Ask the WIB
All Lake County Workforce Development programs operate under the oversight
and strategic guidance of the Lake County Workforce Investment Board (WIB).
Recently, we asked WIB member Emily Garrity about career transition strategies for
veterans leaving military service and how employers can tap into this talent-rich
candidate pool.
Finding a new career is an important part of the move from military to civilian
life. What career planning tips do you have for veterans in transition?
Take time to take stock. Transitioning service members should pause to ask
themselves: what do I want to do? After living inside the military culture, selfassessment might seem uncomfortable but is critical to career satisfaction.
Reach out to other veterans and service organizations: Talk with representatives
and look at resources available to you to make this transition a positive one!
Get started soon. The longe r you wait after your discharge to get started, the
harder it will be to get motivated. Learn about civilian careers that interest you,
start building your network, and do some research on the civilian human
resources (HR) process. Develop a profile on LinkedIn; this online network is
used increasingly by recruiters and HR professionals are looking
What’s the best way for veterans to translate the work they have done in the
military so that it makes sense to civilian employers?
Websites like the Veteran Jobs section on www.military.com can help you map
your experience to civilian job titles and identify how your training and
experience might make you a qualified candidate for similar civilian roles. If
your military role doesn’t translate to civilian life well, you may need to think
critically about the transferrable skills that you acquired in the military. While
you may have access to G.I. Bill funds to help with your education, the Job
Center is also a great resource to help discuss training options as well as other
financial resources that may be available.
How can employers make sure that their recruiting efforts are effective in
reaching this unique and diverse talent pool?
Veteran recruitment is more important than ever. Aside from the fantastic skills
and experience that our veterans bring with them to the workforce, new federal
regulations under the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act
(VEVRAA) are setting higher standards for recruitment and hiring of veterans for
federal contractors and subcontractors. The critical element for any employer
looking to recruit veterans is outreach specific to them. Are your recruiting
materials and job postings written to be inclusive? What channels are you using
to find candidates? Identify the veterans within your organization and ask them
to help in recruiting, onboarding and retaining veteran talent. Remember also
that employers have an obligation to support those who serve in our military as
reservists and members of the National Guard. Prospective employees will
respect a strong commitment to service members of all types.
Emily Garrity is the CoFounder and President
of ConnectVETS.org a
nonprofit organization
dedicated to
transitioning today’s
military to tomorrow’s
workforce by
connecting U.S.
military service
members and veterans
to private sector
employment
opportunities. She is a
Marine mom, Army
wife, Army daughter,
Army sister and Army
niece. She is a
member of National
Louis University’s
Veterans Advisory
Board, the Employment
& Training and
Education working
groups of the Illinois
Joining Forces Initative,
and co-chair of the
Small Business
Advocacy Council’s
Veterans Committee.
www.connectvets.org
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