It is one of the beautiful compensations of this life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
Serving those who served our country
I’ve been trying to figure out some way to reach out and communicate to military service members changing careers. Over the years I’ve helped out some military members during their career search process. These have been personal contacts in my network.
I’ve received some good feedback that my advice and perspective on the transition to the business world is very “helpful” and quite “unique.” I’ve been happy to provide advice and guidance and then continue in my current world – international marketing executive.
But recently I’ve felt myself wanting to contribute and help out more. As I sit on the sidelines and read about the challenges military veterans face in this difficult job market, I’m compelled to give back. Perhaps it’s because I’ve recently passed the 40 year mark or that I will be soon attending my 20th year reunion. Time often puts things in perspective.
Mostly, it’s because I believe I have something important to say. And those currently in uniform about to cross the chasm to the world of business can benefit. It’s about giving back and serving those who have served our country.
My goal with this blog is to provide a tool that I wish I had when I first had the initial spark to change careers – an experienced business insider who was willing to share his wisdom and experience. With today’s blog technology, the tools are there to be able to easily reach out and impact others.
How to best use this blog
As you begin your journey, here are 5 ways to make the most of this blog:
1. Supplement your current transition tools. As you begin your journey you’re probably starting with the basic tools in your career search – picking up transition publications, contacting specialized recruiters, researching job boards, and even resume services (if you’re having problems figuring out where to start, check out my resources section). Those are all great resources, but how many experienced business insiders with a military background are you in touch with? Use M2B to supplement all the other tools you are using.
2. Subscribe to this blog and return back frequently. This will be a living, growing site with new content and insights. Make sure you bookmark this site and return back regularly. Even better, subscribe using the 
icon and add the blog to your favorite RSS reader. You don’t even have to understand what RSS is or the underlying technology. Check out this short video explaining how Google Reader works in plain English.
3. Proactively participate in the conversation. Blogs allow you start and participate in a conversation. Post your comments and let me and the other readers know what you think. Remember: the more you give, the more you will get out of this experience.
4. Challenge the ideas – don’t just take my word for it. Challenge all the ideas you come across here. Don’t assume you will find all the answers to your questions in one place. Internalize the information. Keep what makes sense to you and you find useful. Discard the rest.
5. Share the ideas with your fellow service members. Finally, share any useful ideas and insights with others on a similar path as you. Your fellow service members are struggling with the same challenges as you. If you find an idea that moved you and made you think, hit the share/save icon and the spread the good news!
Let me end with the mantra that I will be using in all my future posts. It’s my way of nudging you, or rather, pushing you forward. Remember these four words:
Begin your heroic journey!
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