Veterans are the population that is perhaps the most inclined towards political careers. Both because every career politician finds service a good mark on his resume, and because general veterans find satisfaction in leadership roles. However, a recent study has shown that Veterans are leaving government jobs faster than any other demographic, resigning almost one and a half times more often.
Why?
This is an issue for veterans everywhere – how can we trust our issues are being represented when we have no representation in our government? There were six factors examined in the study, all of which had an effect on retention: Pay satisfaction, the meaningfulness of the work, confidence in leaders, opportunities for advancement, training, and development, and relationships with supervisors. Not all of these factors are easy to understand or manage as a worker, but there are some things that can be done to help veterans find comfort in their positions.
Learn how to Negotiate pay
Government jobs typically have very set-in-stone pay scales, but it’s important to recognize that there is always room for flexibility. Many servicemen and women likely never had to deal with pay negotiations, and assume that there is no discussion. However, workers always have that right, even in a government position.
Finding Meaning in Your Work
In a government position, it can often feel as though you are one small cog in a giant machine, or that your work doesn’t have any real meaning. This isn’t true, but you’ll have to work harder to find the purpose to your work than you would in the military.
In service, every position has a very clear and demarcated purpose. This is true everywhere, but you might have to look harder at what you do in order to find that same simple meaning.
Build a Network
Working in government positions often lends itself to a specific work-style, one that is more selfless than other organizations. This selflessness can be deeply taxing, and even depersonalizing. Finding satisfaction in a position requires you to feel like a part of a community – but you have to find it for yourself.