Transitions 2.0: A Field Guide for Mid-Career Professionals and Veterans Seeking New Challenges in the Business World

This book does not contain a magic formula that will guarantee you a new career or even a new job. It is a self-help book, or in military parlance, a Field Guide, to help you chart a path to a second career, or failing that to find your first job after leaving the military so you can learn how to be a civilian and then build a new career. The bottom line is that what you read here requires a lot of focus, work, and self-study for you to compete successfully for a meaningful positon in the private sector that is a good fit for your skills, knowledge, temperament, and ability. There are many fine books that help people think about and prepare to find jobs. Some are listed in the back of this book in the Bibliography. None of them, including this one, promises you a job. That's really up to you. But, this book is a little different. It does not contain magic formulas (or magic bullets) or complex flow diagrams, but it does contain proven strategies for those seeking leadership positions. It also contains what I have learned along the way in the military, for-profit, and nonprofit sectors as a senior executive. I have also included stories from others who have navigated their transition. They share their experience and lessons learned. My hope is that some of these stories will resonate with you and help you understand that you are not alone and that with focus and determination you too can experience a meaningful transition. Others have traversed this journey. In fact, mid-career transitions, even in the private sector, are commonplace. Many professionals, from all walks of life, come to the realization, usually in middle-age, that it's time to do something else. This book is designed to help you think through that process.