Education & Workforce Development
How to Find the Military Talent You Need When You Need It BY ERIC EVERSOLE
HISTORICALLY, veterans have struggled in their transition to civilian employment. They have difficulty communicating their skills and military background in terms civilian employers can understand. Their resumes are riddled with Department of Defense jargon and they aren’t sure how their skills fit in the private sector. Members of the post-9/11 generation of veterans—especially veterans under the age of 25—have never created a resume or interviewed with an employer while serving in the military. They have years of experience and invaluable skills, but most have never gone through a civilian job search. 28
Last year, Matthew Morrison was feeling anxious about leaving the Air Force after 21 years of service. For nearly a decade, Dover Air Force Base was his home. He felt comfortable in Delaware and his post-military plan was to stay in Delaware. “In the military, I had a lot of job security. By leaving the military, I had to leave my comfort zone,” Morrison said. Thanks to Hiring Our Heroes’ Fellows Programs, Morrison participated in a 12-week internship with Cushman & Wakefield during his final months as an airman, during which Morrison demonstrated the skills he cultivated in the military including: Se p t e m b er / Oc t o b e r 2021 | DELAWARE BUSINESS
