About SAVI

Since you’ve made the decision to get out of the military, it’s now time to choose an exit path. Maybe you want to go back to school, or start your own company, or retire in style. No matter the road ahead, SAVI has avenues to get you on the right path and stay there.

Here’s what you need to know about SAVI’s FREE Veteran programs for a smooth and simple military transition.

Education Track
SAVI’s Education Track is designed specifically for Veterans who want to pursue an education post military. Going to school, at any stage of life, is a great undertaking. For the military Vet, it can be even more overwhelming. That’s why SAVI provides educational programs that offer academic advising, a breakdown of your individual educational VA benefits, and personalized career path assistance. These programs include the SAVI Student Transition Incubator℠, Student Track Transition Program℠, and Student Benefit Assessment Service℠.

Employment Track
We’ve talked about it before, but finding a fulfilling career after the military isn’t as easy as it sounds. In fact, many Veterans leave their first job out of the military within just a few years. Why? Many reasons, but the point is: transitioning into civilian work life requires preparation in order to be successful. SAVI’s team has put together a track dedicated to helping Veterans plan their post-military employment through various courses on civilian workplace etiquette, the civilian hiring process, understanding job searches, networking, and employment benefits. Through this 12-month program, you’ll also learn how to apply your military skill sets to real-world careers with the help of an assigned SAVI mentor, whose professional guidance you can rely on throughout the course of your career.

Entrepreneurship Track
Starting your own business is a daunting and courageous task. As a military Veteran, you know a thing or two about both. That must have something to do with why military Vets are 45 percent more likely to become entrepreneurs than their average civilian peers. If you’re considering this route after your military service, a little risk doesn’t scare you. Still, we want you to go into your new venture with the right amount of tools and confidence. SAVI’s entrepreneurship track will minimize your risk by leading you through business practices such as value propositions, initial funding, branding, launch strategies, making connections, and so much more.

Retirement Track
If you put the time in to retire from the military, you deserve to live the good life on the other side. Some Vets, however, struggle to acclimate even to retirement. Going from a full-speed-ahead mentality throughout your military career to a nearly dead stop once you’re out can be a hard adjustment for the unprepared Veteran. SAVI strives to ease you into this quieter lifestyle by arming you with the knowledge and prepwork that you need to be a thriving retiree. Your dedication to the military qualifies you for certain VA, healthcare, and financial benefits that are difficult to navigate. SAVI will walk you through each one in the SAVI Retirement Transition Incubator℠ and Retirement Benefit Assessment Service℠, as well as our one-on-one ongoing assistance and assessment services. We’ll even help you determine some of the best places to settle down as a military retiree.

Finding the best path for your life after the military takes a bit of work. Let us do most of the work for you by contacting SAVI today.

There’s nothing quite like waiting to the last minute to get your affairs in order. And if you’re a Veteran about to transition out of the military, waiting until the final hour could set your civilian career path behind. That’s why SAVI advocates starting your transition before you actually transition.

If you’re planning to leave the service within the next year, here are three things that will get you ahead of the civilian learning curve.

Take An Excel Class

Employers continuously rank Excel proficiency as one of the most desired skills in potential employees — and not just for bookkeepers. If you’re looking to go into sales, research, technology, education, marketing, or even customer service, being trained in the art of the spreadsheet can set you apart from other candidates. Luckily for you, there are a lot of solid Excel trainings out there from reputable sources, including Harvard and MIT’s Excel course through its edX program and LinkedIn Learning’s expert-led online Excel tutorials. The best part about these options is the affordable price. In fact, the Ivy League training is only $267 for three graduate-level courses, and LinkedIn Learning offers a free month-long trial that could be used to complete your Excel training.

Make LinkedIn Your Friend

LinkedIn has even more benefits than its useful trainings, including providing essential networks that could land you a job. First, make sure your LinkedIn profile is polished and professional, and have previous military bosses (officers or NCOs) write you recommendations on your profile as well as approve civilian skills for you. If others have endorsed your prior work, civilian employers are going to find you more attractive. LinkedIn also allows you to request informational interviews with people at companies you’re interested in. Reach out and schedule a few minutes of their time to ask them some questions.

One last thing: Did you know LinkedIn offers their premium service free to Veterans? This will be a huge asset as you begin to grow your Veteran connection and build your personal brand.

Build Your Civilian Closet

Because networking isn’t always enough to land that ideal job, you also have to look the part. Soon, you’ll be trading in your military fatigues for civilian business attire. That means you need a good suit and a selection of more casual business clothes. Though your professional clothing doesn’t need to be top-of-the-line, there are a few dos and don’ts of business attire that will get you ahead of the curve a bit. Here are two great resources on the basics of business suits for men and women.

There are also several nonprofits throughout the country that offer free or heavily discounted suits to transitioning Veterans. Check out organizations like Suiting Warriors and Boots to Suits.

Making your transition to civilian as smooth as possible is what we’re all about here at SAVI. Contact us today to learn how we can support you in your journey to get ahead and get hired.

