Our Careers were extraordinary! So now what?
Coaching and Résumé Writing for Transitioning Government Employees

Deciding to leave a Military, Intelligence, Foreign Affairs, National Security, or other government career, for whatever reason, could be the hardest decision one will ever make. I would know. I have been down that road.
On the emotional side, it can be scary, exciting, intimidating, liberating, thrilling, and  depressing  --  all  at  the  same  time.  It’s  normal  to  have  all  those  conflicting feelings. It is also human to second- guess a decision to resign/retire/separate from a career where one spends 5–40 years working side-by side in highly challenging situations with amazing people in a very mission-focused profession. Handing over a badge, taking off a uniform, walking out the door, and leaving dear friends and colleagues behind is no small decision.
Still, every career has a beginning, a mid-point and an inevitable ending (whether that is the end of an enlistment contract, a mid-career change, or a government retirement).
Fearing loss. During the 2020 Covid-19 Global Pandemic lockdown, I conducted research with a group of 33 successfully transitioned  federal  government  employees.  Among  other  topics,  they  were  asked  about  their biggest fears when it was time to separate from government. Some of the fears they discussed were typical for transitioning employees from any profession: worry about finances,  wondering  how  to  fill  their  time,  concerns about health and  fitness,  angst  about  getting  up-to-speed  in  something  new.  However,  the  vast  majority  of these Interview Subjects stated that their own biggest career  transition  fears  were  related  to  “loss”,  specifically: loss of personal and professional relationships • losing their sense of identity • losing a sense of purpose.
While fearing the loss of relationships and a loss of identity are normal for anyone transitioning out of any long-term employment situation, fearing the loss of purpose is especially strong in public servants, whose motivations and loyalty to their employer tend to be strong and highly ideological. They chose their government careers because they wanted to serve others and to protect our national security. These motivators and drivers are strong. In many cases, service to country has been the employee’s life purpose.
Fearing a Loss of Purpose
– In their words
“I was afraid of feeling empty after a career motivated by public service. I wondered what I would do with my time. I knew I had some issues stemming from living   a life where your time is never your own. I worried about having to reframe relationships with  family and friends from “never being around and available” to finally “being present”. Some of those fears were realized. I also was afraid that I did not have skills that would translate to the private sector. That fear was unfounded.” (anonymous interview subject)
“I knew I would miss the sense of mission, and, after watching a superhero movie, I realized that helping keep America safe from the bad guys was a driving force for me. I knew I needed to find that again in… (my next step).” (anonymous interview subject)
“Mentally,  there  is  definitely  a  series  of  stages.  It’s exciting  to  consider  doing  something  new.  It’s  scary to not know how the story will end. It’s scary to know that what you did for so many decades will not be your life anymore. It’s scary to think about whether you will have enough money to  sustain  yourself  for  another 50  years.  But  transition  is  also  an  opportunity  and    a time for self-exploration. This is the  time  to  figure out who you are. There is also a period of depression several months after separation when you realize that the mission to which you were so dedicated continues on—without you.” (anonymous interview subject).
“I felt as though I was giving up more than a job – that I was giving up an important part of my identity. It took a few months to get past that period of loss.” (anonymous interview subject)
How Career Coaches and Résumé Writers can best help transitioning “govies”
Getting past the “Loss of Purpose” is a big challenge for the transitioning government employee. You can help them by asking about their motivators and values going forward. Help them to articulate what inspired them in their government careers, and then get them to focus their attention on prospective next employers whose missions will also inspire them. Most of these people want to feel that they can still “make a difference” in
their next position, so choosing industries/sectors that support a cause or a mission that is meaningful to the applicant is key.
In the case of those I interviewed in my study, most ended up staying “close to the flagpole” in their first step outside of government by landing jobs in related fields such as the defense contracting industry or security-related fields. Many subsequently moved farther afield to do other things once they had gained greater knowledge, experience and comfort in the business sector. What mattered most, initially, was that they could continue to make a difference in another industry where they saw that the work would be impactful and meaningful.
When asked, my Interview Subjects stated clearly that the mission of their prospective new employer was their top priority in considering what they would do next -- even above compensation. They needed to believe in the value of what they were doing next. In rank order, they prioritized the criteria for choosing a next job as:
Mission of the prospective employer. (by far the strongest response)
Compensation.
Proximity  to home/commute.
Being drawn to work for a specific team.
Of lesser interest to them were these criteria (in no particular rank order): job title, interesting and exciting work, company culture and reputation, part-time options, specific benefits (401k, insurance, personal time off, etc.), flexible workplace, travel (or lack of travel), leveraging a clearance, career development, transitioning to a nonprofit.
You might expect  similar  motivators  and  priorities  in your own government clients transitioning to something new.
This  article  contains  excerpts  of  copyrighted   material   from  the book Mission: Career Transition –  A  Career  Change  Guide  for Intelligence, Military, Foreign Affairs, National Security, and Other Government Professionals, and is reprinted here with permission of the Author.