You're still in, and you're not sure you're staying.
You haven't said it out loud to anyone, and you're not ready to. You don't need to decide anything to start. You just need to find out what else is out there, quietly, on your own time.
This isn't for everybody, and I'd rather tell you now.
Civilian Compass works for a specific person in a specific situation. If that's not you today, the honest thing is to point you somewhere better instead of taking your time.
It's for you if you're one of these people
You're still in, and you've made the call.
The clock is running. You've got months, not years, and you'd rather spend them figuring out what you actually want than answering recruiter emails.
You're out, and you're looking.
You've been applying, or you've been meaning to. Either way you're not sure what you're aiming at, and the applications feel like guessing.
You're out, you're working, and it isn't right.
You took the job that was there. It pays. You're good at it. And you've started wondering what the actual answer would have been.
Whichever one you are, this works better if:
- You don't want another degree. You want the right next role.
- You've got a bias for action. This is a system, not a service. It gives you the next thing to do and expects you to go do it.
- You're willing to talk to strangers. You'll be doing the reaching out yourself. Uncomfortable for about two weeks. Then it isn't.
It's not for you if
- You need income in the next 30 days.Fit is a luxury when rent isn't covered. Go get the job, stabilize, and come back when you've got room to think. This will still be here.
- You already know the role, the industry, and the company. You don't need direction, you need execution. Go execute.
- You want someone to place you.Nobody here gets paid when you take a job. That's the point, and it also means nobody here is working a req on your behalf.
Where to go instead
If speed is what you need right now, placement firms are genuinely good at speed. Orion Talent and Bradley-Morris move fast and they'll get you in front of employers quickly. That's a real service and it's the right tool for that job.
If you're still on active duty and have runway, SkillBridge lets you work at a civilian company before you separate.
If you want a human being instead of a platform, American Corporate Partners pairs veterans with mentors, and FourBlock runs cohort-based career readiness programs. I went through FourBlock myself and I've taught for them for three years.
Am I too early? Am I too late?
Too early? Probably not. The best time to start having conversations is before you need anything from them.
Too late?If you're already out and already working, this still runs. It was built around a transition, but the process is the same one you'd use to change jobs at forty.
Sounds like you? Start with one conversation.
Six questions to set your direction. No account until you've seen something worth saving, and no card ever.
Get startedFree for veterans. No recruiter on the other end.
Still deciding? I host office hours every week. Bring the questions you don't want to ask your chain of command. Save a seat →