Transitioning out of uniform can be hard. Whether you are finishing one enlistment or retiring after 20 or more years, it is common to feel uncertain about your future—especially your career. Finding a civilian job isn't always easy. However, employment is important not just for your finances. It can also help your psychological health and overall well-being. Fortunately, the military has given you training and skills that employers want. Also, each military branch has transition assistance programs. If you already left the service, the Department of Veterans Affairs has additional resources to help. With a little work, and the following tips and resources, you can launch a new career and find a sense of purpose and belonging out of uniform.
Translate Your Experience
The first step to landing a job is figuring out how your military experience applies to the civilian workforce. A good place to start is the Department of Labor's Military to Civilian Occupation Translator. This online tool helps figure out what types of jobs are a good match for you.
Once it is time to put together your resume, write a cover letter, or interview remember to avoid military jargon. Put your military job title, skills, and experiences into terms employers understand. The Department of Veterans Affairs' Military Skills Translator can help. If you use terms you learned in the service, a future civilian employer probably won't know their meaning.
Provide a complete picture of your military experience. Describe your:
- Technical Skills: You might, for example, understand communications gear or be a financial management expert. These skills may reduce the time an employer has to spend training you.
- Interpersonal Skills: To execute missions in the military you likely coordinated with commanders, teammates, and subordinates. Give examples that show how you unite people to accomplish tasks.
- Leadership Skills: Leadership experience, whether as a noncommissioned officer or unit commander, is valued by employers. These experiences could make you a good project manager or team leader.
Use Resources for Veterans in Transition
The most important resource you can leverage is your service-specific transition program.
- Army
- Air Force
- Navy
- Marine Corps
These programs can help you go back to school, get a job or start a business.
If you have already left the service, use these resources:
- Employment – The Essentials (Military OneSource): Includes useful information and articles about finding a job for service members and their spouses.
- Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment: Free educational and vocational training services for qualifying veterans.
- Veterans Employment Toolkit (VA): This toolkit helps veterans find jobs and excel in the workplace.
- Veteran and Military Transition Center (CareerOneStop): A Department of Labor resource that helps veterans find a job, manage a career, or go back to school.
Training and practical job search assistance is important. However, finding a job is just one piece of the puzzle. There is also help if you are struggling to adjust to civilian life. It can be hard to leave a tight-knit community. Your first job might not give you the same sense of service and higher purpose. But, you don't have to transition alone. If you are struggling, know that reaching out is a sign of strength. The following can help:
- inTransition: Free assistance for service members and veterans who needing psychological health care.
- Vet Centers (Department of Veterans Affairs): Around-the-clock assistance for combat veterans.
If you have an emergency or are in crisis, please contact the Military Crisis Line or the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Dial 988 and press 1 or text 838255.
Are you calling the Military/Veterans Crisis Line from overseas? The country code to reach the United States will be required for each of these numbers, depending on your location.
- Europe, call: 844-702-5495 or DSN 988
- Pacific, call: 844-702-5493 or DSN 988
- Southwest Asia, call: 855-422-7719 or DSN 988
If you or a loved one needs additional support, contact the Psychological Health Resource Center 24/7 to confidentially speak with trained health resource consultants. Call 866-966-1020 or use the Live Chat. You can also see a list of key psychological health resources here.
Additional Resources:
Sources:
- Department of Veterans Affairs (2015). Veterans Employment Toolkit.
- Hergenrather, K. C., Zeglin, R. J., McGuire-Kuletz, M., & Rhodes, S. D. (2015). Employment as a social determinant of health: A systematic review of longitudinal studies exploring the relationship between employment status and physical health. Rehabilitation Research, Policy, and Education, 29, 261-290. doi: 10.1891/2168-6653.29.1.2.
- Military OneSource. (n.d.). Employment – The Essentials.
- Military OneSource. (2018). What Service Members Need to Know About Employment.