What I remember the most about transitioning from active duty in the military back to the civilian was all the fear. Fear of the unknown and fear of all the ‘hardships’ everyone warned me about nonstop. It created anxiety and didn’t help with solving anything. Just like in life, yes, there are real challenges; yes, there are unexpected speed bumps and roadblocks and heart-wrenching disappointments possible. But just as possible are completely unplanned and unexpected opportunities, helping hands from people you’ve yet to meet and heart-fulfilling surprises.
I left active duty many years ago but there are still some tough statistics out there. According the the U.S. Department of Labor, in October 2024, the veteran unemployment rate was 3.0%, up from 2.8% the previous month and up from 2.9% the prior year. Also in October 2024, the comparable non-veteran unemployment rate was 4.1%, up from 3.9% the previous month and up from 3.7% the prior year. That can feel like a pretty daunting endeavor for the many individuals leaving the military careers they’ve grown accustomed to for carving out a relatively unknown path for themselves.
Many military veterans can struggle with having enough savings to hold them over to find their ideal job, as well as how to translate their many transferrable skills from military jargon into a meaningful resume. According to a study, “Challenges on the Homefront: Underemployment Hits Veterans Hard,” conducted by Zip Recruiter and the Call of Duty Endowment, although veteran turnover is lower than civilian turnover throughout the course of their careers, veterans tend to leave their initial post-service roles faster than non-veterans. The study suggested that immediately following military service, veterans may take the first job available, as opposed to finding their ‘best fit.’ Roughly 57% of veterans remain at their jobs longer than two and a half years, compared to 42.5% of non-veterans.
Transitioning as a veteran is unique and a different challenge than those carving out a new chapter after being laid off or looking for their next new role. Many military veterans didn’t get civilian work experience before joining the service. Most will have never had a job interview to obtain a role. There may have been interviews where the individual had to answer questions regarding the role but that’s not the same as interviewing in a completely different workplace culture and without job security behind you every step of the way.
But veterans have so many skills to bring to the table, whether it’s the technical training the military invested in them, the discipline, the team mentality, the resilience or commitment to the bigger mission. It is a travesty that the thing that may be keeping them from employment in a role that will fully leverage those capabilities are civilian job search skills.
Below are some critical tips that can support veterans in putting together their job search strategy:
- 1. Don’t let the fear consume you. You may have faced some of the scariest and challenging moments than anyone can even fathom. Or maybe you were like me and had more of a desk job. Either way, finding a job without any guarantees can be unsettling. Feel the fear but know that it’s a human response and you will make it through this just like you’ve made it through all the other impossible challenges you’ve taken on up to this point.
- 2. Don’t assume someone else will take care of it. This is where the conditioning we may have received in the military can work against us. We’ve been groomed to take orders. But now, you’ll need to get back into the driver’s seat of your career and get out in front of what this next chapter looks like for you. This can feel counterintuitive, depending on your role while serving.
- 3. Don’t be afraid to ask for or receive help. Fully leverage your military benefits to get job training, career coaching, contacts and even therapy. Even if you weren’t traumatized in any particular way during your tenure in the military, going through therapy can help stimulate and foster increased self-awareness. This is invaluable when carving out your life path. Therapy can also help you build tools to increase your resilience, which you’re going to need for your job search. Regardless of which services you take advantage, understand that you’re not alone on this journey. There are resources set up to support your new chapter.