Transitioning from military service to civilian life was tough enough before COVID-19. Now, veterans must do so in a time of recession, record unemployment, and fundamental change in how we interact and work with others both in our personal and professional lives. We have talked with recent veterans and servicemembers in our Onward To Opportunity program and identified some key skills veterans now need in this COVID-19 crisis.
Before the pandemic, relatively few companies truly embraced remote work. COVID-19 has changed that as companies scrambled to keep employees productive while isolating at home. Now, many are predicting that remote work will be an enduring legacy of the pandemic. As you prepare for transition, you should prepare yourself to work remotely. There are many articles available online which provide advice on setting up a home remote workspace, avoiding distractions, staying on schedule, and how to work effectively with your boss and subordinates. Also, you should become familiarized with current telework technology, i.e., using typical videoconference software applications such as Zoom, GoToMeeting, and others. You should also ensure your computer is capable of smoothly running video conferencing software, and your audio settings are correctly configured. While most companies will provide you a laptop once hired, you will likely have to use your equipment if your interview is done by videoconference.
Service members separating from the military will face even tougher competition for the fewer number of jobs. This means education, certifications, and special and technical skills, which were necessary before COVID-19, just became even more important. If you intend to go to school or an apprentice program when you transition, be sure to ensure schools will again be in session when you plan to begin.
A high demand career field, like IT, ensures you can get hired right out of the military but also that there are growth opportunities for you within that career healed. Some examples include cybersecurity, IT, web services, robotics, and advanced manufacturing, and Salesforce.
Our veterans also have discovered that IT careers pay competitive wages and create meaningful opportunities for advancement – especially for military veterans who also possess the characteristics companies seek.
Working remotely has exposed new cyber threats and the shortage of trained cyber security personnel. The IVMF has an existing partnership with Cisco and a new partnership with leading cyber security provider, Fortinet, to offer two new learning pathways in its Onward to Opportunity (O2O) program. These offerings provide no-cost career preparation and employment training for important positions with in-demand industries. Both pathways prepare participants for careers across cybersecurity infrastructure, management and analysis.
One of the most common barriers that Veterans cite in their transition is a lack of industry-specific skills and training. Getting this training while still in uniform or as a veteran greatly increases your chances of success in getting hired into your new career field. Also, there are many programs available for veterans to earn certifications, such as Onward to Opportunity. With training and certification, many veterans have found employers lining up to hire them.
Most veterans don’t get jobs from job boards. Networking plays an enormous role. As you’re approaching your transition, it’s time well spent to increase your network. That network is also useful to help you to better understand a particular career field. They can help you decide what career to pursue and also give you insights to better prepare yourself.
While there are many programs to help translate military skills, there are few that support vets in learning to communicate that translation effectively. Veterans face multiple hiring disadvantages from stereotypes in the civilian world perpetuated by Hollywood and the media. Veterans have been trained to perform within a team and need training and guidance in the art of self-promotion. A personal brand is an operating system veterans will use throughout their entire career. Look for programs like Onward To Opportunity to develop your personal brand.
