Build a career without a college degree - Second Military Careers - Military Times

Build a career without a college degree

You can't be successful without a college degree. Everybody has heard that statement. But how true is it? And where's the evidence? While people who have earned college degrees statistically earn higher salaries, there are plenty of other avenues for landing good jobs and pursuing successful careers.

Keith Koecker has been in the Army since 1994 and is currently stationed at Fort Sill, Okla. When he leaves the service this spring as an E-7, he hopes to land a managerial job in civil service. Koecker has 12 years of military experience and plenty of training -- but he doesn't have a college degree.

"I've been looking into several possibilities for management positions," said Koecker. "My background is mechanized infantry. But I have a lot of supervisory experience. I've supervised up to 60 people at one time."

Koecker has talked to several companies that appear interested, but he hopes to land a civil service job.

"I'd like to work for the federal government so I can keep my years in service."

Koecker has completed 45 college credits toward a degree in criminal justice, but explained that as an infantryman he wasn't able to devote his attention to his education.

"In my MOS, I was always moving around," he said. "There just wasn't any way I could stay in school and complete a degree."

Though he hopes to one day finish his degree, right now, he will continue to pursue a civilian career in Oklahoma so he can live near his children. As a sergeant first class, given his years of experience and allowances, Koecker earns around $49,000 a year.

While making inquiries into possible job prospects, he learned that he can earn somewhere around $38,000 annually in a GS-7 position in the government, or between $35,000 and $40,000 in a lower- to mid-level management position.

"That's definitely going to mean a pay cut," he said. "But at least I won't be in Iraq."

"Service members can leave the military and go directly into civilian careers that pay well, have great benefits and offer opportunities for promotion," according to Marilyn Robideaux, Fort Sill Army Career and Alumni Program counselor.

Robideaux assists service members leaving the military, and recognizes that not everyone wants to go to college.

"Some people feel they can't invest the time it would take and some don't want to," she said. "But just as in the military you don't routinely come in as a sergeant or a captain, in civilian careers it's the same way. You start where you are qualified and work your way up. Service members have great opportunities both for their specialties and the intangible strengths they bring to employers."

Having a college degree is only one asset that hiring managers consider. Work experience is another factor, as are the many intangible strengths service members develop. Fort Sill's career and alumni office has provided a list of some of these strengths and encourages transitioning service members to highlight them on their resumes:

• Leadership.

The military trains its personnel to give and take responsibilities. You are trained to set an example, inspire leadership, supervise and motivate others.

• Teamwork.

Most military activities and missions are carried out with other people and units. Service members are commonly given opportunities to work as a team, analyze situations and solve problems as a group, and trained to accept responsibility for outcomes.

• Working well with others.

By the time service members transition, they have worked in any number of situations and locations, and with people of a variety of backgrounds and cultures. This experience teaches cooperation with others and demonstrates the ability to work well with any person or group. Hiring managers recognize that this ability translates in civilian situations.

• Handling pressure to meet goals.

All service members must do their jobs, do them right and complete them in a timely manner. Service members continually set priorities, meet schedules, show up on time and accomplish their missions. They've proven their ability to work well under pressure and to deal with stress in a positive and effective manner.

• Giving and following directions. Service members know how to work under the supervision of others. They understand accountability, the use of discipline and respect for authority.

• A drug-free work history.

Those who leave service with an honorable discharge are certified drug free, a distinct advantage among employers.

• Organizational skills.

Service members have learned to operate within carefully structured objectives and within prescribed limitations, resources and time frames -- skills that are coveted among civilian hiring managers.

• Experience in record keeping.

Service members are familiar with the concept of accountability. They understand the need for keeping accurate records and completing paperwork, and most have a solid grasp of the various facets of personnel administration.

• Security clearance.

Then there is the all-important and very tangible asset most service members bring to their civilian careers -- a security clearance. Walking in the door with a security clearance under your belt simplifies the hiring process within the defense industry and federal agencies. Your clearance demonstrates you are trustworthy. But the best part is, they don't have to wait for it -- you've already got it.

Apply here: No college required

According to the U.S. Education Department's National Center for Education Statistics, in 2004, 20 percent of U.S. high school seniors said they did not plan to go to college or weren't sure whether they would go. Some high school graduates have opted for careers that offer on-the-job training or shorter, two-year certification programs. Service members taking that same route have a leg up -- they've already built a strong work history and many have completed training programs and earned certification.

If you're leaving the service without a college degree, your best bet is to talk to a transition counselor at your installation. The counselor can help you develop resumes that highlight your leadership and character, and he or she also has access to information about careers that don't require degrees.

Information from the Army Career and Alumni Program provides a thumbnail sketch of some career fields that don't require a college degree:

• Communications and utilities.

Telephone and cable companies, electrical companies and natural gas companies hire people with strong technical skills, and offer job opportunities for installers and installation management, linemen, electricians, troubleshooters and customer service reps.

• Logistics and supply.

Major warehouse companies, like Wal-Mart and Goodyear, look for merchandise specialists, warehouse operations supervisors and managers, hydraulic equipment movers, container and product inventory specialists, and customer service personnel. Global retail companies, such as Costco, offer jobs nationwide and abroad, and provide career opportunities for applicants trained in accounting, buying and information systems.

• Railroad companies.

There is an ongoing demand for shift workers in railway careers. For example, BNSF Railway employs some 40,000 people nationwide -- 36,000 of whom work in jobs that do not require degrees. "Most of the jobs are operational in nature, and require craftsmen, track and signal workers, and skills that revolve around the maintenance and operation of our systems," according to BNSF spokesman Joe Faust. BNSF has set up a military recruiting effort and hired 750 former service members last year.

"We welcome the men and women who've served in the military and are looking to translate their skills into civilian jobs," said Faust. "We pay them well and we offer great benefits."

• Delivery services.

FedEx, UPS and other delivery companies have job opportunities nationwide, for drivers, supervisors and managers.

• Construction.

One of the best ways to begin a career in construction is through the Helmets to Hardhats program, (www.helmetstohardhats.org) which provides on-the-job training and certification in every area of construction, including plumbing, building, roofing and carpentry jobs. Generally, without certification, starting salaries are around $13 to $15 per hour, with the opportunity to double those wages after certification or licensing is earned.

• Trucking and transportation.

The trucking industry is facing critical driver shortages. In addition to driver positions, they need instructors, mechanics, fleet maintenance supervisors and managers, and dispatchers. Trucking giants, like Schneider National, have a reputation for being military-friendly. But most all trucking companies, even small fleets, hire service members and offer on-the-job training with starting salaries of between $35,000 and $45,000 a year.

For more information on employment opportunities, check out www.careervoyages.gov, the U.S. government's resource on employment by state, educational requirements and emerging industries. Another great employment resource is J. Michael Farr's book, "America's Top Jobs for People without a Four-Year-Degree."

Tranette Ledford covers career transition issues for Decision Times. Reach her at Tledford@atpco.com.