Personal Assessment: The Key to Success for Military to Civilian Career Transitions by Jean Muller

Career success is an "inside-out" process. This is true if you’re just starting out or if you are a senior executive looking for new opportunities. It is especially true with the transition from a military career to work in the civilian world. Sadly, this all important initial phase of the career transition process is very often overlooked or done in a cursory, half-hearted manner. The good news is that if you dedicate yourself to a careful self-assessment before you launch your next job search, you will find yourself in an elite group of professionals who know what they want, know what they have to offer, and know where their careers are taking them. Choosing a career that is both personally and financially rewarding depends on successfully completing a series of logical steps, which define the "inside-out" approach. These steps help you identify your: • Values • Personality type • Work preferences, and • "Motivated skills." When you know these, you will know which career to focus on and which ones to avoid. This knowledge helps you focus your research and develop an effective job search strategy. Just as important, knowing yourself in this way, contributes greatly to your self-confidence and "posture" as you networking and meet with prospective employers. Personal assessment is the master key to career success.