Transitioning to civilian life after the military can be extremely difficult. As a service member, you’re used to demanding tasks, a rigid schedule, and a process and procedure for everything you do. As a civilian, that’s not the case. In civilian life, you’re on your own, forced to blend in, find a job, and adjust to a lifestyle that is completely different from the military.
Despite numerous attempts at educating the public, it can still be hard for veterans to gain employment because employers don’t often see the value of hiring a veteran, and veterans are unsure of how to translate their military skills to job skills.
If you’re transitioning from military life and weighing your options, check out these five reasons why tax preparation is a great career after the military.
Tax Preparation is Process Driven
The military is a very process driven environment. So is tax preparation! Preparing taxes requires being able to follow a procedure from beginning to end in order to get the correct results. Much like in the military where it’s all about completing the mission, there are a lot of rules and regulations to know and follow. This type of work is one that someone with a military background may not just enjoy but thrive.
Tax Preparation is Flexible
Although a flexible work schedule may not seem like a good fit for someone used to a rigid schedule, it can be extremely helpful for someone who has suffered psychological trauma while deployed. PTSD is a very real struggle some of our service members face when they come home. Having the flexibility to stay home or take a few hours off when overstressed can be a huge benefit for someone who may become triggered or goes through rough patches from time to time.
Tax Preparation is People Oriented
Service members rely heavily on each other. They do everything as a team and built very strong bonds that last beyond deployment. The military is all about working as a team, however many workplace environments are the opposite: extremely competitive.
Tax preparation is not all about numbers. It’s about people. It requires a great deal of customer service and the ability to make people feel at ease working with you. It’s the perfect environment for a veteran used to working with others.
Veterans Make Great Entrepreneurs
Business strategist Carol Roth once said in her Huffington Post article, Why Military Veterans Make Great Entrepreneurs, “When you have prepared for combat, you are more prepared to take on the business battlefield.”
Both war and business require these crucial skills: risk-taking, self-confidence, commitment, motivation, determination, time management, and the allocation of resources. Veterans bring leadership, discipline, and the ability to learn and adapt quickly to the world of business. These are all very important skills that not every MBA student has when ready for their first venture.
Everything about their time in the military has given them the skills needed to be an entrepreneur – and tax preparation is a great business to start. It’s a service that every American citizen needs, and is very lucrative. Plus, through The Income Tax School, there are manuals that offer a turnkey solution to starting your own tax business. No need to reinvent the wheel!
Learning Tax Preparation is Easy and Affordable
The skills needed to get started as a tax preparer don’t require years and years of schooling. In as little as 10 weeks, you can tackle the basics of tax preparation and get started preparing taxes for the general public.
It’s also affordable compared to a university education or other technical school. The Income Tax School offers a military discount, as well as tuition assistance.