Wanted: Polar Bear Spotter – Thinking outside the box in a job search

So you may be separating from the military and wondering where your military career fits in the civilian world. Very often your career doesn’t fit neatly into a civilian career field unless they are working for the military or in another government agency.

In those cases, focus on your skills, see how they fit into other career fields, and think outside the box when looking for jobs. We found this job posting on the Associated Press web site.

Wanted: Polar bear spotter on Norwegian islands

OSLO, Norway (AP) — Do you enjoy the outdoors and have strong vocal cords? If so, Norway might have a summer job for you: three weeks in the Arctic wilderness spotting polar bears.

The governor’s office on the remote northern islands of Svalbard is seeking a polar bear spotter to warn researchers doing projects in the region.

The job starts July 8 and also requires previous experience with the outdoors, good polar bear spotting skills and a competence with firearms. But Helge Solli from the governor’s office says the successful candidate likely won’t have to use a gun “just as long as they have a loud voice” to scare off any bears.

There are an estimated 3,000 polar bears in the Svalbard archipelago, which has a human population of about 2,400.

While this job may not be attractive to some, break it down into how your skills fit their required skills. I know as military members we all have competence with firearms. Are you observant? How many times have you had to walk the flight line looking for FOD (Foreign Object Damage)? If you can find can find a rock or bolt on a large cement pad you most likely have the skills to spot a polar bear. Now if you can just sell how much you enjoy the outdoors or have experience in the outdoors, the job could be yours!

Take you military career and break it into your extensive skills you have picked up during your time in service. Make them your strengths and sell yourself to the jobs that are out there. By looking outside the box you may find a career that you desire and actually fit despite your past careers.