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Transitioning from the military to civilian life presents many job prospects. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran seeking a new career path or newly embarking on civilian endeavors, your military background equips you with invaluable skills.
Traits such as adept organizational prowess, time management finesse, strategic thinking, teamwork proficiency, strong leadership abilities, and unwavering self-discipline are highly transferrable. These capabilities make you a sought-after asset across various industries, positioning you for success in almost any professional domain.
This article presents a comprehensive compilation of 25 diverse job opportunities spanning various fields and industries, offering you a range of options to explore and consider.
1. Automotive technician
- National average salary: $64,009 per year
The role of an automotive technician involves maintaining and ensuring the proper functioning of vehicles. Their main responsibility is to conduct routine inspections to guarantee that all components within a vehicle are operating correctly and meet the regulations set by both state and federal authorities. Additionally, these technicians identify, address, and resolve specific issues affecting a vehicle’s performance.
Military experience in roles such as heavy equipment or vehicle maintenance, equipment repair technicians, and, with supplemental training, aviation mechanics, may equip individuals with skills relevant to this profession.
Notable companies offering positions for automotive technicians include MIDAS and CarMax.
2. Personal trainer
- National average salary: $42,247 per year
A personal trainer helps individuals achieve their fitness aspirations. They collaborate closely with clients and gym members, crafting personalized fitness routines tailored to individual needs and goals. This involves not only creating detailed workout plans but also demonstrating various exercises, closely monitoring workouts, and adapting plans as clients’ requirements evolve.
Often employed by fitness centers or independently operating, personal trainers work one-on-one with clients or in small group settings. Their expertise extends beyond merely guiding exercise routines; they serve as motivators and educators, imparting knowledge about proper techniques, nutrition, and healthy lifestyle choices.
Military experience can benefit ex-military vets eyeing a career shift into personal training. The discipline, focus on physical fitness, and structured approach gained in the military can seamlessly align with the demands of this role. Supplementing military background with additional training and acquiring a personal training certification can facilitate a smooth transition into this profession.
Common employers offering positions for personal trainers include fitness establishments like Anytime Fitness, Gold’s Gym, and the YMCA.
3. Electrician
- National average salary: $56,449 per year
Electricians are skilled professionals responsible for the installation, maintenance, and repair of electrical systems. Their primary duties include inspecting, diagnosing, and addressing electrical issues, and ensuring the smooth functioning and safety of wiring, fixtures, circuit breakers, transformers, power lines, and related equipment.
Military veterans with a background in construction often possess valuable experience in troubleshooting, diagnosing faults, and maintaining electrical or electronic systems. This familiarity gained within the military aligns well with the skill set required for an electrician’s role in civilian sectors. Several companies, such as Tradesmen International and Rogers Electric, offer positions suitable for individuals with these capabilities.
4. Landscape designer
- National average salary: $55,992 per year
Landscape designers are professionals skilled in crafting outdoor areas for various properties. They create designs for commercial, residential, and public spaces, focusing on selecting plants, trees, shrubs, and other elements like water features and pathways to enhance the aesthetics and functionality of outdoor areas.
Their duties involve conceptualizing designs, estimating costs, and tailoring landscapes to meet client specifications. This career offers opportunities to apply adaptable communication and precise attention to detail, traits commonly honed in military careers. Some companies offering positions in this field include Brightview, Pleasant Landscapes, and Realty Landscaping.
5. Construction technician
- National average salary: $58,325 per year
The role of a construction technician involves a blend of skills similar to those of a civil engineer and construction manager. Working across different construction settings, these professionals handle tasks such as estimating costs, managing projects, creating schedules, and overseeing inspections.
Military experience often aligns well with the demands of project management in construction. Abilities honed in the military, like leadership, communication across diverse teams, and multitasking, can seamlessly translate into this career path. Some companies offering positions for construction technicians include Tradesmen International, NPL Construction, and the State of Arizona.
