From Military Service to the Civilian Workforce: 3 Keys to De-militarizing Your Resume

RallyPoint Team — Tue, 15 Dec 2015 11:36:08 -0500

There are thousands of articles and blogs about writing a civilian resume in the transition process. Many of these blogs and articles tell you what you need for a successful resume, but fail to tell you how to incorporate those elements into your resume. Here are a few tips for creating an effective military to civilian resume for a successful job search.

1. De-militarizing your resume

The United States military could likely be classified as having a language of its own with the number of abbreviations it uses in daily conversation. With a culture that reinforces these abbreviations, it is often difficult to translate them to something a civilian recruiter would understand. The Department of Defense has a tool to help you translate these abbreviations and acronyms to their civilian meaning called the Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms.

2. What’s in it for them if they hire you?

Whereas resumes used to be prefaced with a one-sentence objective describing why you were looking for a job, it’s now an employer’s market, and they want to know why they should take 30 seconds to read your resume. This question can be answered in a profile summary or value statement. The profile summary should answer the following three questions:

• What unique experience and/or perspective do you bring to the company?
• What skills do you have that the company wants?
• How can you solve one of their problems?

Example of a Profile Summary:

Dedicated professional with eight years of outstanding performance in the U.S. Army. Earned two promotions and excelled as a leader. Accountable and ambitious, able to remain focused and productive in challenging situations. Offering top-quality customer service and security operations.

3. Tell the story behind your accomplishments

Often, those either in the military or who work closely with military personnel will know exactly why you got an award by seeing the award’s name. Civilian recruiters and hiring managers, however, are much more interested in what you accomplished to receive the award. Your resume should include specific measurements and/or outcomes appropriate for your audience.

By focusing on the above resume tips, you are setting up your job search for success in the civilian marketplace.

Authored by: Shanna Fowler Lambing

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Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 15 at 2015 11:50 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 15 Dec 2015 11:50:55 -0500

The guy in the picture, is doing it wrong.

Response by SPC(P) Jay Heenan made Dec 15 at 2015 11:59 AM

SPC(P) Jay Heenan — Tue, 15 Dec 2015 11:59:29 -0500

Great information as I am in the process of getting my resume together for this job that would be a great fit for the company and myself.

Response by PO2 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 15 at 2015 12:10 PM

PO2 Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 15 Dec 2015 12:10:11 -0500

Good article, thanks for sharing it.

Response by Capt Brandon Charters made Dec 15 at 2015 12:17 PM

Capt Brandon Charters — Tue, 15 Dec 2015 12:17:17 -0500

Great Command Post here. Doing the homework on a company who is considering hiring you is so critical. Even more than looking online, connect with employees (Vets if you can) and ask them what it's like to work there. Start thinking about solving their biggest challenges before ever walking in the door and make your unique skills stand out as you walk them through it.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 15 at 2015 12:49 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 15 Dec 2015 12:49:17 -0500

4. Never use anything but a cotton material to spit shine your shoes

Response by CAPT Tom Bersson made Dec 15 at 2015 7:22 PM

CAPT Tom Bersson — Tue, 15 Dec 2015 19:22:29 -0500

the article is okay. My advice: 1. Do not use an objective statement unless you have a focused resume. Otherwise they are too limiting. 2. Remove acronyms. 3. Do not attempt to de-militarize your resume to the point that they get confused on who you are and what you have done. I've seen many resumes where they made grand assumptions about the civilian equivalent of their military jobs and they are usually wrong.

Response by COL John Hudson made Dec 17 at 2015 10:42 AM

COL John Hudson — Thu, 17 Dec 2015 10:42:14 -0500

As a hiring manager for an international travel card organization, I reviewed numerous resumes daily. Best = no more than two single pages. Address the hiring requirements up front and on point. A resume is a snapshot - NOT a life story. One will get into the details during an actual interview. Be flexible; different career organizations may use varying types of printed and/or on-line resumes that don't follow a standard format, so there's no "one size fits all" with this. Brief, concise, and to the point always got my first attention. I set those aside for a more thorough and detailed examination. And yes, by all means please 'demilitarize' your verbiage. I understand we are all proud of our military achievements and awards, but the common civilian in business won't recognize their value as readily as any individual with previous military experience will. Usually, the last area on a resume asks for information concerning recognition or awards. I did not make it a practice to list all the items awarded to me during my service, simply stating rather, "Numerous military awards and accolades." The interviewer would then inquire as to what those were and I was given full opportunity to explain. And one final point. A lot of businesses out there use on-line job application forms. They receive thousands of such applications daily. What makes you any different? What can you do to stand out? Very simple and locked in the stone of long experience. Hand carry your printed resume to the company you applied for on-line and ask to see the hiring manager or staff. There will NEVER be any better method of marketing yourself than a face-to-face introduction. Tell that person you've stopped by to meet them personally and drop off your resume. Trust me on this one - you will plant a seed and leave an unforgettable impression that any on-line application can't match.

