Updated: Oct 24, 2026
Originally Published: Sept 30, 2024
For many veterans, moving from military service into a civilian career is a journey filled with both challenges and significant opportunities. A key part of navigating this path successfully is discovering a new professional route that aligns with the distinct expertise and skills built during service. To support you through a seamless transition, a wide array of tools and support programs are accessible. Here is a closer look at the key resources designed to assist you and when you should start working on them.
Skill Translation & Career Assessment (12–6 Months Out)
A successful transition from military service to a civilian career often involves identifying and using transferable skills. Many of the skills veterans acquire during their service are valuable in the civilian workforce, such as leadership, problem-solving, teamwork, and even technical skills.
- My Next Move For Vets (O*Net): Your MOC/MOS translation engine. Simply select your branch, enter your military classification code, and view civilian matches as well as alternative options!
- VA educational and career counseling: The VA offers free educational and career counseling through the Personalized Career Planning and Guidance program (PCPG, also known as VA Chapter 36).
- Life Post Military: Your centralized “command center” for managing every phase of transition, all free. LPM is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to help service members, veterans, and spouses with comprehensive tools and community.
- Top 10 transferable military skills: This list of transferable skills for veterans explores 10 skills that you can leverage when searching for a civilian career.
- Soft and hard skills for veterans: Military OneSource offers guidance for exploring military skills for your resume and understanding your strengths and personality.
- Veteran and Military Transition Center: CareerOneStop offers a resource center to help you access employment-related services, match your skills to careers, search for jobs, and learn more about different veterans benefits.
Development & Upskilling (6–3 Months Out)
Bridging the gap between military service and a civilian career requires tailored preparation, making the six-to-three-month window before transition a critical phase for targeted upskilling, resume development, and individualized counseling. These programs provide expert vocational counseling, job placement aid, and workplace accommodations—ensuring every veteran builds a smooth, empowered path toward a long-term civilian career.
- Hire Heroes USA: Hire Heroes USA offers personalized veteran job services to help you develop your resume, learn interviewing techniques, and land your new job.
- Vocational schools and apprenticeships: This guide from Intelligent helps veterans who want to go back to school understand their GI Bill benefits and other programs that can help them learn new career skills.
- VR&E Program: The Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Program provides personalized employment help for veterans with service-related disabilities.
- PVA Career Program: Paralyzed Veterans of America offers all veterans employment help and career counseling, but especially those who have spinal cord injuries. PVA can help these veterans obtain workplace accommodations for their disabilities.
Mentorship, Networking & Resumes (3–0 Months Out)
It’s one thing to understand your skill set, but how do you turn those into a career that you’ll enjoy? And what about writing a resume? A strong resume and an understanding of the civilian job market are essential for any veteran entering the workforce. Veterans often need assistance translating their military experience into civilian language so employers can understand the value they bring. The following resources can help you find a career you’ll enjoy and develop a resume to get you there.
- Resume and job hunting guide: With this guide from Resume Builder, you’ll learn more about the current civilian job market and how to write a resume that impresses.
- Programs that hire veterans: This resource from Military OneSource can help you connect with employers who are committed to hiring veterans.
- LinkedIn tools for veterans: LinkedIn provides tools and networking opportunities for veterans and their spouses, including free LinkedIn Premium memberships to connect veterans with job resources and a library of learning resources.
- SkillUp Job Board: Our job board only shows roles that don't require a college degree, provide a living wage, offer benefits and require skills or credentials you can gain in under 1 year (or transfer from the military).
Mental Health Resources
Mental health support is an often overlooked need for many veterans as they navigate post-service life, but it’s just as important, if not more than, finding a new career. From managing PTSD to finding purpose in civilian life, mental health services can help veterans make a successful transition.
- Veterans Crisis Line: The Veterans Crisis Line connects veterans experiencing mental health crises with real humans for free, confidential, 24/7 support by phone, text, or online chat. To access help from your phone, dial 988 then press 1, or text 838255.
- Make the Connection: Make the Connection offers veterans access to mental health tools, resources, and stories to help them cope. Veterans can connect with others who have shared similar experiences so they can have a supportive community with resources for seeking help.
- VA Vet Centers: Through the Vet Centers, the VA provides readjustment counseling for veterans and their families. These centers offer confidential counseling services and help with managing PTSD, depression, or anxiety through individual or group therapy sessions.
Basic Living Resources
Sometimes, veterans need help meeting basic living needs like housing, food, or healthcare. Many programs exist to help support veterans in finding stability as they return to civilian life.
- National Coalition for Homeless Veterans: NCHV works to prevent and end homelessness among veterans by connecting them to local services. Veterans can access housing, job training, and mental health support through the coalition’s partner organizations.
- HUD-VASH Program: The Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Veterans Affairs offer a joint initiative to provide housing vouchers for veterans facing homelessness.
- FindHelp.org: At FindHelp, veterans can locate free or reduced-cost resources that are local to them.
Need emergency financial stability? SNAP, 211, and Everyone On are resources anyone can use to quickly get support.
Regional Resource Spotlight: California & Guard/Reserve Candidates
While national tools offer broad support, regional programs provide direct local hiring pipelines like Work for Warriors (WFW).
Best For: Veterans, active Guard/Reserve members, active duty transitioning to California, and military spouses.
Cost: 100% Free.
Key Services Offered:
- 1-on-1 Veteran Career Coaching:
- Personalized support from Veteran Staffing Consultants who understand military language.
- Direct Employer Referrals: Skip traditional HR black holes with direct connections to over 2,000 corporate and public-sector hiring partners across California.
- Resume & Interview Prep: Tailored assistance for converting military duties into federal and corporate-ready resumes, followed by individual interview coaching.
- Free Training & Apprenticeships: Access to partnered education, on-the-job training, and continuous application pipeline support until placement.
Learn more and get support from Work for Warriors here.
How SkillUp Can Help
At SkillUp, we can help veterans find new career opportunities with:
We can also connect you to learning pathways that align with your skills and career goals so you can:
- Build the job skills employers want
- Find careers that take less than one year of training
- Learn top job skills
- Polish your resume
Find Opportunities Near You
SkillUp is here to help veterans explore opportunities for training and skill development, no matter what their career goals are. Start your career journey today with our resources designed to help you thrive.
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