6. Police officer
- National average salary: $54,309 per year
The role of a police officer involves safeguarding communities by upholding laws to prevent and address crimes. Their responsibilities include promptly responding to emergencies, documenting incidents, conducting searches, resolving conflicts, aiding and resuscitating victims, as well as detaining and interrogating suspects. While typically assigned to specific patrol areas, they may also provide support across various regions.
Even if you didn’t serve in law enforcement or military security, military training often instills valuable skills like situational awareness, effective public relations, firearm use, and making decisions under stress. These capabilities seamlessly transition into civilian careers after military service.
Some organizations offering positions as police officers include the NYPD, Chicago Police Department, and the State of Colorado.
7. Aviation technician
- National average salary: $51,759 per year
Aviation technicians oversee the maintenance and repair of airplanes, focusing on identifying, addressing, and resolving mechanical issues. Their key responsibilities include conducting regular safety inspections, diagnosing problems with aircraft engines and components, and verifying compliance with state and federal regulations.
Transitioning from a military background in aircraft maintenance support seamlessly aligns with this role. Even though the specific aircraft might vary, leveraging skills like interpreting schematics, adhering to technical instructions, and adeptly troubleshooting and isolating faults can be highlighted in your resume to demonstrate suitability for this position.
Noteworthy companies offering opportunities for aviation technicians include Delta, American Airlines, and Air Methods Corp.
8. Account manager
- National average salary: $58,068 per year
An account manager’s role involves nurturing relationships with current clients to ensure their needs are met. This includes arranging meetings, presenting new offerings, devising strategies for potential purchases, sharing performance reports, and addressing client queries or issues.
Often unnoticed, your military experience likely honed valuable customer service and communication skills. Whether through liaising with foreign nationals or handling customer concerns, these skills directly apply to this profession.
Notable companies offering this position include Coca-Cola Refreshments and UnitedHealth Group.
9. Operations manager
- National average salary: $67,286 per year
An operations manager oversees a company’s efficiency, aiming to improve management, production, and customer service. They devise strategies to enhance procedures, address regulatory matters, and train the workforce.
Military leadership roles often entail similar skills, such as managing people, strategies, projects, budgets, and logistics, which can be highlighted when transitioning to civilian roles. Major companies like The Home Depot and CVS Health commonly seek professionals for this position.
10. Sales representative
- National average salary: $68,316 per year
The sales representative role involves leveraging persuasion and negotiation abilities to sell products or services to potential and current customers. Responsibilities include engaging in cold calling to generate new leads, conducting product demonstrations, creating quotes, fostering relationships with new accounts, and sustaining communication with existing clients to encourage repeat business.
Former military personnel often possess essential qualities such as self-motivation, resilience, and adaptable communication skills required for success in sales. Even without direct sales experience, emphasizing these soft skills on a resume as a former military member can significantly enhance attractiveness as a candidate for sales positions.
Some companies offering this position include AT&T, Cintas, and ADT.
11. Technical writer
- National average salary: $58,563 per year
Technical writers play a crucial role by creating informative materials such as procedural documents, instruction manuals, and user-friendly guides. They specialize in simplifying complex information for easy understanding and are responsible for researching, editing, and fact-checking content before publication.
In a military setting, having experience revising policies and technical instructions or undergoing technical training showcases valuable transferable skills that can be highlighted on a resume. Noteworthy companies employing technical writers include Leidos, BAE Systems, and Lockheed Martin.
12. Financial analyst
- National average salary: $71,430 per year
The role of a financial analyst involves gathering information, creating models, and observing economic trends to aid a company in making financial choices. Their duties encompass identifying market patterns, supporting strategic planning, and guiding top-level management.
In the military, utilizing data to make sound decisions is crucial. Even if you weren’t in a leadership position, you probably utilized data to solve issues, identify causes, predict needs, or manage expenses. Emphasizing these adaptable skills on your resume when transitioning from the military to civilian employment can be advantageous.
Notable companies offering financial analyst roles include CBRE, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America.
