One of the biggest issues many veterans face when they return home from service, and sometimes for a while afterward, is that it's not always easy to find a steady job. Fortunately, many companies now look to focus their hiring efforts specifically on veterans, and organizations also exist to help organize events at which vets can find work.
For instance, the U.S. Congressional delegation representing Delaware recently set up a pair of job fairs for veterans at Wilmington University in Dover, according to the Middletown Transcript. In all, 40 employers, including private enterprises and state and federal agencies, were in attendance. The event drew 50 vets and active military personnel with polished resumes, and another was scheduled for nearby Middletown, Delaware, a few days later.
Why is this important?
One of the problems former service members face when they try to find work is unfair stigmas about their applicable work experience and other issues common among veterans, the report said. However, anyone who has been in any branch of the military for a number of years has probably cultivated several highly valuable qualities – from intangibles such as leadership and teamwork to clear on-the-job skills – that put these individuals in a great position to contribute for any employer.
"Veterans have tremendous skills that can be used in almost any capacity," retired U.S. Air Force Col. Ron Sarg, chairman of the Delaware Commission of Veterans Affairs, told the newspaper. "Veterans know how to work as a team, and they know how to work independently. They can easily identify with any company's objectives."
Going high tech
In addition, efforts are also underway to help train veterans for jobs that already relate to the skills they've developed, if not their real-world experience, according to the Providence Journal. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security recently partnered with Hire Our Heroes to offer free cybersecurity training classes that can prepare former service members for careers in IT. The Veterans Cybersecurity Training and Education Guide offered by DHS can help vets determine how prepared they are to begin this training, and once they are ready, up to 800 hours of courses are available for free online. About 100,000 vets have used the program so far.
This kind of job opportunity may be crucial for veterans because IT security plays into strengths they likely developed in the military, such as critical thinking and analytical examination of a potential problem, the report said. Moreover, IT security jobs generally pay quite well, with such a position currently carrying an average annual salary of about $116,000.
It shouldn't be incumbent upon veterans to show why such a relationship can be mutually beneficial, but if organizations can make those strides on their behalf, that's vital to ensuring veterans' future prosperity. However, when job fairs and other hiring events take place, veterans should have a resume ready to go so they can seize the opportunities that might be available to them based on their skillsets.