Chuck Beretz ⋅ Carlsbad, CA Cloudforia ⋅ 20 years experience

Hi Ivan. I have been in IT for twenty years. It is a large field, there is plenty to do, and there still aren't enough talented people to do it.

If you have an active security clearance (worth its weight in gold in the defense contracting business) focus your search efforts in the Northern Virginia area.

Also, check out VetForce (https://veterans.force.com/NewVetForceHome). The Salesforce space continues to grow.

Archana Panchal ⋅ New York, NY SPGlobal ⋅ 13 years experience

Hi Ivan -

My name is Archie and I have been working in IT for the past 14 years. Specifically for the last 7, my focus was Information Security. I was hoping to give you a couple of pointers, please:
1. While working in logistics for the Navy may not seem it on the surface, you have a lot of experience dealing with tasks that happen every day in corporates. If you could make a list of those, say the top 10-12 things you've done many, many times over the last 24 years, what would they be?
What that will likely show you is you've done a number of things, as I said, that you would do in ANY regular job. If you would search for "logistics" and IT, you might be surprised to see the same things you might have done on a daily basis show up.
2. When you say you do not have much IT experience - let's look at it a bit differently. Have you worked much or not at all with computers while in the Navy? How comfortable are you using run of the mill tools such as Office: Excel (You'd be surprised how many financial industry systems depend on Excel, to this day!), Word, PowerPoint?
We all have "invisible" skills in IT - skills we use so easily, we are blind to us having them. So maybe make a list of those next - in terms of your comfort with using a computer and the tasks you do on one?
3. Lastly - and this is from personal experience. People will ask for X experience but it can't hurt, for the most part to apply, if you believe you have the right skills for the job. Look at #1 and #2 above. If you believe a job description is a good fit, even if you don't have experience, apply anyway. Here's what could happen:
1. They would say - thanks, but no thanks. I hate to say this, but you will have to get used to hearing NO's. I'm in a transition phase myself and I hear it all the time. It's frustrating but it is what it is.
2. They might be intrigued by your profile (especially if you pay attention to 1 and 2 above and write your profile/resume accordingly). They could call you in and then say - thanks but no thanks. Guess what - you just got your first interview and now, a sense of what they want and how you need to present yourself.
3. They call you and really believe you're a good fit and hire you despite your potential lack of experience. Remember - you just don't have that specific experience yet - I'll say this again. As a Navy CPO, I doubt there are many skills you're missing. Companies - good ones - will look not just for someone that matches their description to a T but also someone they believe can get the job done. Why not explore?

In short, you're looking for some amount of translation. Translation of what your 24 years of skills mean in a different industry. You have what it needs. Now you just have to present it that way. I hope this helps.

Please feel free to reach back out to me here if you need additional input!

xxxx xxxx ⋅ San Antonio, TX ⋅ 20 years experience

Ivan

My name is Richard Buck, i have 10 years USMC and 22 years IT. I work for EY, it is a consulting company. I work in the testing practice. We have openings in our San Antonio center.
I would be honored to help you.
My contact information
Richard Buck
richard.buck@ey.com

Randi Barnes ⋅ Louisville, KY UPS ⋅ 18 years experience

Ivan, I work for UPS and we have several IT positions posted on our website, www.upsjobs.com. You can access view openings and complete an application all from you computer. UPS is always interested in hiring veterans and there are several working all over the world. Best of Luck!

Ivan Ciego ⋅ Jacksonville, FL U.S. Navy, Chief Petty Officer ⋅ 24 years served

Thank you Archana! I really need to hear that. I am still tailoring my resume to some of the job posting which can be frustrating a times but it all comes down to work hard and and make it work. I appreciate you replying in such timely manner.

Chuck thank you too. I do have a secret clearance and will definitely VetForce.