Coming up with a career choice is difficult, especially if you're planning to serve in the military before you begin your employment adventures. Try these options to find a strong career that will carry you through the rest of your life.
Synchronize Your Service with Real-World Skills
When you first join the military, you'll often be asked to choose a field like engineering, mechanics, or logistics. The time you spend learning these skills won't be wasted when your service is over; in fact, if you plan ahead, you can land a career that relies on your extensive on-duty training. Make your choice based on the kind of work you enjoy and the talents that you excel at naturally. Then, start looking for career paths that require those same skills to help you exceed.
Attend a Military-Friendly Online College
Although you might not realize it at first glance, there are plenty of
online colleges for military professionals both on and off active duty. Online classes are a great way to advance your education while you're stationed on base, and most military-friendly programs offer solutions if your plans change suddenly. Don't forget to look into whether you can earn college credits for your existing military service; if you're looking for a technical degree or certificate, you might already be halfway there.
Talk to Veteran-Focused Employers
One of the mistakes that many veterans make is waiting to talk to potential employers until they return from duty. Many large-scale employers are explicitly looking to hire veterans who have been trained to work with specific equipment or software. If you reach out to these companies before your service ends, you may be able to line up a lucrative job offer that will be waiting for you when you come home. Veteran-friendly opportunities are often willing to wait months or even years for the right candidate, so don't be afraid to start looking as soon as you have an idea of when your tour will end.
Focus on the Tools You're Familiar With
Many of the jobs you'll be taught in the military will rely on a specific type of equipment or software. The same manufacturers that take military contracts often produce equipment for the civilian sphere; if you're already familiar with their products, you'll have a leg up on other candidates who are applying in the same field. Find out which companies make the tools that you're already trained on. Then, look for businesses who rely on those same tools, and see if any of their career options are a good fit for you.
Military service is designed to set you up with a unique skill set that can often be applied to other areas of life. As long as you follow the trajectory that you've already started on, you should have no problem carving out a strong career path that will lead you to success.
Posted By: Lizzie Weakley
Friday, February 19th 2021 at 3:39PM
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