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What should I be doing?

Veteran

John Parker, MBA, MSIS Vacaville, CA

I'm just confused. I can't seem to find the right career and I'm always underemployed. After 4 years of service in the USAF, I completed an AAS (Information Technology), BS (Management), and a MBA. I've been at this for 10+ years and I'm exhausted. Any advice is greatly appreciated. I'm on the West Coast.

10 February 2015 5 replies Career Exploration

Answers

Veteran

John Parker, MBA, MSIS Vacaville, CA

Thanks for all of your tips. I've put much thought into this and I'm leaning towards law enforcement.

Advisor

Beth Smits Washington, DC

Dear John,

I think the others have given you some excellent advice to consider. I would add a very practical tip that helped me to make a major career change. Basically, I wrote down very specific parts of my current and previous jobs I liked the most -- and what I disliked the most, and briefly noted why I felt that way. You can do the same with your education: which classes did you like the best. Although I thought that I knew myself pretty well, putting it down on paper and looking at a summation of my likes and dislikes over the years helped me recognize some important aspects that I hadn't even realized were that important to me (or were that annoying). Perhaps having such a list will clarify some of your confusion, too! At the very least, it will help you answer job interview questions such as "what did you like most about your last job?"

Advisor

Brent Hudson Buffalo, NY

My family and I thank you for your service.

You are not alone in your feelings. I interact with a lot of people who all say the same thing - I don't know what to do or I'm looking for something different, but I don't know what I want to do. I have two pieces of advice that have worked well for me, although it is not aligned with the current "feel good" thinking. 1. Find a job that pays well and provides decent benefits (time off, flexible schedule, bonus, etc.) Whether or not that's what you really want to do is besides the point. Find a job that can finance the life that you want to have. 2. Use the time you aren't working to do what it is you want to do - engage in a hobby, volunteer at the VA, join the local volunteer fire department, work part time at the fishing outfitter. I think too often society tells us that we have to be "happy" in our jobs for a fulfilled life. I don't believe that. I work to live my life, I don't live my life to work. So I manage several different companies but I'm also a Captain in the fire department. I'm a reserve Deputy Sheriff, I teach CPR to kids, I mentor veterans. These are the things I like to do and the job I have affords me the ability to do just that. You are a well educated person with good experience. Go put it to work. Good luck.

Advisor

Damon Jensen Yuba City, CA

John, the question is what do you want to do? I think many times military folks get degrees based on where there experience and military credit transfer the most. I know I did.....Like you I have an AA in IT, a BS in Management, and an MBA. In all cases I had no idea why I was getting the specific degree, I just knew I needed them.

So the question becomes what do you know about yourself? Do you know you want to work M-F? You want growth? You want to make 1 million in 5 years? Do you want to manage? Do you like hands on? The point is you have to understand yourself. Then you can start to answer your question.

Once you truly understand yourself, you can bring that into the interview and job search. An interview is a two way feeling out process. It should be as much about you getting answers to the question you need to make sure the position is a fit for you. Too many times the candidate's focus is on will they hire me and how much pay. Pay of course is important, but there are many other questions that you need to have answered and you should be prepared to ask them of the employer.

To be honest, as a hiring manager, a candidate that doesn't know what they want is very off putting to me. It tells me there is risk that you will not be a long term employee, which is something I cannot afford to hire.

Advisor

Robert Kintigh Caldwell, ID

First of all being confused is normal and something you can fix. I congratulate on your service and your education but now you need to know what to do with it, right? It is hard to really answer that question but I would say that maybe I can give you some ideas to help you to formulate a plan. Let's get started:
You have an education so have you thought about using it to teach others?
Have you considered a business and if so what?
If you could do anything in the world and their were nothing stopping you financially or anything else what would you do?
What makes you happy?
What one skill do you have that makes you unique?
Do you like working with others or are you a behind the scenes kind of person?

This is just a few questions I often ask my clients in order to start a dialogue. When I started out I was a handyman and started my own business. At first I was doing ok but then things started to take off. I was going to school after I was discharged from the army. I was a bit lost as I was medically discharged and was set to be in for a long time. Once I was out I just kind of started doing things I thought i should be doing. As time went on I kept adjusting. To skip to the end one day when I was done with the handyman business I had 3 offices and over a hundred employees. Today I am a business consultant/coach/author and speaker and have owned over 10 businesses and more. Just like you I needed to figure out who I wanted to be and so I went to work on it. I hope any of this helps and if I can help further just let me know. It would seem you have a lot to offer and I would bet that with some work you can get everything that you desire.

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