Disa wanted to go to college, but she didn’t know what she wanted to study. Instead of choosing the wrong educational track, she enlisted in the Army to experience life and consider her options.
“I went in as military police because it was the closest a female could get to the infantry,” she said, noting that her challenging decisions worked out as planned. “I learned and grew so much from my time in the Army and I’m very happy that I now have skills I didn’t have before.”
Disa also feels good about her wise decision to start her transition planning early.
“I’m glad I did it so far in advance. I signed up for the Operation: GoodJobs program at Goodwill because I liked what I heard during my transition course. I’d only been in the military and never had any other jobs. They made me feel very comfortable with the challenges I was facing.” Disa also said the timely and useful support of Operation: Goodjobs helped her to focus on personal issues at home.
“I think being able to stay in a positive mood and keep a forward-thinking mindset were the biggest things that kept me focused while I looked for a job,” she said.
As an Operation: Goodjobs client, Disa received assistance with writing resumes, doing mock interviews, as well as help with other preparation and training for a new career in the HVAC industry. Two months before leaving the Army she was offered an HVAC job.
“I was ecstatic when I learned that an HVAC company wanted me as part of their team! I felt so comfortable at the interview and with the employees that I met,” she said. “It was important for me to get this job as an HVAC service tech because I wanted to learn something new and exciting.”
Disa said the techniques she used to get the job were part of her Operation: Goodjobs lessons – like showing my employer that I could learn new things quickly, and checking out their website to learn about their business and how they support their clients.
Disa’s advice to others in her boots: start early and weigh all of your options…and definitely ask questions.