When Retirement Means Getting a New Job

When people retire from the military it does not always mean their days will be filled with golfing and beach-side living. Many veterans retire in their 30s or 40s leaving a whole second half of their professional lives to figure out. And, many who retire from their military career are not ready to retire from professional service. Our veterans bring a deep level of experience and commitment to the private sector but many struggle to translate what they did in the military to an equally fulfilling and challenging job.[Tweet "Many who retire from their military career are not ready to retire from professional service. #GovEventsBlog"]

Each year, between 240,000 and 360,000 people separate from the military (whether through retirement or completion of duty). To meet this need for guided transition, the DoD has set up a number of organizations to assist veterans in making the transition to civilian careers including Transition Assistance Program (TAP) and the Department of Labor's Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS). The private sector also has a number of  non-profit organizations such as the NVTC Veterans Employment Initiative and Serving Together. On the for-profit front, there are a host of employment agencies catered to helping vets translate military experience into new careers.[Tweet "Each year, between 240K and 360K people separate from the military. #GovEventsBlog"]

One great option for active duty and recently retired military to explore career opportunities is job fairs. Depending on the size of the job fair, participants can have access to a handful or hundreds of companies in one location looking to fill current openings as well as positions opening in the future.  Job fairs tend to create a theme to attract similarly minded companies and job seekers. "Cleared" job fairs are for positions that require security clearances (some are even specific enough to focus on a clearance level like top secret). There are also a number of job fairs specifically around cybersecurity - a fast growing career sector where there is a huge talent shortage. Agencies also routinely host job fairs to highlight and fill public service jobs. No matter the type of event, veterans should treat each conversation as an interview and should be approached with careful preparation.

Open houses are also a great option for exploring companies. An open house is typically held by a single company and oftentimes is hosted at their office. Government contractors routinely hold these types of events after a large contract win or leading up to the bid of a strategic contract. These events are opportunities to get to know the people and the work of the company. They make sense for job seekers who have narrowed down their job search to a specific type of career and organization.

Check out GovEvents for a comprehensive list of job fairs and hiring events across the country. After you've found an event that is a fit, check out our tips for getting the most out of hiring events.

[Tweet "Once a military vet lands a civilian job there can be a steep learning curve. #GovEventsBlog"]Once vets land a civilian job there can be a steep learning curve both in terms of culture and professional skills. Networking events and training will continue to be a critical element of advancing in the private sector. Of course all of the training and development you need can be found on GovEvents.com.