LinkedIn Report Shows Veterans Are Underemployed

Recently, LinkedIn released their "Veteran Opportunity Report," highlighting the fact most veterans are often underemployed. They further defined underemployment as being employed in a position lower than qualified for. LinkedIn stated 33% of veterans are underemployed.Through and through, transitioning out of military service into the civilian world often times leads veterans to question their worth. Being an NCO or officer in the military does not often translate well in the civilian world. More times than not, veterans and Reserve members often find themselves taking lower paying jobs, just to get their foot in the door.LinkedIn's study stated:

Articulating experiences and achievements can be a challenge for veterans, because civilian hiring managers sometimes don’t recognize military job titles and acronyms. The probability of a hiring professional only recognizing a fraction of a veteran’s capabilities makes it more likely that they’ll be hired into a lower-paying job that’s below their skill level.

As stated in a previous article, often times veterans have trouble translating their skills from a military role into civilian terms that truly show their potential. For example, stating you were a "platoon sergeant" will not translate to a civilian. Rephrasing it to say "managed 20-30 personnel, responsible for their physical activity, dissemination of information, and professional development," will show the full scope and equate you more as a "mid-level manager."The Report goes on to state veterans are more likely to stay with an employer longer than civilians and more likely to get promoted within the first three years of working there. This is credited to the fact that veterans are often dedicated to their work and ensure the quality of work is high. The report even stated veterans are more likely to have a degree and supporting experience.Ultimately, the report showed the disconnect between military language and civilian interpretation is large. It also concluded military and civilians need to leverage more networking solutions to bridge the gap.What resource have you found that helps with translating your military experience? Drop a comment below! You can locate the information on the LinkedIn study, here. Also, LinkedIn is offering free Premium accounts for a year to all veterans and spouses, so check that out!