Career Advancement Strategies for Veterans

There is an expiration date on your military accomplishments About 2 years out of service, you are no longer a (insert rank here) You are what you have been doing for those 2 years (you've established a new professional identify) #quinnsights I'm about 7 years out & nothing I did as a Sergeant Major really holds weight on my #resume You can go back and look at the last Army job on my LinkedIn profile There are some solid bullets with quantified accomplishments But I've done SO MUCH since then ProSphere, EY, HireMilitary all have relevant accomplishments in related roles that truly show what I've done and am capable of doing out here So the Army stuff becomes "foundational" bullet accomplishments (the wrap up few at the bottom where I tell them I'm a veteran) #militarytransition Many veterans struggling to find meaningful #careers that I engage with are having trouble with this fact They've worked a bit and established a new professional identity on paper (resume and profile) Can't rely on leadership experience and big numbers from years ago And struggle with the difference between who they think they are (past accomplishments) and how industry sees them (current experience) My advice? You didn't get to that military rank on luck The foundation + potential is still there But now you need people that understand this to help you get past the "apply online" phase And that is where speaking with other veterans in industry comes in (relationships + referrals beat online apps) #militarytransition P.S. This is also why we want everyone to start early A little career exploration + networking reduces the chance that all of the above happens...and significantly increases the odds you will find your success

Most veterans are switching careers arse about face. They're polishing CVs and firing them into the void. Then wondering why nobody calls back. Here's the reality: your CV is the last thing that matters. The most successful career switchers I know didn't get their breakthrough job from a job board. They got it because someone vouched for them. The game-changing approach: Research first. Really bloody research. Know the industry, the role, the company. Know what problems they're solving and how you can help solve them. Then find people who work there. LinkedIn, industry events, mutual connections. Have conversations. Not pitches. Ask questions. Show genuine interest. Learn. Most people are happy to help if you're not trying to sell them something. Only then do you think about applications. By this point, you're not a random CV in a pile. You're the person Sarah from the leadership team met at that event who asked smart questions about their digital transformation. You're the one who followed up with a thoughtful message about that article they shared. You're not a stranger anymore. And when that role comes up, guess whose name gets mentioned? Stop spraying and praying. Start building relationships. #veterans #careers #military

Veterans and military spouses: You don’t need to spend thousands to build new skills. Here are 10 places where you can access legitimate, high-quality training and certifications completely free: ✅ 1. ACT Now Education Comprehensive free access to certifications across industries (PMP, CompTIA, SHRM, etc), career bootcamps, job prep tools, and more. Built by and for veterans and spouses. ✅ 2. Boots to Books Quarterly scholarships of up to $1,000 to pay for a training or professional certification of your choice that aligns with your career goals, biannual textbook scholarships for full-time students whose benefits are being exceeded, and monthly scholarships for Google Career Certifications across industries. ✅ 3. The PenFed Foundation for Military Heroes Grants "Military Heroes Individual Grants are awarded to veterans, active military, National Guard, and Reserve members for community leadership and successful employment expenses that they are unable to afford on their own. Examples include participation in conferences, trainings and certification expenses." Additionally, they have a scholarship with The Culinary Institute of America, view their website for more. ✅ 4. O2O – via Institute for Veterans and Military Families - IVMF Onward to Opportunity (O2O) provides free access to an entire training library and one certification attempt (PMP, Sec+). Covers IT, business, and project management pathways. ✅ 5. Microsoft Software and Systems Academy (MSSA) Intensive, cohort-based training for veterans pursuing careers in cloud and software development. Zero cost. ✅ 6. Amazon AWS Educate Free cloud computing curriculum. Veterans can qualify for certification test reimbursement. ✅ 7. Oracle Veteran Academy Free Oracle Cloud training and professional certifications for veterans and military spouses. ✅ 8. LinkedIn Premium Veterans get 12 months free, which includes full LinkedIn Learning access with 10,000+ courses. ✅ 9. Splunk Work+ Free Foundations 1 and 2 training for veterans and spouses, useful for data analytics and cyber roles. ✅ 10. Fortinet Veterans Program Free cybersecurity training with certifications (NSE 1, 2, and optional 4) for qualifying military members. If you're transitioning, job hunting, or exploring a new field, don’t leave these resources on the table, and don't let your peers miss out on them - SHARE! P.S. If you want to make whatever training you do about 100x more effective, connect with several mentors in the field you're training in as you complete it - even for one-off conversations. These calls help you orient your training to the real world, build a network in your target industry, and refine your resume and interview before it really counts. Plus, you can do unlimited free mentorship calls with folks at leading companies on MilMentor which makes it EASY! Heck, you could talk to someone at Amazon, Oracle, or Microsoft on MilMentor while you did their training all while never paying a cent!

