Job fairs, employment opportunity expos, hiring events, resume workshops, career coaching, and transition assistance programs.  All of these are great resources for unemployed, underemployed veterans or transitioning active duty service members, but do they really help?  Survey says: it depends.  

All of the programs listed above have been implemented and continually redefined to curb the growing returning veteran unemployment rate but results have proved that it is simply not enough.  Why is this?  What can be done to better understand and remedy this issue?  Let’s first take a look at some recent data in order to put the issue into context.

According to statistics released by the Department of Labor and a report complied by Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) in 2010, returning veteran employment remains high in both men and women.  Overall unemployment was 11.5 in June of 2010, for veteran men it was 10.8 and for veteran women it was 15.5.

 A similar report was released earlier this month showing Iraq and Afghanistan veteran unemployment rates rising in every category except women veterans since November 2009.  Although the average number of unemployed women veterans has dropped, the average number of male veterans who are currently unemployed has risen over the past year.

 Many of these service members making the transition from military to civilian life find it difficult to effectively re-employ themselves in lateral government jobs and in the private sector for several important reasons:  

Problem:  Their skills and experience gained in the military are not properly translated into civilian professions.

For example, when I applied for my job at the City of Houston over two years ago, the hiring manager told me my resume “smelled like combat boots”.  He was right.  I had made the mistake of including too much military lingo in the brief summaries for each leadership billet I held in the Marine Corps and failed to effectively translate my experience into definable terms.  

Because my military skills and experience didn’t directly translate into any civilian jobs, I quickly learned that squad leader should instead be called a ‘training officer’ and a platoon sergeant a ‘manager’.  There are many resume services that are provided both locally and nationally that vets should take advantage of to ensure they’re not making the same mistake.  
 
We’ve identified one of the problems, what is the solution?

Resumes: Veterans are great at confronting challenges and this one can be easily overcome.  Search out resources both locally to ensure your resume and cover letter are ready for action the second you step off the quarterdeck and back into civilian life.  US Department of Labor and Defense contracted transition assistance programs (TAPS) are great for chipping away the first layer of military lingo on service member’s resumes but there are many more resources in local communities that can assist in the translation of skills and experience.  Many programs are grant-funded to provide free and comprehensive one-on-one resume assistance for Iraq & Afghanistan veterans and their families.

Check out the employment/resume assistance sections in each of these online directories to stay ahead of the game:

Warrior Gateway

Military.com Resume Guide

Hire Veterans

TexVet

City of Houston/Harris County


John@LoneStarVeterans.org