The Skills Employers Value Most From Military Veterans

The Skills Employers Value Most From Military Veterans The Skills Employers Value Most From Military Veterans Make the military-to-civilian career transition easier by highlighting these sought-after strengths.Our nation’s veterans continue to find the job search more challenging than their civilian counterparts, according to the most recent report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While the employment rate for this group has shown improvement, the job hunt remains a difficult process.“The problem is often not a lack of skills and qualifications,” noted Robert Dagnall, expert resume writer for military-to-civilian transitions. “It’s how to translate military experience into terms employers can recognize and value.”I spoke with a number of career professionals who specialize in military-to-civilian transitions to find out which skills are most transferrable to, and sought-after by, employers in the private sector.Security ClearancesA security clearance is one of the most valuable qualifications a veteran can bring to the table. According to Dagnall, a Top Secret, or “TS,” c learance would cost a private company hundreds of thousands of dollars if they had to pay for that level of background screening. Security clearances not only offer proof of the candidate’s responsibility and accountability, but they also save the employer a lot of time and money. Take the necessary steps to maintain your security clearance so your competitive advantage doesn’t lapse.Supply Chain Management Manufacturing“Many service men and women were entrusted with equipment, supply inventories, and million-dollar budgets,” says Dagnall. This experience lends itself to a promising career in operations or manufacturing where areas of expertise such as procurement, purchasing, inventory management and logistics are vital.Subject Matter ExpertiseGovernment-sector employers such as civilian contractors and government agencies often seek out professionals with U.S. military subject matter expertise. Job candidates can leverage their knowledge to work in a variety of roles. Thi s can range from consulting companies that require individuals with operational knowledge of military training systems, to education providers who need someone to establish and maintain relationships with key military and veteran stakeholders for their business development efforts.AdaptabilityJackie Das is the owner of HeadStart Career Services, an Arizona-based career coaching organization. Having worked with several military groups over the years, she’s found that military personnel can sell their adaptability to employers in the private sector. “Military professionals work well under extreme pressure, deal well with change, and are good at adapting to new cultures,” says Das. These skills are appealing to a variety of organizations, from start-ups to well-established companies operating in challenging environments.Documented Work HistoryWhile former military job seekers may find the search to be more difficult, Dagnall notes one crucial advantage they have over their civili an competition: documentation. As any resume writer will tell you, the more quantitative information you can bring to the resume writing-process, the better. Veterans come armed with SMART transcripts, VMETs, evaluation reports, training certificates, and award narratives detailing valuable training and accomplishments. He notes that the “rater’s comments” section on evaluations is especially useful, as it often yields specific metrics and quotable testimonials about performance. “If it’s in writing, it’s fair game to repurpose for a veteran’s job search.”Ladders is committed to serving those who have served our nation by helping them find opportunities that match their skills and expertise.