In its new report, CareerCast has identified eight of the best civilian careers for veterans, including Registered Nurse (RN), Financial Advisor, Information Security Analyst, and Operations Research Assistant.
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“There are many benefits to hiring veterans, says Kyle Kensing, online content editor, CareerCast. “The discipline, teamwork, and leadership qualities emphasized in the military directly translate to the civilian workforce. Skills gained during military service are in high-demand.”
Public and private sector efforts to recruit and employ veterans have paid major dividends in lowering the unemployment rate for veterans. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in 2016 that of the approximately 21.2 million men and women with military experience, an unemployment rate that hovered near 10% just 7 years ago has been cut almost in half.
The Veterans Opportunity to Work Act was designed for the Department of Labor to match veterans with career paths based on their responsibilities while in service. Private-sector companies are also launching their own hiring initiatives to match veteran job seekers with open positions.
| Strategic HR expert and THRIVE presenter Arte Nathan discusses recruiting veterans and other alternative candidate pools in a recent HR Works podcast. For more information on THRIVE, see below. |
Growing emphasis on technological skills in the military translate well to a growing market for IT professionals. Information Security is an area of growing importance in both military and government matters. Veterans who work specifically in IT security during their service can effectively translate their skills into government positions of the same nature.
Another area of emphasis in military service is healthcare. Nursing positions are also in-demand for enlisted personnel, and many states allow veterans with experience as nurses in the military to apply that experience to civilian certification.
For those veterans looking to use their civilian careers to make a positive impact for others in the military, careers in management and finance offer great opportunities. Businesses tailoring their outreach to the veteran community are increasingly turning to veterans for Management Consultant and Operations Research Analyst positions.
Financial Advisor is the number 1 most in-demand field in the CareerCast Veteran Network job database. Veterans with a background in mathematics and finance can work directly with military families to help them protect their investments and savings.
The improved employment landscape for veterans isn’t merely a boon to one section of the workforce. Veterans bring skills that greatly benefit employers, making them prime candidates in a variety of fields.
Here are eight of the best jobs for veterans:
| Profession | Annual Median Salary* | Growth Outlook* |
| Financial Advisor | $89,160 | 30% |
| Information Security Analyst | $90,120 | 18% |
| Management Constant | $81,320 | 14% |
| Nurse Practitioner | $104,740 | 31% |
| Operations Research Analyst | $78,630 | 30% |
| Registered Nurse | $67,490 | 16% |
| Sales Manager | $113,860 | 5% |
| Software Engineer | $100,690 | 17% |
*Wages and projected growth outlooks through 2024 are from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The best jobs for veterans were selected from the 200 professions covered in the Jobs Rated report as a good match based on their responsibilities and skills gained while in service.
To read the full report, visit http://veteran.careercast.com/jobs-rated/2017-great-jobs-veterans.
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