'Tazz' C.
Setting a new course after retirement
Alexander’s friends and Air Force colleagues know him as ‘Tazz’. Everyone here at Still Serving Veterans knows him as a determined job seeker who came to us for assistance setting a new course after retirement. Tazz shared that “after a 20+ year military career, especially in a high-tempo operational joint environment, many veterans, like myself, become a jack-of-all-trades but a master-of-none.”
He had a wealth of knowledge, experience, and skills but trouble communicating this information into a civilian job application. ‘Tazz’paid for a professional resume writing service only to start back at square-one after realizing that the product received was generic and neither sold my skill sets and experience nor did it meet the intent of telling my story properly towards securing a new career. Beyond the failed attempts at resume development, he realized that salary and income within a military structure is predominantly based on rank, location, dependents, and hazards, but usually not on the actual job being performed. As such, navigating the civilian industry and
“determining one’s salary worth is not only foreign to most but is something many veterans undersell ourselves in.”
Still Serving Veterans’ Ben McQuerry, a Navy Veteran and Manager of the Huntsville Veteran Career & Transition Service Team and ‘Tazz’ initially connected via Facebook and LinkedIn following a social media post. A few months later ‘Tazz’ and Ben met face-to-face.
“Without a doubt, SSV set me on the course for and directly contributed to my success in navigating these uncertain waters and starting my new career.”
“Still Serving Veterans (SSV), helped me understand the environment and market; my veteran counselor helped me refine my professional resume with key edits and inputs; with my permission, he increased my professional network, helping get my resume to the right people at the right time. SSV was instrumental in the Warriors to the Workforce Huntsville event which resulted in many follow-up job interviews and some offers of employment. Furthermore, I have maintained constant contact with Ben and SSV since then and recommend both to all transitioning service members I encounter. Even though I am a military retiree and a disabled combat veteran, I know that without my current civilian employment that I would be unable to provide for my family in the manner they deserve and that we are accustomed to. Finally, my current position has continued to open new professional opportunities for myself and has enabled me to also assists others, either seeking employment and mentorship or within the local community.”
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Still Serving Veterans' primary mission is to offer no-cost career and transition counseling services that help Veterans build rewarding careers and meaningful lives. All of our services are offered at no cost to the Veterans and employers we serve through the generosity of our benefactors; the Call of Duty Endowment, The Alpha Foundation, The Boeing Company, the Garcia Family Foundation, and many, many more individuals like you.
