Total VeteranHow Veterans Build a Professional Network After the Military: UK and US Programmes
The chain of command used to make introductions for you. These free programmes, a simple contact map and a weekly routine rebuild that structure in civilian life.
- American Corporate Partners has mentored 44,000+ veterans since 2010 with mentors from 2,250+ companies.
- The Forces Employment Charity offers free industry mentoring through MyForcesEmployment and supported 28,193 people in 2024.
- A 2022 Science study of about 20 million LinkedIn users found moderately weak ties produce the most job mobility.
- DoD SkillBridge places US service members with industry partners in their final 180 days of service.
- Free 12-month LinkedIn Premium is available to the US military community only.
To build a professional network after the military, start with a structured mentoring programme, then work outward through people you already half-know. In the US, American Corporate Partners has mentored more than 44,000 veterans since 2010. In the UK, the Forces Employment Charity matches veterans with industry mentors at no cost. Large-scale research on LinkedIn found that the most job mobility comes from moderately weak ties: acquaintances, former colleagues and friends of friends. This guide lists the programmes in both countries and gives a weekly routine for using them.
Why the military network stops working
In service, the chain of command handles introductions. Postings, courses and reporting lines put you in contact with the right people without effort. After discharge, that structure disappears, and every introduction has to be built by you. The answer is to rebuild a small version of that structure deliberately: one mentor, a defined list of contacts, and a regular routine.
The evidence on weak ties
A study published in Science in September 2022 analysed five years of experiments on LinkedIn covering around 20 million people. The researchers found that "the greatest job mobility comes from moderately weak ties": connections between the very weakest and those of average closeness. For a veteran, that describes people you served alongside years ago, instructors from courses, contractors you worked with, and friends of friends who now work in your target sector. Your closest friends from your unit matter for support. The moderate ties are the ones most likely to know of a job you have not heard about.
Structured programmes, UK and US
| Programme | Country | What you get | Who is eligible | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Corporate Partners | US | One-to-one mentor from 2,250+ partner companies, with a tailored action plan; 44,000+ mentored since 2010, 5,000+ in active mentorships, 98% satisfaction | Transitioning service members, veterans, active-duty spouses | Free |
| Hiring Our Heroes | US | Hiring events, 12-week Fellowship placements approved under SkillBridge, Skilled Trades Academy; serves 80,000+ people a year | Transitioning service members, veterans, military spouses | Free |
| DoD SkillBridge | US | Training and work experience with an industry partner during the last months of service | Service members with 180 days or fewer remaining | Free to the service member |
| Hire Heroes USA | US | One-to-one career coaching, resume review, interview preparation, job board and events | Transitioning service members, veterans, military spouses | Free |
| FourBlock | US | Relationship-driven career transition programme run since 2010 | Veterans and military spouses | See website |
| LinkedIn Premium for veterans | US | 12 months of Premium, redeemed through Hire Heroes USA, Student Veterans of America or Hiring Our Heroes | US veterans, transitioning US service members, spouses | Free, one time |
| Forces Employment Charity mentoring | UK | One-to-one industry mentor through MyForcesEmployment, alongside an employment adviser. Mentor sectors include engineering and construction, finance and professional services, technology and digital, and the public and third sector | Service leavers, veterans, reservists, spouses and partners; mentoring for members aged 18+ | Free |
| CTP employment fairs and events | UK | Employment fairs, online chat events and company presentations across the UK every year | Service leavers | Free |
| The Poppy Factory | UK | One-to-one employment support including CV writing, job search, interview preparation and in-work support | Veterans with health conditions, England and Wales | Free |
The Forces Employment Charity was formed in May 2022 when RFEA (founded in 1885) and the Officers' Association combined their employment services. It supported 28,193 beneficiaries in 2024. Its programmes include TechVets for technology careers, the Military Women Programme and an Executive Programme. Phone: 0121 262 3058.
Turn this into a plan
Work through your CV, interviews and network with a Total Veteran coach and a small cohort making the same move.
How to use a mentor well
ACP mentors commit one hour a month for a year. Forces Employment Charity mentors work alongside your employment adviser, who handles CVs and job matching. To get value from either:
- Arrive at the first meeting with a written goal: a target sector, a target job title and a timeframe.
- Ask your mentor for two introductions per meeting, to people one step closer to your target role.
- Send a short summary after each meeting with the actions you agreed, then report back next time.
- Ask them to review your CV and LinkedIn profile as a hiring manager in their sector would read it.
