InformationWeek

June 2, 1998

I am a 28-year-old male currently in the Army. I will be leaving the service in about one year. I have a bachelor of science degree in computer science and am working towards my master's in information resource management. I am looking to get into a management job dealing with MIS. Do you have any advice besides what I am already doing? My last two jobs in the Army have been as an information management officer and my current post as a telecommunications officer.

This question has surfaced in the past as to the marketability of individuals coming out of either defense or the armed forces. There are two things you should be aware of. The first is that you need to work your search hard and effectively to break the stigma that the military is not real and valued experience. So as you begin to interview and talk with people, draw out the impact and complexity of the projects that you've been on and draw attention to the similarities that corporations may have in the same area. The second and most encouraging piece of information is that for the last couple of years, there has been a large demand for military and defense IT professionals. There's been a wave of interest in IT professionals coming out of the military because of the sophistication and criticality of the systems in place. I personally have conducted more than 10 searches where the criteria has included "We would prefer some type of military or defense experience." You're entering the market at a good time; in the past, this transition was always difficult and viewed as a detriment.

More Questions:
Can I find a network adminstrator's position without a degree?

I don't seem to be advancing at all in the IS field, what areas should I work on?

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