Late last year, LinkedIn published the Veteran Opportunity Report with some concerning statistics.  Around 33% of veterans report being underemployed and 70% describe taking a step backward in responsibility when moving to the business world from the military.  The number one reason this occurs is that many companies do not understand the value veterans bring to their organization.   The majority of those surveyed were Junior Military Officers, so this risk of being underemployed and taking a step back is very real for the JMO demographic.

A big reason that many veterans, JMOs included, end up with organizations that don’t truly understand their value is because the veteran placed too much emphasis on the starting position during their career search.  Meaning, they select the company or opportunity based on location, salary or company name only.  They never conducted a full career search to completely evaluate a number of options.  Hence, they may start in a good initial position but as they progress in their career, they realize they are on the wrong path.  This path will not take them where they want to go.  So, they quit and start over again.

This cycle could even happen for those who do a career search and explore numerous options. If they select their next career with too much emphasis on the initial position, they can also end up in the same situation.

At Cameron-Brooks, our JMO career search process is designed to help JMOs transition with confidence, exploring their options, understanding the initial position and the path they are choosing.  As a result, 99% of Cameron-Brooks Alumni are with their original company after 1 year and 93% after 3 years.

So how can you choose the right path? In this podcast, I describe how hiking is similar to a JMO career search.  Tune into this podcast to learn more…and to hear how the above pictures relate to the career search!

Enjoy – Joel

To learn more about turning your JMO leadership skills into a successful transition and business success with Cameron-Brooks, visit our website and check out PCS to Corporate America. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.