So you're leaving the service and are faced with the
daunting task of developing your resume. No doubt your military career is
studded with accomplishments, but even the most decorated veteran needs to
figure out how to make the transition to a civilian position. Follow these
tips to draft a high-impact resume that shows how your military experience
is transferable to a civilian job.
Define Your Civilian Job Objective
You
can't effectively market yourself for a civilian job if you don't have a
clearly defined goal. Because so many service people have diverse
backgrounds, they often make the mistake of creating resumes that are too
general to be effective. Before writing your resume, do some soul-searching,
research occupations and pinpoint a specific career path. If you are having
trouble with this step, tap into your local transition office or solicit the
help of a career coach. If you find that you are torn between two or more
potential goals, set up different resumes
Create a Resume that Speaks to Employers' Needs
Now that your objective is defined, you are ready to
create a winning resume. Consider a resume's purpose: To answer the
employer's question, "What can this person do for me?"
A great way to start thinking about employers' needs is to
research your target job. What types of skills and experiences are
employers seeking? What aspects of your background are most relevant?
Any information that does not relate to your goal should
be eliminated or de-emphasized, and this includes any unrelated military
awards, training and distinctions. For example, that medal you won for rifle
marksmanship doesn't belong on a civilian resume. This is often the hardest
step for ex-military personnel, which is why it's so common to see military
resumes span five pages or longer. As you make the decision about which
information to include, ask yourself, "Will a potential employer care about
this experience?" Only include information that will help you land an
interview.
Assume the Hiring Manager Knows Nothing about the
Military
Demilitarize your job titles, duties, accomplishments,
training and awards to appeal to civilian hiring managers. Employers with no
exposure to the military don't understand military terminology and acronyms,
so translate these into "civilianese." Show your resume to several
non-military friends and ask them to point out terms they don't understand.
Use job postings as a tool to substitute civilian keywords for military
terms.
Showcase Your Track Record of Accomplishments
Your military career has offered you excellent
opportunities for training, practical experience and advancement. Tout your
accomplishments so the average civilian understands the importance of your
achievements and the measurable outcomes. Here's an example of a
demilitarized accomplishment statement:
Increased employee retention rate by 16
percent by focusing on training, team building and recognition programs.
Earned reputation as one of the most progressive and innovative IT
organizations in the Army's communications and IT community.
Here's an example of incorporating a military award so
employers understand its value:
Received Army Achievement Medal for
completing 400+ medical evaluations and developing patient database
using MS Access. The database improved reporting functions and tracked
patient demographics, records, medication, appointments and status.
Show off Your Military Background
You might have heard you need to develop a functional
resume format to mask or downplay your military experience, but the opposite
is true. Your military experience is an asset and should be marketed as
such. Many employers realize the value of bringing veterans on board.
Attributes honed in the military include dedication, leadership, teamwork,
positive work ethic and cross-functional skills. If you fear a potential
employer won't realize the significance of your military experience, make
sure your resume clearly communicates the value that you bring to the table.
If You Were in Active Combat, Leave out the Details
Defending your country and its interests is among the most
admirable pursuits, but the sad truth is actual references to the horrors of
combat leave many employers squeamish. While you might have worked in a
short-range air defense engagement zone, this experience might not relate to
your future goal. Tone down or remove references to the battlefield.
Test Drive Your Resume
For some veterans, developing a resume that works in the
civilian world is an ongoing process. After you have polished your resume,
start your distribution and keep track of your resume's response rate.
Solicit feedback and listen carefully to suggestions for improving your
resume, and continue modifying the document until it successfully generates
job interviews.
"I read it when I wrote it!" my sister yells when I ask her if she proofread
her resume.
"Hmmm," I say, looking over the piece of paper riddled with typos. "That's
why it says you have 'good people kills.'"
Maybe not the strongest qualification for the bank manager position she was
going for.
(I could give you more examples of loved ones who neglected to proofread
their resumes and paid the price, but I'd like to go home for the holidays
this year.)
The best practice is to put your resume in front of a couple of different
folks - your boss excluded - and listen seriously to their suggestions.
2. You are what you read.
It amazes me.
People will stampede to get the latest Suzanne Somers' diet book, but go
catatonic when I suggest they buy a career-related book.
"Can I borrow your copy?" they ask.
Believe me, the right book will pay for itself.
In college, I bought a copy of Burton Jay Nadler's resume guide Liberal Arts
Power, and I still use the darn thing.
Still, if you're stashing your cash for a Thigh-Master, explore the career
section at your local library.
3. Be a resume voyeur.
It's not as kinky as it sounds, but it is informative.
Look at other people's resumes whenever you get the chance. You'll find good
ideas - and bad ones. Consider using the best ideas for your own resume, as
long as they relate to your experience.
4. The truth about Ms. ASCII.
I often get frantic e-mail from people around the world. A typical one goes
like this: "Please help! I've had several companies ask me to send my resume
to Ms. Ascii. Who is she?"
ASCII is not a person, but an abbreviation for "The American Standard Code
for the Interchange of Information." Or, put simply, plain-text format.
Look at the keys on your computer keyboard. All the characters you see there
-- excluding the function keys -- compose the ASCII family.
Online job boards and some recruiters prefer ASCII resumes, because they
retain their formatting, regardless of the software used to view them.
If you plan to post your resume online or to e-mail it to a recruiter,
you'll want to have an ASCII version.
You finally updated your resume, but you shouldn't stop there.
If you're going to apply to a variety of jobs, make sure you have a resume
tailored for each.
A writer, for example, might have as many as six resumes: One for writer
with additional versions for editor, copy editor, reporter, marketing
manager and freelancer.
One of the most important things when writing a resume is to use action words. Not only will these words increase the impact of your resume in the eyes of the employers but they might help your resume get selected when recruiters use resume scanning software.
Usually used to describe skills, experience and achievements, action words shouldn't however be "stuffed" in your resume as you need to make sure your document sounds natural.
Here is a list of action words that will turn your resume into a powerful marketing document:
Prepare for the Interview Corporate Interview
- Overview on how to prepare for your corporate interview Behavior-Based Interviews
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Behavioral interviewing is a relatively new mode of job interviewing Interview
Questions - Prepare for the typical corporate job interview
questions Communications - Get some advice
and tips from the pros on how to communicate better How to Dress for an Interview
- Interview dress and appearance tips
Defending your country and its interests is among the most
admirable pursuits, but the sad truth is actual references to the horrors of
combat leave many employers squeamish. While you might have worked in a
short-range air defense engagement zone, this experience might not relate to
your future goal. Tone down or remove references to the battlefield.