From Skills to Action: Your Skilled Career Journey Starts Now

The Proactive Job Seeker - Skilled Career Edition | Week 1

Jul 11, 2025

Hey there,

If you've been following along this week, you've got the 30-Day Skilled Career Launch Plan and the Week 1 Action Checklist sitting in front of you. Maybe you've already started working through them. Maybe they're bookmarked for "when you have time."

Let me be direct with you: The gap between knowing and doing is where most veteran transitions stall out.

You've already done the hard work of identifying that your military skills translate to skilled civilian careers. You looked at that Skills Match Chart and thought, "Yeah, I could do this." That's further than most people get.

However, here's what I've learned in over 30 years of career education: Information without action is merely organized worry.

This Week's Reality Check

I've talked to hundreds of veterans who spent months researching careers, bookmarking articles, and collecting information. They could tell you everything about HVAC certification requirements or CDL licensing steps, but they never actually filled out an application.

Research becomes procrastination when it replaces action.

The 30-Day Launch Plan isn't about gathering every possible piece of information before you move forward. It's about gathering enough good information to make confident next steps.

What Week 1 Actually Accomplishes

When you complete the Week 1 Action Checklist, you're not just validating career choices. You're proving to yourself that you can:

✓ Make decisions with incomplete information (just like you did in the military)
✓ Take systematic action toward civilian career goals (instead of random research)
✓ Connect with people in your target fields (your future network)
✓ Think strategically about your transition (instead of hoping it works out)

These are the same skills that made you successful in military service. The only difference is the mission objective.

Weekend Assignment (Yes, Really)

If you haven't started the Week 1 checklist yet, here's your weekend mission:

Saturday: Complete the MyNextMove for Veterans deep dive for your top 2 career choices. Set a timer for 90 minutes and just get it done.

Sunday: Research local salary data and reach out to one person actually doing these jobs. LinkedIn message, Facebook post in a veteran group, or ask family if they know anyone.

That's it. Don't overthink it. Don't wait for the perfect time. Just start.

The Research Trap Is Real

I've seen this pattern hundreds of times: veterans spend months collecting information about training programs, reading about career requirements, and bookmarking resources.

Three months later, they know everything about HVAC certification requirements but haven't filled out a single application.

The difference between successful transitions and stalled ones isn't more information. It's systematic action.

You're not lacking intelligence or capability. You just need to stop researching and start executing.

What's Coming in Week 2

Next week, we’ll explore Requirements Intelligence Gathering—exactly what you need to get qualified for your target careers. We'll cover:

Certification roadmaps that actually matter
Training programs with real job placement rates
The difference between "required" and "preferred" qualifications
How to calculate your total investment (time and money)

But Week 2 only makes sense if you've completed Week 1. You can't plan your qualification strategy until you know what you're qualifying for.

Your Action Step Right Now

Before you close this email, do one thing:

Download the Week 1 Action Checklist [if you haven't already] and put a completion deadline on your calendar. Don't make it next month. Make it this Sunday.

Then actually do it.

Your military skills are valuable. Your transition timeline matters. Your success in skilled civilian careers isn't just possible—it's probable when you approach it with the same systematic execution you brought to military service.

But it requires you to move from planning to doing.

The mission starts when you start.

Lee

P.S. Hit “Leave a comment” and let me know which career you're validating this week. I read every response, and your experience might help other veterans in next week's newsletter.