Considering Remote Work? Here’s Why You May Be a Good Fit • The Havok Journal

Considering Remote Work? Here’s Why You May Be a Good Fit
by Scott Faith

Credit: Pexels – No changes made to the image

Veterans face numerous trials throughout their lives, and during these uncertain times, it has certainly added another layer of challenges. Due to the current state of the economy, nearly 20,000 US military personnel were discharged over the past few weeks, rendering them unemployed. It certainly doesn’t help that businesses are being forced to stop or limit operations, making it harder to look for a job.

Fortunately, remote companies are a viable option. Because they operate digitally, many haven’t been impacted by the pandemic. Plus, it just so happens that a lot of these companies target veterans. A report on CNBC found that remote work platforms such as Upwork, FlexJobs, and Support have been seeing a surge in recruiting veterans for remote posts. These companies emphasize how remote positions need employees with the right set of “soft skills,” like flexibility and loyalty—traits that people with a military background tend to possess.

That being said, now is the perfect time to consider remote work, and here are a few more reasons why.

You can work in a team

Online work isn’t an entirely solo endeavor. According to findings from Evernote, remote work is rooted in teamwork and doesn’t necessarily rely solely on individual productivity. Luckily for you, military duties place a huge emphasis on cohesive team units. As stated in an article on Press Herald, this experience indeed helps formulate a team-oriented thinking, and an ability to work with various personalities. So if there’s one person who can adapt to working with a new team, it’s you.

You are a natural leader

Thanks to a variation of military roles and responsibilities thrown your way while you served your country, you have ample experience when it comes to leadership and taking initiative. On the job, you’ve probably had to make decisions that affected a group as a whole, particularly when strategizing for a mission or managing subordinates to help them improve. Leadership strategist Kate Cooper shares that this gives veterans the potential to be excellent business managers and leaders—whether you’re spearheading campaigns, or overseeing them from inception to completion.

You are highly disciplined

The most important part about remote work is understanding how to separate your job from your personal life. After all, with no set hours, it can be tempting to overwork yourself. Moreover, a guide to home office setups by HP documents that staying productive is a common struggle among remote workers, as your couch or bed is only within arm’s reach. This can be remedied by setting a strict schedule. On the plus side, veterans have no problem with this. Former 101st Airborne Division radio operator Eric Milzarski shared that veterans are trained specifically so they don’t allow their personal life bleed into their job, and vice versa—a skill that can be applied when working from home.

You can work under pressure

Working from home is far from easy. With limited communication channels, employers tend to put more trust in remote workers. As a result, a study from Fast Company found that remote workers face more stress, due to the lack of face-to-face interactions and being “unable to switch off.” In response, it also makes the feelings of pressure build up faster. Thankfully, HR Dive reveals that some core skills that veterans have developed during their career include being able to work under the most stressful conditions, which means you can cope with whatever difficulties you encounter.

What job should I take?

Okay, so you’ve proven that you have the skills—now it’s about choosing the right job. Here a couple of jobs that you can look into.

Translator

There’s always a demand for reliable audio and text translators. If you were part of the 174,000 military personnel deployed by the USA to over 140 countries, then you may have been required to learn the local language before you were sent out. Whether you’ve had to brush up on Chinese, Vietnamese, or Spanish, your proficiency can be put to use as a translator.

Writer

To perform their jobs competently, military personnel are trained to communicate effectively and use words to their advantage. To this end, writing can be a career path to consider. It certainly helps that a lot of veterans before you have chosen the same path. Therefore, you can join organizations like The Veterans Writing Project, which includes robust workshops, mentorships, and networking opportunities to jumpstart your writing career. Plus, being a part of such groups can open you up to a supportive community.

Programmer or Developer

Military training teaches soldiers how to think logically amidst pressure, be attentive to the smallest details, and work with a diverse team. These are all attitudes that a developer needs to succeed in their career. However, although Wired informs that plenty of veterans are interested in coding, many of them are worried that they don’t have the right technical background for it. Luckily, resources for learning how to program have become more accessible these days, from paid online courses like those found on Udemy to tutorials and free practice websites like HackerRank. You may not be able to land a job immediately, but if you dedicate enough time to learning, then you’ll be ready for projects in about three months.

Other jobs to consider are:

• Online tutor
• Transcriber
• Graphic designer
• Virtual assistant
• Business analyst
• Project manager
• Sales representative
• Financial advisor

In conclusion, not only is remote work convenient, but it’s the type of work that benefits from your military experience, too. To work at home, one needs to be disciplined and be able to seamlessly work with a team of diverse individuals. Good thing this isn’t your first time in this kind of position.

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