As the holiday season is upon us, many unemployed and student Veterans and their spouses will have the ability to expand their résumés. Many retailers, shipping companies, private security firms, and holiday essentials providers (Christmas tree lots) are hiring seasonal help. While the bulk of these seasonal hires are intended by both the employer and the employee to be temporary, they add additional skills to your résumé.
After the holiday season, there are still numerous, ongoing opportunities for Veterans and military spouses to gain notable experience for their résumés, through volunteer work and community service.
Researches from The Mission Continues and the Center for a New American Security found that 90% of the Veterans involved with The Mission Continues believed their community work increased their prospects of finding a job. The study also found that that over 80% of the participants claimed that the volunteer experience encouraged them to search out better careers.
For the study, researchers tracked over 400 Veteran participants, known as group fellows. The researchers weighed the overall well-being of the group fellows before and after their six months of community service through The Mission Continues. The study found that group fellows reported much stronger ties with their families and communities after completing the program. They also reported increased confidence and increased activity in post-military support networks.
Veterans who completed the fellowship not only felt better about themselves, but also found that they gained skills, experience and networking connections through their community service that they can use towards finding meaningful employment. And employers will look at community service, along with the experiences and skills that were gained, increasing their confidence in hiring that employee.
The Mission Continues is just one of many non-profit organizations that connect Veterans to meaningful and experience-building volunteer work. Veterans can also take it upon themselves to volunteer for a multitude of community service programs in their own communities. Whether it’s building a house, helping fellow Veterans, feeding the homeless, picking up garbage, or working with seniors or children, Veterans are encouraged to seek out volunteer work… it could lead to that dream job.
Military Connection proudly serves those who serve in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve, Veterans and their Families. We are the go to site for Veteran Employment and information on Veteran education. Militaryconnection.com provides Veterans with and Directory of Employers, a Job Board, information on the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and a blog that offers Veterans boundless information. Be sure to visit Militaryconnection.com, the go to site.
Military Connection: Padding Your Résumé: By Debbie Gregory
