How does a sailor transition from nuclear electrician to financial advisor? With passion and planning, according to Wibel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nervous About Taking the First Steps<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Years before the Hiring Our Heroes\u2019 Joint Base Charleston Career Summit, Wibel met with a financial advisor. The guidance changed his life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhen leaving that meeting, a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders, and I knew my passion was finance,\u201d Wibel said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This conversation provided a starting point. Next, Wibel earned a bachelor\u2019s degree in finance. Then, he had the education, but he still lacked a pathway to employment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFinancial advising was something I really wanted to do, but I was nervous about taking those first steps,\u201d Wibel said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wibel needed a connection, an insider, to guide his transition. He found his connection at the Joint Base Charleston Career Summit hosted by Hiring Our Heroes. This is where Wibel met Bernie Still, district advisor at First Command<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAs soon as Bernie got up on stage and started talking about financial advising I knew I needed to talk to him. And after talking with Bernie, I knew this is the right fit,\u201d Wibel said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Through these conversations, Wibel learned about First Command and its corporate values. His experience clarified his post-military employment path nearly a year before his military separation. As a result, Wibel didn\u2019t feel rushed when preparing for his next career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c[I believe that ] being proactive allowed me to have a much smoother transition,\u201d Wibel said. \u201cHaving time on your side is very important.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Career Summits introduce service members and military spouses to the vast array of resources and information available as they begin career planning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n More than your average job fair, a summit provides interactive workshops, industry overviews, digital tools demonstrations, mock interviews and other sessions allowing participants to prepare before they practice engaging with employers during a networking reception and career fair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Career Summits are local efforts designed to complement and enhance local employment assistance programs. Powered by national resources, summits represent a fundamental shift in the way communities support military hiring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Each summit connects employers, like First Command, with talented service members and military spouses on military installations in the United States and overseas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Dakota](\"https:\/\/www.hiringourheroes.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Dakota-Wibel-.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nRelated: \u2018I Feel Like a Lieutenant Again\u2019: Transitioning Service Member Launches Career in Solar Industry<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
More Than Your Average Job Fair<\/h2>\n\n\n\n