Choosing a Job After Leaving the Military?

What's the best way to figure out what kind of job to pursue after serving in the military? Are there any programs or tools to help identify what skills translate best to civilian roles? This seems daunting, and any advice would be appreciated!

Determining what to do after leaving the military can indeed seem like a daunting task, but not to worry, there are quite a few resources in place to help.

The Department of Veterans Affairs in the US, for example, provides a variety of programs geared toward helping veterans make the transition into civilian life, including career counseling.

Programs such as the VA's Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) can assist with job training, employment accommodations, resume development, and job seeking skills coaching. They can also help translate the skills you acquired in the military into terms that civilian employers will understand and appreciate.

For identifying civilian roles that fit your military skills, there are free tools available like Military.com's Military Skills Translator. You just plug in your military job code, and it generates a list of civilian occupations that align with your military skillset.

There are also job boards like VetJobs and Hire Heroes USA that specifically cater to veterans and offer resources like resume help and job searching tips.

Try not to stress too much, making this transition is a process and it's okay to take your time figuring out your next steps. Always remember, whatever role you had in the military, those skills are valuable and transferable to civilian life in various ways. Employers value veterans for their leadership, problem-solving, and teamwork skills, among other characteristics learned through military service.