Understanding how your particular skills relate to the current civilian job market can be a challenge. You’ve just spent a significant portion of your life speaking in a language that many civilian employers will have difficulty understanding. One of the most arduous aspects for veterans seeking employment is finding the right way to translate skills so that employers and hiring managers can best understand how you can benefit an organization.
Fortunately, there are a variety of resources available to you to help assuage this challenge.
American Corporate Partners
ACP offers a one-on-one mentorship program connecting veterans and military spouses with mentors from the nation’s top companies. The organization hand selects mentors using a customized approach and to help veteran protégés looking to build a civilian career. Fill out a veteran application to get started on this no-cost program.
Bunker Labs
Bunker Labs is a national network of veteran entrepreneurs dedicated to helping new veteran entrepreneurs start their own business through networking, tools and resources. As of Jan. 2019, 1,012 startups have completed Bunker Labs programs which include Launch Lab Online, WeWork Veterans in Residence, and CEOcircle.
Center for Women Veterans
The CWV recognizes that women service members are one of the fastest growing groups of veterans. They aim to help women feel more visible as veterans through cultural transformation of awareness. The CWV can assist as an employment resource for women veterans who might otherwise feel marginalized.
Corporate America Supports You
CASY provides no-cost job placement services to transitioning service members, veterans and military dependents. The organization offers resume assistance, interview preparation, professional development training and a directory of Hot Jobs offered by employers. Register here to get started with CASY services.
Dog Tag Bakery
A five-month fellowship program for veterans and military spouses that includes education at Georgetown University and real life work experience.
Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve
An often overlooked sector of the veteran population is the National Guard and reserves, even though they make up 40% of the force. ESGR aims to change that through employment resources specifically tailored to the skills that veteran guardsmen and reserves service members possess. This Department of Defense program has been around for over 40 years and helps coordinate support between Guard and Reserve veterans and employers.
The Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans
EBV is a no-cost program for Post-9/11 service members and their families. The program offers experiential training and small business management with programs that focus on financial, management, marketing and strategic planning.
The tech giant unveiled a series of new tools aimed at supporting transitioning military members seeking civilian employment. Coined Grow with Google, the initiative focuses on three main areas: employment, entrepreneurship, and education.
HIRE GI
This employment placement agency understands the challenges of military transition. They routinely host job fairs throughout the country and have a strong focus on veteran owned business opportunities. Additionally, HIRE GI will help you prepare for interviews and create a resume that will be well-suited to your job seeking efforts.
Hire Heroes USA
This non-profit employment resource has a singular mission: to help veterans land fulfilling and successful employment after serving in the military. Personalized employment training that veterans receive from Hire Heroes USA will help them stand out from the rest of the applicant pool. Hire Heroes routinely partners with a variety of large corporations to help assist you further.
Hiring Our Heroes
A nationwide initiative that’s headed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, this employment resource will help you find meaning in your new civilian career. It can be challenging to leave behind the military way of life, but the organization helps veterans and their families seek out what will be most beneficial for them.
Indeed
Indeed simplified the digital employment hunt for veterans by creating a simple resume template for those with military experience. The site also offers research tools to calculate salary and company reviews.
The availability of LinkedIn to use to network in your new civilian employment sector is becoming a necessary tool in today’s job market. LinkedIn offers military members and veterans a free year of a premium subscription to help you get the most out of your employment searching.
Military Officers Association of America
In addition to providing a variety of other resources for officers from all branches of the military, the MOAA hosts networking events throughout the country to help support its mission of advocacy for military veterans.
North Carolina for Military Employment (NC4ME)
NC4ME is a coalition of partners committed to helping military personnel, veterans and military spouses find quality career opportunities in North Carolina. The organization conducts events around the state connecting job seekers to education, training and training opportunities. Click HERE for upcoming events.
Onward to Opportunity
Formerly known as the Veterans Career Transition Program, O2O is a free, comprehensive career skills program that provides civilian career training, professional certifications and job placement support to transitioning service members, members of the selected reserves, veterans, and military spouses.
Patriot Boot Camp
The organization provides active duty service members, veterans, and their spouses with access to mentors, educational programming, and a robust community of experts and peers to help them innovate and build impactful businesses.
Recruit Military
A service that is offered free of charge for veterans and their spouses, Recruit Military is one of the nation’s largest single-source employment database. Many of the employees of this organization are veterans as well, so they know firsthand how challenging it can be to settle into a successful civilian career that’s fulfilling and rewarding.
The Rosie Network
A network of military family-owned businesses around the U.S., The Rosie Network offers programs for every stage of the business development process. The organization recently added a chapter model which connects veterans and spouses at select locations.
The Silent Professionals
A resource for vetted private security and military contractor professionals. New jobs are posted daily – sign up for custom job notifications to be sent directly to your inbox.
StreetShares
A resource for military-connected entrepreneurs, StreetShares offers zero fee business financing.
USO Pathfinder Program
A program of the USO, Pathfinder offers transition support services for service members and military spouses. A list of site locations can be found here.
Veterati
Not nearly as well-known as some other veteran services, Veterati is resource that will connect you with a mentor to help you navigate transitioning back into employment in a civilian capacity. Mentors are essential for veterans as they can provide you with real-world experience and advice and might help you find employment opportunities that you might miss.
Veterans’ Employment and Training Program
A division of the US Department of Labor, VETS has regional and national offices located throughout the country to help aid and assist transitioning veterans. With a focus on preparation and protection of employment rights, the VETS program helps to facilitate a simple transition for you as you navigate the civilian employment sector.
Veteran Job Mission
A coalition of almost 250 private sector companies who are focused on hiring veterans, the Veteran Job Mission will help connect you with employers who are actively seeking individuals with military experience. In existence since 2011, VJM has been on a mission to hiring 100,000 veterans by 2020.
Veterans Campaign
A non-partisan organization focused on encouraging, mentoring and preparing veterans for civic leadership. Programs include an introductory campaign training workshop and advanced campaign training.
Veterans Employment
This veteran-owned agency speaks your language — literally. They can easily help translate your skills from the language you used in the military into verbiage that hiring managers will understand. They have expertise in seeking out ideal employment fits for veterans from all branches of the military. VE also works directly with corporations, which can provide you with some much needed networking leverage.
VetToCEO
A training program that helps transitioning military and veterans explore entrepreneurship and prepares them to start or buy a small business.
V-Wise
Veteran Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship helps women veterans learn the skills needed to be successful entrepreneurs.
Did we miss something? Contact us now to add your organization or program to the list: managing.editor@ameriforcemedia.com.
