Strategies and Secrets for Transitioning from Military to Civilian Life - http://skyvaultpublishing.com/LDDNet/veteranjobs.html

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For more strategies, secrets and tips for transitioning from military to civilian life, visit
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With all the heavy marketing military veterans must suffer through from colleges, universities, and
online degree mills, it's no small wonder that vets are confused where to spend their time or
money: on a degree or a certification. So, which is better: a college degree or an industry
certification?
Well, it depends on the employer, the job, and the requirements.
In general, degrees are better than certifications. But if your degree is one of these generic
degrees in General Studies and the certification in question is a Microsoft Certified Engineer
(MCSE), then the opposite is true.
The most highly sought after degrees are in Software Design or in Engineering (Electronic,
Electrical, Mechanical, etc.) A general studies degree is nice and better than nothing, but in
today's world of specialists, a general degree may not help you that much.
From my experience as a military job search counselor, going back to college can prolong your job
hunt agony. The degree won't guarantee you a job after you graduate. It's better to market your
core job skills first. These are the basic skills you have that sit behind your actual job task skills.
For instance, if you supervised a team of workers, your core skills are supervision. Then, look for
jobs outside of your industry that are similar to your old job. Find the best job you can. Once you
are employed, then go back to college and seek re-training programs that will update those
stagnant skills.
Mid career veterans (8-15 years of experience) typically have a lot of job skills that would interest
an employer anyway. And if you are not seeking a product design position, where a degree would
be necessary, obtaining industry specific certifications that an employer would find useful, is
preferred.
Make sure to research the employer or group of employers you are interested in. See what they
want and then decide on a professional development plan of action. But, in the long run, in today's
world, where you will be competing globally, if you want to work for a corporation, you need to put
getting a degree and an MBA on your "Things To Do" agenda. The market is just too competitive
to not bother to pursue more education.
Finally, re-training has its place. After all, if you had your last college work or military training
program was twenty years ago, your skills are probably stagnant and need updating.

2. Randall Scasny is the Director of http://MilitaryJobHunts.com/, a job search assistance consulting
business that specializes in assisting military veterans.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Randall_Scasny
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For more strategies, secrets and tips for transitioning from military to civilian life, visit
http://www.skyvaultpublishing.com/LDDNet/veteranjobs.html
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