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Career Resources for Veterans

As you make your way from military service to Northwestern to post-degree employment, we are here to coach and support you. Whether that is exploring career options to pursing an internship or job, we look forward to working with you to achieve your goals.

Finding Jobs and Internships

As you use Handshake [hyperlink] to search for opportunities, both general and veteran-related, keep these tips in mind:

A few veteran-specific job search resources are below. These represent a starting place and we suggest that you consult with your career adviser to identify additional industry-specific resources that will support your unique search.

Writing a Civilian Resume

As you reflect on your “story”, your military experiences and roles might not map to your industry of choice at face value. You may need to translate some of your military experiences in a way that helps employers to understand the skills you used and possess.

Brainstorm your career goals as well as research your industries and jobs of choice. Match your military skills and experience to civilian occupations. Which of your skills align with your career/industry interests? Are there any additional transferable skills that can be applied?

In addition to the resume writing guidance on our website, use these resources to change any military descriptions to those that are understandable to a broader audience:


Military-to-civilian resources listed above may not fit everyone’s situation perfectly. For further guidance, meet with a career adviser to discuss your military experiences and roles to identify and highlight those skills that fit your industry of choice.

Networking: Connecting with other NU Veterans

Learning how to build professional relationships with others and using gained knowledge is a critical part of any job/internship search.

Engage with other veterans who are also at Northwestern via this student group:
Northwestern University Veterans Association

Here are additional resources and tips for connecting with Northwestern Alumni who are veterans:

Additional Northwestern Resources for Veterans