Your service experience should be a source of pride, so be sure that your resume reflects this. It's important, however, to do so in a way that "speaks" to civilian employers who may have no understanding of the military. Below are some tips to keep in mind.- Don't include your military rank in the heading of your resume. Instead, simply identify yourself by your first and last name (and, if desired, middle name or initial).
- If you held multiple occupations within the military, give careful thought to how you will describe this experience. Be sure it is clear that all jobs were for the same employer. You otherwise risk being perceived as a "job hopper."
- Review the occupation description(s) on your DD Form 2586, Verification of Military Experience and Training (VMET). This may be a useful starting point for describing the work you performed on your resume, and also for determining your civilian job objective. (For more information and/or to request a copy of your VMET, visit the Department of Defense Transition Assistance Program portal. You’ll need a Department of Defense Common Access Card (CAC) login to enter the site.)
- Use descriptive job titles and other language that is meaningful to civilian employers. Human Resources Specialist (Group Superintendent – Air Force), for instance, will be clearer than just Group Superintendent – Air Force. To ensure that your resume wording will be understood by civilian employers, familiarize yourself with common military-to-civilian translations.
- De-emphasize aspects of your work activities that are specific to a military environment. While your software testing experience is certainly relevant, for example, the fact that the software was designed to detect landmines is probably not.
- Search the Internet for resumes that reflect civilian work experience comparable to your military occupation and/or current career objective. Adapt relevant phrasing to your own circumstances. Online job ads can also be helpful in identifying "keywords" describing the background and skills desired by civilian employers.
- Emphasize the skills that veterans are known for. These include strong work ethic, respect for rules and authority, ability to perform under pressure, leadership, teamwork, problem solving, and many others – all of which are “transferable” to jobs in nearly all occupations and industries.
- Ask a non-military friend to review and provide feedback on your resume in terms of its clarity and applicability to civilian employment.
These strategies will help you develop a resume that embraces your military experience and expresses it in a way that employers will find compelling.
Receive email notifications when new posts are added: