Veteran unemployment, much like national unemployment, has dropped significantly in the past few years, especially compared to the years directly following the recession. Myriad programs have been launched to assist veterans through the challenges of finding a job, starting a company, running for office and other means of employment, and some have been immensely successful.
Last fall, Military Times reported that unemployment in the veteran community had dropped to the lowest level in seven years, falling from 6.9 percent in October 2013 to 3.9 percent that same month in 2015. There is still much to be done in this area, but clearer information regarding the best employment opportunities available to veterans is becoming available.
Top professions
G.I. Jobs® recently released its latest report regarding the best jobs for veterans in the country, and announced that business operations manager roles were ranked No. 1 this year. Those occupations were followed by information technology specialist, logistician and supply chain manager, customer service manager, and sales representative and business development for the top five.
"It's exciting to see the dichotomy of occupation types open to today's service members," VictoryMedia's G.I. Jobs® chief product officer Daniel Nichols, who also served in the Navy, explained. "Notably, positions on the 2016 Top 25 Hot Jobs list focus less on military occupational skills and more on intangible skills and attributes gained through military training: teamwork, leadership, effective communication, trainability and logistics experience. What company wouldn't want those?"

Interestingly, the remaining five positions in the top 10 were highly related to the types of training certain military members undergo while completing their service. For example, engineers, electrical technicians, mechanical technicians, industrial systems operators and operations and facilities managers were all within the top 10, while asset protection officer positions appear to be a highly coveted role for veterans. The analysts noted that this was the first year that position made it into the top 25.
This type of information can help veterans make better decisions when navigating the job market for the private sector, though there have been some setbacks in the public sector related to veteran employment.
Government's hot and cold outlook
The Washington Post recently reported that the programs in place to boost hiring of veterans into public sector positions have had mixed reviews throughout their roughly seven years in action. According to the news provider, the biggest problem right now is more so related to a miscommunication of the employment programs and laws, and that resentment has become an issue in certain areas.
The source noted that about one-third of the individuals hired by federal government departments and agencies are now veterans, and that these figures are largely due to a bill put in place back in 2009 by the Obama administration. With the economy showing more promise with the passing of each year, veterans will likely enjoy a more promising job market in both the private and public sectors for the foreseeable future.