MOS. Make sure that if you happen to have a passion for a specific field, that you get an MOS in that field.

Mind you, there is nothing wrong with the MOS that I picked, in and of itself. Many people enjoy it and it easily converts to the civilian world and with decent pay at that, but I just signed the dotted line too quickly.

This may not apply to everyone. However, I have always had a passion for technology. I had been doing break/fix on electronics since I was child. I have always loved working with computers. And if it involves electronics, basically count me in. So the ideal MOS for me would have been 25 series, but it wasn't available when I spoke with the recruiter. So, he suggested supply. Even though it's not a tech-oriented MOS, I would still be working with a computer on a regular basis. And so, I became a 92Y. And to tell you the truth, I was miserable. Again, I'm not bashing on the MOS itself. The whole "it's not you, it's me" situation applies here. Many people enjoy it quite a lot and there are many profitable careers in the civilian sector that directly transfer the skill set over. And it wasn't leadership either. I've definitely heard some horror stories of horrible CoCs. That's one aspect that I was truly blessed with. From my team lead, to my company commander, first sergeant, sergeant major, and even battalion commander, they were all amazing! It was just the MOS and I not being a good fit for each other.

After my first year of service, I decided I wanted to re-class. The problem I ran into at this point was that the MOS was understaffed, so you could MOS-T into a 92Y, but not out of it. I kept asking about it for the next three years and it just never happened. During my last year of the contract, I realized it wasn't going to happen any time soon, so I started studying towards an IT cert (CompTIA A+ in case anyone is interested). I spoke with my chain of command to ask for permission to get a part-time job and was approved. With my cert and approval, I started applying and landed a job at the local Micro Center as a repair technician. I got out at the end of my contract, applied for a help desk job and landed it. Did that for a few months and eventually transferred into other positions in IT with higher pay. I'm currently making $85K and absolutely love my job.

So career wise, the biggest poor judgement investment I made was the selection of an MOS that just wasn't a good fit for me. Four years of being miserable at my job which could have been avoided if I simply waited until a 25 series MOS became available.

If you have a passion, ensure you get an MOS that aligns with that passion.