CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - -- Many Marines are not aware of additional specialty courses available to create an even smoother transition and cater to a variety of career paths after completing the Transition Readiness Seminar.
These courses include resume writing, social media job searching, pursuing a higher education and starting a business.
“These programs are designed to prepare Marines to put their best foot forward in their future endeavors; whether it be pursuing a higher education, starting a business or going straight to the workforce,” said Derrick Christovale, transitional readiness program supervisor with Marine and Family Programs.
One of the courses details how social media is used to enhance the job searching experience. It describes the benefits of job searching on social media, showcases many networking sites and teaches how to use them to maximize employment opportunities.
“The civilian hiring process is the employers market,” said Kristen Newsome, a personal and professional development advisor for outreach services with Marine Corps Community Services. “For people, who have been in for a long time, the employment process is scary and the process is vastly different now than it was 20 years ago.”
According to Newsome, technology directly impacted the employment process over the past 20 years.
“I remember making two-page resumes on nice paper and taking it to employers,” said Newsome, who teaches a two-hour course on social media. “Now nearly every employer says ‘submit an application online’ and we want to ensure service members have all the latest and greatest information to be successful in the present day employment process.”
Participants create draft resumes during the seminar, but they can also attend follow-on courses to make their resumes cater to the careers they are pursuing.
There are also classes available for Marines who want to pursue a higher education or those who desire to start a business. Some aspects of the business course include learning the steps to create, finance and find a location for your business.
Contact the career center to find out what courses are being offered and how to register.
According to Christovale, the programs target service members approximately a year before the end of their contract.
“When it comes to transitioning, Marines need to be a little bit selfish,” said Christovale, a retired sergeant major who made the shift less than a year ago. “They have to make planning for their transition a priority. Their planning, or lack-there-of, could easily impact the rest of their lives.”