David Lakin

As a prior recruiter & someone that works with milspouses and transitioning military every day that are looking for employment, here 👇 are some recommendations: Do your research. 🔷 For milspouses overseas, connect with your installation employment program POC and inquire about a local contractor list. Look on USA Jobs. Have both a corporate and federal resume ready to go. 🔷 For service members, if you are planning to stay OCONUS, do the same. 🔷 Either way though – look up companies you’re interested in that have jobs in your desired field; learn more about their organizations, their culture; reach out to professionals in those organizations and try to secure some informational interviews. 👉 These interviews will really help you understand what the day-to-day life looks like, what the work/life balance is, what opportunities there are for growth, what certifications you can be working on now to help you be more marketable, etc. AND help you make a great impression with someone who may potentially be able to help you in the future (i.e. EMPLOYEE REFERRAL, which can help get you the INTERVIEW). Be prepared. 🔷 Research behavioral-based interview questions. 🔷 Think about scenarios and experiences you’ve had throughout your career that you can share to highlight your character. 🔷 Practice answering in the STAR format. 🔷 Use AI – paste the job posting into your favorite AI tool and ask for 10-20 possible interview questions you may get asked based on that job. 🔷 Use your resources – the #USOTransitions program has a free interview prep tool. Hire Heroes USA has Specialists that can do mock interviews with you. Your ACP mentor can conduct mock interviews with you and potentially have some of their peers or coworkers do the same. Have questions for them. 🔷 Show you’ve done your homework – have questions prepared for your interviewer(s). 🔷 People like talking about themselves, so even if you just ask them, “What do you love most about working for X organization?” that will work. 🔷 They’ll answer and share about their experience. It will give you insight into them and their organization. But you can also ask questions about what their ideal candidate looks like, what challenges someone will have coming on board in the organization, what training and onboarding looks like, what their leadership style is, how they would describe their culture, etc. Follow up. ‼️ Always thank people for their time and consideration. 🔷 I used to think this was a given until I was a recruiter and realized how many people don’t do this. 🔷 Sending a thank you note leaves a positive impression and, while it won’t make or break how you did in the interview, it can definitely seal the deal and confirm their decision. The fact is – that person or those people took the time to connect with you. Thank them. 

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ATTENTION: Service Members & Veterans! The PMP is Changing—And It’s a HUGE Win for Military Experience. The PMP 2026 update is a strategic advantage for transitioning leaders. Your project experience is more relevant than ever. Key Changes that Validate Your Service: ✅ 10-Year Eligibility Window: Your hard-earned project hours now count for a full decade, offering maximum flexibility post-transition. ✅ Strategic Leadership Focus: The Business Environment domain triples in weight (up to 26%), directly aligning with your expertise in mission execution, resource control, and strategic alignment. ✅ Training Validation: New rules promise better recognition of high-intensity military training programs and apprenticeships. Your leadership, adaptability, and mission-focus are the future of project management. Don't let your experience expire. Matt Quick, Juan Nieves, PMP, John Miller, Christine Aboud, #PMP #PMI #ProjectManagement #Veterans #MilitaryTransition #Certification

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30 million new project professionals are needed to meet global demand by 2035. That's why I talk about Project Management with our Military Community! There are jobs to be had and careers to be earned! Look-- This projection aligns with the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, which identifies project managers as a key role driving net employment growth through 2030 and ranked it as the 12th fastest-growing job role globally. Key Takeaways from the Report: - Up to 29.8 million more project professionals will be needed by 2035 to meet global demand. - Fastest growth regions include South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and China—fueled by infrastructure investment and digital innovation. - Sectors under pressure include construction, manufacturing, IT services, and healthcare—with projected demand for project professionals increasing by as high as 66%. - Mature economies, including North America and Europe, face stalled supply of project professionals due to aging populations and shifting labor force trends. - The opportunity: Reskilling, upskilling, and opening new career pathways can help close the gap and elevate the profession globally. What questions do you have? #QuickNote #ProjectManagement #Military

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Transitioning from military to civilian project management requires understanding the credential landscape. The Project Management Institute (PMI) offers two certifications that serve different career stages: the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) and the Project Management Professional (PMP). Many veterans and military project managers wonder which certification suits their experience level and career goals. This article clarifies the differences between these credentials, compares their requirements and benefits, and explains why starting with the CAPM may provide strategic advantages even for experienced military project managers. Understanding these certifications helps you choose the right path for your professional development and maximizes your return on time and financial investment.

