Veterans Get a Leg Up in the Job Market

Dan Savage, the head of veterans programs at LinkedIn.com, put together a great blog post that includes all of the steps he thinks veterans should take with regard to LinkedIn.

The blog includes the two new LinkedIn Learning Pathways the site has recently launched, which include over 45 hours of training on how to get a job and how to pursue higher education.

• Transition from Military to Civilian Employment: This learning path will help you navigate your job search, build your professional identity, prepare for interviews, negotiate salary, and even get promoted once you’ve been hired.
• Transition from Military to Student Life: Covering everything from ACT/SAT/GRE test prep to essay writing, study skills, time management tips, and landing an internship, this learning path should set you on a course to success for graduation and beyond.

In both of these paths, you’ll find the following three courses, specifically designed for the military and veteran community.

• LinkedIn for Veterans: This course provides a “LinkedIn 101” tutorial for everything from selecting and uploading the right picture to searching and applying for jobs.
• Translating Your Military Skills to Civilian Employment: This course will help you understand the civilian hiring process and empower you to demonstrate your best self to potential employers.
• Finding Your Purpose After Active Duty: This course is all about the intangibles of transition — understanding your value to civilian employers, dealing with the uncertainty of transition, and wrestling with some of the challenges inherent in this process.

Military Times will soon launch Rebootcamp, a new web/mobile site focused on transition out of the military, as well as education, employment and entrepreneurship. It will be an extremely useful, interactive, and informative resource for service members and veterans, helping them further their knowledge and aiding their transition to civilian life. The site will feature interesting and funny videos, straightforward tips, and most importantly, the voices of those who have been there and done that!

Related: Military Kids and Education: Continuity Is Critical

Now, you have the opportunity to share that experience with others. There is power in the narrative — your narrative. How was that transition process? Others want to hear about your experience transitioning to civilian life.

The reality of military jobs and careers is that they eventually come to an end. You may quickly discover your career success in the military lacks a precise counterpart in the civilian world. Many service members can relate to and recognize that leaving military service and transitioning to civilian life has significant life-changing implications for them and those around them.

It is probably unlike any transition you’ve experienced before, and unlike any you will ever experience again. For some, the transition has been smooth sailing, charting a new course with an exciting career and lifestyle. For others, the rejections are terrible experiences and stressful on both the ego and the family.

Self-reflection to decide on your post-service purpose is a critical first step and a valuable exercise for a successful transition.

Remember that military experience provides training and work experience valued by employers. Self-reflection to decide on your post-service purpose is a critical first step and a valuable exercise for a successful transition. “What career do I want to pursue?”

Rebootcamp wants to hear from you about your transition experiences. Your stories should have a focus on education, employment, entrepreneurship, and/or other transition issues. Please make your submission between 500 and 750 words. Talk about what surprised you about leaving the military, what was easy, what was hard, and what lessons you learned along the way. Send your submission to [email protected].

Leaving military service? Get down to your local Transition Assistance Center and into the hands of a transition counselor. Use social media platforms to broaden your knowledge and enhance your post-service opportunities.

Related: We Can Reach People, Convey the Veteran Experience

You will leave military service career-ready, connected, and resourced with a network of mentors, employers, and education opportunities to successfully transition from military to civilian service.

Dr. Katherine (Kat) Harris is a veteran spouse, expat, and former military contractor with over 20 years of expertise in military/family transition, career counseling, higher education, organizational strategic planning, and international relations. An OpsLens contributor, she has conducted seminars and workshops for many Department of Army commands. This OpsLens article is used by permission.

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