Bill Gaul, a West Point graduate and former Army helicopter pilot, is a single dad with three young children. He works as an Internet matchmaker between employers and former members of the military and he loves his work. “It’s my total passion,” he says. “It’s almost like a hobby for me.”

Gaul is one of those fortunate people who has found his life’s work in a career and job that “fit” his personality and involve him completely. As well as making money, he knows he’s making a difference, and that is important to him.

Leaping before you look

Unfortunately, many people accept their first job offer without really considering whether it will bring them the feelings of purpose, accomplishment, and satisfaction that come with having a job you love.

This can be true particularly for those who are separating from the armed forces, says former Navy brat Bill Karlson, author of Get Top Dollar in a Job You Love (World Career Achievements, 1997). Karlson, who works with military professionals who are preparing moves to new careers, sees some unique stumbling blocks.

“Military people are called to serve and say, ‘yes sir’ and do it and don’t go home until it’s finished,” he says. “These are wonderful traits for employers, but they may not fit with [the employee’s] personal needs.”

An unfortunate complication, he adds, is that many have spent right up to their pay grades and must grab whatever is offered. They end up living what Karlson calls LBA— Life By Accident.

Far better, he thinks, to have a strategy for translating your military experience and skills to the civilian world or building on your experience to head in a new direction.

Planning ahead

Planning ahead can make a world of difference when you hang up your uniform.

“Military officers are great planners,” says Gaul. “You can start two years before your separation date. At the one-year mark, I want to see a take-charge mentality. Dedicate some time every week—even just an hour or two—to the process. By the last couple months, spend three or four hours a week.”

Although the decision to separate from the service sometimes happens quickly, most people know their separation date ahead of time. Even so, discovering the perfect career while you are at sea or outside the CONUS isn’t easy. The good news is that the Internet offers excellent resources for learning what kind of career would suit your personality, preferences and skills.

The first thing to do, however, is to take care of your finances. If you don’t have the bank balance to carry you several months without working, start building a financial cushion so you aren’t forced to take the first position offered.

Next, formulate your strategy. Military people have, of course, been mission focused, and now the mission has changed. Whether you join an international firm, buy a franchise, or raise apples, liking your career is a large part of enjoying your life, your family, and your community.

“Some officers get fixated on having a big title and big salary,” says Gaul. “ I venture to say if you fixate on ‘Will I enjoy my quality of life?’ you’ll be happier in the long term because you’re doing what you want.”

Gaul urges people to “get into a data-collection mode” by reading, building a resume, and networking.

An excellent data-collection resource is MOAA’s The Officer Placement Service (TOPS). “The single most important thing is to network,” says TOPS Director Col. Buzz Buse, USMC-Ret.

To this end, TOPS has developed an informational network contact list of more than 2,600 former military members now serving in civilian fields such as industry, clergy, education, self-employment, and more. Their names are available only to MOAA members through the Web site and they may be contacted by phone or e-mail. Members also can search by occupation and location.

TOPS offers additional services to members, such as resume critiques and daily job postings on its job board, and it presents nearly 200 lectures—open to servicemembers of all grades—about marketing yourself for a second career at bases across the country. Also, MOAA’s extensive transition library is open to all members at MOAA Headquarters in Alexandria, Va., and a career fair aimed at military servicemembers is held annually in Washington.

Great explorations

Some people know what they want to do when they leave the service. Others simply might not know where to start.

When Gaul first left the Army, he enjoyed working as a headhunter, finding people for employers and earning good money, but he didn’t feel “passion” for his job. “You want to feel the pull from within,” he says. “Something you truly love.”

Things came together for Gaul about six years ago. “I wanted to introduce employers to the military market, and the Internet greatly lowers the dollar barriers. My goal is to reach out to people so they can find their destiny,” he says.

Today Gaul’s company, Destiny Group, operates Web site career centers for nearly 40 organizations, including the Air Force Association, the U. S. Army Ranger Association, and the Navy League.

To find that “something you really love,” Gaul recommends personal exploration. First list the things you enjoyed doing while in the military—both on and off duty. Then list what you didn’t like. Would you thrive in an established company or flourish more as an entrepreneur? Would you blossom or shrivel in sales? Would a job involving a lot of travel be perfect or poison?

“This should be an exhaustive process [that could take] over several weeks,” Gaul says. “Do some real soul searching. There may be things you liked, but never had a chance to do. List everything, even if it seems like an unlikely cog for a job.”

At first you might find yourself staring at a blank sheet of paper, but give it time and the thoughts will follow. Consider everything— liking to help people, travel, and computers; disliking to cook or sing. Jot them all down, and once you have a few, you can start grouping them together. Then ask yourself: How can I put these things together in an occupation?

“Remember, you are finding your life work, not a job. You want to excel and really enjoy what you do. You don’t want to wake up one day and look back and think ‘What did I do with my life?’,” Gaul says. “And don’t be fixated on the dollars—they will come.”

Although soul-searching is a good start, taking a battery of tests is another important step. Tests are available at career centers and community colleges. Many Internet sites also offer tests, and basic test results often are free.

Gaul’s Web site, for instance, offers a free assessment to the veteran community and allows those interested in gaining a more complete picture of their skills and preferences to upgrade for about $20. The 485-test—created and validated by a respected online testing company—explores basic personality characteristics and is available to any active duty or retired military person or spouse. It takes about an hour to complete, but need not be taken all at one sitting.

Once you’ve completed the test, your interests are correlated to general career areas and a list of occupations within those career areas shows how well your assessment correlates to likely satisfaction in various jobs.

Karlson agrees that personality assessment is important in terms of fitting into a civilian organization. “The Myers-Briggs [Personality Test] is very well validated and can be taken online,” he says.

Another crucial consideration, Karlson says, is personal abilities. “Too many people don’t know their own true abilities,” he says. “They don’t know they could have been a great skier or a naturally gifted teacher.” Ironically, he adds, people often have abilities they don’t enjoy.

“Remember,” says Karlson, “you want to discover the things you can do for fun and get paid for at the same time.” List your skills in order of what you are gifted at doing, whether it’s repairing a broken blender, mastering foreign languages, or selling that proverbial icebox to an Eskimo.

Then, identify the skills you really enjoy using and the ones that are burning you out. “Dump those,” says Karlson. “Don’t even put them on your resume.”

When you leave the service, you will have the freedom to start a new journey. Prepare by talking to people in your proposed career— not seeking employment, but learning the pros and cons. Investigate books, professional organizations, or Web sites related to your potential new career.

Take the time to find the work field you really will love. And don’t be afraid to invest time— even several years—to get trained or established in work that provides challenge, satisfaction, and enthusiasm.

“Start wide, explore anything you want to explore,” says Buse. “You may not know what your passion really is when you leave the service. Sometimes you evolve to it. I am a classic example of that. Don’t ever let it go.”