This overlooked career path may be well-suited for veterans

As difficult as the transition from serving in the military to starting a new career can be, the path can seem especially daunting in the public sector. Capitol Counsel Partner Rob Diamond, who formerly served as an aide to President Barack Obama, sheds light on the issue in a new episode of Yahoo Finance’s Warrior Money.

Asked by host Patrick Murphy why more veterans are not pursuing careers in public office, Diamond offers his insight.

“I think it’s twofold,” Diamond explains to Murphy and co-host Dan Kunze. “One, running for office is intimidating for anybody, let alone service members transitioning out of the military.”

“Where do you start? What office do you run for? How do you raise money?” he adds. “We see these sums of money that seem enormous to be able to fund a campaign today, even at local and state levels.”

According to Diamond, the shortage of veterans in these positions is also due to a lack of awareness.

“I think people also need to realize it’s not just about elected office,” he says. “There’s so many opportunities to serve in government in non-elected capacities—in city government, in state government, in the federal government.”