For many, the cycle of a military career is quite short. After getting dispatched to wars and/or other stations, the serviceman has the option to continue defending the country or retiring early from the army.
Choosing the latter will require one to switch jobs. However, by choosing a post service career field that is in-line with ones skills and goals one can enjoy a great deal of success and happiness after returning to civilian life.
In case the ex-soldier enlisted right after high school with no bachelor or vocational degree whatsoever, it can make sense for the next career he chooses to be related to his experiences in the military.
The first thing that comes to mind is to fly an aircraft, sea craft or large vehicles. But piloting or driving large mobiles in a civilian setting would need additional licenses and training, so it is safe to say that even before getting out of the army, one has to plan carefully and have the savings to expend money on such.
Shifting one’s career to piloting or driving is quite lucrative, so the payback to those additional training is quite profitable.
Another career one might possibly consider when one doesn’t have background in any established profession is to do business. Entrepreneurship is a broad scale with regards to what products or services one might trade, so choosing one niche would depend on the personal level and taste of the veteran. Opting to make money in a hobby the retired serviceman is at or a talent or skill he or she is willing to monetize are good choices to start with. Although this career is risky, so one has to pay a lot of attention in structuring his or her business.
That said, many soldiers can also find very successful careers working as sales professional and executives in corporate America. The skill set required to succeed in the armed services has many similarities to the skill set needed to become a top business leader. While an MBA from a top business school has often been seen as a requirement to become an executive, many thoughtful forward thinking companies are eager to hire soldiers with only a very limited business education. Obviously this career field can be extremely lucrative.
Because this is the generation of the internet and the IT industry is booming, an IT or IT related profession is fit for veterans. High-school level training in computer programming or troubleshooting would be adequate to fulfill many tasks in an IT job. And being in a technical school would be a bonus for this career. Moreover, there are IT companies willing to train entry-level would-be employees who once served in the army for free with plus allowances. The income range of an IT personnel is also high compared to other employment.
One can always opt to start training in a vocational school right after being out of the army or continue a profession he had schooling in before he got into the army. Military training has some flexibility in it and the training alone can enter one into a decent civilian profession. Still, it’s up to what kind of job one had during the service in the army. If one was a medical officer in the military, then a health-related employment would be suitable for him or her. If one was admitted to the engineering side of the army, then his or her suited next profession would be an engineer or he or she may have an engineer-related job.
These days there are so many various career choices available that it can be a bit mind-boggling at times. Of course manufacturing jobs are harder to find as they have been moved overseas, but these jobs have been replaced by higher paying, and more rewarding opportunities. The key is to look for a career with growth potential that will allow you to reach both your personal and professional goals.