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🤝 Strengthening Partnerships to Support Transitioning Servicemembers   Yashika Neaves, Ph.D., Chief, Strategic Plans and Initiatives, Military-Civilian Transition Office (MCTO), welcomed Kandi Tillman, Founder and Executive Director of 50strong, for a focused discussion on deepening collaboration to improve career outcomes for transitioning Servicemembers, Veterans, Guardsmen, Reservists, Retirees, and military-connected families. Together, they explored how 50strong continues to amplify impact through the DoD SkillBridge program, the Department of Labor’s Employment Navigator Partnership Pilot (ENPP), and other multifaceted initiatives across the public and private sectors. This engagement also provided an opportunity to address common misconceptions around Third-Party Providers within SkillBridge.   #MCTOengagements #MilitaryTransition #SkillBridge #Veterans #GuardReserve #MCTO #50strong #PublicPrivatePartnership

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Army revamps direct commissioning program to accelerate recruitment of applicants with specialized skills. The overhaul, formalized in a recent execution order, centralizes the recruiting, screening, and selection process under the U.S. Army Recruiting Command. This move seeks to create a more unified and standardized approach to accessing talent, replacing a previously fragmented system where procedures varied by branch or component. Check it out to see if this program is for you ➡️ https://lnkd.in/e_-2Rgtr

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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is reopening the deferred resignation program and also offering early retirement to eligible civilian workers as he seeks to “maximize participation.” Hegseth on Friday signed a memo on “Initiating the Workforce Acceleration and Recapitalization Initiative” that was directed to senior Pentagon leadership, combatant commands, and defense agency and field activity directors. “It’s an important new opportunity to right-size DOD,” Hegseth said in a video. https://hubs.li/Q03f0gMB0

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That’s not how this works: If you’re separating from the military and planning to file for VA disability, Benefits Delivery at Discharge “BDD” program is a smart option, but there’s several things to understand. The BDD program allows you to submit a VA clsim between 180 and 90 days BEFORE separation (not #dodskillbtidge - PTDY - PTAD - Leave). This window allows the VA to: ✅ Review your Service Treatment Records ✅ Schedule yiyr C&P exams ✅ Begin evaluating your claim before you leave active duty The ‘goal’ of BDD is to deliver a decision within about 3️⃣0️⃣ days after separation. 🗣️ Important reality check ‼️ Submitting earlier in the 180 day window DOES NOT guarantee your claim will be finished SOONER. Processing times can still vary based on: • Complexity of your claim • Quality and completeness of evidence • Availability of C&P exams in your area • Workload at your VA regional office I see a lot of people who want to rush and get the claim in sooner than later, but submit mediocre claims. 😢 Take your time, do it right, so you don’t have to do it twice. In this link there’s a few tips that can help: https://lnkd.in/ex5zdP7y

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Getting a PMP is like going through basic training When you join the military, each branch (Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, Navy, Marines, Space Force) has their own version of basic training, typically 9 weeks Basic training has a few purposes ✅ Teach basic skills ✅ Teach about the branch ✅ Teach how to work as a team ✅ Build confidence Studying for the PMP, you do a lot of these same things, there is a reason that crash courses for certifications are called “boot camps” Once you finish your basic training in the military, you move on to your unit, which is where you actually do your job in the military This is where you take all the best practices you learned in basic training and apply them in the “real world.” When you get to your unit, there is a universal understanding of your baseline knowledge, because you already learned best practices and how to perform in ideal situations You are surrounded by peers and leaders who are there to mold you into a trained professional, doing real work with real world lessons learned. Just as when you start working in a professional environment, you work with peers to learn how to adapt the best practices you learned in training to your chosen profession. Certifications much like basic training are crucial to career success, however they are not the end all be all, they are all foundations and theory rooted in real world application. 👉 Best practices are taught because they are just that, best practices 👉 Best practices are also not called all the times for a reason We take lessons from the military and apply them to the civilian world often, and I use this example to illustrate that certifications are important, they are the foundation we build on in the professional environment. In my case, the PMP is a teaches a lot of valuable skills and how to apply them in theory, however when you start to manage projects, you learn how to apply those skills in ways that make sense to you and your work. 🧨 If I can leave you with one parting thought, it is that there is a balance between formal education and application of knowledge.  🧨 Education is important because it can act like a shortcut to learn from others, BUT nothing replaces real world application and seeing things form and sometimes fail.

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V2X Inc has secured a $118 million undefinitized contract from the U.S. Air Force—via Foreign Military Sales—to support base operations at Iraq’s Martyr BG Ali Flaih Air Base (formerly Balad). The award covers base operating support, life support, and security, with work expected through November 2026 . 🔗 Read more: https://lnkd.in/dPeda8R2

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