So, you are at a crossroad in life. You may be transitioning from military to civilian life, be ready to shift into a career more suited for your experience, or ready to make the leap from post-secondary education into the workforce. Regardless, there are several things that you will want to think about before you just jump into your job search.
Brian Tracy says, “Goals allow you to control the direction of change in your favor.” I happen to agree with this statement. Goals help you not only set a plan but measure your plan. So, as you are looking at this crossroad, there are several things to consider:
- What type of work do I see myself doing?
- What qualifications or experience do I have in relation to this type of work?
- What might I need to do to better prepare for work in this area?
- How will my work in this field impact those around me (spouse, children, and friends)? Hours? Shifts?
- If I take a position in this field, what do I see myself doing in 3 years, 5 years, and 10 years?
- If I want to advance in this field, what else will be required of me as time moves forward? Will I need further education? Will I need to relocate?
- When it comes to my work life, what are my must haves? What are my deal breakers? I suggest that you make a two column chart so that you can see these. Label one side “Must Haves” and the other “Deal Breakers.”
- How do I feel about relocation? Make sure that you think about this question both for the immediate future as well as distant future. Will you be required to leave the area where you are well established and have strong relationships?
- What about your commute? How long do you want to spend traveling to and from work? What is the maximum you are willing to travel?
- What about traveling for work? What percentage of your work are you willing to spend traveling?
- What values are important to you?
- Is there a time table driving my choice?
As you can see this is not a simple process. In order to do this right you should take some time to think, reflect, and write down your answers. Why write them down? Because that action helps you not only process, but keeps them from being so abstract. What is written takes more effort to change than a simple thought. What is written has a greater likelihood of becoming reality. Get energized and see where it takes you!
As always, please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or comments. We’re always glad to hear what you think, and happy to help in any way we can. You can comment to this blog, reach us through our Facebook page, Twitter account, or via email at support@recruitmilitary.com.
