I am going thru RETAP (Retirement Transition Assistance Program) this week and learning about interviews/resumes, etc....
Well, if RETAP's final motivational speaker won't make you want to rush out and get a job, any job, then you're truly ruined for the working world. Retire before it's too late.
Heck, the speaker at our TAP made ME hyperventilate to get a job, and eight years later spouse and I are still joking about him. But I felt better after a nap.
Why am I just not enthused about working after 20 years of Navy life?
Dude, you're burned out & frustrated and you've heard that the civilian world can be even worse than midwatches or weekend inport duty.
You also have enough financial independence that you're not worried about your survival, and thus you have an even lower tolerance for civilian BS than for military Mickey Mouse.
Is there a difference between working and a job? I would rather just find a "job" at a golf course or "work" around sports.
Remember the early Navy days of "Golly gee, all this and a paycheck too"? That's what you're looking for in a civilian avocation. You may find it or you may not. The trick is to keep an open mind and keep trying different things. If the golf course and sports are what you want to do then you should put them at the top of your list and give them a year or two just to make sure you've thoroughly checked them out.
Heck, I am looking forward to finishing up my last 6 semester hours and knocking out my Bachelor's and maybe working on a Master's in Sports Management.
A shipmate got his MBA specializing in golf resort management. Of course the thesis research was agonizing!
Is it okay to just take some time off from working and go back to school?
Yes, I've been doing that for over six years. The first part, anyway-- maybe someday I'll feel like sitting in a classroom again.
Look at it this way-- for at least the last 20 years you've been pretty much told how to run your life. Now you not only have a chance to change the rules, but you can even throw the rule book away. Do what you want to do before you lock yourself up in a bunch of new commitments.
To be fair to employers as well as yourself, think about whether you really want to take on the obligation of working-- not just the golfing & sports parts, but the BS parts of commuting, workplace attire, meetings, funding problems, bosses, and performance reviews.
I don't know if you've encountered the job offers yet, but many employers & contacts wait until you're 30 days from availability. You may not be getting much interest now, let alone interviews, but the unsolicited offers will start coming out of the woodwork a few weeks before the date on your retirement announcements. And if none of them trip your trigger, there may be another slew of offers after the six-month ethics period has expired.
So, if you find a job that piques your interest without making you frustrated at its bureaucracy, give it a try. Just don't feel pressured to give in to the first one you find. The DoD is paying you the pension so that you can
avoid working, and you might want to try honoring their faith in your ability to entertain yourself...
