Top Tips for Veterans in College or Looking to Change Careers

Changing careers is never an easy transition, yet for military veterans, the challenges can be exponentially more difficult. According to the United States Census bureau, there are 19 million veterans in the United States, many of whom continue to struggle to find full-time work and assimilate to civilian life.

Pace University’s Director of Career Services Paula King shares her top 11 tips for veterans on the job hunt:

1. On your resume, use a profile section to clearly identify your military status and what skills you developed while you were enlisted.
2. Let the career services team at your college or university help translate military training and experience in your resume, making the connection between your service and your new career path.
3. Quantify military experience and achievements wherever possible. For example, let employers know the number of soldiers you supervised, or medals earned.
4. Develop a cover letter that introduces your veteran’s status to an organization, demonstrating your interest and experience as it relates to the position.
5. For federal jobs, your resume must follow a specific format and include a Veterans Preference.
6. Craft a carefully worded 30-second pitch to let recruiters know you are a veteran and why they should hire you.
7. Research employers in your industry that have veteran hiring initiatives or mentoring programs to create a target list.
8. Utilize LinkedIn as a tool for branding your veteran experience. Develop a profile that communicates clear transferable skills (e.g., critical thinking and leadership skills), collect recommendations from civilian and military references and join networking groups.
9. Schedule a mock interview with a career counselor on your campus so you can learn to effectively articulate your military experience and navigate potentially difficult questions.
10. Connect with other veterans through the Student Veteran Association and at on-campus events; build your networking skills and learn from each other’s experiences.
11. If your college or university offers them, attend on-campus employer spotlights and panels, road trips, and career fairs to network with employers on and off-campus.

Lifelong skills picked up serving in the military can pivot to a career path that can contribute in innumerable ways to companies looking for successful job candidates! Get connected with Career Services at Pace today.