Met with a recruiter... Deciding on a job

[stevelkinevil]

The #1 most important thing to remember is a recruiter is basically a used car salesman in a uniform. So choose what YOU want to do and believe only what you see in writing.

PS. not knocking the military as I was in the ARMY myself just a friendly warning.

[ghettodub]

The #1 most important thing to remember is a recruiter is basically a used car salesman in a uniform. So choose what YOU want to do and believe only what you see in writing.

PS. not knocking the military as I was in the ARMY myself just a friendly warning.

10-4 on that! I've dealt with a few of em in my day, and that's been my experience as well

[Great-Kazoo]

engineering aide the construction industry worldwide is in the shitter, same for your job hunting once you are out.

1) Medical Field: everyone gets sick and med quals are nation wide hiring. Not great pay but opportunities non th eless.
2) Law enforcement: crime pays, You the bucks and/or once a civilian again, if not le there is always the private sector.

I suggest learning a second language while in. That is what opens any hiring door wider than only 1 language.

[Guylee]

The #1 most important thing to remember is a recruiter is basically a used car salesman in a uniform. So choose what YOU want to do and believe only what you see in writing.

PS. not knocking the military as I was in the ARMY myself just a friendly warning.

I went through five recruiters before I finally found one I could feel comfortable with. Even then everything that was said was cross referenced and taken with a grain of salt.

[BREATHER]

You could try nuclear engineering with possibly include welding, including stainless steel welding. But as others say, do something marketable on the outside. Stay away from signaling, gunnersmate, boatswainmate, deck jobs.

[Jherexx]

Get a job you are interested in that requires a TS clearance. The clearance alone will open up a whole lot of well paying job opportunities not available to you before or the general public.

[jerrymrc]

One thing about a Medical Corpsman's that is nice is after a certian rank and time you can transfer to a biomed. A small but secure career on the outside. over 50% of biomeds came from the Military. One of the few fields that all 3 services train together for.

[claimbuster]

Engineering Aide---I've been in construction and construction management for 40 years and have only been out of work twice. The longest of those two stints was three weeks. I am less than a year away from retiring and I've never been sorry for any of the choices I made. I can travel around and point to a lot of interesting projects I've worked on. If you like building things, traveling, working outside all or part of the time, etc, etc, you can't beat it.

[Seamonkey]

As Joseph Campbell said: "follow your bliss".

I agree with the comments to find a rate that will allow you to transfer to the civilian sector and to stay away from the deck hand type jobs unless you enjoy 20 hour days, always on watch, chipping rust, painting, polishing brass and general ship husbandry. The Boatswains Mates do learn how to tie cool knots and blow the most annoying whistle in the world but again, follow your bliss.
A guy I knew in boot camp joined to be a Quarter Master (QM) so he could learn to pilot ships. He was going to do his 4, get out and become a harbor pilot. Two guys I served with were BM's and are still in doing the same thing.
My first couple choices didn't work out and I ended up being a Radioman, I think they are called IT now but it gave me a clearance and basic training in Communications systems. Got my first job when I got out based on the clearance and basic skill set but again, do what you want to do and what interests you.

IMO the two choices you listed are quite different. Both have potential in the civilian sector. Which one will you be happy doing for the next 30 years?

Another thing to consider is the deployment cycle. When I was in the different rates had different rotations so might want to check that out. If you a hospital tech in a specialized area you may only go to large bases with big hospitals or as a CB you may deploy to BFE with a rifle to build an ice cream parlor while getting mortared.

[ghettodub]

Thanks for the replies, folks. Appreciate your input! I'll have to see how things go as I progress with the recruiter, but I think that either the CB or med route is the way to go for sure, and something that can keep me interested and provide opportunity in the civ sector.