Dominic, a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, found himself reentering the civilian job market after seven years of service. Separating from the Air Force and starting a civilian job search was daunting. “I was an Air Force brat from the start and had planned on a career in the Air Force. I couldn’t imagine a secure path outside of the one I was on”, said Dominic. As he started researching employment opportunities in the metro area, one of his biggest concerns was not being qualified for the jobs he wanted. “I didn’t think I was going to be qualified enough to find a job that covered the bills even though I have my MBA and some certifications that would do well for me”, said Dominic.
After completing an online Minnesota Veteran Questionnaire, Dominic was referred to Rebecca Kaas, Veterans Employment Representative in CareerForce. “Rebecca held me accountable and gave me encouragement in my journey. I was in a place where I thought I knew what I should do based on my technical qualifications, but I needed to take time to discover what I was going to be passionate about doing. She helped me find my path outside the military and encouraged me to stick with my career goal in the field of employee training and development.
Dominic’s career goal led to the discovery of a job posting for a training consultant at MNDOT. He applied and was eventually offered the job. Dominic credits Rebecca with helping him land the position. He said, “When I was applying for jobs, I wouldn’t feel totally sure I was enough for them, and she would walk me through the qualifications and encourage me to apply. Rebecca helped me with interviewing and ensuring that things fit me well. She always encouraged me, even when I had to turn down a job that wasn’t a good fit.”
Dominic is very excited about landing the training consultant position. “This is my dream job!” he exclaims. “It’s going to be great for my family and me. I get to pursue my passion for training while earning a living in a way that offers a great work/life balance.” To any Veteran seeking employment, Dominic offers this advice: “Take your time to grow in this process. You grow by surrounding yourself with others whom you can learn from.”