The civilian world is upon you. Either through retirement or the desire for a new way of life, you’ve decided to leave your military service behind and move on to what you hope are greener pastures. Though every Veteran will encounter transition challenges, it IS possible to have a smooth military transition into civilian life. One way to ensure success is to prepare for your departure before you actually depart. By taking care of a few things beforehand, you’ll save yourself time, energy, and a whole lot of stress once you have that DD214 in hand.

As you make your way out of uniform, there are things you have to do (e.g. paperwork, briefings, classes, etc.) and then other things you should do. Here are three things you SHOULD do before leaving the military — preferably a year out.

1. Save Your Money
Yes, your military career came with stresses. It also came with incredible benefits that are hard to appreciate until they’re gone. One of those benefits was military discounts. As a civilian, things like medical care, rent, groceries, prescriptions, and even fuel are going to cost more than when you had access to military base pricing. To offset these costs, start saving money now. A good rule of thumb is to have enough money put away in savings to cover at least three months of living expenses, which includes rent, food, fuel, and other necessities.

2. Explore Your Educational Options
Do you plan on going back to school post separation? If so, educate yourself on what GI Bill benefits you’re entitled to. It’s also important to note that if you wish to transfer benefits to a spouse or other dependent, this has to be done before you leave the military. Don’t be in such a hurry to get out that you miss this extremely crucial step to receiving — or transferring — educational assistance.

Another educational option to consider is an apprenticeship program and/or professional certification course. GenM, a student-to-business matchmaking company, offers apprenticeships with vetted business owners to give students real-world educational training. As a Veteran with SAVI, you can take advantage of GenM’s programs and courses for free. Learn more here about how to take advantage of this partnership.

3. Prepare for Your Future Jobs
Well before you actually get out, you should be creating a plan for military separation. This entails searching for civilian jobs that either interest you or fit closest to your current skill set. To do this, find Veteran mentors to help you create a resume that translates your military experience into civilian speak. Build relationships with these Veterans as well as with professionals in careers you desire. One great way to grow your network and start looking for potential jobs is with a profile on LinkedIn, which offers military members a free premium account for a year. Join and engage with groups that interest you and follow companies you’d like to work for in the future. Check out our previous blog post on networking and growing Veteran connections.

Though far from a comprehensive list, these three items of business will make a huge difference in the success of your military-to-civilian transition. For more information on how to prepare for your departure out of the military, contact SAVI today.

Fixed or growth. These are the mindsets we hear about most frequently in the civilian business world. Having a fixed mindset means you believe your current level of ability cannot be changed, and having a growth mindset means your abilities can improve with hard work. Coming from a career that requires constant training and improving, it’s easy to see which of these stances the military stands on. Hint: It’s growth. By sticking with this Veteran mindset even after your military service, you can apply it to a new environment to aid you in growing your skill sets.

Here are six ways your Veteran mindset plays a role in your success post-separation.

Prepare and Practice
Most of your time spent in the military was in training courses that prepared you for the real thing: deployment. This same strategy should apply to your new life as a civilian. Do you have a big presentation at work coming up? Practice it the way you’d practice the assembly and disassembly of a weapon: over and over and over again. It’s all about confidence, and the more you do something the more confident you are in your ability.

Take Responsibility
When mistakes are made in the workplace, the best thing to do is admit them and take responsibility. Putting blame on others to save face isn’t how you gain respect from colleagues, even if the mistake wasn’t all your fault. As a Veteran, you know this lesson well. On the flip side of this, it’s just as important to not take all the credit when things go well. If you’re the leader on a collaborative project, give credit for its success to other team members. That IS how you gain respect from colleagues, which will make learning from them easier and more productive.

Show Adaptability
We could talk all day about how adaptable the military has made you in just about every aspect of life. Use this to your advantage. The civilian world is full of ambiguity and sometimes even rejection leads to new opportunities. If you hear “no” to a job, project, or business venture, find a new strategy instead of giving up. Persistence and a willingness to adapt to a different way of doing things is usually rewarded in the end.

Serve Others
There’s a reason it’s called military service, as service to others is the cornerstone of a military career. Though it may not seem as obvious as it did in the military, there are plenty of ways to continue serving your fellow man post-separation. Make coworkers feel appreciated through random acts of recognition or pay for a lunch out with a team member who works under you. In your personal life, volunteer in your community and become more involved in your loved ones’ lives. Service to others can take so many shapes, and finding your shapes can make a huge difference in your overall happiness after the military.

Be a Servant Leader
One of the most obvious skills military Veterans bring to the table is leadership. But there are so many experiences — from public speaking to leading troops — that make Vets experts in this area. One way Veterans can demonstrate their expertise in the civilian workplace is by being humble, patient, and honest. These qualities are required by any true servant leader, and that is the perfect way to sum up a military Veteran’s leadership style.

Have Attention to Detail
In the military, the mishap of glossing over minor details could sometimes be the difference between life and death. Though your civilian job will likely not have as much on the line, giving this same attention to detail will serve you well with any project you find yourself working on. Since success often comes from the effort of several small things that add up to a big one, taking extra time to do the little things correctly will set you on a much clearer and more successful career path.

As you begin your transition into civilian life, SAVI can help you translate skills and a Veteran mindset into real-world victories. Contact us today to get started on your success story.