5 Transition Pitfalls & How to Avoid Them

Transitioning out of the military can be stressful. Preparing for life in the civilian world takes more than just ideas, it requires careful planning. With the right plan, transition can be seamless but there are many pitfalls that soldiers fall prey to that make the process significantly more challenging. Here are the top five mistakes to avoid:

1. Procrastination - Don’t wait to start planning for your transition. The Transition Assistance Program (TAP): https://rly.pt/3L9xwPu resources should be tapped at least a year before separation, but two years prior would be even better. When you learn all that must be accomplished for a graceful exit from the military, you will be grateful for as much time as you can get to complete the necessary exercises for becoming a civilian.

2. Not utilizing what’s available - There are so many resources available to help military members with their transition to the civilian world. You aren’t limited to choosing just one, nor should you. Military OneSource: https://rly.pt/36knmg1, Skills Translator: https://rly.pt/3qqElUU, US Chamber of Commerce Veteran Employment Transition Roadmap: https://rly.pt/3L5lPcv …those are just a few of the organizations designed specifically to help you become a civilian. From assisting with resume building (turning your military experience into something transferrable to the business world), entrepreneurship and job searches to financial planning and relocation assistance, there are so many outstanding support associations you need to become familiar with in order to make your transition smooth.

3. Failing to ask for help - You aren’t reinventing the wheel. There are so many folks who have come before you both smoothly and with a seriously bumpy road on their journey to exit the military. Talk to them. Find a mentor. Maybe there is someone in your neighborhood that transitioned recently. Perhaps a member of your church separated years ago. Check your LinkedIn network to see if you know someone in the civilian world that was once in your shoes. Ask them what worked well, and what didn’t; would they change anything in their process; what resources did they find the most, and least helpful. Don’t try to do it all on your own.

4. Network Negligence - It’s not what you know, it’s who you know is a cliche for a reason. Networking is imperative to a successful transition. The options are endless. Obviously, RallyPoint is a great place to start. Find jobs: https://rly.pt/3L5lK8H, make connections: https://rly.pt/3ww4aXw, join groups: https://rly.pt/3D35mTr and ask questions: https://rly.pt/2rmryTZ in the one place that brings all military members both current and former together. Check out LinkedIn, Facebook, Team Red White and Blue: https://rly.pt/3twcvIK, Iraq-Afghanistan Veterans of America: https://rly.pt/3wA0L9V and Team Rubicon: https://rly.pt/3L6suD3. Use MeetUp: https://rly.pt/3tufBgd to find local events and groups. Register with the COMMIT Foundation: https://rly.pt/3NpRg3g to get personalized programs and community support during your transition. Networking goes hand-in-hand with asking for help. Don’t neglect your connections!

5. Lack of emergency funding - Your transition is going perfectly: you’ve given yourself plenty of time, used all resources available to you, asked for help from people you trust and networked like the social media savant you are - congrats! Three weeks into your new job in the civilian sector, the company goes through a series of lay-offs and your head is on the chopping block. Too bad you spent all that deployment savings on the flat screen and trip to Disney. Now what? It happens, and the only way to be prepared is to make sure you have an emergency fund to cover an unexpected loss of income.

Don’t become a transition casualty. Avoid the above-mentioned pitfalls and the process can be as smooth as glass. Offer up your own advice, tips, tricks, success and horror stories below to help those beginning their military transition.