Are there civilian equivalents for military jobs?

I'm thinking about a future with both military experience and civilian work. How do military jobs typically translate to civilian careers, and is there a straightforward way to find their civilian equivalents?

Yes, many military occupations do have civilian counterparts. The U.S. Department of Labor's ONET OnLine has a helpful tool called the Military Crosswalk Search, where you can input a Military Occupational Classification (MOC) and see possible civilian occupations that would utilize similar skills. It pulls data from both the Army COOL (Credentialing Opportunities On-Line) and the Navy COOL to provide detailed information.

Another valuable resource is the American Council on Education's (ACE) Military Guide, which essentially converts military experience into college credit. It's not a direct job match, but it's a good way to figure out how your military skills could be used in an academic setting, which could then translate to civilian jobs.

The best thing to keep in mind as you plan your career transition is that the soft skills you develop in the military, such as leadership, discipline, and teamwork, are highly valued in the civilian world as well. Keep a record of your accomplishments and responsibilities in your current role to help translate these qualities into civilian terms. Make sure to leverage these skills on your resume along with your tangible, occupationally-specific skills.