There's a great industry that many transitioning service members overlook when they exit the military: real estate.
The testing and certification process is intimidating to most veterans interested in this field, forcing them to seek other employment. The need for qualified real-estate professionals is increasing. And real-estate firms are looking to service members with great work ethic and character to fill the gap.
"Over the years, we have found that veterans, in particular, make terrific commercial real-estate professionals," said Gerald Finn, chairman for NAI Global, an independent network of commercial real-estate firms.
"[Veterans bring] strong leadership, problem-solving skills, and a disciplined approach to work," Finn said in a company-issued press release.
In fact, NAI Global is recruiting veterans through a new program that creates real-estate jobs for veterans returning from conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The impetus for this program is to connect unemployed veterans who have a difficult time with finding work locally with gainful employment and help put a stopgap in the veteran-unemployment problem. A recent report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) found that one in five veterans between ages 20-24 are unemployed -- three times the national average.
"As one of the largest real-estate service providers in the world, with an extensive network of offices nationally, we saw ourselves as able to overcome this specific challenge," Finn said.
Additionally, RE/MAX International -- a nationwide real-estate franchise network -- wants to recruit veterans and military spouses into their company and help end veteran unemployment. The Operation RE/MAX program offers post-licensing training and support to participants, and it matches military spouses and veterans with RE/MAX mentors.
The goal of this program is to provide spouses and former service members with portable employment opportunities, as well as an opportunity to reach their full "professional potential." "A career in real estate is ideal for many military spouses [and former service members]," RE/MAX co-founder and chairman of the board Dave Liniger said in a press release.
"It's a line of work that an individual can easily transport to any new location and become productive again almost immediately. It gives us another opportunity to show support for those who serve our country and help them establish a foundation on which to build a rewarding and productive career and future," Liniger said.
This program is available to anyone with a military connection (past or present) with an interest in real estate.
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