Posted on Jul 14, 2015
What job opportunities are out there for retired E8's and E9's?
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I'm curious to know what job opportunities are available to retired E8's and E9's. I know for retired officers, civilian executive level positions will probably be calling after a successful military career. Have any E8's and E9's gone on to pursue a successful civilian career in executive level leadership?
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Melvin:
There are many opportunities for senior NCOs. A very good friend of mine (E-8) started his own company about 10 years ago and is doing very well. He now owns three homes and just purchased 65 foot luxury boat. He's works hard and is extremely well connected. He told me his network is his net worth. Get out and meet people. Let them know who you are and what you can do. Most business leaders I know what good people with solid values and a strong work ethic. These are things in short supply on the outside.
There are many opportunities for senior NCOs. A very good friend of mine (E-8) started his own company about 10 years ago and is doing very well. He now owns three homes and just purchased 65 foot luxury boat. He's works hard and is extremely well connected. He told me his network is his net worth. Get out and meet people. Let them know who you are and what you can do. Most business leaders I know what good people with solid values and a strong work ethic. These are things in short supply on the outside.
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We have recently opened a veteran owned training school fro the financial services business and we are looking for retired veterans E7 and above. We are opening up a Military Division in the financial services business and we will need your military leadership skills. Our new school is in Carlsbad, CA for training and we will be expanding from there. There is a $1,000 bonus at graduation and a Mercedes car allowance bonus afforded after 6 months, when qualified. Many of the students in our past schools have gone on to earn $100,000/year plus incomes. I am an Executive Field Chairman with this company and would love to talk to you and any other qualified individuals as we are currently in a high growth mode. Many of our service men and women can benefit from our Project Transition when re-entering civilian life. I can be initially contacted for a confidential interview by sending an email to me, Jon O'Sullivan, at [login to see]
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I am a Corporate Recruiter and former YN3 in the Navy. First, figure out what you would like to do in the civilian world. If it is similar to your military career, then concentrate on making connections in that industry. Also, decide where you want to retire and see how plentiful the jobs are in the area you want to potentially work. If you have a degree; great. If not, start pursuing. Some companies will hire on experience and not necessarily education. Good luck and connect with me if you want to speak off the site.
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I knew a nurse who was a retired E-8. He managed to convince the hospital admin suits that he was a god of leadership and management, but those of us who worked around him in the OR were just glad that his worthless ass got promoted out of our AO.
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I do know one place I sent a cover letter and resume as a retired E8 Mine was picked out above 450 other applications and I was called in for an interview before any others and then offered the job. (the interviewer had been Captain in the USMC) I wasn't willing to take the job for the money offered and the person went in and argued to get Me more which the people over him didn't yield on, I didn't take the job. That was ok however I did take another job which was better for more money and a higher position and even closer to My home. (My new boss, who hired Me had been a Captain in the USAF) My Military experience as an E8 had done nothing but help Me obtain employment at supervisory and management levels. I also had a civilian background though in the same area and college education that was also closely related. When You submit a resume hopefully You have built it towards the Career You seek, if so it will work in Your favor. I've even had one job when I was younger after 8 years active duty. They had filled all their positions until they looked at My resume and I was hired on the spot anyway and started work the following week. Don't underestimate the importance of Your resume and put in applications everywhere.
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Gunny,
I am looking for the same answers. Between deployments I earned both a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and a Masters of Business Administration. add that to 23 years of service, retiring as a Master Sergeant. I have held three jobs since retirement, all three only requiring a HS diploma. I even went as far as to try an hire an executive head-hunter to help in my endeavors. Every job I have applied requiring an MBA or Bachelors degree has been unresponsive. The head-hunter refused to take my money and help, stating I was 'undesirable' outside of basic, entry-level positions. When asked, she stated I had no experience whatsoever. When I pointed out on my resume time as a First Sergeant, she said it translated to a department manager. I stated there is my experience. Her response was, "It is military, so corporate America will not recognize it." I resolved myself to ask this question: "Since your claim is that I have no experience, therefore you cannot find me work, if I were a 24-25 year old college grad, fresh from an MBA program, what kind of employment would you help me find?" "Entry level management" was her response. I told her that I was willing to enter entry level management. She said that I didn't have the experience. I pointed out neither does the 24-25 year old. She said, "Well, you are not 24 or 25."
