contractors, we try not to encourage the good ones to leave active duty, but when they do, we try to catch them and keep them using their skills for the good of the DoD instead of losing them to commercial industry. Sorry about the rant, just wanted to shamelessly plug the DoD IT engineering contract industry I suppose.
(1)
(0)
14
14
0
You'll always start at the bottom when doing something completely new. I was an O-6 and senior GS when I started refereeing soccer and had a 32 year old mentor telling me what to do. Kinda fun being an E-1 again. It wouldn't have been as fun if that was my only source of income.
(14)
(0)
SSgt (Join to see)
CAPT Kevin B. It is sad you hear about resumes that the worker (unskilled) want benefits of a CEO.lol
(0)
(0)
MCPO Roger Collins
Did about the same thing Captain. Only break that I got was starting at my base pay just before retirement. Most of us that advanced to senior positions in the military can do it again within about five years, depending on that your endeavor is.
(0)
(0)
CAPT Kevin B.
I got into the referee thing after I hung up the uniform. My wife used "The Voice" to encourage me to get into it. Didn't need the money but was a great move because I've been able to go places and do things I wouldn't have thought otherwise. The referee pay does cover my Europe trip to do tournaments for 2-6 weeks every summer. Really tough having to drink the beer over there....
(0)
(0)
This is not always the case. First off, employers do take in to credit your military leadership. In fact, this sometimes gives you bonus points over other candidates. There is no reason why a senior level NCO or Officer should have to settle for a entry level position until he/she doesn't know how to craft a successful resume that works FOR you rather than you for it.
The skills that service members at all levels are sought after by employers because for the most part, they don't want to waste time teaching someone else these skills. Then there are the soft skills that we have mastered through out years of service that take twice as long to learn outside the service. Sure, I will agree that the chances of a Veteran walking in and getting the huge corner office with some fancy title are fewer than those chances to start at a lower level and work towards that office; but I think it would serve as a huge discredit to one's service to tell them the only chance they have is to start at the very bottom when that is not the case.
The skills that service members at all levels are sought after by employers because for the most part, they don't want to waste time teaching someone else these skills. Then there are the soft skills that we have mastered through out years of service that take twice as long to learn outside the service. Sure, I will agree that the chances of a Veteran walking in and getting the huge corner office with some fancy title are fewer than those chances to start at a lower level and work towards that office; but I think it would serve as a huge discredit to one's service to tell them the only chance they have is to start at the very bottom when that is not the case.
(7)
(0)
SGT Ben Keen
SFC Jim Mergott - You're totally allowed to share your thoughts. Just as I am allowed to disagree with you and point out things I know through personal knowledge and by helping Veterans and employers for the past 5 years.
(3)
(0)
SSG Paul Forel
SFC Jim Mergott - Uh, SFC Mergott, that's "S-a-r-c-a-s-m", not "Sarcasism". This might explain your fascination with entry level jobs....
(1)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google