By Dr. Jerry Pionk (Sergeant Major, US Army, retired) (1950-2014)
Former Faculty Member, School of Management at American Military University

In today’s climate of shrinking military budgets and personnel reductions, military members and recently released veterans must be prepared to make the transition to civilian life. The following are tips gleaned from various sources that may be helpful.

By Michael Klazema
Online Career Tips, Guest Contributor

The concept of “checking your own background” may sound like a bit of an oxymoron. After all, if you know your own history, then why should you have to compile a report about it? This thought process has led countless job searchers – especially young people just out of college – to dive headfirst into the interview process without sparing so much as a worry for the background check part of the process.

by Bradley Hood
In Military Education Contributor

In 1871 the Federal Civil Service was established, and by 1909 most positions required an examination, a method designed to promote merit based selection in government service. Today this federal practice is no longer common, but many states in the US continue to use Civil Service Exams for competitive positions. Although I cannot claim to know about the process of every state, I recently went through part of the Civil Service process for my current state of residence: New Jersey. In NJ, most state and some county positions require a Civil Service examination.

by Bradley Hood, Contributor
A few days ago I read an article by Kathleen Lucadamo in the New York Post regarding the difficulties of a sample of New York based veterans in finding employment. While the article was brief one of the veterans, a Marine by the name of Luis Correia, made a statement which made a lot of sense to me: “They wanted a veteran – but not a veteran’s experience”.

by Bradley Hood, Contributor
Despite the difficulty of the job market, there certainly has been a renewed effort put into hiring veterans and ensuring that they end their military careers with a better understanding of how to transition into the private sector work force.

By Adrienne Erin
Online Career Tips, Contributor

Entering the workplace for the first time without guidance can be a scary thought. Finding a professional mentor is a great way to help ease the transition and can also be a useful learning experience.

By Julie-Ann Tathem, Forbes.com
Special to Online Career Tips

I’m talking about the imagined fear which feels paralyzing each time we want to grow outside our comfort zone. It’s paralyzing because many start with an idea, moving forward confidently to explore further. But as the dream incubates, the reasons why it’s unlikely to work start to surface.

By Molly Cain, Forbes.com
Special to Online Career Tips

If you’re one of those careful people in the workplace, you’ve probably missed out on some cool opportunities. Sometimes it helps to do the opposite of what you would typically do. Scared of public speaking? Volunteer to give the presentation for that project you’re working on. Feel intimidated by an executive? Ask them to lunch.

By Victoria Scanlan Stefanakos, Forbes.com
Special to Online Career Tips

Beekeeping is one of my favorite homesteading hobbies. Honeybees pollinate our garden and offer a glimpse into a magical community that works. And then there’s the honey. Guidance from an experienced teacher helped me realize that the process of rebuilding my beehive was a lot like assembling a buzzing portfolio of clients. With a little planning, I can even have them come right to me.