Build the evidence first. Use it throughout the transition.

The eight-stage process

CareerForma moves from records and real experience to governed career outputs in eight stages.

1. 1

   Stage 1

   Gather records and real experience

   Participants begin with available information such as DD Form 214 when available, Joint Services Transcript (JST), VMET, evaluations, awards, DA Forms 1059, certifications and licenses, education history, civilian work history, and participant-provided achievements and context.

   • Participants may not have every source.
   • Different source types carry different kinds of authority.
   • Records and participant context are starting information, not automatic proof of every possible capability.
   • This page does not request sensitive identifiers or medical records.
2. 2

   Stage 2

   Structure the evidence

   CareerForma organizes relevant facts and context while preserving where the information came from and the work context to which it belongs.

   • The result is a structured, source-linked foundation.
   • Raw extraction is not verification.
   • Not all records carry equal authority.
   • Training and occupation context remain distinguishable from work-performance evidence.
   • Internal entity names, hashes, schema fields, and processing internals are not exposed.
3. 3

   Stage 3

   Develop supported career claims

   The program helps develop statements about responsibility, achievement, knowledge, capability, scope, and impact.

   • Claims require appropriate support and review.
   • Not every record or interpretation becomes a Claim.
   • Context, training, learning, and possible credential alignment may inform career direction, but they do not independently prove demonstrated workplace performance.
   • Unsupported achievements or metrics are not authorized.
4. 4

   Stage 4

   Review and govern the claims

   Participants review interpretations and career claims. Support and context are evaluated. Claims have lifecycle and eligibility controls. A Claim is used only for outputs for which it is eligible. Changed or invalidated support can require dependent output review.

   • Participant review alone does not automatically authorize unsupported content.
5. 5

   Stage 5

   Explore career alignment

   Structured occupational data and target-role information help participants compare their background with possible civilian directions.

   • Career alignment and Job Fit Score remain directional decision support.
   • O*NET and Department of Labor information is authoritative occupational source data; it does not verify a participant's capability.
   • Alignment does not guarantee qualification, competitiveness, interviewing, hiring, or performance.
   • Proprietary weights are not published. A directional score is not presented as Claim authority.
6. 6

   Stage 6

   Identify readiness and requirement gaps

   Target-job requirements are considered individually and may be classified as supported, directionally likely but needing stronger support, partially supported, unmet, unknown because evidence is insufficient, or not applicable.

   Possible next actions:

   Locate missing evidenceConfirm or obtain a required qualificationPursue development or practiceStrengthen application competitivenessSet participant priorities
   • Requirements are evaluated individually within the context of the target role or posting.
   • A gap is not a universally objective fact outside the target role or posting context.
7. 7

   Stage 7

   Produce authorized career outputs

   Eligible, reviewed Claims may support resumes, professional summaries, interview examples, career narratives, development planning, and other specifically authorized career outputs.

   • Outputs are grounded in supported Claims; the outputs themselves are not called 'verified.'
   • Direct Claim relationships are preserved for governed saved outputs.
   • If supporting Claims change, dependent outputs may be marked for review.
   • User edits that go beyond Claim support do not retain claim-backed status.
   • Participants remain responsible for reviewing outputs before use.
   • The program does not promise ATS performance, hiring, or error-free content.
8. 8

   Stage 8

   Continue building

   Continued participant-led work includes profile and work-history refinement, learning and development progress, interview practice, journaling and reflection, adding newly available evidence, and revisiting career direction and readiness priorities.

   • Training completion records development progress but does not automatically prove workplace capability.
   • Candidate credential mappings are not awarded credentials.
   • New performance information must enter the governed evidence process before supporting a new performance Claim.
   • Journal entries do not bypass evidence and Claim governance.
   • Facilitator support is available as required, with help-desk escalation where applicable; the program does not imply continuous one-on-one coaching.