Your Next Mission—Helping Veterans Transition From The Military To A Civilian Career by Greg Call, Retired Marine and Veterans Program Manager at Linkedin (NAPS)—Like many veterans, I joined the Marine Corps after 9/11 because I wanted to make a difference. Following myservice, which included a tour in Afghanistan, I faced the reality of transition back to civilian life with a mix of emotions, but ultimately, like a military operation—with a plan, support, the right tools and clarity of purpose. I was fortunate to build a new professional identity and network to advance my career. The reality, however, is that for many veterans, the path to the perfect job is not so clear. In the next five years, close to 1 million veterans will transition from the military to civilian jobs. For many post-9/11 veterans who have spent the majority of their adulthood in the military, this may be the first time they ask themselves whatit is they want to do professionally and how to go about doingit. In the military, you have a clearly defined career path with a predetermined outcome— you select an occupational specialty, earn rank and fulfill the necessary billets. Contrary to our experience in the military, transi- tion brings choices that can feel overwhelming. Fortunately, there are many great community, state, federal andprivate-sector resources available to help ease the transition, connect veterans to opportunity and put them on the path toa meaningful and rewarding job. Here are just a few that I highly recommend. Tips And Resources To Help Transitioning Veterans 1. Approach yourtransition like a military operation.Identify your personal mission. Ask yourself whatreally makes you comealive? Whatare your strengths? There are several free resources online that can help, like LinkedIn’s Veteran Mentor Network. 2. Get the support you need and make a plan. Warriors Ethos is a nonprofit organization that helps veterans plan for their next career. 3. Create your professional identity and personal brand. LinkedIn offers a free video tutorial for veterans, teaching them how to create a profile, connect and find jobs on LinkedIn. 4. Brush up on professional skills. If you can’t go back to school, consider taking classes online. Veterans can use skills they learned in the military to get great jobsas civilians. 5. Go where the jobs are. Companies and the federal government are looking for veterans like you who have valuable skills. Visit Hire Heroes USA. 6. Connect with other veterans. There are more than 2 million veterans on LinkedIn, many of whom are mentors and happy to help guide you on yourjob search. Well Connected And Well Informed—The Future Looks Bright For Veterans It’s no secret that veterans have a lot to offer the workforce—we are resilient, flexible, tech savvy and thrive on working in teams. Corporations are taking notice as veteran unemployment is at a 10- year low, lower in fact than the national average. In a recent study, LinkedIn took a closer look at the more than 2 million veterans on LinkedIn to gain insight into what happens to veterans after they leave the military. Amongthehighlights: 1. Information technology (IT) is the No. 1 industry for veteran employment. 2. Professional networks are the No. 1 method that veterans use to find employment. 3. Over 186,000 veterans have achieved the leadership roles of vice president, owner, partner, founder or C-level executive. This report shows a veteran community that is in high demand and thriving in the workforce. It’s a community that has adapted and aligned its skills with highgrowth industries, a community that understands the power of networking, of leaders who are rising in the ranks within companies and, most importantly, a community that seeks to help lift up our brothers and sisters who have served. LinkedIn for Good is LinkedIn’s social impact arm, focused on connecting underserved communitiesto economic opportunity. To learn more,visit www.linkedinforgood.linkedin.com or go to www.linkedin.com/veterans.
