How to Use Your Military Experience for a New Career

If you want to continue the career path you started in the military, you can most likely find a civilian job where you can apply those skills.    

One example is U.S. Air Force veteran Paul Chilcote. He joined the Air Force in 2009 as a fighter aircraft crew chief, where his interests in computers and electronics helped him quickly learn the complex electrical systems that enable aircrafts to fly. Chilcote later seized an opportunity to retrain as a cyberwarfare operator. In 2013, his passion for computers and networking prompted him to enroll in a cybersecurity program at University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC). When he separated from the Air Force in 2020, he began a civilian job as a penetration tester for CyberPoint International, a Maryland-based Department of Defense contractor.   

Cybersecurity is not the only career that allows veterans to directly apply the skills they learned in the military. Many other fields provide the opportunity to turn a military role into a civilian one, including:  

• IT Management: A veteran who has worked with military computer systems may be interested in working in an organization’s IT department.   
• Logistics: Many servicemembers gain experience with day-to-day logistics, which prepares them for careers working with supply chains. In a globalized world, shipping companies, warehouses, and retailers offer many positions.   
• Healthcare: Healthcare is a natural path for any veteran who trained as a medic or nurse. The healthcare field also has positions for veterans who served in non-medical roles, such as operational management and logistics, which are in high demand throughout healthcare.   
• Government Contracting: From building roads to fighter jets, contractors across the United States work closely with government agencies. Many of these contractors specifically seek out veterans because of their unique understanding of how government and government procurement work.   
• Public Administration: With positions in government offices, private companies, and nonprofits, public administrators implement government policy. It’s a career well suited for veterans who were in charge of administering policy and working with the government bureaucracy. 

• Human Resource Management: If you have human resource management experience within the military, you can apply that knowledge within the HR department of various organizations. UMGC offers both a bachelor’s and a master’s in human resource management, and is an approved education partner with the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the HR Certification Institute (HRCI).

Use the Soft Skills You’ve Learned to Start a New Career  

If you want to pursue a different career path than what you followed in the military, the unique skills that you learned while on active-duty are sought after in the civilian workplace.  Elaine Harris, a 20-year Air Force Security Forces veteran, initially thought she wanted to stay in the law enforcement arena. However, she decided instead to earn an MBA and a graduate certificate in Leadership and Management to help her son—also a UMGC student—start his own business.   

“Twenty five years had passed since I had attended any college, and I didn’t have a lot of traditional education,” Harris says. “So choosing a school that recognized the skills I had gained, and could maximize credit for my nontraditional learning was key.”    

Employers seek out people like Harris who can:  

• Be Adaptable: While changing roles and locations in the military, you learned to adapt and adjust at a moment’s notice.  
• Think Critically: The complex, real-world problems you had to handle in the military built your critical thinking skills.  
• Work Independently: The ability to complete tasks quickly and efficiently on your own in the military is a skill that most industries value immensely.   
• Be Team Players: You worked across departments, organizations, and the globe. Your ability to work and succeed on a team is just as valuable to employers as your ability to work independently.   

Job Search Tips for a Civilian Career

When transitioning from a military to a civilian career, it’s important to recognize the skills you bring to the job market. In fact, while college degrees are still worth the investment, skills-based hiring continues to grow. That’s great news for servicemembers and veterans who are looking to transition into civilian careers. You can present your skills in a way that showcases how transferable they are to the career you want. Some examples include:

• Tailor your Resume: When creating your resume for a civilian career, highlight the skills you learned within your military training and showcase them as achievements under your position or role. 
• Search for Jobs on Veteran-Friendly Job Boards: You can search for jobs that apply to military servicemembers and veterans through boards such as the Veterans Employment Center, Hire Heroes USA.These sites provide transitioning servicemembers and veterans resources to navigate the employment landscape and succeed in the civilian workforce.
• Attend Job Fairs and Networking Events: Attending job fairs can help you network and speak directly with various employers. For example, UMGC hosts the MilVet Net, a networking event specifically for military servicemembers, veterans, and their families to help you learn more about support services and meet with various employers, entrepreneurial resources, and veteran service organizations. UMGC also hosts the Virtual Career Fair each spring.
• Partner with a Tailored Transition, Mentorship, or Resource Program: Seek out organizations with a focus on assisting transitioning servicemembers, veterans, and spouses find and prepare for their next career for free, such as American Corporate Partners (ACP), Department of Labor Veterans’ Employment and Training Service, USO Transition Program, and Blue Star Families.

In addition to providing a skills-based education, UMGC also offers lifetime career services to help you pursue new opportunities and prepare for a civilian career. You can gain access to job fairs and career events, apply to jobs through CareerQuest, and learn how to tailor your resume and cover letter. In addition, the UMGC One2One Mentorship Program matches UMGC alumni and industry professionals with UMGC students and alumni who are looking for career guidance and mentorship. 

UMGC’s Dedication to Veterans  

During National Military Appreciation Month, and every month, UMGC acknowledges the achievements and dedication of all military servicemembers. To further your career, you may want or need to pursue additional education. At UMGC, we provide many benefits and support services for veterans, such as:

• Turning Military Experience into Credits:  UMGC offers credit for the skills you acquired in the service and education completed at military service schools. 
• Credit for Miliary Rank: To help you get credit for your unique learning, training, and experience, you can earn up to 12 total credits for select undergraduate business, management, and leadership courses, based on your achieved military rank.
• Helping You Understand Your VA Education Chapter Benefit and Housing Allowance: Knowing which chapter benefits apply to you and the best way to apply them is critical.  
• Offering Career-Relevant Programs and Courses: Different career fields and jobs require different levels of education. UMGC has a range of options, including certificates, associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees, and graduate degrees, that can help prepare you to succeed in a career.