Identifying employment opportunities is especially hard for veterans with disabilities. Despite thousands of veterans transitioning to civilian life every year, there are significant gaps due to bias (intentional and/or unintentional); however, there are also many organizations that hire veterans as a principal cornerstone of their staffing practices. Even so, working a job with any disability is quite challenging.
There are roles that are not physically challenging, whereby soft skills in a veteran, combined with experience acquired in on-the-job training, make veterans an ideal fit. The following careers are excellent fits for disabled veterans:
Customer Service Representatives
Customer service representatives answer customer queries via calls, live chat, or emails. This job role requires limited physical activity. Moreover, some employers allow CSRs to work from home, nearly eliminating mobility concerns. There are plenty of openings year-round for these roles because customer service and support are crucial for businesses.
The main skills required for such jobs are communication, detail orientation, and empathy. The standard of military discipline makes disabled veterans the prime applicants for such roles.
Accountants
Businesses need accountants to deal with a company’s financial matters, including payroll and long-term financial planning. As most of the work is done on a computer, disabled individuals with a degree in accounting can fill these positions without much difficulty. Moreover, because accounting is a promising career with plenty of growth opportunities, individuals can set a roadmap for themselves.
With minor adjustments to their workplace, employers can quickly incorporate disabled professionals into the workforce.
IT Specialists
Information technology is one of the fastest-growing fields, continuously creating more job opportunities. An IT specialist is responsible for creating, managing, and troubleshooting computer networks within an organization. Veterans with problem-solving skills and a degree in Information Technology or a comparable computer science degree are ideal candidates for IT specialists. Relevant experience during military service can add significant value to an individual’s profile.
Digital Marketers
For veterans seeking a career in tech but with no intention of learning how to code, digital marketing can be the right choice. It is a vast field with various channels of marketing and strategies. Learning social media marketing, email marketing, paid advertisement, or SEO skills can ensure a quick match. A marketing degree is a plus but not a necessity. There are plenty of free and paid resources on the web that can help an individual learn these skills.
With more businesses leveraging online mediums for advertising their products or services, the job market for digital marketers is expanding. The monthly compensation for these roles makes them worth the effort of acquiring a new skill. Simply put, it is a career worth adopting.
Graphic Designers
Graphic design is an excellent career choice for creative individuals. This job role does not require a background in technical education, however, a degree in arts can potentially benefit an aspiring applicant. Basic graphic design can be learned by watching tutorials or enrolling in online courses; mastering graphic design opens an individual to many full-time, part-time, and freelance job opportunities.
Translators
Veterans who know how to speak more than one language fluently can find working opportunities as translators. Organizations and governmental organizations often need people who can translate and convey messages clearly and succinctly. In addition to full-time employment, such individuals can also find work in voiceover and dubbing gigs.
A career path in communication and translation can help physically challenged veterans find employment. Military recruits are frequently trained to become proficient in multiple languages. It is an excellent career path for individuals lacking computer expertise with a competent record of language and vocal ability.
Nurses
Veterans with limited disabilities and some level of medical training may find nursing a suitable profession. They can find working opportunities in hospitals, retirement homes, and as at-home caregivers. It is a promising career with a decent average salary. The satisfaction of helping others in need can be an added advantage of choosing this career post-service.
It is an unfortunate reality that employment opportunities for disabled veterans are often scarce, but learning skills relative to one’s handicap, college education, and learning new in-demand skills can help them return to the workforce in short order.