Joshua Emison ⋅ Melbourne, FL Tracer Consulting ⋅ 1 years experience

Hi Larry, an easy way to start at a high level in a business is to start your own business. I would love to speak with you about what owning a franchise might look like and if you are in a good position to start one. This is also a way to guarantee you are in a field you are passionate about because you can pick the franchise to own. Starting a business can be intimidating which is why I recommend franchising for people who haven't done it before. There is a system in place you just have to follow, there is training, there is continuous mentorship, and much more. Some people aren't cut out for business ownership, but if you think you might be then let's discuss it.

Larry West ⋅ Richmond Hill, GA U.S. Army, Captain ⋅ 20 years served

Jerry, thanks for the feedback on my profile and other areas. The 'leader' note is something that is recommended by the local transition office but I see what you are referring to about not being really a job. As far as your other recommendations, I do have a mentor with ACP and he has provided me with some good insight but he has acknowledged his limited scope of other industries as he has essentially been in the same industry since he retired. I am also looking to add my PMP through the O2O program this summer as a means to add a private sector certification to validate my military experience.

As I mentioned to Barron, I have no problem with a fresh start but I also fear starting off in an 'entry-level' position and find that it doesn't challenge me which is what I am seeking from my potential career change. Thanks again for the advice and I really appreciate you taking the time to answer my question.

Larry West ⋅ Richmond Hill, GA U.S. Army, Captain ⋅ 20 years served

Barron, thanks for the perspective and the useful recommendations. I definitely need to make that list that you recommended (human values vs. worker) as well as identifying those passions. I think after 20+ years of military service I have grown accustomed to doing what is in the best interest of the company (the military) in lieu of pursuing personal goals. I am not opposed to "starting fresh" but I fear that a lack of responsibility commensurate with my abilities would not pique my interest.

I appreciate the feedback and I think I need to get started on finding that passion and values before I commit to an industry. Thanks again!

Jerry Welsh ⋅ Middleville, MI Master Military Transition Advisor/HPS GPO ⋅ 30 years experience

Larry,
Your LI profile lists operations and project management, leader. Keep in mind, Leader or leadership is a skill not a career. What ever you pick, be solid about it and research it to find out if it is your niche. Obtain a mentor via ACP, let them assist you in determining where you might fit. What is your passion, does project management offer you a challenge and reward. Then look into should you obtain a PMP or other type of certification. Syracuse University has a great program for veterans. Select a career and conduct some Information Interviews, speak to people in the field, get some solid feed back. Bottom line, know what career you want, then tailor your profile to match that career, with civilian career metrics, keywords and terms that fit the career. Same for a resume, it needs to match the job posting, not speak about things that are not related to the career. You are asking the right question, at the right time. Many wait until they are out to start, and get frustrated with LI profiles that no one responds too and no responses from applications and resumes that are too military and too broad. Remember the average American changes careers a minimum of three times in their life. Even at my age I am on my third "career". 31 years in healthcare group purchasing, 7 years as a facilitator for TAP, and 5 years as the main drivers behind raising funds to build and manage a local veterans memorial, $100,000. build and fund raising. Each took a whole new set of skills I had to learn, you will notice the key throughout is working with and engaging people.
Thanks for your service and God Bless. There are a couple of articles on my LI profile regarding retiring and LI profile creation. I would also follow Michael Quinn on LinkedIn-he does numerous on line training sessions on branding yourself.

Barron Evans ⋅ Ann Arbor, MI Customer Experience Change Management ⋅ 30 years experience

Larry... foremost, "thank you" for your service. And your question piqued my interest, as my 'career path' has been more a function of steering off a path than being on one (e.g., post grad school: first telecom, then change management consulting start-up, followed by global advertising, then Hallmark Cards, then 'big pharma.').

So I understand the quandry, and given retirement nigh upon you, my counsel would be: "go with the gut." And that applies on two levels: the function you do -- and the industry in which you do it. Right (or not), employers typically look to the functional history first... so for street cred, I'd lead with the skills/capabilities. But then the creativity needs to craft the eligibility story around HOW 'what' you've done can benefit the 'what + where' you do it.

Start by listing the values that drive you as a human (vs. a worker) … e.g., in my case, one of them is 'facilitating success through others,' which has allowed me over the years to work across my spectrum of industries nearly seamlessly. But in addition to values identification, you might also think about the areas (what/where) about which you're passionate, and create a couple storylines to prepare for the sure-to-be question: "what do you know about us/our industry?" That's fairly easy to accomplish via net searches, so making it 'sticky' will have everything to do with your ability to translate YOUR skills into THEIR business.

NET/NET: Recruiters feel passion … and read background. Speak to both... and best wishes for future success! ~BARRON~