13. Criminal investigator
- National average salary: $58,053 per year
A criminal investigator collects evidence and talks to witnesses to determine who might have committed a crime. They visit places where crimes happen, get permission to search, gather scientific evidence, study lab results, write reports, share what they find with other police groups, and give information in court.
If you’ve done investigations, figured out why something happened, or looked into a problem in the military, you’ve used investigative skills. Even though you might have to start in the patrol part of a police group, your past experience will help you move up quickly into this job.
Some places where you could work as a criminal investigator are the FBI, the State of Louisiana, and the State of Arizona. The average pay for this job nationwide is around $58,053 per year.
14. Quality assurance engineer
- National average salary: $66,055 per year
The role of a quality assurance engineer, also known as a QA engineer, involves ensuring product excellence throughout its development. QA engineers monitor and supervise the entire production process, conducting tests and offering feedback at various stages to prevent defects in the final product. Their responsibilities span diverse industries such as technology, manufacturing, and consumer goods.
In the military, several specialties, particularly within the maintenance career field, align closely with the duties of a QA engineer. To align your military experience with roles in QA engineering, emphasize skills related to adhering to standards, executing QA inspections, conducting work audits, and troubleshooting technical issues in your resume.
Some companies that commonly offer positions for QA engineers include GE Corporate and Walgreens.
15. Registered nurse
- National average salary: $88,427 per year
A registered nurse (RN) plays a crucial role in patient care, offering medical treatment, and emotional support to patients and families, and educating individuals on their care plans and medical conditions. They conduct diagnostic tests, administer medications and IVs, and meticulously document all treatments provided. RNs work across settings such as hospitals, clinics, private practices, or in-home care.
Upon completing the necessary education, your military background equips you with valuable skills applicable to this role, including making decisions under pressure, adept communication in high-stress scenarios, and proficiency in diagnosis and root cause analysis.
Employers offering positions for registered nurses include CoreMedical Group, Dignity Health, and Kaiser Permanente.
16. Truck driver
- National average salary: $71,130 per year
The truck driver position involves transporting goods across locations, like from a distribution center to retail stores. Key responsibilities include conducting pre and post-trip inspections for safe transportation, loading and unloading cargo, maintaining communication with dispatch centers, and keeping accurate logs.
Military experience offers valuable skills like working independently, adhering to safety standards such as OSHA, handling hazardous materials, and enhancing qualifications for this role. Notable companies hiring for this position include PepsiCo and ProDrivers.
17. Sales manager
- National average salary: $64,866 per year
A sales manager plays a crucial role in a company’s success by creating and executing sales strategies to achieve revenue targets. They set goals, track team progress, and report performance to higher-ups. Additionally, they mentor and oversee sales staff, contributing to hiring and training when needed.
For military veterans with over four years of service, their experience likely involves leading teams, providing guidance, and assessing performance against specific criteria. Highlighting these leadership skills on a resume can steer it toward sales management roles. Some companies offering such positions include Walgreens and Vivint Solar.
18. Human resources manager
- National average salary: $69,972 per year
The role of a Human Resources Manager involves overseeing various aspects of an organization’s workforce. This includes recruiting, crafting company policies, providing training, counseling employees, and facilitating the onboarding process for new hires. HR Managers also organize employee events, manage benefits programs, and lead a team of junior HR professionals.
If you’ve had experience in the military handling staffing allocation, advising senior leaders on HR policies, or assisting employees with payroll and benefits concerns, these skills align well with HR Manager roles. Emphasizing these abilities on your resume can help you target positions in the human resources field.
Companies like Lowe’s and Cintas often have openings for Human Resources Manager positions.
19. Supply chain manager
- National average salary: $75,352 per year
The role of a Supply Chain Manager involves overseeing a company’s logistics and operations to ensure they run smoothly. They analyze supply chain strategies to spot improvement areas and devise plans to enhance productivity. This role also entails maintaining positive relationships with vendors and distributors.
