Veterans: How to Be Flexible While Looking for Civilian Roles

We spoke with Tara Carlidge, Recruiting Manager at Citi and former Personnel Officer in the U.S. Army, to ask her about what most companies think about translating seniority level for veterans to the corporate/civilian world. Here’s what we learned:

To start, education and experience level are always valued and considered. Companies also value the leadership traits that you bring to the organization, so if you were at a seniority level in the military, your leadership skills are taken into account and valued. Proven success in leadership increases your chances of being hired for a senior-level position where you will be directing multiple people and working on multiple projects at a time.

That being said, if you don’t have direct experience to the role you’re coming into, it’s OK to take a junior role. This can be helpful to you and your future in the company because it gives you the opportunity to build the basic skills to set you up for success. After all, this could lead to promotions within the organization, because you can use this time to prove yourself – working hard and learning the company’s systems to become better at your job and get promoted at a faster rate.

This article is one of nine in a 9-part series WayUp has completed in partnership with the Bob Woodruff Foundation and VOWS in an effort to help Veterans entering the civilian workforce. To sign up for WayUp and be discovered by employers, we encourage you to go here.