Leaving active duty...now what?

**jtkratzer** · September 26th, 2009, 10:32 PM

I'm on a reserve contract and knew that I'd eventually be off active duty for training...well, December is going to be here soon and I'm trying to decide if I want to go back to being self employed in the insurance world of if I want to do something completely different.

Any suggestions on job searching, etc? I'll have been away from my job for about 14 months and I think I'll like to test the waters for a regular job and see what kind of salary I can bring in.

So, I'm looking for suggestions for places to look, types of jobs, etc. I'm open to a lot of different fields. My concerns are it's been since December 2005 since I interviewed for a job, and that employer sought me out. It's been over 5 years since I've actively looked for a job.

My 0802 MOS doesn't have any direct translation to the civilian world like logistics, admin, MP, etc...

Anyway, I'm looking at USAjobs.com, posted a resume on Monster and CareerBuilder, and cruising the internet.

**ungawa** · September 26th, 2009, 11:16 PM

Yeah, I didn't see SAW gunner in the Star Ledger help wanted adds when I got out in the early 90s LOL. But I did see AIRBORNE train in China for three weeks and get paid $10K in either the SGN or SOF

No, I did not go to China.

Sounds like you were consulting/contracting in the insurance biz previously. Do both? Look for a job while working on your business? As long as you are discrete. Or look for a job but tell them you want to work as a contract employee only. Charge them little to nothing and work your ass off. Then you do your sales from the inside. Get your paws into everything you can at the primary employer while you look for other clients. Take the workload for every problem that comes up and solve them. Then start raising your rates to the primary employer once you are established.

Headhunters and professional temp agencies are great ways for a 1-man band to get into consulting for companies. Just convince the client that everything will be easier and cheaper and jump every time they say jump until you are established. You will be the go-to man since regular employees won't bother to put out fires with your level of dedication.

**jtkratzer** · September 26th, 2009, 11:31 PM

Originally Posted by ungawa

Yeah, I didn't see SAW gunner in the Star Ledger help wanted adds when I got out in the early 90s LOL. But I did see AIRBORNE train in China for three weeks and get paid $10K in either the SGN or SOF

No, I did not go to China.

Sounds like you were consulting/contracting in the insurance biz previously. Do both? Look for a job while working on your business? As long as you are discrete. Or look for a job but tell them you want to work as a contract employee only. Charge them little to nothing and work your ass off. Then you do your sales from the inside. Get your paws into everything you can at the primary employer while you look for other clients. Take the workload for every problem that comes up and solve them. Then start raising your rates to the primary employer once you are established.

Headhunters and professional temp agencies are great ways for a 1-man band to get into consulting for companies. Just convince the client that everything will be easier and cheaper and jump every time they say jump until you are established. You will be the go-to man since regular employees won't bother to put out fires with your level of dedication.

I was/(am?) an insurance broker. I worked mostly in Medicare with seniors and worked from home on my own schedule. I loved that part of it, but being commission only was challenging at times when I was getting started.

I think I'm either going to go home to a new job or go for the active duty for a year with my unit and deploy. I'd like to do deploy, but I'm hoping it's not right away for my wife's sake. It's been since last October that I lived at home with her, and with her being pregnant, I think it'd be good for both of us to be home together for a while.

It's not that I don't want to go back to my old job, I just think I want to do something different. I have enjoyed helping people make sense of the train wreck Medicare has become, but I think I'm just ready for a change. With the flexibility of controlling my own schedule, I could job search while working insurance, but I think I could do that from here (Fort Silly) until I get back home.

**OneLiveRound** · September 27th, 2009, 12:44 AM

Semper Fi & Welcome Back to 1st Civ Div, I was an 0231 which sounds good in theory but even with a clearance I found it hard to find a job in that field without college. Now I run a Plumbing Business (Don't Ask) The first thing you have to do Brother is find out what you want to spend the rest of your life doing & then worry about how to get there. Being a Marine Officer is a Plus no matter what you do or where you go and the Corporate culture loves it. Decide if you want to go back into insurance and once you figure out that's not what you want to do , ask yourself " If money wasn't an Issue... what would I be?"... now I'm not living in "Utopian no bills land" but that simple question might give you some insight into what field you'd want to pursue.

