Many veterans find it incredibly challenging to adjust to civilian life after years of servicing their country, leading to a number of issues. This is a shame because veterans have done so much for their country and often have valuable and transferrable skills as well as a work ethic better than most. Still, there are a few tips which will help any veteran to adjust and find rewarding work after service. The transition will always be challenging, and you are not alone, but these tips should make the process easier and hopefully help you start a rewarding new chapter in your life.
Outline what your core strengths are
As mentioned, veterans often have highly valuable and transferrable skills, which can help them to secure work and excel in the workplace. It will differ for everyone, but think about that your core strengths are and how they could help you to succeed in this new chapter in your life. This might include things like:
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– Leadership
– Communication skills
– Organization
– Strategic planning
– Relationship building
– Working as part of a team
Find a military friendly college
Once you have an idea of the field that you would like to enter, it is then important to find a military friendly college. This is helpful for veterans because these colleges provide additional support, school advisors trained to work with veterans, financial aid, and will review what you have learned during your military training for potential credit in similar courses – this will help you to earn your de-gree faster and with less work.
Identify career paths that match your interests
You also need to think about what career path matches your interests as you will not enjoy this new chapter in your life if you do not find a career that interests or excites you. There are always jobs out there that can suit your interests and if not, you could even consider starting your own business.
Practice interview technique
It is true that being in the military teaches you many essential skills that transfer into the workplace, including communication skills. Despite this, the manner of communication can be different in pro-fessional settings, especially when it comes to interviews. This is why you need to practice your interview technique and read up on how you can improve your business communication skills.
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Use resources available and ask for help
As a veteran, it is important that you are aware that there are many excellent resources available to you, which can help with transitioning to civilian life and securing work, such as Veterans Affairs. Additionally, you should not feel bad about reaching out and asking for help from your network and often veterans make useful contacts through their service, which can be useful for finding opportunities as well as being personal references.
It is tough adjusting to civilian life after military service, but it is essential to realize that this is com-mon. These tips will hopefully help you to adjust and find rewarding and enjoyable work in an area that interests you and helps you to succeed in this new chapter in your life.
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