Joel Schofer's Career Planning Blog

2 Months Into Retirement Prep – What I’ve Learned So Far

Posted on December 11, 2025 Updated on December 5, 2025

I’m about 2 months into my decision to retire. What have I learned so far? Here is a summary:

Retiring is Nearly a Full-Time Job

There is a lot to do. In summary, you’ve got to do all of the items on this timeline:

Here is another very thorough retirement checklist that is the best I’ve found so far.

There are Tons of Civilian Jobs Available

I’m not even sure I want a job, but there is no shortage of opportunity out there, especially if you are not geographically constrained. After setting up job searches on LinkedIn, Glassdoor, Indeed, USAJobs, American Association for Physician Leadership, and HigherEdJobs, I have been deluged by e-mails. Think long and hard about what frequency you want to receive these e-mails when you sign up for them. I’d recommend weekly. Daily is overwhelming.

Almost No One Wants to See Your Full Academic CV

I have a 40 page CV:

The VA recruiter was fine with a full CV and I also uploaded it to HigherEdJobs since those jobs are academically focused, but almost immediately after starting a job hunt I needed a 1-2 page resume, which I didn’t have at the time. Here is what I’m currently using:

I was asked for my “executive portfolio” and I don’t have one of those ready yet, but it came from an unsolicited “recruiter” who wanted me to charge me $800 to develop one. Blocked/Spam!

There are A Lot of People Willing to Help You Out

There are a lot of organizations willing to help out a separating veteran. I’m still working through many of them, but the ones with the most promise so far are here with their missions highlighted. So far I’ve explored using them for resume and LinkedIn profile help and some job searches:

AAPL – The American Association for Physician Leadership (Formerly ACPE) is the only association focused on the personal transformation of all physicians, and through them the organizations they serve. (I’ve used AAPL to become a Certified Physician Executive and could not recommend them more highly. The CME I’ve received from them has been the highest quality I’ve experienced. Plus, unlike the American College of Healthcare Executives, there is no requirement to attend CME/conferences every year once you are certified, which seems like a bit of a pyramid scheme to me.)

Boundless Horizon Coaching – My Sister-In-Law is an executive coach and has helped me out. She could help you out too!

COMMIT Foundation – COMMIT focuses on senior military personnel transitioning out of service. They were able to link me with a free resume coach, and they are searching their alumni for people who work in healthcare in Hampton Roads, which may be helpful.

Military Officers Association of America – MOAA is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan association of officers from America’s military services and the commissioned corps of the U.S. Public Health Service and National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, comprising the nation’s uniformed services. They are 350,000 active duty, retired, former, and National Guard and Reserve officers, and surviving spouses, of all ranks and branches who serve or have served, as well as their family members. MOAA advocates with Congress, DoD, the VA, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and other departments to preserve and protect earned benefits for our uniformed services, veterans, their families, and surviving spouses through advocacy, leadership, education, and service, fulfilling MOAA’s promise to “Never Stop Serving.” (I’m a lifetime member of MOAA and feel like the resources and information they provide are top notch.)

VetJobs – VetJobs expands employment opportunities for service members and veterans through one-on-one employment placement assistance, focused on the use of gap skills training and targeted resume and interview assistance, LinkedIn optimization, and connections to employer partners in order to create a smoother transition process. (They are currently reviewing my LinkedIn profile and resume for free. They also introduced me to this Resume Engine that I thought was a pretty cool tool.)

WendySchoferMD.com – My wife is an Executive Coach like my Sister-In-Law, and a retired Navy Captain in the Reserves. She has helped me out during this process and could help you too!

Just Because Your Retirement Date is Approved Doesn’t Mean You Have Orders Yet

On November 15th I got this e-mail:

From: “noreply@navy.mil” noreply@navy.mil
Date: Saturday, November 15, 2025 at 2:40:53 AM
To: “Schofer, Joel M CAPT USN DHA GUAM NH (USA)”
Subject: NSIPS R&S Request Finalized Notification
Your Retirement/FLTRES/Separation has been finalized. Details are available via NSIPS, Member SelfService. Navigate to Employee Self Service > Retirements and Separations > Request Home.

It means that your retirement date is approved. It does not mean you have retirement orders in the system.

I Can’t Comment on the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) Yet

I’m not scheduled to do TAP (there is not “s” on the end anymore) class until January. There will be more to follow once that is done.