Female Veteran Owned and Operated
Jobs and careers
It is entirely likely that your post-military life will consist of both and you must understand the difference. Too many veterans become too easily discouraged in the workplace because they expect from a job what career is designed to provide. Jobs are stepping stones and a means to provide for financial obligations. Careers are the pursuit of one's life work. And the fact for most in this world is that the path to a purposeful career often holds many jobs.
As a result, there is nothing wrong with holding a job post-military while you are seeking and contemplating your career. Everyone has bills to pay, but that doesn't have to mean you give up on finding purpose. Just recognize the job for what it actually is while you keep exploring purpose. Many jobs can not only provide you with a paycheck, but vital experience that will be necessary when you decide to start pursuing a career in a particular industry. And then for many, the job can actually turn into the career they never expected. But if you find yourself today with employment that brings you despair and not purpose, it doesn't mean you have failed. It just means that sweet spot of purpose and passion is still out there waiting to connect with you.
The Risk Can Be Worth It
For many, pursing passion will often require a little risk. Thankfully, as a military veteran, you should be very comfortable with risk in pursuit of the outcome. It might be that your 4 year military career in avionics leads to an aircraft mechanic career. If so, that is great. However, don't feel obligated to remain in the same career post-military that you might have picked at age 17 because the recruiting pamphlet made it look amazing. Your military job experience can lead to some amazing jobs and amazing careers, but it is entirely possible your passion rests outside of what you already know.
Leaving the military can provide an amazing opportunity to hit the "reset" button and pursue a passion instead of a job. It might sound risky, but you learned more than technical skills in the military. You learned initiative, leadership, adaptability, and resilience. These traits find value in a variety of industries and are easily transferrable. So if you spent the past 4 years as an aircraft mechanic but your passion is a career writing, then now seems like a good time pick up that pen and paper.