3 Things Every Vet Should Know When Job Hunting

by Leslie Parsons

For many, the experience of looking for a job can be stressful and sometimes downright intimidating.  There are many steps to the process and each has its own set of unwritten rules and best practices that you need to know in order to get a leg up on the competition.  If you’re lucky, you get the first job you apply for, but it’s far more likely you’ll have to repeat the process several times before finally crossing the finish line.

For those who have just left—or are about to leave—the military, finding a new job can be particularly challenging.  While there are many different programs designed to assist and support veterans in their efforts to embark on a new career, the sheer amount of information and advice can be overwhelming.  We spoke with Angie Fair from VetJobs.org to discuss both the challenges and opportunities that transitioning veterans face in the civilian job market.

According to Angie, the biggest challenge veterans face in finding a job is determining how the expertise and skills they gained in the military can be translated into a fulfilling civilian career. This is especially true in cases where a veteran wants to work in a field that doesn’t have an obvious correlation to what they did in service. She offers vets the following advice:

Take Advantage of Support and Training Programs

There are many programs designed to provide education and assistance to veterans looking to enter the civilian workforce. Those still in the military should take advantage of Skillbridge, a program run by the Department of Defense that provides service members who are six months from separation with opportunities to gain work experience through training, apprenticeships, and internships. On the NGO side , there are opportunities like the Dog Tag Bakery Fellowship Program to gain education, training, and support tailored to your specific career goals.  

VetJobs.org offers a wide range of services to any-era veterans, National Guard, and ROTC cadets. Its sister site, MilitarySpouseJobs.org, offers the same to active duty spouses and domestic partners, as well as divorced and surviving military spouses. These services are tailored to the individual’s needs and can include everything from industry-specific training to job search assistance (resume development, LinkedIn optimization, practice interviews, etc.) to connections with potential employers. 

Focus on Skills

While many jobs in the military have easily identifiable civilian equivalents (cooks, truck drivers, administrative assistants, etc.), there are some that do not. However, that doesn’t mean that skills learned while doing military-specific jobs can’t be put to good use in the civilian world.  

For example, military chaplain’s assistants perform a variety of tasks, including event planning and organization, routine administration, and security.  While they may have difficulty finding an equivalent position outside the military, the skills they learned can certainly be applied in a variety of industries.

One specific tip Angie gives her clients is to identify key highlights of their military career that can be quantified and stated as achievements on a resume and in interviews. Instead of saying “I maintained a motor pool,” a veteran should say something like “I maintained a fleet of 88 vehicles at a 94% operational rate.”

Learn the Language

One of the biggest challenges veterans have in discussing their military skills and experience with civilian employers is that though both parties are using the same words, they are speaking two different languages. Each branch of the military has its own verbiage, as do many industries in the civilian workforce. For example, the phrase “project management” can take on a different meaning in the corporate world than it does in the military sector.

Angie advises veterans and those about to transition from the military to invest in s online courses to learn industry lingo in their field of interests.  (Both Coursera and Udemy are great resources.)    She also recommends learning organizational and leadership terms that are commonly used in your chosen industry, as this will make make it easier to effectively communicate  with recruiters and HR personnel.

The key to a successful job search during military transition is to be intentional, says Angie. If possible, begin thinking about your post-military career before you leave the service and learn as much about the industry you want to work in as possible. Take advantage of the services and support offered by the government, non-profit organizations, and employers. Identify the skills that make you a valuable employee and learn how to communicate those to an employer.

If you’d like to learn more about how The True North Foundation supports veterans undergoing the journey of military transition, you can sign up for our newsletter on our website. If you found this article helpful, please consider sharing it with your friends and family.