3 Best Freelancing Jobs for Veterans

The number of veterans in the U.S keeps rising with the US Department of Veterans Affairs. Saying there are over 18.2 million veterans in the country. While more resources now go to veterans’ welfare, many of them still find it hard to get meaningful employment. Luckily, the freelancing industry is on the rise and veterans can leverage their unique skills to make money and improve their lives. Unlike the formal jobs where papers are a prerequisite, the freelancing world is more accommodating. In this industry, clients are after your skills and will pay top dollar for the same. From history writing jobs, a security consultancy, ghostwriting, online research, motivational speaking, interpretation and translating to tutoring, there’s a wide array of gigs suitable for veterans.

This article explores the best freelancing jobs out of these for the veterans. Read on.

1. Interpreter/Translator

Army personnel works in many countries and in the course of their work they pick up new languages. In fact, they require some basic training in such languages and once on the ground, they practice and become masters of these new tongues. Once they return home, this foreign language mastery can earn them a good living as interpreters or translators.

The world is now a global village and governments and businesses have to interact with each other. In the course of doing this, language problems arise and this is where veterans come in as translators and interpreters.

Languages are a big deal in the freelance market, and if you are an army veteran with knowledge of any language other than English, you could be sitting on a goldmine. You can work with NGOs, businesses, non-profit organizations and governments as a freelance translator.

2. History Expert

One of the best things about the army is that it opens an individual’s mind to new ideas. As you travel across the world, you become interested in learning about the history and culture of different people in different regions.

Many army veterans become history teachers or writers after their tour of duty, and they excel in this field. It is natural to fall in love with history as it is a subject that explains all the conflict in the world. You will always seek answers about the origin of such conflicts even as you seek to resolve them using military intervention.

Image 1: Army veterans have ample opportunities in freelancing

Army veterans know a lot of history, and they can leverage working as freelancer writers or tutors. Students of history are always on the lookout for experts to help them with homework assignments, essay writing, thesis research, and other academic projects. You can carve a niche as a history expert and use your background in the army to win over clients.

3. Security Experts/Advisors

After working in the disciplined forces for years, it is understandable that everyone expects you to have some insight on security matters. In a world plagued by unique security issues such as terrorism, veterans can find jobs in the security industry as security experts, advisers, contractors among other things. If you have taken any further training in security matters, you have the edge over other specialists.

Clients look for people with experience in the field because they have the expertise and foresight to identify risks and find ways to mitigate such risks. You can boost your freelancing career as a security expert by learning new security technologies and applying them in your job.

There are other interesting freelance opportunities available for veterans. They range from photographers, customer service specialists, web developers, online researchers among others. You can also offer thesis help for MA students in different subjects.