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The Effects of Career Transition Over Time, pt.1
VeritasVR
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I had to finally put up with making this thread. I wish I didn't have to, but it's annoying the hell out of me.
I am selected to attend Air Force Officer Training School (OTS). Unfortunately, I do not know when I will go, or even when I will find out when I do. I currently have an engineering job (about 2 years in, first one after graduating) that I am seriously unhappy with (not the job exactly- the people/location) and its getting in the way of preparations. Basically, I'm in Office Space mode. My problem arises: at what point do I quit the job and wait for the random notification of OTS?
Here is some more information. My OTS class date may be anywhere from late July to late September. However, I may find out about the lateJul-lateSep date anywhere from today or two weeks from said date. That's a huge range of time. My main concern is the potential large gap on my work history. I feel obligated to put that degree to use, and a graduate school (while in service) or employer after the Air Force may be skeptical of a several-month gap. Especially a graduate school that regards your work experience as a main qualification. Other than the work history, I have enough money to live comfortably until the latest possible class date. I think. I'm not sure how much health coverage is for a few months. The financial thing is mostly irrelevant though.
Anyway, my selection at OTS cannot be withdrawn unless I fail OTS. Apparently, this is tough to do without screwing up the Physical Fitness test. My current job is kind of preventing me from training as hard as I'd like. Preparing for this thing is ultimately more important. I was planning on a month or so without a job regardless, like earlyMay-lateJul (one full month with "nothing"). But! If I work from now until July, I get three (3!) weeks vacaion to use and then quit. I wouldn't mind a gap of earlyAug-lateSep; that's practically invisible on a history. The only trouble with this is if I get short-noticed or July class date - the earliest one - which is very possible. I'll have very little time to train properly. I might also go insane at this job. I was planning to be out of here last year.
What do you think? I understand it's a relatively minor issue, but it's something I seemingly cannot make a decision on. An equal number of people I spoke to have both viewpoints. Is a several-month jobless period a red flag to an employer 4-24 years down the road? Or to a graduate school in 1-3 years? Or will it matter at all? The job I was selected for has good prospects in the civilian world, so even with the gap is it a big deal? The Air Force doesn't care what I do now. Many OTS selects have been jobless for a longer time while they wait. I just feel like losing consecutive months of job experience may affect me negatively. On the other hand, I haven't had a week+ vacation in 5+ years.
tl;dr: Gap in job history has me worried about future prospects. Apparent perfectionism/OCD has me paralyzed.
Maybe I should have made this in the military thread?
I am selected to attend Air Force Officer Training School (OTS). Unfortunately, I do not know when I will go, or even when I will find out when I do. I currently have an engineering job (about 2 years in, first one after graduating) that I am seriously unhappy with (not the job exactly- the people/location) and its getting in the way of preparations. Basically, I'm in Office Space mode. My problem arises: at what point do I quit the job and wait for the random notification of OTS?
Here is some more information. My OTS class date may be anywhere from late July to late September. However, I may find out about the lateJul-lateSep date anywhere from today or two weeks from said date. That's a huge range of time. My main concern is the potential large gap on my work history. I feel obligated to put that degree to use, and a graduate school (while in service) or employer after the Air Force may be skeptical of a several-month gap. Especially a graduate school that regards your work experience as a main qualification. Other than the work history, I have enough money to live comfortably until the latest possible class date. I think. I'm not sure how much health coverage is for a few months. The financial thing is mostly irrelevant though.
Anyway, my selection at OTS cannot be withdrawn unless I fail OTS. Apparently, this is tough to do without screwing up the Physical Fitness test. My current job is kind of preventing me from training as hard as I'd like. Preparing for this thing is ultimately more important. I was planning on a month or so without a job regardless, like earlyMay-lateJul (one full month with "nothing"). But! If I work from now until July, I get three (3!) weeks vacaion to use and then quit. I wouldn't mind a gap of earlyAug-lateSep; that's practically invisible on a history. The only trouble with this is if I get short-noticed or July class date - the earliest one - which is very possible. I'll have very little time to train properly. I might also go insane at this job. I was planning to be out of here last year.
What do you think? I understand it's a relatively minor issue, but it's something I seemingly cannot make a decision on. An equal number of people I spoke to have both viewpoints. Is a several-month jobless period a red flag to an employer 4-24 years down the road? Or to a graduate school in 1-3 years? Or will it matter at all? The job I was selected for has good prospects in the civilian world, so even with the gap is it a big deal? The Air Force doesn't care what I do now. Many OTS selects have been jobless for a longer time while they wait. I just feel like losing consecutive months of job experience may affect me negatively. On the other hand, I haven't had a week+ vacation in 5+ years.
tl;dr: Gap in job history has me worried about future prospects. Apparent perfectionism/OCD has me paralyzed.
Maybe I should have made this in the military thread?
Let 'em eat fucking pineapples!
VeritasVR on
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That being said, I don't think a month of unemployment is going to impact your resume that badly, either.
Let 'em eat fucking pineapples!
Do some volunteer work.
Take a class at the community college.
Disclaimer: I have never been in the military, so YMMV and all that stuff.
Job A (4/07 - 4/10)
Job B (5/10 - present)
I don't think most employers look any deeper than that. Plus, taking time off to prepare for OTS, go to school, or otherwise better yourself and/or your skills will never be looked upon poorly.
So stop over thinking it. Take the time to prepare for OTS, which will be an excellent opportunity for you.
PSN: Beltaine-77 | Steam: beltane77 | Battle.net BadHaggis#1433
What kind are you referring to? How large is the scope? This would be really cool.
I'm assuming it also covers the "Well, what did you do besides prepare for OTS during the summer?" question I might receive. I'm also assuming they'd have to take "volunteering" at face value without any concrete evidence of besides that charm and wit I will have had to gain. 8-)
Let 'em eat fucking pineapples!
Anything you want, really. check into some organizations that interest you and go for it. Nobody would fault you for taking the time to do something like that, and especially in a transitional period before doing something huge like going to OTS.
What this guy said.
Dude, I was unemployed for 3 months after I moved from CA to KS and I still found a good job. The economy is so shitty right now that no one is going to think twice about a job candidate having a several month long gap in work history on his resume.
Gaps are only bad if you can't explain them. Training for the fucking military is a perfectly reasonable explanation.