Leaving the military can be one of the biggest challenges you face in life. Once you go through all that experience, no matter where you were stationed, getting back to civilian life can be challenging. 

Building a civilian career can feel overwhelming, especially when it comes to figuring out where to start and how to translate your military experience into civilian job skills. 

But there are things you can do to make this transition smoother and set yourself up for success. To give you an idea, here are some tips to help you create a solid civilian career plan after your service.

1. Assess Your Skills and Interests

For starters, you need to understand your skills and interests to see what you can do in the civilian world. 

Think back about your time in the military and identify the skills you have developed. Think about leadership, problem-solving, teamwork, and technical skills. Also, consider what you enjoy doing and what kind of work environment you thrive in.

But if you are not sure about what your career should be, you can always take a career assessment test. 

2. Translate Your Military Experience

The biggest challenge any veteran might face is translating military experience into civilian terms. 

Military jargon and job titles don’t always make sense to civilian employers. That’s where a military transition resume writer can be incredibly helpful. These professionals specialize in helping veterans translate their military experience into civilian-friendly language, highlighting skills and accomplishments that employers in the civilian sector will understand and appreciate.

With a good resume, you can easily apply to jobs and also understand what kind of work you are qualified for with your experience.

3. Explore Education and Training Opportunities

Sometimes experience is not enough, you need to get some training or sign up for some courses to reach your career goals.

For example, if you are interested in law enforcement or forensic science, a crime scene reconstruction course could be a valuable addition to your resume. Similarly, there are plenty of great programs out there that can get you into the career you want.

4. Network and Build Connections

Another important thing you need to do is network. No matter what you are interested in, knowing the right people can be incredibly helpful. 

For instance, you could reach out to an HR professional in a company you are interested in and talk to them about opportunities based on your experience and skill set.

Building connections with professionals can open doors and provide valuable insights into potential career paths. 

You can start by reaching out people you know, attend job fairs, go to industry conferences, and visit veteran networking events. But, online platforms like LinkedIn can be one of the easiest ways to reach out to people all over the world. 

5. Research Potential Employers

If you are interested in a particular field, you might already have a couple of companies in mind that you would like to work in. So, you start by researching them and other companies that have a good track record of hiring veterans and supporting their transition in your field. 

When researching companies, pay attention to their mission, values, and culture to ensure they align with your own. This will help you find a workplace where you can thrive and feel valued.