The biggest challenge for Veterans transitioning from active duty to civilian life is in trying to figure out how they can present themselves as skilled workers to the new/potential corporate employers.
“All the work that I've done are from my military service. What value can I bring to a civilian employer?”
We, at Hire Veterans Job Board, often see this among our job seekers. A Veteran with experience in building advanced roads during deployment will still hesitate to apply for a road construction job all because he thinks he falls short in terms of the technical qualifications or educational background for this coveted position. This article aims to help you to think otherwise.
Contrary to how you are feeling or thinking about your “lack of” qualifications, your past occupational skills during your military service are VALUABLE to employers.
- You roofed commercial and industrial structures in a week’s time.
- You dug trenches up the hill two-and-a-half feet deep for 1,300 feet just as seasoned mining engineers would.
- You cleared rubbles; patched and paved streets, highways, easements and runways like road engineers.
- You wired/rewired electricity to power an office or needing community in the same way an electrician or electrical engineer would.
- You planned, designed, and built bridges and structures according to international civil engineering codes.
- You airlifted relief goods, rendered medical translations and offered critical medical assistance to disaster-stricken countries.
- You coordinated vaccinations to prevent the spread of malignant diseases.
- You safely loaded and transported relief goods by sea, air, and land according to strict logistical standards ensuring delivery in a timely manner.
- You managed seaports in times of national disaster and monitored shipments of critical supplies.
- You even handled the transportation and storage of hazardous materials (HAZMAT) at some point.
- You were part of a peacekeeping project that provided surveillance assistance and police work faced with threats and challenges greater than the average level investigators, correctional officers, or police officers in your home country could experience.
- You learned the language of a foreign country to facilitate communication between U.S. military support and the locals.
- You set up radio/telephonic systems to a country in rubbles that is in the early aftermath of war and terrorism.
- You restored network or cellular towers to dangerous locations – overseeing the construction and installation of cell sites to bring service to the affected areas.
The above examples are just the tip of the huge iceberg of skill sets that each and every Veteran are uniquely exposed, trained and equipped to do while in service. We have not even mentioned your mine sweeping and munitions removal experiences that saved multiple lives. Veteran skills are proven to be of employment value when brought forth to the recruiting table. You just need to learn how to collect your experience and transfer them into paper.
Never underestimate your Veteran competencies. Bring out your strengths and translate those military experiences to employable, hirable skills. Read our separate blog to help you create an effective Veteran resume.