Joseph Hadida ⋅ Morrisville, PA Lockheed Martin ⋅ 25 years experience

Hi Heath,

First I would like to thank you for your service to our country.

You may be good at many things you, but the big question is what are the professions at which you will excel while you enjoy what you are doing, and where at the same time you will make enough money to sustain the life style you desire.

Here are some suggestions to approach your dilemma:

1) Career Testing

You will find some free career testing online such as 123Test, CareerFitters, Live Career ect.... You will find also some career consulting firms that will conduct extensive testing to guide you for a fee.

2) Process of Elimination

a)Make a list of all professions which in your opinion are a consideration. The Occupational Outlook Handbook may be also handy to draft your list. You can find it at: http://www.bls.gov/ooh/

b) Take your time and rank this list from what seems to you most of interest to the least of interest..this may take few weeks or more.

c) Once your list is ranked, it is time to find out the advantages and disavantages of the professions at the top of your list. You may achieve that by researching online and by talking to individuals in that line of work.

d) By now you should have narrowed you list to two or three possibilities. Identify what type of education and/or training are necessary to gain the required expertise in order to apply for these jobs.

Best of luck in your search!!

Joe

Anjali Worah ⋅ Cambridge, MA Harvard ⋅ 15 years experience

Hi Heath,

Being a jack-of-all trades is awesome - good for you! Embrace it because you have "multi-potentiality"

The mainstream thinking is that we need to focus in on one area, but there is a movement now underway that gives people permission to pursue all of their interests. Emilie Wapnick describes this movement in this Ted Talk: http://tedxtalks.ted.com/video/Why-Some-of-us-Don-t-Have-One-T

She says: Have too many passions to settle on just one? Perfect. Your unique mix of interests may turn out to be your very own super power.

More information is available here too:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multipotentiality

Thanks for your service.
Anjali

Gerald Mannikarote ⋅ Houston, TX dMann Training Technologies ⋅ 20 years experience

I agree with the others... you need to carve out a niche for yourself. Figure out what was the common thread in all of these jobs- critical thinking? Change management? Analytical skills? Negotiations?
Figure that out and develop your resume based on the skill speciality. Sell yourself based on that specialization. Then look for jobs that can hone that skill. You will be on your way to making a very niche and specialized career.
I hope this helps.
Warm regards,
Jerry

Mark Swarthout ⋅ Bloomfield Hills, MI CSC ⋅ 30 years experience

Pretty much every business or building requires someone to provide property management services. It sounds like your shore experience was right up that alley. You have good hands on knowledge of the work involved. Schools, factories, churches, government (at all levels) facilities and office buildings all require people to serve as coordinators of the services required to keep it maintained and running. One area to look would be property management companies. Many of them provide salaried positions and benefits. It is just a matter of figuring out what sector you want to work in and applying to jobs that fit.

Dr. Scena Webb ⋅ Auburn, WA Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms (ATF) ⋅ 15 years experience

Hi Heath,

I agree with John. Please get focused on one or two areas you want to present as a specialty and write your resume to that specialty.

Bill Ham ⋅ Atlanta, GA Phoenix Residential Group / Broadwell Property Group ⋅ 16 years experience

Heath,
I am in the real estate business. My employees that manage my apartment complexes are definitely on salary and you already work at a complex. Perhaps you should show some interest in moving into a property management role with the company you are already with.

The best manager I have was promoted from being a tech on a property to an assistant manager then to full manager and now he is my regional manager. Make friends with people in the office and get them to start showing you around. Be willing to work for an education 1st and money 2nd. You can also take classes that will make you much more valuable as a future manager. Go here www.irem.org

Kelly Williams ⋅ Newark, DE Stars to Stripes Military Transition Assistance ⋅ 10 years experience

Heath,

With your military background, you may want to consider federal employment.

1. You receive a preference during the hiring process (for most applications);
2. You can buy back your time towards retirement.

A corporate style resume will not work on federal applications. We have a specific format that we use for USAJobs applications. I personally work for the Department of Defense, and my business partner works for the Department of Justice – we are very well versed in Federal hiring practices.

My company provides free resume critiques to all military service members. You can submit your resume to us via email or by using our secure online submission form:

Email: Info@ExpertResumeSolutions.com
Form: http://tinyurl.com/ERS-Resume

Please allow 3-5 business days for completion.

We use two different formats for corporate and federal applications. I can send you examples of each to get you started.

Connect with me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kellywilliamsmaresca/

Thank you for your service.

Warmest Regards,

Kelly Williams
Career Strategist & President
Security Cleared Careers
Expert Resume Solutions
Business: (732) 686-6455
Email: info@expertresumesolutions.com
www.ExpertResumeSolutions.com
Job Board: wwww.SecurityClearedCareers.com

John Dyck, Ph.D. ⋅ Spring, TX Career Strategies ⋅ 30 years experience

Hello Heath,
Shannon is correct.

Employers are not looking for a "Jack-of-all-trades".
Employers want to hire specialists.
Decide what you do best (skill) and what you want to do(interests).
Do not be confused. Just because you have the skill it does not necessarily follow that you are interested in using that skill.
Challenge is to find where your interests and skills overlap.
Google "skills inventory". There are lots of good skills inventories on line.

Shannon Bradford ⋅ Lakewood, OH RichWorkZone ⋅ 25 years experience

Hi Heath,

It sounds like you are a real Renaissance man. I think you are asking yourself the wrong question. You need to ask yourself: What do I really want to do? Then make a list of the skills and experiences from those jobs that relate to your target job. Once you know what your target job or jobs are, one of the mentors here can help you figure out how to shape your resume to show your experience in the best light.

If you aren't sure what you want, here are a few avenues to start exploring:
1-There are many free and fee based career assessments online. Start with a few free ones and see what you learn.
2-Go to some local job boards and play a bit. Put your skills one at a time in the search box and see what comes up. Don't focus on finding a job. Focus on getting some career clues.
3-Go to a bookstore and see what books jump out at you.
4-Google "What can I do with a major in" and see what other people are doing with your college major or minor (or any major you are interested in).

Have fun exploring and let us know what you find out.

Shannon