Map your existing network in an hour
Most veterans already know more relevant people than they think. Write a list in three columns:
| Column | Who goes in it | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Already civilian | People you served with who have left | Former section mates, ex-instructors, old divisional officers |
| Worked alongside you | Civilians you met through service | Contractors, civil servants, defence industry engineers, local authority staff |
| One step removed | Friends and family contacts in your target sector | A neighbour's employer, a partner's colleague, a former teammate's spouse |
Aim for 30 names. Then mark the ten who work in or near your target sector. Those are your first conversations.
What to say: example messages
The messages below are examples written for this guide. Keep the request small and specific.
To a former colleague now in industry
"Hi [name], we served together at [unit] in [year]. I leave the [service] in [month] and I'm looking at operations roles in logistics. I saw you moved into supply chain at [company]. Could I ask you three questions on a 20-minute call in the next fortnight? Happy to fit around you."
To a stranger, via a shared connection
"Hello [name], [mutual contact] suggested I contact you. I'm a Royal Navy engineer moving into the energy sector, and your route from the forces into asset management is the one I'm aiming for. Would you be open to a short call about how you made the move?"
After the conversation
"Thank you for your time today. I've followed up on your suggestion and applied for the [qualification]. I'll let you know how the application to [company] goes."
The follow-up matters most. People introduce you further when they see you act on their advice.
Translate how you present yourself
Civilian contacts need a clear answer to "What do you do?" Write a one-line headline for LinkedIn and for introductions that names a civilian role and a strength. Examples written for this guide:
| Military-style headline | Civilian headline |
|---|---|
| Chief Petty Officer, US Navy, 12 years | Operations and logistics manager | Led teams of 40 | Transitioning to supply chain leadership |
| Royal Signals Staff Sergeant | Telecommunications and IT team leader | Network infrastructure | Seeking infrastructure management roles |
| RAF Flight Sergeant, Aircraft Engineering | Aircraft maintenance supervisor | Safety-critical engineering | Moving into rail and energy maintenance |
Use the same language in conversation. For more on wording, see our guide to military CV translation tools.
A weekly routine
Networking without a structure tends to stop after the first few calls. A light, repeatable routine works better:
| Day | Task | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Send three messages from your contact list | 30 minutes |
| Tuesday | Comment usefully on two posts by people in your target sector | 15 minutes |
| Wednesday | Hold one conversation or informational call | 30 minutes |
| Thursday | Follow up on last week's calls and log any introductions | 20 minutes |
| Friday | Attend or book one event: a CTP fair, a Hiring Our Heroes event or a sector meetup | Varies |
Before discharge, add your formal transition support to the same plan: the Career Transition Partnership in the UK, and the Department of Labor's TAP Employment Workshop in the US, which covers networking alongside resumes and interviews. For the wider case on why peer networks matter after service, read why veterans need a network.
What to do this week
- Apply for a mentor through American Corporate Partners or the Forces Employment Charity.
- List 30 people you know in three columns and mark the ten closest to your target sector.
- Send three short, specific requests for a 20-minute call.
- Rewrite your LinkedIn headline with a civilian job title and one strength.
- Book one employment event this month: a CTP fair, a Hiring Our Heroes event or a sector meetup.
Questions people ask
How do veterans network for jobs?
Is American Corporate Partners free?
Does the Forces Employment Charity offer mentoring?
What is DoD SkillBridge?
- American Corporate Partners, homepage (accessed October 2026). https://www.acp-usa.org
- Forces Employment Charity, "National Mentoring Month 2026: how mentoring can shape your next career move" (2026). https://www.forcesemployment.org.uk/?p=6767
- Cobseo, "Happy Birthday Forces Employment Charity: celebrating 140 years of serving the military community" (February 2025). https://www.cobseo.org.uk/?p=64172
- MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy, "New study proves that weak ties have strong employment value" (2022). https://ide.mit.edu/insights/new-study-proves-that-weak-ties-have-strong-employment-value
- Hiring Our Heroes, homepage (accessed October 2026). https://www.hiringourheroes.org/
- US Department of Defense, "SkillBridge" (accessed October 2026). https://skillbridge.osd.mil/
- LinkedIn Social Impact, "Veterans" (accessed October 2026). https://socialimpact.linkedin.com/programs/veterans
- Hire Heroes USA, homepage (accessed October 2026). https://www.hireheroesusa.org/
- The Poppy Factory, homepage (accessed October 2026). https://www.poppyfactory.org/
- Career Transition Partnership, "Events" (accessed October 2026). https://www.ctp.org.uk/events
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