Career as a foreign service officer?

If you were a military officer transitioning out of the service, would you pay a specialized career coach to help you make the transition? Why or why not?

• Specifically if this person was well versed in your background and could help you land jobs at Fortune 500 companies.

• Answer:

  I am not quite certain how this appeared in my newsfeed but I feel compelled to answer because the arrangement sounds a little odd to me. Let me explain. I would be extremely wary of paying anyone to coach you to help make the transition from the military to the civilian sector. This isn't because you don't need advice or because such arrangements are a rip-off--I have no idea what your circumstances are or how you plan to compensate the coach. But career services tend to be very expensive, and unless you are paying them specifically to land you a job, there's really no incentive for them to hurry along the process if you're already cutting them a check on a regular basis for coaching services. Based on the limited information we have, the avenue you are considering differs somewhat from hiring a recruiter or headhunter, which, on the other hand, does make clear sense. Headhunters that I have known don't charge a retainer fee; they interview you, get as much information and background as possible on your qualifications, and then try to place you with a suitable employer from amongst the very extensive networks of hiring managers that they maintain. Good headhunters have a keen finger on the pulse of the jobs market, and the company that hires you pays them a fee (usually based on how much your salary will be). Since time is their most precious resource, and since shopping your candidacy to hundreds of different contacts is a time-consuming task, they are highly incentivized to find you a good-paying job as quickly as possible. Are there headhunters that specialize in veterans? Well there's a question that I can't answer for sure, since I'm not former military; but I would bet anything that they do exist. A good way to connect with headhunters is via college alumni networks, which presumably is a resource open to most military officers. NOW. Having said all this....If coaching is in fact what you seek, then I would suggest that some of the best advice is actually free. The resource 's cited may be a good one. There are also veterans here whose advice is almost guaranteed to be far more specific and relatable to your situation than mine. cc: , Good luck & feel free to ask any questions1