Resumes - Gear Them Towards the Right Audience!

2014-09-17T09:50:46-04:00

Your resume is just like your picture on Facebook, people can view it but it really doesn't tell the whole story unless you give a good description of who you are or in the Facebook example, what is really going on in the picture.

I can honestly say I have looked at thousands of resumes in my 14 plus years of recruiting and have yet to find that perfect resume that stands out to me. You would think I would have found that "perfect example" by now, but instead I have found a line here, a paragraph there, or an "objective" statement that really catches my eye which in-turn spurs me to contact the applicant.

I believe writing really good resumes is a two fold problem for our Military Members transitioning out for a couple reasons. The first reason is you didn't really have to do a job interview to join the military. You had to take the ASVAB and get a qualifying score and you had to go to the Military Entrance Processing station and do a physical. Those two things together either got you in the military or for others disqualified them for entry. The second reason is because of how military members are taught to write memorandums. For example, in the Air Force we used the "Tongue and Quill" to learn how to write resumes. This was an outdated publication that really only taught you how to write documents and memorandums geared towards military protocol.

Applying for a position with a civilian company is a whole different ball game!

Here are some tips for putting your civilian resume together:

First, give me the facts...clear, concise and to the point and don't go over two pages if possible. Recruiters are skimmers...we look for those key words or statements that makes us say WOW, this person would be a perfect fit for our company and then, we take the time to look at the whole resume!

Second, one of the most important items that people don't do is gear their resume to what the employer is actually looking for. If you look carefully, the employer has already listed what they are looking for in an ideal candidate directly in their job description.

For example, if I am an employer and I write down I am looking for someone who is a leader, please don't list all the great computer skills you have as the first items on your resume. Instead, list some of the group activities you have lead or projects you have supervised. Give some examples of how your leadership impacted the organization you worked for positively. I understand that people don't like to talk about how great they are, however, when writing a resume that is exactly what you need to do!

Third, ALWAYS AWAYS ALWAYS adjust your resume to move key things you have done in your life to the top of the resume so I see a) you actually took the time to read what we are looking for and b) you actually have the skills we are looking for and are not just filling the local state unemployment requirements of three job interviews a week to stay on unemployment.

Another example might be if the job description says, "Must be willing to work long, irregular hours." A good resume statement might be, "while working and overseeing the Aircraft Isolation Bay I met all aircraft maintenance required turn-around times, regardless of how long it took to fix the plane. I am no stranger to working long hours and thrive in that type of environment." A bad resume statement might be, "reliable, always get the job done." As a recruiter, I would ask myself when reading this...did it get done right, how long, what does reliable mean, etc....

Hopefully you will find what I have written useful and be able to apply it to your current resume. For those of you already doing this, kudos to you! Your future job is just around the corner!

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 17 at 2014 2:52 PM

2014-09-17T14:52:46-04:00

SMSgt Schilling, Fantastic post. Hitting the nails on the heads.

"If you look carefully, the employer has already listed what they are looking for in an ideal candidate directly in their job description".

This is something that I often stress. Don't make a mechanic's resume for a sales job. Similarly, don't list things that are off topic to the job post.

I also love to remind the job seeker to resist the urge to brag about "cool military stuff" that is only used in the military. Weapons certifications, details of combat operations and how many lbs of C4 we've detonated at once...really don't have a place.

Response by MSG Brad Sand made Sep 17 at 2014 5:07 PM

2014-09-17T17:07:48-04:00

Two additional things for job seekers to consider, translate what you do into civilian terminology, and do not sell yourself short. I am not saying lie, but if you were an 88M, you did more than drive a truck. Sit down and consider what ALL that you did, and what that means in the civilian world. You signed for your weapon, counseled soldiers…ETC. Second, the resume is a tool to obtain an interview…really nothing more…give them everything they need to want to sit down in person but be careful because too much can sometimes…often…be worse than not enough information.

Response by SSG Pete Fleming made Sep 17 at 2014 6:58 PM

2014-09-17T18:58:10-04:00

I posted a similar thread (not the same) but advice gear towards resumes:

https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/employment-programs-aid-for-veterans-spouses

Employment Programs, Aid For Veterans & Spouses | RallyPoint

As the economy continues its slow recovery, academic and technological backgrounds are an increasingly important factor within the hiring process. People with years of experience are finding that not having the appropriate pedigree is almost the same as not having the appropriate experience. Now as the number of job seekers rises the hiring managers have increased the requirements. Not only should you have the right official academic training...

Response by SSG Pete Fleming made Sep 17 at 2014 6:59 PM

2014-09-17T18:59:44-04:00

COL Alicia Smith, Also posted an outstanding article regarding resumes...

https://www.rallypoint.com/answers/lessons-learned-from-building-and-reviewing-resumes

Lessons Learned from Building and Reviewing Resumes | RallyPoint

I wanted to pass on what I learned from screening a few dozen resumes and helping a few friends that might prove helpful to those currently applying for positions or sharpening up your own. -Have a professional looking format and stick to it. Do not use the generic one that must be provided at USAJobs as it does not look professional.--New Note: just found out that "generic one" is the one automatically generated by USAJobs--since I have not...

Response by LTC Hillary Luton made Sep 17 at 2014 9:16 PM

2014-09-17T21:16:35-04:00

Thank you for this. Insightful and helpful.

Response by LTC Michael W. made Sep 18 at 2014 1:58 AM

2014-09-18T01:58:43-04:00

SMSgt Schilling,

This is a very helpful and professional post. My compliments to you in displaying a good measure of selfless service to others here on RallyPoint.

V/R
Michael Walker
LTC, CM, USA

Response by TSgt Aaron D. made Sep 21 at 2014 2:08 AM

2014-09-21T02:08:06-04:00

Mr. Schilling,

I am writing my resume' this week and I was wondering if you would be able to review it and let me know what I could do to make it stand out. I am a stranger to this process and an extra hand would never hurt. I would be forever grateful for your assistance in helping me find employment when I get out.