Supporting veterans in exploring career choices
Begin the career exploration by exploring aspirations, talents, and strengths. Then, consider how a disability might impact the chosen career path and what accommodations or adjustments might be needed to pursue a job in this career path.
No matter how crazy a persistent career aspiration might seem, there is always something about it that you need to pay attention to. Why is this career so compelling to the veteran? What draws them to this career? If it is truly unattainable, is there any way to express this aspiration in a different way?
Veterans, and particularly veterans with disabilities, might have serious “form fatigue.” Be wary of asking them to complete any tool/assessment that involves them working alone on it for more than about 15 minutes.
It does make sense to build upon skills learned in the military if the veteran wants to pursue this career path. However, many veterans want to change their career direction after they’ve served. So, a key step is to explore whether the veteran wants to build upon skills learned in the military or to pivot to a new career direction.
Veterans choose self-employment more often than nonveterans. And, when they do, their businesses tend to be more successful. There are a range of services and funds available for veterans with and without disabilities who want to be entrepreneurs.
