Getting a job is not really the problem for veterans. Getting a job worth keeping is the problem. In a recent survey of our Veteran Employment Project community, 58% of our transitioning military said they wanted to find a job they could stay in for at least five years, and an additional 22% wanted to stay in a job for three years or more.
Staying at a job means so much more than stability for veterans. Staying in a job means you are doing well, fully engaged in the work and satisfied with the salary and benefits. You even come home in a good enough mood that your family likes you.
Study after study shows that working with a sense of purpose and meaning is a win-win. So you intend to stay.
Yet the research shows that veterans don't stay in that first job -- despite their intentions. Nearly half of veterans leave their first job within the first year. An additional 66%-80% leave the job within two years.
Whenever I tell that statistic to transitioning military during a coaching session, though, I see faces fall. You do not want to be one of those people switching jobs like their chair is on fire.
The longer you are at that job, the more you may find out that staying is not everything. Quitting your job may be a good next step. Still, haven't you lost your chance to find a better job since you are post-military? Is the world interested in you now? Are any of those veteran employment programs and groups open to someone like you?
Those are all good questions. That is why we have put together our upcoming free Veteran+ Transition Master Class on Thursday, Nov. 18.
Veteran+ Transition Master Class
In this 60-minute master class for veterans with at least one year of post-military civilian employment, transition master coach Jacey Eckhart will teach you to evaluate what you learned so far and step out in the right direction so you can find a more interesting, more meaningful, better-paying job.
Master Class Objectives
- No unicorns or fairy tales: What is the real norm for veteran employment?
- Moving on: How soon is too soon? And other questions of loyalty.
- Know better. Do better: How to take stock now and land a better job.
- Veteran employment partners: What programs can help you move forward?
Your first job after the military naturally ends. It is not too late to find something better. You need the strategies, skills and secrets designed for you at your career level. Sign up today for our Free Veteran+ Transition Master Class and check out our video library of master classes to help you find your next high-impact job.
Jacey Eckhart is Military.com's transition master coach. She is a certified professional career coach and military sociologist who helps military members get their first civilian job by offering career-level master classes through our Veteran Employment Project and on her website, SeniorMilitaryTransition.com. Reach her at Jacey.Eckhart@Monster.com.
Learn More About the Veteran Employment Project
To get more tips on how to make a successful military transition, sign up for one of our FREE Military Transition Master Classes today. You can view previous classes in our video library. Questions for Jacey? Visit our Facebook page.
