One of the greatest challenges veterans face is finding a job after military service. From difficulty matching their military skills, experience, and training to civilian requirements, to networking their way into success, many veterans are returning to civilian life fighting to adjust and land a new job. Whitehouse.gov compiled a list of initiatives and organizations with a mission to bridge the gap between military service and civilian careers.
[Related: 15 Best Employers for Veterans]
1. The Veterans Job Bank connects unemployed veterans to job openings with companies that want to hire them. The Obama administration partnered with leading job search companies to create a new, easy-to-use online service that enables employers to “tag†job postings for veterans.
2. Veterans Recruiting Services connects employers and veterans through virtual career fairs. VRS offers services to assist veterans and their spouses as they transition to the civilian workforce, and helps employers find the right highly-qualified, educated, and well-trained veterans for their businesses.
3. My Next Move for Veterans is an easy-to-use online tool, created by the Labor Department, that allows veterans to enter information about their experience and skills in the field, and match them with civilian careers that put that experience to use. The site also includes information about salaries, apprenticeships, and other related education and training programs.
4. The Veteran Gold Card provides post-9/11 veterans with extra support as they transition out of the military. Once a veteran has downloaded the Veteran Gold Card, he or she can access six months of personalized case-management, assessments, and counseling at the roughly 3,000 One-Stop Career Centers located across the country.
5. The Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP) is a comprehensive web-enabled recruitment and career partnership solution connecting military spouses to employers seeking a 21st century workforce with the skills and attributes possessed by military spouses. MSEP provides a digital recruiting platform for vetted FORTUNE 500 PLUS employers who have committed to identifying and promoting career employment opportunities for military spouses, posting job openings on the MSEP web portal, and to offering transferrable, portable careers to relocating military spouse employees.
6. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is committed to Hiring Our Heroes. They have also created strategic partnerships to deal with specific populations of veterans and their unique challenges in three other areas to include: a Wounded Warrior Transition Assistance Program, a Post 9-11 Student Veteran Internship and Employment Program, and a Women Veterans and Military Spouses Employment Program.
7. VetSuccess.gov provides comprehensive transition and employment resources for veterans, service members, and their families. VetSuccess.gov serves as a virtual employment resource center where veterans can browse job listings, post resumes, and apply for positions online. VetSuccess.gov also provides links to over 8 million jobs on the VetCentral site.
Do you have any job search tips or resources for veterans returning to civilian life? Leave me a comment below.