Response by CPT Karen Nichols McAbee made Jan 6 at 2016 8:25 AM

CPT Karen Nichols McAbee — Wed, 06 Jan 2016 08:25:29 -0500

I'm active in my company's Veteran Employee Resource Group - we often do military transition workshops for those exiting active duty and transitioning into the civilian workforce. One trend I'm seeing a lot of recently in reviewing resumes is trying to make the resume "too civilian" to the point of changing job titles from Company Commander to Department Manager for example. My advice is to keep the actual title of each position, then in the short description below each position use measurable, specifics - for example, commanded a unit of xx soldiers, managed a budget of $xx, etc. Also, do some research in the companies/jobs you are applying for. I highly recommend finding out if the company has a Veterans group - if so, reach out to the leadership of those groups for insight. At a minimum, determine if the company is "military friendly" - for example, GI Jobs awards annual designations for military friendly employers. Remember, this needs to be a good fit for both you and the employer. Another valuable tool is to customize your resume for each specific job you are applying for - most job postings will have basic qualifications and preferred qualifications - does your resume show where/how you meet these qualifications? Its a good idea to have someone else review your resume for this as well - you ask the question of each qualification and see if its clear on your resume how/where you meet it.

Response by CPO Donald Crisp made Jan 6 at 2016 9:39 AM

CPO Donald Crisp — Wed, 06 Jan 2016 09:39:33 -0500

Keeping in mind all of your service positions, assignments and duties, do not try to build yourself up to be some sort of savior for the position you are attempting to get. Build yourself up of course, but only to the point that you are not embellishing. Hiring managers can and do see through embellishments quite easily. Let your interview show your full competence and experience.

Response by LTC Ian Murdoch made Jan 7 at 2016 9:35 AM

LTC Ian Murdoch — Thu, 07 Jan 2016 09:35:47 -0500

Here’s some lessons learned from my transition to civilian employment:
1. Keep in mind that if you are applying for Federal Civil Service positions, the resume format is much different than private sector resumes. Federal Resumes can be quite a few pages long and go into a lot more detail. I highly recommend getting Katherine Troutman’s book “10 Steps to a Federal Job.
2. One tip from Troutman’s book that can be adapted to private sector resumes is the “Challenge, Action, Results” format for describing accomplishments. Describe a problem you solved, what you did to correct it, and what the results were. For example, “Corrected deficiencies in physical training program through innovative coaching and mentoring resulting in a 25% increase in fitness scores.” This lets you take full credit for your military experience while making it clear to the reader how those skills can benefit the company.
3. The main thing I think transitioning service members need to demonstrate to employers is that you are ready to move on from the military and can fit in with their company. People have stereotypes and preconceptions of Veterans, and you need to show that you value your military experience while being easily able to adapt to the corporate culture. That starts with their first exposure to you, which is usually through your resume. It must look and read like they are used to, even if the content of your experience is atypical from most applicants. Sell that difference, don’t hide it, but do it in corporate format.
4. CIRCULATE YOUR RESUMES! This is the number one tip and is the best way to develop an interview generating resume. Do not wait until it is ready, or good enough, or anything else. Start early and often. Build your network and ask a lot of people to review your resume and give you feed back. This does two very important things: you will get feedback from people with experience in reviewing resumes and can continually tighten it up, and it might get you noticed by someone with a job or someone who knows someone who might hire you. It will also help you demilitarize your resume without watering down your accomplishments.

