I have family members with military backgrounds. I'm curious about how military experience translates to civilian employment, especially in fields like management or logistics. Does anyone have insight on the transition or common roles for veterans?
This is an excellent question. There is undoubtedly an array of highly transferrable skills from military service to civilian jobs, especially in roles like management and logistics.
One way military experience often translates to civilian employment is through the exercise of leadership skills. The military fosters strong leaders, providing essential training and experience in decision-making, strategic planning and team management. These leadership qualities are highly sought after in the corporate world and can be particularly valuable in managerial positions.
On the more technical side, logistics is indeed a common role for veterans transitioning to civilian employment. In the military, service members gain valuable experience planning and coordinating large-scale operations, often under high-stress conditions. These organizational skills are directly applicable to roles in supply chain management and logistics within various industries.
Furthermore, the strong work ethic, discipline, and perseverance honed in the military are other valuable transferrable characteristics that can benefit any civilian job. A background in the military often demonstrates to potential employers that you have the drive and determination to accomplish tasks efficiently.
One final aspect to consider is leaning on available resources to aid in this transition. Various organizations focus on helping veterans shift into the civilian job market, offering job-search help, resume development, interview coaching, and career counseling.
For example, ONET OnLine, a free online resource sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, offers a Military Crosswalk feature that can be used to identify civilian occupations that have similar skillsets to military roles. This tool can be useful in identifying suitable civilian jobs and also crafting a CV that effectively highlights your transferrable skills.
All told, while the transition from military to civilian employment can be challenging, the skills gained in service often translate remarkably well, and there's a broad array of resources available to ease this transition process.
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