I am looking for the same answers. Between deployments I earned both a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and a Masters of Business Administration. add that to 23 years of service, retiring as a Master Sergeant. I have held three jobs since retirement, all three only requiring a HS diploma. I even went as far as to try an hire an executive head-hunter to help in my endeavors. Every job I have applied requiring an MBA or Bachelors degree has been unresponsive. The head-hunter refused to take my money and help, stating I was 'undesirable' outside of basic, entry-level positions. When asked, she stated I had no experience whatsoever. When I pointed out on my resume time as a First Sergeant, she said it translated to a department manager. I stated there is my experience. Her response was, "It is military, so corporate America will not recognize it." I resolved myself to ask this question: "Since your claim is that I have no experience, therefore you cannot find me work, if I were a 24-25 year old college grad, fresh from an MBA program, what kind of employment would you help me find?" "Entry level management" was her response. I told her that I was willing to enter entry level management. She said that I didn't have the experience. I pointed out neither does the 24-25 year old. She said, "Well, you are not 24 or 25."
MCPO Roger Collins
There are no jobs based on any military pay grade. It's all about being able to translate your education, skills and proven leadership. All E-9 meant to my first employer (who was a retired CWO-4) was an indication that I had proven I had those. He hired me at an entry level at my base pay at retirement. Five years I was a senior director managing a SBU. Point being, use what got you your SNCO rank and you will succeed in private industry, no short cuts out there in the cold cruel world.
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SCPO (Join to see)
Maybe you qualify for some of these positions: http://www.bsenv.com/employment.html
3601 C Street Suite 1000-31 Anchorage, Alaska 99503 Map Office: (907) 278-2311 Fax:(907) 278-2316
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CPO Byron Sargent
Eryk, I am a retired CPO with an education basically identical to yours. I believe that your best bet for finding the six figure income that you desire is to stick with your military specialty or stick with Government contractors or Government Service (GS). I was laid off from a Government Contractor in the Norfolk, Virginia Beach area. After looking (Not too hard because I was also in grad school) for a comparable job as my last for over a year I decided to go where the jobs are. I had several friends who had moved up to Patuxent River Maryland where the Naval Air Station there is the home to the Naval/Marine Corps Air Systems Command. It is also the Naval/Marine Corps Air Test Center. There are literally thousands of civilian jobs there. They know how to apply Military Experience to Civilian experience. All of the services have some types of commands that would be equivalent to Pax River and the Navy has several more for Naval Sea Systems Command, and one for submarines etc. These commands employ thousands of Government civilians and Government contractors. Both the Government and the Contracting Companies know how to transfer your experience, would rather hire veterans and will give you the leg up for your education. Do some research on the engineering centers for your service or any of them, really. The Army is well represented here. What I did not do correctly was learn how to negotiate salary. I was moving from Virginia Beach where the pay was much lower than up here and didn't know what I Know now. For equivalent jobs in this area the pay is approximately 33% higher than where I had been, even though it is just 100 miles away. I seriously low balled myself when I got my first job. A mistake not repeated on my next job. Believe it or not I wound up working for a contractor for the Customs and Border Protection. I hope my rambling helps in some way.
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I think the first step is figuring out what you would like to do and more importantly, what types of problems you would like to solve. This will help you match your skills from the military to civilian career paths and also identify what the gaps in your experience are so that you close them or work around them. Not sure what your path is? There a lot of online resources you can tap into that can help you match interests and skills with civilian career paths. People blow this off as fluffy but come on, isn't life to short to something you don't really like doing and thus probably not that great at? You can also refine your target career path by using Rally Point and sites like LinkedIn to network to fellow vets in your field..."I'm looking at becoming an XXX, I see that you do that, can you tell me a bit about it? What do you like, what do you hate what's typical day like? What advice would you give me? " I think you will find most vets happy to help. If they aren't, so what? Move on to the next. As to the E8/E9 question? As a former junior officer, if you are anything like the CPO's I had the honor to serve with, you probably know a heck of a lot about training others to lead!
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It is all about what you want. We generally think in the wrong direction. Determine what you want then determine what it will take to get there. You find the path is clearer. This is not the see and be philosophy. What I am talking about is get a very clear picture of the end result you are looking for and then determine what the steps are to get you there. I am talking about working toward your goal with steps that you can see. Those officers had already started working on getting those jobs before they took them. Planning and having a plan is the key but start with the end in mine and work backwards.
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Still on active duty, have at least 2 years of service left, just completed MBA program, need to know what employers are looking for on senior NCO's with MBA's, I'm a logistician currently in 1SG position.
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MSgt Marvin Kinderknecht
Excellent background. Any trucking company. Any utility that move goods. Ship, rail, road, air. They are all good sources. lots of luck. If you can get a CPL desisgnation.
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While I myself was not an E-8/9, I have worked with several since getting out. One of which was my manager, (sorta boss). I work for Google, at a data center, and my "boss" was a retired E-8 and actually got hired on his way out of the Navy. He was specifically hired as a manager. Google as a company is extremely vet friendly. In fact the site I work at, on my team, over half of us are vets and a few are reservists still. So this is a great option for people getting out, even with not a lot of tech experience. Also, Google is all over the world, so lots of options of where to work.
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