Making the transition to civilian life.
As a service member, deciding to make the transition to back the civilian world is a life changing event and not always an easy one. There are many important factors that need to be considered when deciding to make this change.
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Financial Stability
The first thing to consider, if not retiring, is money. You may not realize it, but the military provides many monetary benefits, such as a steady paycheck, housing assistance or barracks, medical, dental and vision insurance, and subsistence allowance for some single and always for married service members, as well additional special pay for specific duty functions and MOS's.
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You also need to start thinking about your living situation if currently stay in the barracks. Moving into a rental is not cheap, unless you plan on buying a house. You will have to pay pro-rated rent plus one or more additional rents at the time you move in. You may also have to pay security deposits for utilities, if you choose not to have your credit run or have poor credit. Also, you wont be able to pre-qualify for a mortgage without income in the state you plan to buy in. Yes, you still are getting pay from the military but without a job in that state, almost all lenders will not considerate that as steady income.
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The following calculator can be used to determine how much your earn on a yearly basis, minus special pay and insurance, Regular Military Compensation (RMC) Calculator.
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Planning your Transition
Planning your transition needs to be planned. You can't just wake up one day and decide to get out of the military without a real plan. Realistically, you need at least 12-18 months of planning to make a smooth transition back to civilian life.
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Networking, not of the computing kind
I think one of the biggest things to work on is personal and professional networking. Getting your resume and interview by submitting applications online doesn't always work in your favor. Getting on site such as LinkedIn, Twitter, for the IT folks, and third-party sites such as Zip recruiter can certainly help you in your journey. LinkedIn gives transitioning service members a 1 year free premium membership and I would suggest that you activate about 2 to 3 months before your terminal leave date. Also get on LinkedIn an make a profile and start connecting with those you know, many active duty folks use it. Lastly, search the word "recruiter (area of interest)" to connect with recruiters in that area. Drop him/her a note and request a connection.
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Another site for those with a security clearance is ClearanceJobs. Create a profile and make it searchable or "active" approximately 2-3 months before you can start working.
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Ways to get an interview
The best way to get an interview is not by summitting an application online but by knowing someone at the company you want to work at. They are the best avenue to getting your resume to the hiring manager.
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Transition programs for IT jobs
Take advantage of different type of IT programs, such as Signal University or Army MTTs, Microsoft Software and Systems Academy, DOD SkillBridge or ArmyIgnitED to renew or get a new certification.
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