Maximize your TRANSITION Possibilities
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ASK the ExperT
By Amy Rossi
When you move, gain a new skill or education, or transition out of the military, it feels like the possibilities are endless. There’s the excitement of starting a new job or moving to a new location and a chance to showcase your talent with a new employer. When the excitement wears off and/or the plans you initially make go astray, understanding the different types of transition you may encounter as a candidate can help to adjust your job search plans. Are you a transition specialist, transition generalist, career switcher, undecided , or multi-track?
When a bump occurs, job seekers often ask what RESUME TYPE or FORMAT is the best to use to get noticed… I stop them and say, "if you are not getting the call, it probably has less to do with the structure of the resume… and more to do with the content or industry outlook." As a candidate your transition type can help you identify the information you need to include in the resume TO GET THE CALL TO LAND THE INTERVIEW TO GET THE JOB.
Concerns may include whether the new location has adequate work opportunities in this field or whether special certification or testing is required prior to starting a position.
A Transition Generalist is someone who wants to use general skills acquired in previous work (military or otherwise) and transfer them to a different career field, like a Military Police Officer who wants to be a training manager. Again, the work done in various positions can be related to the new position, but the candidate’s main concerns should be isolating the information MOST important to the desired career. The candidate would need to highlight training new police officers in self-defense over giving a ticket.
A Transition Specialist is someone who wants to continue in their current occupation, like a Military Police officer who wants to be a civilian police officer. The work done in the military or in other areas is probably similar enough that you can easily show your experience in that field.