CAREER TRANSITION RESOURCES FOR VETERANS
Relating the skills utilized while serving your country to those needed in the civilian world of work can be a challenge. There are abundant resources available to help you connect the dots. While employers are impressed by the leadership, critical thinking, adaptability, teamwork, discipline and diversity of knowledge you bring to the table, it is your job to explain your value in civilian terms.
Document Development and Interview Readiness
- Online tools are available to help you to translate your experience into civilian terminology to generate job application materials and prepare for interviews. On the links below, enter your military service area and job title, review the civilian positions that match for accuracy, highlight tasks and transferrable skills that match your experience then incorporate relevant aspects of the job description into your résumé. onetonline.org/crosswalk/MOC/, www.military.com/veteran-jobs/skills-translator
- Avoid military lingo and acronyms. Highlight honors, contributions and security clearance in describing work.
- For all position descriptions on your résumé, military and otherwise, quantify your accomplishments (e.g. number of personnel supervised, amount of cost savings, length of deployment, percentage of accuracy). Military and civilian evaluations from your past work may be a good source of data. A great resource for Military-to-Civilian resume examples can be found here: (via Resume Builder) https://www.resumebuilder.com/military-to-civilian-resume-examples/
Federal and State Support Systems for Employment
- The Uniform Services Employment and Re-Employment Rights Act is a federal law intended to ensure that service members are not disadvantaged in their civilian careers because of their service, are promptly reemployed in civilian jobs upon return from duty and are not discriminated against based on military service. dol.gov/vets/programs/userra
- Helmets to Hardhats supports active military, Reservists and Guardsmen transitioning into the construction industry. helmetstohardhats.org
- Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve was established to promote employer support through increased awareness of the law, recognition of outstanding support and conflict mediation. esgr.org
- The Center for Energy Workforce Development has a Troops to Energy Jobs initiative to accelerate training and employability of Veterans. troopstoenergyjobs.com
- The Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment program assists Veterans who became disabled through service to secure and maintain employment. benefits.va.gov/vocrehab
- Feds Hire Vets helps military Veterans transition into federal employment. Find details at va.gov/jobs/, www.fedshirevets.gov and additional opportunities are available through www.usajobs.gov/Veterans.
- Ohio Veterans Services offers support related to work, education and additional benefits. ohiovet.gov
- The Jobs for Vets State Grant Program provides training and employment services to eligible Veterans, transitioning service members and their spouses. These and other services are available through Job and Family Services (ohio.gov/owd/wia/wiamap.stm, jfs.ohio.gov/Veterans) and the Department of Labor (www.dol.gov/vets/, www.careeronestop.org/Veterans/default.aspx).
- OhioMeansJobs is a state-wide job and résumé bank with additional free live and virtual services including a Veterans component. ohiomeansjobs.com, www.ohiomeansveteransjobs.com
Additional Links for Career Exploration and Support
www.overwatchpartnership.org
www.mynextmove.org/vets
www.yourjobpath.com
www.gijobs.com
www.hireamericasheroes.org
www.hireahero.org
www.hirepurpose.com
www.military.com/veteran-jobs
www.recruitmilitary.com
www.vetnethq.com
www.veteranjobsmission.com
www.legion.org/careers
www.corporategray.com
www.fourblock.org
www.veterans.linkedin.com
www.return2work.org
www.acp-usa.org
Healthcare Careers for Student Veterans: An Online Guide (edumed.org)
Best Trade Schools for Veterans (best-trade-schools.net)