**normanvin** · September 27th, 2009, 04:09 AM

Why not play it safe and do both? Do the insurance thing on the side. That way you have something to fall back on if the other job doesn't work out.

**jtkratzer** · September 27th, 2009, 10:15 AM

Originally Posted by OneLiveRound

Semper Fi & Welcome Back to 1st Civ Div, I was an 0231 which sounds good in theory but even with a clearance I found it hard to find a job in that field without college. Now I run a Plumbing Business (Don't Ask) The first thing you have to do Brother is find out what you want to spend the rest of your life doing & then worry about how to get there. Being a Marine Officer is a Plus no matter what you do or where you go and the Corporate culture loves it. Decide if you want to go back into insurance and once you figure out that's not what you want to do , ask yourself " If money wasn't an Issue... what would I be?"... now I'm not living in "Utopian no bills land" but that simple question might give you some insight into what field you'd want to pursue.

Yeah, that whole "you can be anything you want" talk leaves me with, well, there are lots of things I would love to do, but are they available where I live (wife has a great job and wants to keep it, unless I make enough for her to stay home and be just mom after the kid is born, and we just bought a house) and that big question, will it pay the bills?

I'm open to a lot of different things. Whatever it is, it can't be a daily routine of go to the office and sit in a cubicle. I don't have the attention span or patience to stay in a job like that. I think I'd like to get away from sales as well. I enjoy what I do with insurance with seniors because with most of them, they really don't understand any of it and I feel like I'm able to help them better understand what's going on and really just take care of those things for them. When I worked in sales at another job, I got tired of my performance being based on the needs/wants/desires of someone else and the circumstances at their company (I worked sales for a staffing agency for a while, years ago).

Leaving my options open as much as I have has left me without a clear focus on what type of job I want. My degree isn't specialized like accounting or anything that's going to narrow me down to something specific.

Originally Posted by normanvin

Why not play it safe and do both? Do the insurance thing on the side. That way you have something to fall back on if the other job doesn't work out.

I can do that, but to clarify, I'm not really looking for suggestions on whether to take a new job or stick with insurance, I'm really looking for help/tips/suggestions on where/how to find a job and if there is anything out there for military personnel.

I already know I want to test the job market and see what's available. I'm about positive that I don't want to be 100% commission paid, ruling out full time work as the insurance broker I was.

**MrsMtnJack** · September 27th, 2009, 10:31 AM

It is great you are looking into your options.
(sometimes we allow life to lead us with out taking up the reins...)

have any hobbies?
can you see yourself going political? sherriff/ senator?
some fields are changing/developing like telecommunications maybe a switch in direction?

i say start putting your toes in the water, test out some ponds..., and you might find the spot you want to dive into.

it is a really awesome time in your life right now!
If you are Christian keep faith God has plans for you!
(if not well he still does....

)

**normanvin** · September 27th, 2009, 11:08 AM

Originally Posted by jtkratzer

I can do that, but to clarify, I'm not really looking for suggestions on whether to take a new job or stick with insurance, I'm really looking for help/tips/suggestions on where/how to find a job and if there is anything out there for military personnel.

I already know I want to test the job market and see what's available. I'm about positive that I don't want to be 100% commission paid, ruling out full time work as the insurance broker I was.

There are jobs out there, but it all depends on your skill set and expected salary.

**ReconLdr** · September 27th, 2009, 09:16 PM

jtKratzer:

Your MOS is 0802? I am not familiar with that exact designation, IIRC you are involved in the Field Artillery? If so I may be able to help you out with employment if you are willing to work in NJ.

I don't know if we are are looking for people right now, but I am certain one of the other contractors might be. If you are interested shoot me a PM. I don't know how much "pull" I would have since I just got off a 25 month tour of active duty myself and they were not too happy about me being gone that long.