Starting a New Career: The Landscape of Opportunity This post is designed to pass on career advice to retiring servicemembers. This is for NCOs and Officers of all grades who are retiring- I've seen NCOs and Officers succeed in all of the areas that I list below. I started preparing for retirement about 2 ½ years before leaving military service.  I don’t call it Retirement, I call it Leaving Military Service- as I want to keep working, and retirement sounds like you hang out in a rocking chair at home. I built a Word document and titled it Operation Inherent Danger- because all transitions are inherently dangerous.  I started making phone calls- I considered each one to be an informational interview- and took notes during each call. Informational Interviews are key, and they are enjoyable because there is no pressure.  2 ½ years before retirement I started to schedule about two informational interviews a week.  You are not asking for a job. You are learning. I outline how I did it in the attached pdf. Everyone’s journey is different, and mine is continuing, but at the end, I saw my Realm of Opportunity as: Professional Speaking Engagements.  What do you want to speak about?  Who will your audience be?  Will you arrange your own engagements or use a speaker’s bureau? Consulting.  What do you want to consult on?  How can you establish your brand now while you are in uniform?  How will you get business? Starting your own Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business.  Lots of opportunities here if you have the courage to be an entrepreneur.  Small Business Administration is a great place to start. Buying a small business.  There are many small businesses out there trying to find a succession plan.  This can be incredibly lucrative, you can get financing from the current business owners, banks, etc.  You can borrow millions and start making the same. Working in the start-up ecosystem.  Venture Capital?  Start-up advisor?  Board member?  You can be paid in salary, equity, or both. Board Work.  Join the National Association of Corporate Directors, the Private Directors Association, and BoardProspects. Corporation.  Join a company. I work at USAA, where I still am today. The company's leadership, culture, and mission all align with my value set, and I enjoy every moment there. I decided to take the opportunity because it would expose me to the profit/loss world and fill in the gaps that I had in my skill set, making me more useful in the future as a speaker, consultant, board member, or entrepreneur. Portfolio Career.  This is what I found to be most appealing- it’s really a combination of the above- consulting and speaking engagements go hand in hand.  You can start a small business at the same time. As you develop this landscape of opportunity, you can take steps that will open doors to where you want to go, as shown in the pdf. What advice would you add? #career #opportunities #informationalinterviews

𝙑𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨: 𝙃𝙚𝙧𝙚'𝙨 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝘼𝙥𝙥𝙡𝙚'𝙨 $500 𝘽𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙐.𝙎. 𝙄𝙣𝙫𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙈𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙧 𝙋𝙖𝙩𝙝 Apple just announced a massive investment across the U.S. over the next four years. If you're a transitioning service member or veteran looking to position yourself for these opportunities, here's what you need to know: 1. 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵-𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀:: Houston (TX), Detroit (MI), and states with silicon manufacturing (AZ, CO, OR, UT) or data centers (NC, IA, NV) will see significant job growth. 2. 𝗧𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲: ➲ 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗲: Apple is building servers for AI in Houston and expanding silicon production ➲ 𝗔𝗜 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹𝘀: These underpin Apple's growth strategy ➲ 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: PMP or Agile/Scrum methodologies will be valuable at the new Manufacturing Academy ➲ 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲: Critical for protecting high-value facilities and IP -- 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Military logistics experience + modern techniques 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀: ➲ Your security clearances will be valuable for sensitive operations ➲ Your leadership experience aligns with Apple's 20,000 planned new hires ➲ A disciplined approach to quality control transfers well to manufacturing 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗨𝗽𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘀: ➲ Consider certification programs in semiconductor manufacturing ➲ Explore community college courses in AI/ML fundamentals ➲ Look into VET-TEC programs focused on technical operations ➲ Investigate DoD SkillBridge opportunities with Apple suppliers Your military experience provides an excellent foundation—now's the time to layer on specific technical skills to position yourself for this historic investment in American innovation and manufacturing. Further reading: https://lnkd.in/ebXKN778 Explore the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs benefits section on how to use your GI Bill benefits. https://lnkd.in/ev4B3h3i Get resume and coaching assistance with Hire Heroes USA https://lnkd.in/etij2Q8Y #VeteranCareers #MilitaryTransition #UpskillVeterans #TechTraining #AppleJobs

