If you could hire an employee who was already trained in his or her field, knew the value of teamwork, and was committed to getting the job done, even under the most difficult circumstances, you’d do it, right? So would major corporations across the U.S., which is one reason why so many have created special programs for recruiting veterans.
“We hire military veterans because they make great employees,” said Randall L. Stephenson, chairman and CEO of AT&T, in an interview with BusinessNewsDaily. “They bring proven technical and leadership skills. They understand teamwork, and they’re adaptable. Bottom line, hiring veterans is good for business.”
And it’s good for a wide variety of businesses. Sectors as diverse as financial services and construction are hiring significant numbers of former military personnel. G.I. Jobs, an information resource for service members who are transitioning to civilian careers, recently listed 20 of the top jobs for veterans. Here are just a few:
1. Engineer. Military engineers do everything from controlled demolition to building roads — a great foundation for a civilian career.
2. IT Pro. This encompasses a wide range of jobs, from tech support to software engineering. Tech jobs are out-pacing the growth of jobs as a whole, making this a solid choice for a career.
3. Mechanic. In the military, mechanics fix everything from tanks to lawnmowers, depending on where they’re working. This means that there’s a lot of opportunity to pick up knowledge that will translate to your post-military career.
4. Sales Rep. Sales jobs are all about the mission, something that will feel familiar to military personnel. Service members also have a lot of experience in staying calm under pressure, which is something sales people need to be able to do.
5. Project Manager. PMs make sure work gets done on time, on budget, and to spec. They often have to communicate across departments to make it happen — something that’s necessary in military jobs.
Of course, not all jobs are a one-to-one comparison, and veterans might find that they need additional schooling or certification to do similar jobs outside the service. However, with more companies interested in hiring former military, now’s a great time for vets to start thinking about how their jobs fit into the civilian market.
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