Posted on Aug 28, 2015

How do you find the right balance between your current job and applying for a special program?

LCDR (Join to see)

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I have run into the situation many times both personally and with a large number of enlisted Sailors and Marines. Recently I'm even having some junior officers ask me a similar question.

The overall situation is that you want to apply for a special program, officer candidacy, spec ops, or some other MOS change, etc. The problem is, if you don't get it, you still want to keep doing what you're doing and not be penalized for trying to branch out. How do you strike the balance between being a good performer and continuing to have a successful career path while you are applying to leave it?

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Posted 9 y ago

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LT (Join to see)

Posted 9 y ago

That is a great question, sir, and definitely a cause of significant stress. I was in a situation where I was boarding for an Active Guard slot and applying for AD Navy as a Sub Officer Candidate. The Guard job was almost a guarantee while the Navy was a still up in the air. And choosing one essentially eliminated the other. Fortunately I had a lot of great support and advice from my leadership. I took their advice, ran with it and fortunately I am now an officer in the U.S. Navy. All this is to say, that for me the balance came by having a great working relationship with my leadership. They appreciated my work ethic and abilities and supported my career development.

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LCDR (Join to see)

9 y

Thanks Forrest! I agree that the relationship with leadership is definitely a huge factor in making this successful. Congratulations and welcome to the Navy!

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