Service members don’t fear corporate America. They fear the unknown. I see it every week. Especially those who-- 📌 served 10+ years 📌 built stability, identity, and purpose in uniform 📌 believe the “safe path” is the federal workforce Here's what I've learned 👇 Fear is not a career strategy. It’s a reaction to uncertainty. And that fear quietly pushes thousands of talented leaders away from high-paying corporate roles where they'd thrive like: • strategy, • operations, • project management, • consulting, • tech, and beyond. The good news? When service members apply 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗤.𝗨.𝗜.𝗖.𝗞. 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸™, fear disappears fast: 𝗤 — 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗳𝘆. Understand your path (PMP, CAPM, PMI-ACP, etc.). 𝗨 — 𝗨𝗽𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹. Build credentials, education, and confidence. 𝗜 — 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲. Join communities (PMI, chapters, mentors, Champions). 𝗖 — 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁. Talk to real people doing the jobs you want. 𝗞 — 𝗞𝗶𝗰𝗸𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁. Apply with purpose, clarity, and alignment. And suddenly… ➡️ fear turns into momentum ➡️ the unknown becomes familiar ➡️ Corporate America becomes accessible Look-- Veterans are landing high-paying corporate jobs every single week. Not because they played it safe, but because they built a roadmap. Your transition isn’t supposed to be comfortable. It’s supposed to be intentional. If you’re serving today and feeling that fear… Lean into it. And apply the Q.U.I.C.K. Framework™. Your next mission might just be bigger than you think. #QuickNote #ProjectManagement #MilitaryTransition

12 Brutal truths about military transition (read this before you hang up your uniform!) Transitioning from military to civilian life involves more than just a career change; it requires a strategic approach to translate your skills, mindset, and experiences. Here's a quick guide to ensure a successful transition: 1/ Translate Your Skills - Action: Identify your military skills and find civilian equivalents. - Resource: Check out ONET Online’s Military Crosswalk for guidance: https://lnkd.in/grAnmVbJ 2/ Champion Self-Advocacy - Action: Develop a strong elevator pitch and gather tangible achievements. - Resource: Optimize your LinkedIn profile to reflect your professional brand. 3/ Adapt to New Job Titles - Action: Understand and adapt to civilian job titles and roles. - Resource: Glassdoor provides insights on various job descriptions: https://lnkd.in/gWXg2v9N 4/ Understand Different Hierarchies - Action: Learn about less rigid and more collaborative structures in civilian workplaces. - Resource: Explore Harvard Business Review for articles on corporate culture differences: https://hbr.org/ 5/ Network Effectively - Action: Engage with professional groups and attend industry meetups. - Resource: Join networks like American Corporate Partners (ACP) and The COMMIT Foundation: https://acp-usa.org , https://lnkd.in/gCDdUHnw 6/ Set Healthy Work-Life Boundaries - Action: Prioritize your well-being by setting clear work-life boundaries. - Resource: MindTools offers excellent strategies: https://lnkd.in/g4t_zT7E 7/ Embrace Challenges - Action: Step out of your comfort zone by volunteering for new projects. - Resource: Get inspired by TED Talks on personal growth and challenge: https://www.ted.com/talks 8/ Feedback as a Tool for Growth - Action: Actively seek and constructively interpret feedback. - Resource: Learn more about feedback at Feedback Guides: https://lnkd.in/gaWTieYV 9/ Focus on Being Adaptable - Action: Build a versatile skill set. - Resource: Explore courses on Coursera and Udemy: https://www.coursera.org/, https://www.udemy.com/ 10/ Value Progress Over Perfection - Action: Focus on achieving milestones, not perfection. - Resource: Discover agile methods at Agile Alliance: https://lnkd.in/gYfbQg4q 11/ Prepare for a Non-Linear Career Path - Action: Be open to shifts and unexpected turns in your career journey. - Resource: Read about career pivots on The Muse: https://lnkd.in/gpDgQ4Bf 12/Take Initiative - Action: Seek out and create opportunities for growth and advancement. - Resource: "Drive" by Daniel Pink offers excellent insights on initiative. Adapting to civilian life means leveraging your military discipline in new contexts and being proactive about your career development. Equip yourself with these tools to navigate your path. ------- If this hit home, follow me (Jon Macaskill) and please repost!

