Job search resources for veterans

Planning your civilian employment, career path, or education?

If you’re a veteran looking for a job or planning your next career step, take a look at CareerOneStop’s Veteran and Military Transition Center, recently updated with some valuable improvements.

Veterans Job Matcher

Use the Veterans Job Matcher to identify civilian careers that match your military experience—and then see local job postings for the careers you’re interested in. Just enter your military job title or code to receive a list of civilian careers that use similar skills and work experience as your military job. You’ll find civilian career information such as typical wages, training expectations, and job outlook, and can then link to job postings in your local area.

Federal job hiring for veterans

Working for the federal government can be a great option for veterans. And many skills developed in the military can transfer readily to federal agency work, making veterans particularly valued candidates.

You can start exploring federal employment by checking out topics including veteran’s preference, Special Hiring Authorities for veterans, and how to find and apply for federal jobs.

Explore civilian careers

Whether you want to take your career in a new direction or work in a field related to your military experience, exploring civilian careers is an opportunity for learning.

You can take an interest or skills assessment to identify potential careers that fit you best, and then learn important details about your favorite career options, from typical tasks and education needed, to salary and employer demand.

There’s also information on how to translate your military skills, experiences, and accomplishments into terms that make sense to civilians who make hiring decisions.

Expanded guidance on civilian resume development

Learn how to craft a strong resume that represents your skills and experience effectively. You can view a variety of resume samples for ideas on how to translate military experience into civilian terms on a resume.

Help in your local area

American Job Centers are located in every state and help people search for jobs, find training, and answer other employment related questions. Most have a Veterans Employment Representative who helps veterans with disabilities to find employment. Local Veterans Employment Representatives meet with employers in the area to promote the recruitment and employment of veteran employee candidates.

If you are interested in furthering your education, Vets Reps will connect you with a local County Veterans Service Officer, who will help you navigate Veterans Education Benefits, and help you connect to healthcare services as well. Once you’re on campus, be sure to meet with your campus Veterans Certifying Official to certify that you are a student – this is needed to confirm that you are enrolled at the school, document the number of hours in school, etc.

You can also find resources in your state on the Veterans State Resource Finder, including resources for job search, education, homelessness, and those targeted for national guard/reserve members. Veterans Certifying Officials information is under the Educational Resources tab, and CSVOs, under “Other Resources.”