Seth Lynch ⋅ Plano, TX Hewlett Packard ⋅ 15 years experience

Eric,

A couple definitives based on your question. An entry level position or more education isn't going to provide you any value based on your background and short-term goals. Certifications that will help in a specific industry require detailed experience with the subject, so unless you have the ability to sit for a certification without additional training or work experience, there isn't really a benefit to getting any other certifications. Let's concentrate now on figuring out if you are qualified for a PM role.

If you are getting interviews for PM roles, your resume is written well enough to convey the experience you have and get someone interested in talking to you. That's good. While the interviews haven't yet resulted in a job, they should be giving you valuable insight into how you can adjust your story for the next interview or, at a minimum, are detailing why you aren't experienced enough for the role.

Spend some time translating your military project experience with the help of the PMBOK. Use Table 3.1 in the fifth edition to get a high level view of all of the AOKs and processes within each AOK. Then, map specific activites from your previous military projects to each of the AOKs and processes. If you have lots of gaps, that means you probably don't have the relevant experience to translate to a PM role. If you do find you have experience in most all of the processes, you should be able to use your newly created experience map to answer the next round of interview questions a little more concisely.

If you find a lot of gaps in your mapping exercise, you probably shouldn't be interviewing for PM roles, but may have the experience for other project team roles. If you find you have a lot of execution experience, but little planning or controlling experience, look at field supervisor/ manager roles that will get you into the company. If you have a lot of budgeting/ scheduling/ reporting experience, look at project controls roles, etc. Those are good stepping stone roles to project manager.

Last little piece of advice. Put the additional work into networking. Go to the local PMI meetings and volunteer for the local chapter. You will meet a lot of people with a lot of helpful experience. Don't just ask them if they have jobs open at their companies, ask them how they got to their current position. That should help you build your career path and look for the right positions to get you on your way.

Ajoy Moonka ⋅ Albuquerque, NM Sandia National Laboratories ⋅ 33 years experience

I would target defense and aerospace companies (e.g., Lockheed Martin). They actually value military project management experience and put in extra efforts to hire veterans and help them succeed.

Richard Buck ⋅ Patterson, NY EY ⋅ 25 years experience

I am a 10 year USMC Veteran, providing help to veterans and their spouses with military career transition mentoring, counseling and training.

Here are a couple of companies I would check out:

Sharp Decisions V.E.T.S.™ (Vocation, Education and Training for Service members) Program
http://sharpdecisions.com/whysharp/vetsprogram/
vetinfo@sharpdecisions.com
(212) 403-7592

CAPCO
contact: Bill Sommers (bill.sommers@capco.com)

________________
Richard Buck
rbvetmentor@gmail.com
914 391 3375
www.linkedin.com/in/ribuck/

John Nerison ⋅ Boise, ID Retired from POWER Engineers, Inc. www.powereng.com ⋅ 40 years experience

I would join the Project Management Institute, study the Book of Knowledge, and take the test for Project Management Professional. This will give you a good frame of reference to be a PM in any industry.

Eric Schnarr ⋅ Saint Charles, MO U.S. Air Force, Captain ⋅ 14 years served

Thank you for all of the responses. You have all been very helpful and I am putting your advice to work. Using the PMBOK guide to write my exam application has helped me identify areas where I have more and less experience which I'm using to apply for more appropriate positions. I've joined the St. Louis Metro PMI chapter and will be attending a dinner meeting next week. Finally, I am spending more time looking at specific companies and industries in the St. Louis area where my experience seems to be more relevant.