Always Have a Plan B — plan Bush

Military to Business Transition Strategies for Careers


Effective career planning is a difficult challenge for most individuals. If asked to identify where the biggest and most complex career development problems exist, I would place military personnel who are transitioning to civilian jobs at the top of the list. Are these challenges insurmountable? What is needed for military to business transition strategies for careers to move forward on a timely and effective basis?

As a Navy veteran who has seen firsthand the trials and tribulations that lead to persistent problems when most military personnel are transitioning to a new career in the civilian sector, I can personally attest that the transition difficulties have grown larger with each passing year rather than getting better as you might hope would happen as more and more military personnel re-enter the civilian labor force. Two of the most important observations that I can contribute to this conversation might initially sound like they are in conflict with each other. But as you will see, the apparent dilemma simply means that the solution is likely to be even more complex and confusing.

  • First and foremost, I strongly believe that each impacted individual needs to act on their own to solve the biggest career obstacles. By this I do not mean acting totally alone and without mentoring help from others but rather seizing the initiative to get the career transition process moving.
  • Second, the depth of the risks and questions associated with military career transitions usually translate to the impossibility of successfully navigating the maze without specialized help and mentoring.

With both of the above points in mind, I have created a career mentoring and training program for military personnel who are interested in a practical and effective transition to a small business career. There are many avoidable career transition problems, but how can we expect military personnel to avoid these difficulties without knowing what to look for and what to do about it?

When embarking on their journey to a new career, each individual is likely to have their own unique expectations of what will happen and when. Some of the career transition expectations that many military personnel initially have are probably a variation of the following:

  • I can do this myself and don’t need any help.
  • There are enough government programs in place to help me without looking for more help.
  • Business, finance and real estate are in poor shape and do not currently offer me any meaningful opportunities.
  • Additional college education will take me where I want to go with my career.
  • I don’t need additional training to qualify for most practical employment options.

A frequent starting point for the military career transition mentoring that I engage in is to find out  what career expectations someone has and to place those in the context of what is most possible and realistic in the current employment market. The career areas where I can be of the most help involve small businesses, consulting, commercial real estate and business finance.

The educational videos below (that I produced) provide a concise introduction to some of the transition issues that typically provide the most problems. But I am a big believer in individualized career training, and I know how much circumstances can vary from one situation to another. This is precisely why I place such a premium on individualized training in the transition programs that I provide.

So if you or anyone you know needs help and mentoring with a career transition, please contact me directly.