Veterans
We understand you may have questions as you change careers or develop your current career path. We are aware that not every veteran is a traditional-age student, and we have resources to support students at different points in their career development.
Get Connected
As you build your career competencies for the workforce, we encourage you to get connected in the following ways:
- Engage in experiential learning by building relationships with our Career Communities
- Build your network through the job shadowing program and connect with alumni from multiple communities
- Connect with a mentor through the RAMP program
- Learn about internship opportunities and job openings via Handshake
- Learn about fellowships on campus
- Build your resume by highlighting the projects you complete through your coursework, student clubs, and community programs
Suffolk Connections
SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY VETERAN ALUMNI COMMITTEE: Celebrates and serves student and alum veterans through events, mentoring, philanthropy, and volunteerism
Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion: Provides individual support, mentoring, referrals, and education to foster a welcoming, safe, and inclusive environment for all students—giving special attention to historically marginalized students and their allies.
Career Resources
Create effective federal resumes
Federal resumes are uniquely different from private sector resumes. They can range from two to five pages and require a different format. Visit Resume Place for examples.
Translate your military experience into a civilian resume
While it may be challenging translating your military experience into language a civilian employer will understand, these tools can help to do just that.
- CareerOneStop - Use the Veterans Job Matcher to find civilian careers that might be a good fit for your military skills
- O Net Online - Enter your Military Occupation Code into Crosswalk Search to translate your military assignment into a civilian occupation
- Military OneSource - Step-by-step information on how to create a civilian resume
- Veterans Employment Center - Tools from the Department of Veterans Affairs to learn about job titles and qualifications, translate military skills, and start building your resume
Job Search And Networking Tools
- Employment Resources for Veterans: resources on employment for veterans from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
- Military.com: Jobs for veterans, career advice, skills translator tools, job fair information, and more
- G.I. Jobs: Provides resources and lists jobs for veterans starting civilian careers
- Vet Jobs: Military job board
- DIA Jobs: Defense Intelligence Agency careers page/job board.
Social Media Support Groups
LinkedIn and Facebook are useful networking tools that provide valuable opportunities to connect with and build a network of fellow veterans.
LinkedIn Groups
Facebook Pages
There are various Facebook pages for veterans to engage online, including
Resources For Military Spouses And Families
- Career One Stop: Offers career exploration services, training opportunities, and a jobs database; also has information for military family members on topics such as employment, education, and relocation
- MilitaryHire: Job placement service for military spouses and recruiting service for companies
Transition Resources
- FourBlock: Career-readiness program that focuses on networking, professional development, and exploration; organization also works with employers to help veterans find rewarding careers
- Travis Manion Foundation: Uses character-driven programming to empower veterans and the families of the fallen to serve in their communities; also provides transition workshops to help veterans thrive in their civilian lives
- DoD Transition Assistance Program (TAP): The Defense Department’s online resources for resume writing and interviewing, and information to assist with the military-to-civilian transition
- VA Career Toolkit: tool for employers and managers to help them better relate and integrate their veteran and reserve employee members; veterans and their family members can also find employment resources
Resources for Differently Abled Vets
Job Opportunities for DisABLED Veterans: job postings for veterans of different ability statuses
Additional Resources
- Pat Tillman Scholarship: Assists veterans with academic expenses; average award is $10,000 and applications open in February
- Vanderbilt's Bass Military Scholars Program: Provides full-tuition scholarships for military veterans pursuing graduate and professional degrees in law, management, education, medicine, and nursing
Professional Associations And Programs
There are many associations or programs to assist veterans with careers. Review How to Pick a Military or Veteran Association on Military.com to help you identify which organizations would be a good fit for you. Here are a few examples:
- Troops to Teachers
- Veterans on Wall Street (check out their LinkedIn page)
- American Corporate Partners
- Make the Connection
- American Women Veterans
Ways To Handle Discrimination In The Workplace
Federal law prohibits discrimination against individuals on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, disability, pregnancy, and age. Employers are responsible for complying with the law, but you are responsible for making sure you know and protect your rights.
Illegal Interview Questions
Did you know that it is against the law for employers to ask you certain questions in a job interview? To learn more about what topics are off-limits and what to do if you are asked about them, see the guide by Imdiversity.com-illegal-job-interview-questions-and-how-to-respond-to-them/ and Thebalancecareers.com/how-to-answer-inappropriate-interview-questions.
Discrimination in the workplace
If you experience discrimination once you have started a job, here are some tips and information about dealing with employment discrimination. You are also welcome to reach out to the director of career equity and access for support and inquiries.