When you’re in the Air Force, you have plenty of job stability. You receive consistent pay and don’t have to worry about losing your job unless you stop performing your duties. However, many Airmen leave the Air Force before retirement age, even if they’re retiring from the Air Force. 

It’s important to prepare for a civilian career so you can fill the gap between your Air Force career and your official retirement. In this guide, you’ll discover the importance of preparing for your career after the Air Force and actionable steps you can take to start prepping for your transition.  

The Importance of Considering Your Civilian Career Early

When you’re in the Air Force, you have a secure and stable job that you show up for every day. It’s difficult to be kicked out of the Air Force unless you’re regularly failing to perform your duties or something worse. However, unless you plan on being an Airman until you reach retirement age, you will need to make a plan for what you want to do with your career after you leave the Air Force. 

Waiting until the day you finally leave the Air Force can leave you scrambling to find a job and a stable income. Instead, you should start planning your transition and new career about a year before your final out date. Planning this far in advance gives you time to conduct your research, find a job or career field you’re interested in, consider educational opportunities, and build your resume and interview skills so you’re prepared for the civilian workforce. 

Our Tips for Landing Your Civilian Job After Your Air Force Career

It can be daunting to start a brand-new career after spending time building your skills in the Air Force. If you joined right out of high school, it’s likely your only career experience is with the Air Force, so it can be challenging to transition to the civilian world if you don’t know what to expect or how to prepare. Below, we’ll give you some tips to help you find steady employment once you leave the Air Force.  

1. Consider All Your Options

You’ll have quite a few options when you leave the Air Force, and you’ll want to make sure you’re considering each of them carefully before settling on your final choice. You’ll want to think about what you want your life to be like once you get out of the Air Force. 

Maybe you want to stay in the same career field, or maybe you want to change it up and learn to do something new. Your career goals will help guide you on the right path, whether you receive additional training or go to school to learn something new. For example, if your goal is to increase your income in your field, you may want to look into additional training so you can get a higher-paying position once you leave the Air Force. 

2. Think About Entering a Field That Interests You

If you love the field that you’re in as an Airman, there are usually plenty of opportunities in the civilian world that will let you continue the same line of work or at least something similar enough where your training comes in handy. However, you may want to try something different. 

If you’re considering entering a different job field after leaving the Air Force, you’ll want to consider what interests you. Think about talking to a professional in certain industries or taking classes at a local community college to see if there’s anything that sparks your interest. As you try new things, determine if any of these fields would make a good career choice and align with your goals. 

3. Take Advantage of Your Resources

Airmen have access to a wide range of resources, even when they’re transitioning out of the Air Force. One of the resources that will be most useful to you during this period is the Transition Assistance Office at your specific base or installation. 

This office helps Airmen by providing them with career assistance during their transitionary period, which can include career counseling, sourcing job leads, referrals for employment agencies, and employment workshops. Visit your local Transition Assistance Office in person or reach out for more information about the services they provide.

There are also several veteran organizations you can use to your advantage while you’re transitioning and after you’ve officially parted with the Air Force. Many veteran organizations can help you find work, prepare for job interviews, and take the other essential steps to set up a stable career outside of the Air Force. You can find these organizations by searching online or reaching out to your local support network to be pointed in the right direction. 

4. Use Your Network

As a member of the Air Force, you’ve met a lot of people and made valuable connections throughout your career. Whether these people are still in the Air Force or have moved on with their careers, they can be a great resource for finding work in the civilian world. Don’t hesitate to start reaching out to people you know to see if they’re aware of any job opportunities you can take, and don’t wait to start contacting them either. The sooner you start reaching out to your network, the more likely they’ll be able to help you with job placement.

Getting in touch with your network can also have more benefits than helping you find work. Transitioning out of the Air Force and trying to find a stable job can be stressful, but reigniting some of your friendships and having people to talk to can help alleviate some of the stress that comes with it. 

5. Spruce Up Your Resume and Cover Letters

Before you start putting in your applications, you’ll want to spruce up your resume and cover letters so they’re the best they can be before you start sending them out to employers. As an Airman, it’s unlikely you’ve been working on your resume since you haven’t had the need, so it likely needs some work. 

As you start editing your resume, make sure you’re focusing on the contributions and achievements you’ve made during your time in the Air Force. If you’re applying for jobs in a specialized field, you may want to edit your resume based on the job description, which means using keywords in your experience, skills, and knowledge sections. Using keywords will make it more likely for the hiring manager or employer to see your resume over others. 

If you need help with your resume, you have resources to help you build one. The Transition Assistance Office can provide help and guidance, but you can also use online resources to build an effective resume. These online resources pair you with a professional to assist you in building a resume so you have something that stands out against other applicants. 

6. Consider Federal Employment

If you don’t want to go into the civilian sector, you can always look for federal employment after leaving the Air Force. There are a few places you can search for federal employment, with one of the most popular options being USAJOBS. On this website, all jobs posted are through federal employers, and many of them offer veteran preference when hiring. 

 Remember that when you’re applying for federal employment, most of these jobs will come with benefits you’re used to, like healthcare, contributions to your Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), PTO, and more. These benefits can be useful if you’re worried about trying to replace your benefits after leaving the Air Force, which can be more difficult or expensive in the civilian workforce.

7. Leverage Your Air Force Experience 

Your experience in the Air Force is valuable and can help you find a career once you leave. You can often easily translate the experience you gained in the Air Force to a civilian career. However, if you’re unsure what you can do with your experience as an Airman, you can always go through the Verification of Military Experience and Training (VMET), which will provide you with a summary detailing your skills and experience gained while in the Air Force. You can use this information to build your resume and discover what fields would be a good fit for you. 

8. Get Ready for Interviews

Interviews can be daunting, especially as an Airman who has only had one job for several years and very few opportunities to practice interviewing. If you’re feeling stressed or anxious about future interviews, consider participating in mock interviews, which you can do at home or with your local Transition Assistance Office. You’ll run through a fake interview, but act as if it’s the real thing by showing up in the right clothing and being asked questions that real hiring managers may ask you. These fake interviews are a good way to practice your interviewing skills so you can learn how to respond to questions and put your best foot forward during the real thing. 

9. Think About Attending Job Fairs 

Another way to find employment during your transition out of the Air Force is to attend job fairs. These are events where companies and recruiters show up to find potential candidates for employment, allowing you to connect with professionals from various industries or companies. You can present your resume, make a valuable connection with someone in a field you’re interested in, and you can even be interviewed on the spot. 

If you don’t get asked to interview during a job fair or receive a job offer, you can still use job fairs as an excellent opportunity to network. These individuals can be good to contact once you start your official job search as they may have new openings or know of opportunities they can point you toward. 

End Your Career on the Right Foot With AUSI

Whether you’re just considering what you want to do after the Air Force or you’ve started the lengthy transition process, you still need to show up to work looking your best until your contract finally ends. Show up to work in compliance with strict Air Force regulations with AUSI. We offer AFI-compliant uniforms and accessories so you can feel confident heading into work each day. Check out our selection to get started, or contact us if you have any questions.