Tips To Write a Military Transition Resume
As a military veteran transitioning to the civilian workforce, you bring a wealth of unique skills and experiences. However, communicating these assets in a resume can be challenging.
Here are a few tips to help you write a military transition resume that gets noticed.
Highlight Relevant Skills
When transitioning from a military to a civilian career, highlighting your relevant skills can make your resume stand out. This is because the skill sets required in military service often translate well into civilian roles.
However, the challenge lies in effectively communicating these skills in a language civilian employers understand and appreciate. By clearly articulating the skills you acquired during your military service, you can demonstrate how your unique experiences make you an asset in the workforce.
One key aspect to consider is the translation of military jargon into civilian terms. For instance, instead of stating you were a 'squad leader,' you might say you 'led a team of a few personnel,' which immediately paints a clearer picture for employers.
Similarly, strategic planning, logistics, crisis management, and team leadership skills are highly transferable and valued in the workforce. You need to highlight these skills and provide examples of how you've used them in your military career.
Soft skills like problem-solving, adaptability, and the ability to work under pressure, which are often honed in the military, are also highly sought after in the job market. Including these skills on your resume can give you a competitive edge.
Include Unpaid Achievements
Including unpaid achievements on your military transition resume is an effective way to showcase your skills and experiences.
During your time in the military, you may have volunteered for special projects, taken on leadership roles, or participated in training exercises that didn't directly contribute to your pay but added significant value to your skill set. These unpaid achievements can be just as valuable as paid work experience in demonstrating your abilities to potential employers.
For example, if you led a team in a successful training exercise, this showcases your leadership skills, strategic thinking, and ability to perform under pressure. Similarly, if you volunteered for a project that involved coordinating logistics or managing resources, this could translate into valuable skills for project management or operations roles.
Including these unpaid achievements on your resume provides a fuller picture of your capabilities beyond your primary military duties. Every achievement—paid or unpaid—is an opportunity to demonstrate how your unique military experiences can add value to the workplace.
Contact a military transition resume writer near you for assistance on your resume.
Share