By Jacey Eckhart

After 20+ years of a successful military career, everyone expects a senior military member like you to fly off into the sunset of the civilian world. They picture you in your spiffy office clothes, a crisp resume in hand, eager employers waving money in your face. Everyone thinks you have got it easy.

Except you. Because the truth is that there is nothing easy about changing careers in your 40s or 50s. Even for senior leaders (E-7, E-8, E-9, 0-5, 0-6, 0-7+), starting a military transition is no bed of roses, Freddie Mercury. It’s no pleasure cruise.

Senior military transition is a challenge

Senior military transition is more like being stranded at the airport with no ticket. You have money. You packed a roller bag with skills and experience. You even look good. Just one thing: You don’t know where you are going, so no one can help you.

Is it any wonder the biggest secret of senior military is rampant procrastination when it comes to their own transition? It makes perfect sense, especially when you do not even know all the possible destinations. I had a senior military client once who told me his transition felt like he was wandering through an airport terminal of unmarked gates, asking strangers where he should go.

This is not the future you had in mind for yourself and your family. This is not the future we want for you at Military.com’s Veteran Employment Project, either. That is why I am so glad I get to help you get off on the right foot with our new FREE Senior Military Transition Master Class on Sept. 23 at 4 p.m. EDT/1 p.m. PDT.

FREE Senior Military Transition Master Class

In my work with hundreds of senior military in transition, I developed a tried-and-true trick to help you get started on your next high-impact career. This method does not limit your options too soon, but helps you talk about transition in the right way to the right people so that you can stop procrastinating and start moving forward.

In just 60 minutes, you can expect to learn:

1. How to frame your new job goals so you can explore the options at your level.
2. How to activate your hidden network to find the best place to contribute
3. Surprising words that lead to a job offer
4. Best veterans service organization (VSO) programs for senior military

As a senior leader, we know you have so many demands on your time and that no one is ever going to give you time for your transition. Make a giant leap forward by signing up for this 60-minute class.

I promise I won’t waste your time with the basics; this is a master-level skill. So sign up for the class now. Make an appointment on your calendar to attend via Zoom (which might mean you have to go home early from the battalion or take your iPad into the Pentagon courtyard).

Your transition is not just for you. It is for your family. It is for the people who work for you. It is for all of us who want to work with you someday. Learn this one skill and begin the takeoff for the ride of your life.

Check out Our FREE Military.com Transition Master Classes

The one-size-fits-all approach does not work for military transition. You need the strategies, skills, and secrets designed for you at your career level. Our FREE Employment Master Class Series gives you the inside knowledge you need for success. Sign up for the Senior Military Transition Master Class today.

Jacey Eckhart is Military.com’s transition master coach. She is a certified professional career coach and military sociologist who helps military members get their first civilian job by offering career-level Master Classes through our Veteran Employment Project and on her website SeniorMilitaryTransition.com. Reach her at Jacey.Eckhart@Monster.com.