>What are your reasons?
>Take a look inside
>Back to school?
>Nice cushion
>The struggle of one
>Sidebar: 5 Steps
>Sidebar: Decision Resources
>Average Base Salaries for Transitioning Junior Officers

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Leaving the military for a second career requires research, planning, and a leap of faith.

Time and information are behind every good decision. Unfortunately we rarely have the luxury of infinite time and unlimited information and sometimes are forced to make tough calls.

Career changes can be some of life’s most complex and confusing decisions. Leaving the security of military service to pursue a new endeavor—“re-careering”—can be a bit like jumping off a tall building and hoping some kind soul will hand you a parachute on the way down. Changing jobs is infinitely more complicated than many of the professional decisions we tackle in the course of our military service.

Changing jobs is an intricate process that affects every member of your family. In addition to trying to find the right niche for your professional life, you must consider whether you are willing to relocate, disrupt your spouse’s career and your children’s schooling, and change your lifestyle to accommodate a potentially lower salary. And, unlike military relocations, in which the stress of frequent moves is mitigated by sponsor programs and a supportive network on both ends of the move, this time you might be on your own.

What are your reasons?

One of the strengths of the American military is its ability to attract talented young men and women from diverse backgrounds. The range of factors prompting officers to leave military service is equally diverse. “I don’t buy the idea that you wake up one morning and instead of hearing the alarm clock, you hear the alarm bell telling you it’s time to move on,” says Capt. Bob Wagoner, USN-Ret., who now works as a program manager and business development lead for Scientific Applications International Corporation (SAIC) in Fairfax, Va.

Senior officers, such as Wagoner, who have reached retirement eligibility are likely to consider a career transition for a number of reasons, including to support a spouse’s career, develop some geographic stability for their family, or because they missed a promotion. Also, many senior officers would rather not end their careers in uniform as “staff commandos”—far removed from duty in operational units.

Younger officers, however, might have different reasons for seeking a career change. They often have less invested emotionally and financially in a military career and are more receptive to change. Younger officers also might be more comfortable with the idea of not being on a specific pathway with a known destination.

Military assignment officers report the greatest factors influencing career decisions among younger officers are their spouses and the command climate of the unit in which they currently serve. Additional factors include higher pay and responsibility in the private sector, a preference for less family separation and more geographic stability, and a dislike of an excessively rigid career path to stay viable for promotions.

Take a look inside

Regardless of whether you are considering career alternatives from the perspective of a first lieutenant or a field marshal, it’s helpful to begin by thinking about the inevitable cocktail party question: “What do you do?” This simple question forces you to confront your career choices, and if you don’t like this question, maybe it’s because you don’t like your answer.

What Should I Do with My Life by Po Bronson (Random House, 2003) includes the stories of 55 people who agonized over career decisions before finding their true calling. Most of Bronson’s subjects struggled with many conflicting emotions before they settled on their life’s work. One vignette recounts the experiences of a former Army officer who decided the life of an independent trucker was the perfect choice, because “in this job, we’re never told how to do it. Just make your appointments, drop the load, and relay home. I have autonomy. I have a window seat with a view that changes every mile. Nobody ever comes into my office without asking … and when I come home, I have several days straight with no distractions.” But he had to get comfortable with his decision before transitioning successfully.

Career coaches often encourage career-transitioning baby boomers to seek outlets for talents or aspects of their personality they haven’t had a chance to express. “Midlife is a time when parts of the self that have been neglected begin to bubble up,” says Dory Hollander, an executive career coach in Arlington, Va. “Bean counters may suddenly move to more creative work, while people who have been adventurous may need more stability.”

An additional reality to consider in this stubbornly sluggish economy is that finding a job is a full-time job. The Wall Street Journal recently reported one in five unemployed Americans has been looking for work for more than six months. Moreover, the odds of the perfect job opportunity landing in your lap are about as great as winning the Triple Crown. Successful career transitions require making cold calls, being receptive to new ideas, and generating at least one new networking contact every day.

Age discrimination also might hinder the transition opportunities of more senior officers leaving military service. Although older workers are the fastest-growing segment of the workforce, they can—and often do—face age bias during their job search. A recent survey by ExecuNet, a networking and job-search service, found that 82 percent of senior executives consider age bias a “serious problem,” up from 78 percent three years ago. Although specific age discrimination is against federal law, potential employers can mask a bias against 40- or 50-something hires with an array of excuses. Having said that, it would be wise to appear fit and energetic during a job search.

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