"You know you’re not the first person to transition the military in search of a civilian job,” admonishes Janet I Farley. Even if you are not the only one transitioning, it’s still challenging regardless of how much time you spent in the military. Military-to-Civilian Career Transition Guide – The Essential Job Search Handbook for Service Members by Janet I. Farley provides detailed information, worksheets and advice for service members transitioning out of the military and looking for civilian employment.

The author provides a step-by-step process, starting with a suggested transitional timeline. Depending upon the circumstances, preparation should begin years ahead of the actual separation. If not, a much shorter timeline is offered. Farley includes various scenarios to fit a wide range of circumstances from honorable to dishonorable discharges. The book also includes a discussion of the Pre-Separation Counseling Checklist (DD 2648 or DD 2648-1).

If they have a family, service members need to understand the transition is not just about them. There are many decisions which will need to be made including both financial and medical; therefore, the book contains to-do lists. People are unaware of the vast number or resources available. Military-to-Civilian provides an extensive list of resources including Wounded Warrior, the Department of Labor and other military professional organizations.

As promised in the title, the bulk of the book is reserved for providing job search information to transitional military personnel. Farley correctly points out that even though the language may be different between the military and civilian worlds – the majority of military positions can transfer into a civilian equivalent. The book provides a list of common translations for ease of transference.

Resume and cover letter writing are also covered. The book is written in a non-technical, easy to understand language. The discussion not only details the sections of a resume, but also provides a “before” and “after” resume example – giving details on how the resume sample can be improved.

No book on job search would be complete without information regarding interviewing skills and salary negotiation. While some of the information may be routine for civilian job seekers, it may not be as apparent if the job seeker has been in the military for an extended period of time. Also included, is an appendix of the useful resources including organizations and their websites.

It is important to keep in mind that even though the book provides a wealth of resources, even the best information and material can become dated as things change. The book does, however, provide excellent reference points for you to get started in the job search transition from military to civilian.

This book is out on loan from the local public library for review.

This book is also available on Amazon.com.
Military-To-Civilian Career Transition Guide: The Essential Job Search Handbook for Service Members

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