Joining the Air National Guard -- How can it Impact my Future Career?
I'll be entering college next year (hoping for USC or Cal), and I'm strongly looking at enlisting in the Air Guard. I'll have a 6 year contract, which will end 1 year after I graduate college unless I decide to reenlist. I haven't yet decided if I'm going to pursue an MBA, but I'm most interested in a career in Private Equity. For the guard, I'd have to miss 1 weekend a month, and around 2 weeks in the summer. As far as I understand, sometimes these commitments run a few days over but that's unpredictable. Theres also the chance that I could be deployed for a few months, but based on my unit and job (intel), I'm expecting most of my activations to be short domestic ones probably during the California fire season. I'll have to miss my first semester of college, but the Air Force should credit for my training and I should graduate on time. I know that the guard is nice to have on a resume, and I know that firms cannot legally discriminate against military, but how could my commitments impact my career and path after university? Is missing two weeks in the summer going to stop me from finding internships? What should I watch out for? Is anyone else in the Guard?
jacobjmusk, sorry about the lack of response. Maybe one of these topics will help:
More suggestions...
Hope that helps.
Honestly it just comes down to if this stops you from being the best possible candidate. I don’t know how having a commitment for a year after college will impact recruiting. Who would give you a job during that time if you consistently have to take time off and maybe be deployed?
Don’t think anyone really cares about this on your resume besides an interesting talking point and a ‘thanks for your service’
Maybe people can’t legally discriminate against your status in the military but it’s easy enough for them to see you have other commitments and then just ghost you because ‘you’re not a good fit’ or something.
That's what I'm worried about. Barring deployments, would having to work 1 weekend a month and 2 weeks in the summer really be a big enough commitment to be ghosted?
Unfortunately yes
I would strongly advise against it.
The whole "1 weekend a month, and around 2 weeks in the summer" bit is -uh- subject to creative interpretation.
On the bright side, employers get a massive slap on the peepee if they don't hold your job for you while you're deployed (lol few months), but that's predicated on getting hired over a just-as-good, nothing-else-on-their-plate candidate.
This all being said, at least pick something better than intel.
I've heard that 1 weekend a month is BS in the army guard, but isn't it closer to reality in the air guard? Honestly don't know.
Can speak for the army, i think the biggest factors are whether you’re combat arms and where your unit is in a 5-year deployment cycle. Combat arms and nearing the 5th year.. get ready for some long drills
Hey man, I’m currently in the guard and at a BB. Maybe not the answer you were hoping for, but my experience has not been great and my HR are pretty scummy about it.
Many people, both HR and interviewers, are pretty oblivious to laws around the guard. Everyone knows you can’t ask someone if they have kids in an interview, but those same people will ask all about your one weekend a month commitment.
The biggest thing for you is to downplay the commitment in interviews (not like it’s a lot anyways). Also if you’re just going to have a year left after graduation, don’t even worry about it—very doable. Once you’re hired or given an offer, there’s not much the company can do to you. Discrimination definition only requires a past, present, or future military obligation to be a motivating factor for an adverse employment action and the employer bears the burden of proof. Oh the company coincidentally pulled your offer when you told them you’re getting activated for a few months? That’s a pretty easy one. Just read up on USERRA and know your rights—HR probably won’t so hold your ground and educate them.
I might sound a little pessimistic on it because of my experience but with your situation, don’t worry. I didn’t know anything about USERRA at the start and I have an 8 year commitment post college. You can be smart on USERRA before starting and you’ll only have 1 year left when you start full time. That’s a nice test pilot and, depending how it goes, you can let that guide your choice to reenlist.
Awesome info, so you're not actually in the active guard yet? I'm assuming ROTC or waiting on O(C/T)S?
No I’m currently in the guard. Been working / in the guard for 3 years. Had to go to BOLC after graduation, which is where the problem with my bank started. Since then, I’ve had 3-4 day drills regularly, 3 week summer AT, and a couple short activations during COVID. These have been fine though—I think I raised enough of a fuss after the first issue for something to happen again.
My advice is don’t feel like you need to make concessions / sacrifices to make your schedule less burdensome for the company. If you’re not sure whether you can take an internship cause the last week will conflict with the start of your AT, take it.. the company can (and has) to deal with it. Obviously try to find ways to accommodate for you, your unit, the company, but at the end of the day you shouldn’t be the one getting the short end of the stick for being in the guard
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