For people with past military experience, finding a job is one of the first challenges they often face after serving. Veterans tend to have great skills that hold a lot of appeal for employers, but they have to learn how to maximize those.
For example, if you’re a veteran or have military experience, you’re likely committed and disciplined.
You want to work on figuring out how to take the skills and experience that you already have and then translate that into relevance in the civilian world.
Veterans tend to be very adaptable, which is a plus in the eyes of hiring managers.
The following are some things to know about great jobs for people with past military experience.
Security
Working in the security industry can be an excellent fit for someone as they transition out of the military and into their civilian life.
The security industry requires well-trained people who can maintain a professional image and stay calm under pressure which often well-describes veterans.
When you work in security, you need to display integrity and honesty and be someone that your clients and the public, in general, can trust.
Along with working in security, criminal justice and law enforcement are also viable ex-military options.
Many veterans want to keep serving their communities, and occupations that allow them to keep people safe and hold criminals accountable are a good fit for this desire.
Within the broader field of criminal justice and law enforcement, jobs include criminal investigators, police officers, and corrections officers.
Working for the Federal Government
Veterans may have unique opportunities and preferred status for jobs with the federal government after their service.
Federal and government jobs come with impressive benefits, and a veteran may be able to go through special hiring processes not available to the general public.
Small Business Ownerships
When you’re a veteran, you may be someone who takes the initiative and is a problem-solver. These are characteristics that can translate well to owning a small business.
Veterans also have a high-risk tolerance, which is important for entrepreneurs.
If you want to own a business but not necessarily start from scratch, you can become a franchise owner.
The International Franchise Association has the Veterans Transition Franchise Initiative that can connect you with opportunities.
Information Technology (IT)
If you’re transitioning out of the military, a job in the IT industry could be ideal right now. The industry is facing huge demand and growth, but at the same time, a lack of skilled workers. You could have a lot of opportunities and high pay and benefits if you take this path.
Even if you don’t have any experience in IT, you can start in an entry-level role, like a help-desk position, and that will allow you to get your foot in the door.
There are also many certifications in the industry that can be the fastest way for you to break in.
A tech degree can take four years or more to earn, while certification is something you can earn in a matter of weeks.
A good example of an IT certification for an entry-level professional is the CompTIA A+. This is a vendor-neutral certification that provides knowledge across many general areas of IT. It shows that you have a basic level of understanding surrounding topics like hardware, networking, cloud, and mobile devices.
Another good option is the CompTIA Security+ certification, particularly if you’re interested in cybersecurity careers. The vendor-neutral certification indicates you can implement best practices in security.
There are different options to get certified. You can study on your own and take a certification exam or go through a training program virtually or in person.
Electrical Engineering
If your military experience includes time spent developing weapons, working with navigation systems, or creating standards for electrical systems, you could experience a seamless transition to being an electrical engineer.
There are a lot of work environments available to electrical engineers, including government agencies, public utilities, and engineering firms.
Management
When you’re in the military, you learn to be efficient and do things effectively to ensure success. This could make you well-suited to work in different management positions. These could include things like retail or warehouse management. You could also work as a management consultant and help organizations solve their inefficiencies and problems.
When you’re choosing a career path, you want to take into consideration not only your military experience but also your general personality and things you enjoy. Remember examples where you demonstrated the ability to do certain tasks well and think about the physical environments that you feel are a good fit for you.
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