Those with military experience possess skills that can cross over to just about any civilian career, and in many ways veterans are better trained than their civilian counterparts.
Opportunities for military veterans can be found in both the public and private sectors. Often there are great jobs available at private military contractors (PMCs) such as Dyn Corp, General Dynamics, and AKE Group.
Here are the top five jobs that can offer an easy and successful transition for veterans, regardless of the employer.
Information Technology Specialist–Military veterans have used advanced information technologies that most civilians don’t even know of. This experience can easily transfer into a civilian role as an IT Specialist. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states that jobs for computer scientists and database administrators will be some of the fastest growing occupations through 2014. These jobs also translate well into contractor roles, for those who like working on their own.
Police Officer – There are so many similarities between a good police officer and a good soldier, the best being a desire to serve and to protect people’s rights. For this reason, police departments really want to hire veterans, and some offer special hiring incentives such as extra points on the police entrance exam, GI Bill benefits, and retirement extras.
Math/Science Teacher – The tie in between soldier and teacher isn’t hard to see—military personnel know how to keep order and discipline while simultaneously creating a sense of pride in those they supervise. These are also the virtues of a good teacher. Some of the extras that come with teaching are free summers and the ability to earn additional money by tutoring or coaching.
Entrepreneur – Ex-military personnel have one strong quality that many others do not: discipline. And this is the trait that can help a new business owner to make it through those first tough years until the business catches hold. Many veterans also know how to manage people as they’ve done it throughout their military career. Those interested in starting their own business should check out score.org and eauth.com to find entrepreneurial opportunities and resources just for veterans.
Public Service – Many veterans are drawn to this career as it continues their ability to serve the public, albeit in a different way. Not surprisingly, Washington, D.C. is the best place for public service opportunities, with about 16 percent of federal jobs located there. The good news is that many veterans applying for federal jobs will gain hiring preference over civilian applicants.
If a preferred job isn’t in on this list, don’t worry. Military veterans have an incredible set of skills that can propel them along on any career path they choose in either the private or public sector.
