Are You a Doctor Leaving the Military? Here are Tips for Entering the Private Sector
A military career can be one of the most rewarding professions. If you enter young, you can retire early and still work in the civilian world. But for many veterans, transitioning back into civilian life can be just as much of a culture shock as entering military life was in the beginning.
For medical professionals and physicians leaving the military and hoping to work in the civilian sector, the same transition can be difficult to adjust to. But thankfully, there are many services available to assist with your transition.
One of the biggest hurdles a veteran has to face is the potential of not finding a job quickly enough. But, if you have the necessary skills and training, and you’re a qualified physician, there are plenty of options for you to consider. For instance, doctor jobs abroad on Jooble.
If you’re a doctor or a medical professional leaving the military, the following will offer a few helpful tips for transitioning back into civilian life and securing employment in the private sector.
Focus Your Job Search
As a veteran, you likely know exactly what your skills are. You know your training and you’re well aware of how valuable of an asset you are in the medical field. As such, when you set out to find employment, making a list of keywords based on your expertise and focusing your search based on these criteria will prove to be helpful.
For example, if you’re a trauma surgeon and you’ve performed many life-saving surgeries on the battlefield, then you may want to continue in this line of work. Correspondingly, when you set out to find the perfect physician job for you, type in specific keywords related to your expertise.
A few keywords are as follows:
- Trauma surgery
- Abdominal trauma
- Thoracic trauma
- General orthopedics
- Shared decision making
- Battlefield surgeon
- Triage surgeon
When you use a focused keyword job search, you’ll be better able to find the right jobs that match what you’re looking for. And you’ll also be able to weed out the jobs that don’t quite fit your specialty.
Network with Colleagues
Chances are, while you were in the military you met a few connections in your field. And once you’ve exited the military, keeping up with these colleagues could be a great starting point for finding employment as a physician in the private sector.
Military personnel work closely together and network accordingly. And this is the same in the civilian world, though without the strong bonds of camaraderie that you’re probably accustomed to. Regardless, keeping a list of professional contacts and asking about referrals or using them as references can serve you well once you begin your job search.
Additionally, your colleagues may have also transitioned out of the military, easing back into civilian life, and may have already found employment. If this is the case, they may be able to assist you with finding a job, or they could vouch for you when needed.
Adjust Your Communication Skills
The truth of the matter is, while you’re in the military you become accustomed to a specific way of speaking and addressing others. And this, in the civilian world, can come across as a bit rough for some people to handle. As such, you may need to adjust the way you speak to others and address people if you hope to land a job.
For example, barking orders at people under your command may have suited you just fine, and it was probably the expected way to relate with subordinates. But in the civilian world, you’re going to have to tone this type of speech down.
When you’re out looking for a job, keep in mind that civilian recruiters and hiring managers aren't used to blunt-speaking, acronyms, SOPs, or anything of the like. So, adjusting the way you speak is going to prove to be essential when you start conversing with potential employers.
Showcase Your Accomplishments on Your Resume
If you’re coming out of the military, you’re going to need to have a resume that potential employers have to stop and look at. And you can do this by highlighting any skills or accomplishments you earned while serving the country.
For example, if you received any medals for service regarding your expertise as a doctor, then these are the kinds of accomplishments you’ll want to highlight. But you don’t want to highlight every single one of your medals that has nothing to do with your work as a physician.