One piece of advice I consistently share with veterans leaving the military is this: Stop fixating on obtaining every civilian certification out there. Instead, focus on mastering sales and money management. In the military, our focus was never on the bottom line. We didn’t have to worry about budgets, profit margins, or how much money was coming in or going out. But in the civilian world, everything revolves around money. Whether you’re running a business, negotiating a contract, or climbing the corporate ladder, financial decisions are at the heart of it all. This is a shift veterans need to embrace to truly thrive outside of the uniform. Sales isn’t just about closing deals—it’s about communication, relationship-building, and understanding how to influence people and organizations. Veterans already have a leg up in these areas. We’re trained to lead, inspire trust, and execute with precision. But translating those leadership and communication skills into true sales acumen takes practice and refinement. In the military, we didn’t need to understand profit and loss statements or manage financial outcomes. Money was rarely part of the equation in our operations. But in the civilian world, financial literacy is essential. Veterans need to learn how to manage budgets, understand investments, and navigate the complexities of profit and loss. These are the skills that will set us apart and enable us to thrive in a business-driven environment. The truth is, certifications are valuable, but they won’t teach you how to scale your career or business. Sales and financial literacy will. So, veterans, I challenge you: start thinking beyond certifications. Learn how to sell and get comfortable with managing money. These are the game-changing skills that will take you further than any piece of paper ever could. #Veterans #Leadership #Sales #MoneyManagement #BusinessSuccess #VeteranTransition #ArrowheadLeadershipConsulting #FinancialLiteracy #Entrepreneurship

Transitioning from military to civilian careers? Here are 7 essential steps to prepare for success! 🚀 1️⃣ Narrowing Down Target Job Titles: Explore tools like Military.com, Onet Military Crosswalk, and CareerOneStop to translate military roles into civilian job titles. Research salaries to align with your expectations. 2️⃣ Setting Up Job Alerts: Stay informed about job opportunities by setting alerts on LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor, and ClearanceJobs. Research military/veteran-friendly employers and top hiring companies. 3️⃣ Updating LinkedIn Photo: Ensure your profile photo reflects your civilian side—a friendly, engaging headshot outside of uniform makes a positive first impression. Smile and show your personality! 4️⃣ Building Your "Brag Book": Organize performance reports, education transcripts, and award recommendations. Highlight quantifiable achievements for a results-focused resume. Resources can help translate military evaluations into civilianized resumes. 5️⃣ Getting Relevant Certifications: Look for certifications often required in job postings. Platforms like LinkedIn Learning offer courses, often free with LinkedIn Premium for military/veterans. 6️⃣ Establishing Your Network: Connect with successful transitioners on LinkedIn, join military groups, and engage in relevant discussions. Networking plays a crucial role—87% of job seekers find their next opportunity through their network. 7️⃣ Start Building Your Resume: Prepare your resume well in advance to assess skills, experiences, and goals. Tailor it to the civilian job market for maximum impact. Ready to make your military-to-civilian transition smooth and successful? Learn more about resume writing services and optimize your job search strategy! 📄💼 #MilitaryTransition #CareerAdvice #VeteranJobs #LinkedInLearning #ResumeWriting