Mission Transition

Navigating the Opportunities and Obstacles to Your Post-Military Career

Matthew J. Louis

• Publisher: HarperCollins Leadership
• Year: 2019
• eBook ISBN: 9781400214761
• Topic: Personal Development
• Subtopic: Human Resource Management

Mission Transition is an essential career-change guide for any transitioning veteran that wants to avoid false starts and make optimal career choices following active duty.

Every year, about a quarter of a million veterans leave the military - most of whom are unprepared for the transition. These service members have developed incredible leadership, problem-solving, and practical skills that are underutilized once they reach the civilian world, a detriment to both themselves and society.

Well-intentioned Transition Assistance Programs and other support structures within the armed forces often leave veterans fending for themselves. The mission-first culture of the military results in service members focusing on their active duty roles in the year leading up to their separation, leaving them little time to adequately prepare to join the civilian world.

President of Purepost, a next-generation staffing solution and public benefits corporation, and author Matthew J. Louis guides military personnel through the entire process of making a successful move into civilian professional life.

In Mission Transition, this book will:

• Guide you through the process of discovering what path you want to take going forward
• Teach you the strategies that will make your résumé stand out
• Provide suggestions to help you prepare for and ace the interview
• Discuss ways to acclimate to your new organization’s culture and pay it forward to other veterans

Each chapter includes advice from other veterans, illustrations of key concepts, summaries, and suggested resources. Let this well-written and easy to follow guidebook help you transition out from the military and commit to being successful in the next chapter of your life.

INDEX

accepting job offers, 220

acclimating to new culture, 223–252

after-work interactions in, 246–247

compensation and benefits in, 237–238

employee categories in, 247–248

by finding new meaning in work, 232–233

and Four Cs of success, 224–227

frequency of feedback in, 245

goals in, 227–228

governing law in, 248–249

leadership basis in, 233–234

lifestyle choices in, 244–245

onboarding process/training administration in, 236–237

organizational structure in, 234–235

personal initiative in, 240–241

power basis in, 235–236

purpose in, 231–233

reason for, 249

receptiveness to change in, 243–244

recognition, rewards, and rank in, 238–239

requesting help in, 245–246

standard operating procedures in, 241–242

time in grade and talent models in, 239–240

tips for, 249–252

values and behavior in, 228–232

work intensity duration in, 242–243

accomplishments, on résumés, 82, 109–113

action checklists, 283–289

active listening, 266–267

Adams, John, 42

affinity groups, 257–258

aftersales service roles, 62–63

after-work interaction, 246–247

Aldrich, Julia, 106

alumni organizations, 118, 127, 144

ambiguity, managing, 241–242

American Corporate Partners, 127

American Job Centers (AJCs), 118

AmeriCorps, 49

applicant tracking systems (ATS), 103, 169

application process, 155–170

for civilian roles, 161–170

for federal roles, 156–161

See also interviews; résumé

apprenticeships, 64

assimilation, 25...

Table of contents

• Contents
• Preface: Why Write This Book?
• Foreword
• Introduction: Hope Is Not a Method
• One: Understand Who You Are
• Two: Understand Who You Want to Be
• Three: Define Your Career Preferences and Personal Brand
• Four: Get Your Résumé into Fighting Shape
• Five: Document Your Network
• Six: Engage the Network
• Seven: Apply for Roles
• Eight: Interview for Roles
• Nine: Close the Deal
• Ten: Acclimate to Your New Culture
• Eleven: Assimilate and Pay It Forward
• Appendix A—Suggested Transition Plan Timing
• Appendix B—Action Checklist
• Acknowledgments
• Notes
• Index