Written by Meghavaty Suresh
‘Transition’ is an important term for every veteran and military connected individual. Transition is also applicable when a veteran in school takes that next big step – civilian employment. During the career networking luncheon for student veterans sponsored by EY, Macy’s, IBM and GE held on campus at Syracuse University, executives from prestigious multi-national firms, many of whom veterans themselves, spoke to the military and veteran community here at Syracuse about the nuts and bolts of making that transition from education to employment.
Here are four pieces of advice that every student veteran looking at entering careers outside of military service should hear:
Know Your Value
“Veterans bring a distinct character and a set of experiences and credentials that they need to know that they bring because it’s a difficult transition from the military to civilian life. So, if they are able to say that here’s the characteristics, values, experiences, and leadership that I bring to the organization then there’s value no matter what.” – Larry Iwanski, Executive Director, EY.
EY has a dedicated careers resource page for military and veterans.
Don’t Undersell Yourself
“If you want to work for a financial firm, you don’t have to have majored in finance. What you have to do is know a little about the industry and do your research about the firm and what is happening in the market before your interview. Don’t undersell yourself. You don’t have to blend in, you want to stand out. Every company looks for the same things – are you curious, personable, and intellectual and are you ambitious?” – Derek Meitzer, Sales and Analytics, Bloomberg.
Bloomberg places emphasis on military and veteran hiring and it is an integral part of the Bloomberg culture. Here’s their dedicated military and veteran page.
Remember Your Unique Advantage
“The value veterans bring to a job in a non-military organization is based on skills and experiences that aren’t taught anywhere else. It’s absorbed during their time in the military. That should always be remembered.” – James Noonan, Program Manager, IBM.
IBM constantly partners with the military and has a wide number of opportunities within their global eco-system for veterans.
Leverage Your Relationships
“It’s about figuring out what your abilities are and aligning your skillsets to the job and career path that you’re looking to head in. Leverage your relationships when you’re trying to get your foot into the door. That’s always an advantage.” – Tricia Moody, Director Talent Acquisition, First Data.
First Data actively hires veterans and military connected individuals including military spouses and are looking to double their veteran recruiting efforts this year.
Meghavaty Suresh is a Graduate Assistant at IVMF currently pursuing a Master of Science in New Media Management from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. She holds a Master’s in Management and Bachelor’s in Commerce from Mumbai University.