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BY Cameron-Brooks

Top 5 Transition Mistakes to Avoid

Deciding to make a transition can be a huge life choice. And whether you’re still in the deliberation phase of making a transition or you’ve already fully committed, we’ve made a list of the top 5 transition mistakes to avoid.

1. Not Considering the Industry Switch. As a military officer, you’ve spent the majority of your career working for the government. According to Forbes, the Federal Government employs over 2 million people. The functionality, expectations and roles are unique to this sector. When considering a transition, one must considering stepping into a completely new world. Imagine a professional athlete also trying to make a career out of playing another sport. Unless you’ve naturally gifted (i.e. Michael Jordan, Deion Sanders, Bo Jackson), a considerable amount of study, coaching, preparation and practice would have to be allotted to the switch. The same goes for stepping into a new industry. Cameron-Brooks helps each of our Officers prepare for this switch with our Developmental and Preparation Program. Each candidate works through this self-paced program to make sure they’ve studied, practiced and prepared before stepping out of the military.
2. Lack of a Reading Repertoire. On average, CEO’s read 4-5 books per month (or a book per week). The average person reads 2-3 books over the course of a YEAR. Not only does reading increase your brain power and introduce new schools of thought, but it can help you gather actionable advice as you consider making a career change. Candidates in our program also have access to our exclusive reading list to help them build their repertoire.
3. The Pigeon Hole. This could happen in a couple of different ways. Either you’re choosing to focus on one specific industry (i.e. Silicon Valley tech) or you think your previous experience limits your qualifications to one field. The beauty of conducting a broad career search is being able to see a number of career fields across industries. Many candidates in our program surprise themselves with how much they enjoy interviewing for a wide variety of roles. Some even end up choosing a role they would have never previously thought to have considered! Unsure of how many career fields your background could potentially be a fit for? We’re happy to set up a personal consultation to help you learn more.
4. Placing Location above the Opportunity. Location is usually a top priority for our candidates who are looking to make a transition. It’s important! You’ve spent most of your career moving every couple of years from one place to the next. However, when making an industry switch, broadening a location preference to a geographic region(s) broadens the scope of opportunity even more. It’s easier to navigate back to your location of choice as an established business professional.
5. Hesitating to Start a Conversation. You have questions. Researching the whos/whats/whens could take hours of research. The best way to start gathering information is to start a conversation. This could take the form of speaking to peers, family members, recruiting firms, mentors, etc. Cameron-Brooks has been in the business of connecting military officers with business careers for over 45 years, and we encourage starting your research and having conversations early! Our Resource Center is packed with informational webcasts and white papers, and we also offer personal consultations. Learning as much as possible about your options will help you avoid the top 5 transition mistakes and make a more informed decision about your future.