Best of luck and thank you all for your service.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 27 at 2016 10:03 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 10:03:26 -0400

As a hiring manger for a university that is very close to a major military installation I review thousands of resumes and employment packets each day and I have to say that agree with everything the author states, but I will also add a few pointers.
1. Resume: As the author stated this is an employer’s market and they review hundreds of resumes for a single job so what sets you apart? I have noticed that many military members fail to capitalize on their skills when listing them. They need to learn to translate them into civilian lingo because the average civilian has no idea what a “combat life saver” is they assume you saved a life in combat bot that your skilled in first aid. The first thing they should see is a goals statement that lists your major skills and experience because that’s what gets them to read the rest of the resume. If the position calls for a certain number of years’ experience and a certain degree and you have them, then list them first. For example, “Highly motivated leadership professional with over 20 years’ experience and a Master’s Degree in Business Management transitioning from the U.S. Army seeking to utilize my vast experience in leadership and team development to improve an organization and increase productivity” Many employers want to hire vets but you need to tell them why they need to hire you.
2. A cover letter in my opinion is a must, this is where you first sell yourself. The fact that you researched and addressed the hiring committee chair shows desire. In the cover letter there is no format do don’t be shy, talk about yourself but DO NOT LIE! If you mention a certain skill or credential they may want to see proof as a hiring contingent.
3. References are most likely going to be part of the deal so make sure you pick people that are going to talk intelligently and professionally about you. I recommend having at least 3 professionals and 3 personal and for the love of Pete, ask them if you can use them first and then advise them when you have. There is nothing that is more annoying for a reference checker than the “Umm, oh yeah I remember him/her, umm wow that was many years ago, umm yeah they were a good worker.” Oh and this should go without saying but please make sure you keep contact with your references, don’t list them as a reference when you haven’t spoken to them in 20 years.
4. The all-important interview which could be telephonic or webcam or both. If its telephonic the only way to prepare for it is research. Most of the time they will call to advise a time, BE AVAILABLE! Speak clearly, annunciate and be calm if you can be. Don’t be in the car, road noise is annoying and you may say something in reaction to another driver that you really didn’t want them to hear. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse! Learn how to answer the all-important “tell us a little about yourself” question. This is not the time to tell them you are a Leo and like long walks on the beach, this is much like your goals statement of your resume, sell yourself. Tell them about your experience, credentialing, degree’s and if you have done some research on the company, which you should have, tell them how you will use those attributes to improve their company.
In this modern electronic world, you may be subjected to the internet interview over a webcam, Skype, or some other format like Go to Meeting, this is done for a few reasons. First to see if you even know how to use modern technology which many of us old Soldiers did not, I had to take classes. Secondly to see how you look, yes that’s right to check you out, they want to make sure you represent the image of their company that they are trying to present. So remember back when you decided it was a good idea to get that neck tattoo or full sleeves, yup they want to see that. So you like Duck Dynasty, good for you but probably not a good idea with have the chest length beard, unless of course your trying to get a job with Duck Dynasty. Don’t think that companies don’t discriminate on age either because they do and the internet interview is one way they can see you before wasting their time having you come in for a face to face interview. Then they want to see how you articulate yourself in speech and demeanor. Remember you may be talking to clients over the same format and you will represent their company. If English is your second language you get a little space here but do your best to learn proper grammar and pronunciation. If you are a native speaker you get no leeway, if you use terms like “pacific” for specific or “axe” for “ask” you may very well be doomed. Remember you will be representing their company to clientele and you need to be able to present a professional image. Dress appropriately also, do not show up on camera in your “mean people suck” t-shirt. If they call to schedule an internet interview, which they may or may not, just ask them about the appropriate attire, it never hurts to ask. Prepare the location for the interview because while one person is speaking to you the others are no doubt analyzing your surroundings. Make sure whatever is in view of the camera is professional and neat, its best to have a home office that you can go to in private and not be disturbed. Think about your décor because while you may think a 4-foot hookah pipe is no big issue the interviewer sees a 4-foot bong.
Listen a lot of companies are looking hire vets because many are very professional, punctual, have a great work ethic and many have a security clearance already which saves them a lot of money, not to mention they get nice tax breaks for hiring you. Just don’t for one-minute think that your veteran’s status is a golden ticket to a new career. You are competing, period! You are competing against other vets who if they were smart, got their college education while they served so they can have that discriminator. When I applied for the position I am in now, it asked for a Bachelor’s Degree and 2yrs experience, there were 116 applicants for the single position. After I was hired I was told during conversation that while my credentials impressed them it was my performance in the interview that got me the job.

Response by SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL made Aug 5 at 2021 10:43 PM

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL — Thu, 05 Aug 2021 22:43:56 -0400

Thanks for sharing