In the military context, skills that translate well into this field include forecasting customer needs, monitoring stock levels of crucial supplies, equipment, and parts, and demonstrating resourceful problem-solving, particularly in transporting supplies to remote or challenging locations.
Companies like PepsiCo and CVS Health commonly hire individuals for this position.
20. Mechanical engineer
- National average salary: $80,133 per year
A mechanical engineer earns, on average, $80,133 per year nationally. Their main responsibilities revolve around designing intricate machineries like electric generators, turbines, engines, and air-conditioning systems. These professionals oversee the installation, maintenance, repair, and replacement of machines.
Military experience in equipment or component maintenance likely provided exposure to reading electrical diagrams, technical blueprints, and equipment specifications. Upon completing an engineering degree and certifications, showcasing these skills can demonstrate to potential employers a strong educational background and foundational skills essential for success in this field.
Notable companies offering positions for mechanical engineers include Honeywell, Boeing, and Wyzant.
21. Information security analyst
- National average salary: $93,499 per year
The role of an information security analyst involves safeguarding a company’s computer systems, networks, and data from cyber threats. These professionals defend against cybercriminals attacks by installing data encryption software, regular system updates, continuous monitoring for breaches, staying updated on the latest threats, and educating other employees on robust security practices.
Military experience involving encryption procedures can be a valuable asset for this role, making it a beneficial career path for former military personnel with relevant education and certifications. Noteworthy companies offering positions in this field include Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, and Raytheon.
22. Project manager
- National average salary: $76,695 per year
A project manager oversees projects from start to finish. They determine project feasibility, set budgets, devise strategies, and lead teams toward completion. Their role involves managing timelines, fostering team communication, providing progress reports, and ensuring projects align with their scopes and schedules.
Military experience often aligns with project management tasks. Whether as an aircraft maintainer or battalion commander, skills such as understanding stakeholder needs, creating schedules, and leading diverse teams directly translate to project management.
Notable companies hiring for this role include Verizon, HP, and Dell.
23. Database administrator
- National average salary: $89,935 per year
Database administrators (DBAs), also known as database administrators, are individuals tasked with strategizing, constructing, and supervising the efficiency of a business’s databases. Their role encompasses overseeing routine maintenance, executing upgrades, and safeguarding databases against cybersecurity threats by implementing suitable software and monitoring operations.
Transferable skills acquired during military service, such as maintaining precise records, crafting customized databases, aggregating data, generating comprehensive reports, and troubleshooting technical systems, can seamlessly transition into a career as a database administrator.
Notable companies offering positions for database administrators include Robert Half Technology, Diverse Lynx, and IBM.
24. Software engineer
- National average salary: $94,503 per year
Software engineers are professionals responsible for creating, testing, and enhancing software systems. Their primary tasks include designing, constructing, and maintaining software, alongside conducting feasibility analyses for projects. They use flowcharts, diagrams, and other informative tools to guide the development process. These experts may specialize in computer systems or application development.
Military personnel are adept at being process-oriented and skilled in mapping flowcharts, diagrams, and strategic plans. After completing the required training and education in software engineering, these transferable military skills showcase their capability to excel in this new career path.
Major companies offering positions for software engineers include IBM and Microsoft.
25. Network security engineer
- National Average Salary: $104,044 per year
A network security engineer, with an average salary of $104,044 annually, safeguards a company’s network systems. Their key responsibilities include installing detection and firewall software, conducting cybersecurity upgrades, and performing tests to pinpoint and resolve hardware and software vulnerabilities. In the event of a cyber attack, these professionals swiftly address the issue to mitigate data loss and protect assets.
Former military members transitioning into IT and cybersecurity careers can leverage their education, training, and certifications. They can capitalize on their investigative, troubleshooting, communication, and detail-oriented skills to showcase their value in this field.
Notable companies offering positions for network security engineers include Northrop Grumman, Cisco, and Booz Allen Hamilton.