Career advice for a Veteran?

Question

Hello and thank you for stopping by. Here is my question.
I am an immigrant, right after I finished high school (in Israel) I came to America with my mother and my sister. Since life here is so expensive(we had to come to San Francisco) I spent my first year working 24/7 trying to make the rent. After that I joined Marine Corps to earn my right to be part of this country. I was in Infantry, and made my way to rank of SGT. Also while I was in I attended a school online( Park University) and got 2 years of education completed. In September 2006 I got out to face the real world, where my experience or educations don't mean much. Now I found out that it is hard to find a job with online degree, I also find out that most of my credits won't transfer to state schools (even thought the school was regionally accredited). And I am 25 years old now, feeling that I ruined my life.

My original major was Management plus I work for a tax season as Tax Preparer at H&R block. So I am probably looking to get in too accounting, business or computer management field.
Two options that I consider is to eather finish my online school and go for masters from a real school, or switch school right now, and lose almost entire two years, but at the end have a bachelors from real school. (Since I afraid that the online school bachelors will hunt me for rest of my life)

But over all I would appreciate ANY advice.

Thank you.

Answer 1

You are in San Francisco right? That is one of the most expenisive cities in the entire United States! A lot of people in that city have complainted that San Francisco standard of living is way to high for them to make a living and make ends meet.

As for your online degree program...you shouldn't have entered that online degree program cause HR looks at online degrees as not real degrees. You need to enroll in a school either U.C. Berkley or some other school in a TX or New Mexico....like University of TX at Austin or University of New Mexico..legit schools that are taken seriously in HR departments around the country. The fact that your credits won't transfer to state schools ought to tell you something about Park University or University of Phoenix for that matter.

What are your skills? Can you type fast? Do you know MS software? Do you know how to network? Have you posted a resume on craigslist or gone to your unemployment office. I would suggest you go to the unemployment office immediately. Tell them what is up.

Answer 2

You are fairly young and it is not possible to predict where you gonna be professionally 5-10 years from now.

As a real fast solution, which could be the long-term one as well, I would suggest to learn the profession of a Software Tester. It takes 4 month to go through classroom training and an internship. Starting salary would be around $20 per hour. Within a year it will grow to $30. In one more year you are looking at $40-50 per hour. It might sound too good to be true, but I've been doing that (teaching people) since 1994 and it works that way.

The school is in Mountain VIew, fairly close to SF. No charge - I would just ask for your commitment to complete the program.

Here are the steps:
1. look at the Software Testing school web site - http://www.portnov.com

2. Call the school and stop by to audit a session or two. Look at teachers, students

3. Do more research

4. Make your mind

Answer 3

First of all - you are 25, not 75. Your life is far from ruined. You have accomplished some great things - moved to a new country, started a new life, learned military skills. You are now in the same position as many other vets, resuming yoru schooling after a military stint - and you'll have some help paying for that schooling as well through the VA. So, you're doing just fine.

You may want to check into community colleges or other two-year institutions who might be more willing to give you credit for at least some of your online classes as well as your military experience. Once you have a community college AA/AS degree it will be easier to transfer to a brick-and-mortar 4-year institution.

Best of luck, and congrats on becoming an American - we could use a few more like you.

Answer 4

I am veteran also. I served for 4 years in the Army and understand your frustration. I've been working with a company that has appealed to many ex service men and women. Currently we have a gentleman (ex military) making well over $250,000 a year and many more just like him. It's a 35 yr old company that has been experiencing tremendous growth in every quarter of doing business for the last 15 yrs of it's existence. They are publicly traded on the highly respected NYSE and have been featured in top magazines such as Forbes, Money, Business Week, and many others. Not to many companies can say they have a track record like this. A few things that I love about the company I'm working with is it allows me the opportunity to Get Paid Daily, create Passive Income, and Residual Income. Best selling author of Rich Dad Poor Dad, Robert Kiyosaki openly stated "I should have started your business before starting my own...yours is the best compensation plan I have ever seen. Experts are saying our company will do more business in the next 35 months than we have in the last 35 years, and as of the end of 2006 revenues were at $445,000,000 if you would like more information on this this exciting business please email me at

[e-mail]

Answer 5

Every state has Veteran's Affairs Officers (often an entire department).

That might be a very good place to start:
http://www.cdva.ca.gov/cdva/default.asp

Also your vet status gives you a big leg up toward state and federal positions. You should contact your local state unemployment office to see what they can offer.

If you speak Arabic (which I wouldn't think is far fetched since you hail from Israel) you should have no problem finding a job.

Answer 6

First of all you are living in one of the most expensive states. Move. Second, it may be better if you reenlist in the Marines. You will make more money and have more stability. Besides, don't you qualify for the GI Bill?

Answer 7

I artwork at a communique radio station in Toronto. the those that certainly get the instruct to air are often mentioned as "board operators"....they take a seat in the back of the on air console and do all the artwork for the host. in the event that they are particularly good or have been doing it for a protracted time they are frequently mentioned as "Technical manufacturers".....the those that line up visitors, exhibit screen telephone calls etc are mentioned as "manufacturers" or "instruct manufacturers". in the back of all those people and father off the air and in the historic past are the "Broadcast Engineers" (of which i'm one)....those individuals are those to blame for fixing and keeping all the equipment in the studios (the console, CD gamers, computers etc) and likewise shop the station on the air by making use of looking after transmitters and their linked equipment. desire this enables supply you a extra appropriate concept of what you % to do :). there are a number of colleges that provide Radio Broadcasting classes that provide you a top level view of all the distinctive workings of a radio station. you frequently % that style of component on a resume to get in the door of a station, even just to be an element time board operator or call screener. in case you lean extra in direction of the Engineering area, there are classes for that to boot and that they often % some style of degree in Electronics. good success!! :)

Answer 8

A Marine feeling beaten?Not possible,man.Get out and pound the pavement.Go to unemployment,they have placement/education resources,grants.Join VFW,American Legion.There are vets who own businesses in there willing to hire.Network,keep your head up.And THANKS for your service