Veterans and the Job Search

While the job search is hard across the board for almost everyone, there are additional hurdles that can face veterans who are transitioning into the civilian sector. According to a new study by the Military Benefit Association, about half of those who have recently separated from the service have struggled to find work for four to twelve months.

One of the biggest issues that about 70% of hiring agents report having is being able to understand the skill sets of the veteran. As most any veteran knows, including myself, a lot of the military lingo is not the same as is common in the civilian world. This is not always the case of course, and can vary from job field to job field, but a lot of times, the language is different, and civilian agents are not always sure how to decipher things when the veteran uses that language.

As reported by BusinessNewsDaily, Roy Gibson, a retired U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sergeant and the president of the Military Benefit Association advises “veterans to use one of the numerous online military skills translators to help them describe their experience in a way that hiring managers can better understand,” and that “Veterans can find skills translators online at military.com, Home Depot and the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs and Career One Stop.”

Understanding how those skill sets match up in the civilian world is one step. The next step is to properly understand the broader use of those skills. For instance, someone who has spent their whole career as a mechanic working on jets or helicopters should not limit themselves by listing “jet mechanic” as their main skills, but should let it all fall under the wider range of a general career mechanic.

Understanding the skills that have been learned and how they cross-over and apply in the civilian world will help to understand the extent that those skills can reach into a career. What was done for the years on the job may have been limited to a smaller realm of skills than what is actually possible to do, and listing the skills that are directly related to the job applied for is the best bet. Look at what the position requires, and if you have the skills to match, be sure to formulate the résumé to use the keywords in the job description rather than just listing generic skills.

With most veterans, they know ahead of time when they will be separating. Therefore, it is important to start early and not wait until you are out on the street and jobless. I personally know veteran friends of mine who begin the search many months early. Depending on the career field, there may be a length of time before a company is ready to take you on anyway, and I have seen some positions taking months of negotiating before they were open. Starting the process as early as feasible, and working everything out ahead of time can help shorten the time between the last day of service and the first day of work.

Another good piece of advice from Gibson is to find someone who has already been through the process, and has successfully made the transition to the civilian workforce, and seek assistance. Maybe they know some tips that worked for them and some to avoid, or maybe they would be willing to help you practice the interview process. During the practice, they might be more apt to quickly pick up on times where you may be using military lingo, and point it out so you can avoid doing so.

Unfortunately, veterans face the same struggle as civilians in finding available openings, and so it is important to keep at it and not let the frustration turn into depression. Gibson says, "I understand that it can be very discouraging if that job doesn't pop right up and in most cases it does not. If you network, have a plan, keep working your plan and using your resources, it will come."

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