Military members gaining advanced technical skills from service soon face transitioning to civilian professional life. Identifying transferable strengths from training areas related to healthcare, aviation, logistics, administration, mechanics, engineering, and information technology can reveal viable post-military career pathways that build confidence. Understanding credentialing programs that translate military skills into civilian jobs opens up more opportunities.
Transferable Skills & Interests
Military experience, when assessed in terms of readiness and accomplishments, translates into valuable skills for civilian jobs. Medics have trauma skills fitting healthcare roles; mechanics possess diagnostics mastery applicable across repair industries; logistics coordinators exhibit supply chain management strengths desirable in both public and private sector jobs.
Beyond matching credentials directly, broader lifecycle management capabilities spanning maintenance, repair and overhaul arenas prove valuable across aviation, manufacturing, oil and gas, utilities, and construction. Facilities operation skills likewise have civilian counterparts. Mastering aspects like electrical upkeep, machinery, plumbing, carpentry, structural integrity checks, fire and safety protocols easily transfer into campus, hotel, commercial or hospital settings.
Licensing and Certification Assistance
Gaining professional credentials aligned to military roles helps demonstrate qualification readiness for future civilian employers. Each service branch offers credentialing opportunities assistance programs like COOL – the Coast Guard program, Navy COOL, Marine Corps COOL, and Army COOL. The people at ProTrain say that the military COOL program bridges the gap between occupational specialties and civilian employment needs through credential funding support.
Researching aligned certifications early allows completing eligible exams while still enlisted. That timing workaround allows utilizing military tuition assistance before discharge. Testing centers on bases also provide convenience sitting for core civilian career credential exams.
Networking and Continuity
Beyond pursuing aligned credentials before discharge, connecting with professional associations on niche job boards builds continuity. Military-civilian networks like Bradley-Morris/RecruitMilitary or American Corporate Partners offer mentorships. Engaging with veteran support groups on LinkedIn also builds connections.
Attending regional job fairs hosted on military bases allows direct networking with prospective regional employers. Face-to-face conversations convey transferable skills strongly. Some events feature dressing simulations so that attendees practice making first impressions dressed for new civilian career success.
Tailored job search support platforms help transitions. Their military-experienced talent networks simplify finding trusted resume advice, job matches, skill translations, virtual career fairs and localized hiring events.
Translating Military Service for Resume Reading
Strategically optimizing resumes, cover letters and interview talks to relay military service details in civilian professional language is key. Demonstrating tangible and quantifiable results highlights skills and abilities.
For example, relaying coordination experience through metrics like synchronizing 175 personnel across 50 aircraft for 600 monthly combined sorties clarifies scale. Describing process improvements that enhanced efficiency 15% or safety incident reduction by 20% spotlights leadership strengths clearer than just generally listing managerial duties.
Tailoring communication style to avoid extensive acronyms or shorthand that confuse civilian employers takes concerted effort. But doing so aligns understanding around competencies and establishes common ground relating as seasoned professionals with transferable career readiness.
Confidence Conveying Capabilities
Undertaking essential translation work minimizes military-civilian divides so competencies shine through. Developing resumes highlighting technical expertise, security clearances, management strengths and accomplishments over roles builds esteem around capabilities. Understanding credentials that align specialties to civilian fields also channels confidence.
Pursuing exam preparation early allows utilizing military education benefits for licensing fees. That fiscal advantage removes obstacles, so separating members avoid paying thousands out of pocket later to re-qualify in fields they already mastered from service training.
Conclusion
Relaying capabilities contextually, pursuing credential assistance opportunities, and networking to civilian associations allows qualification readiness to be confidently conveyed. Military experience shows immense technical, leadership and transferable strengths. Unlocking civil careers aligning service knowledge to credentialing qualifications connects boots to business smoothly.
