What is the dumbest military-related thing you have ever seen on a resume?

2016-05-24T10:48:46-04:00

Today, I saw a resume from a broken-service Marine. Ignoring his education listing of going through Aviation Electrician "A" school one year followed by Aviation Electronics Technician "A" school the next (not gonna happen), he had his time in the Marines listed as "U.S. Military Corp" instead of U.S. Marine Corps. My Marine supervisor said that's why he showed me the resume, because he didn't know what this guy was trying to say. When I told him, he could not believe his eyes.

Response by SSG Pete Fleming made May 24 at 2016 10:52 AM

2016-05-24T10:52:39-04:00

I helped a soldier rewrite his resume, the entire thing was Military specific and in acronyms. The funny part he didn't remember what some them meant...

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made May 24 at 2016 10:53 AM

2016-05-24T10:53:23-04:00

Easy. A former Boomer skipper relieved for loss of confidence. "CO of a nuclear missile submarine. Able to destroy cities."

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made May 24 at 2016 11:06 AM

2016-05-24T11:06:42-04:00

I think this guy needs do to some resume building classes. If he's a valid vet, he could go to one of these provided by the VA and get some assistance with his resume. Couldn't hurt. Or....he could have gone to a workshop at a career fair.

"military corps"......is that some fancy phrase for "being in the military"?

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made May 24 at 2016 2:06 PM

2016-05-24T14:06:45-04:00

PO1 Chris Crawley: IMHO, I think you're hitting a different key on the piano. The problem, as I see it from this example you chose to use, deals more with an ever-increasing lack of proper English skills. AND IT ENCOMPASSES THE ENTIRE SPECTRUM OF MILITARY PERSONNEL. Just look at Rally Point. People of all ranks, from colonels to privates, can't spell, can't punctuate, can't write a properly constructed sentence. And they can't or won't proofread their work before they hit "Respond." And, yet, these people are simply a microcosm of our society which is no better. And it's getting worse. I taught Report Writing in four different police academies. What I witnessed then, in the 1970s and 1980s, was reprehensible. I can't begin to fathom a realistic solution for this nation.

Response by CW3 Dylan E. Raymond, PHR made May 24 at 2016 2:52 PM

2016-05-24T14:52:15-04:00

The thing that I saw on a resume that I did not think was the best use of space is a QR scanner code. Why would I pull out my phone to read a scanner that take me to your online profile?

Response by SSG Paul Forel made May 26 at 2016 3:21 PM

2016-05-26T15:21:12-04:00

This is scary stuff. Although I agree there is room for humor here, I see these as emergencies and an immediate need to 'fix' the situation.

Every day such a person sends out another poorly written resume or poorly worded application is another lost opportunity to get hired and put food on the table and get baby those new shoes.

I would ask that anytime someone in a position to positively affect such a person sees such a resume they immediately do what they can to set this person straight.

I read what SCPO Donnie Bowerman wrote, below, and I wholeheartedly agree- there is a wide spread condition of poorly written communications going on everywhere. While we may not be our "brothers' keeper", I ask that anyone who is in a position to do so, reach out and give resume assistance whenever possible. The sooner that person gets hired, the sooner they can go back to putting food on the family dining room table.

This is not a topic for humor- it is a distress call.

Response by PO1 John Miller made May 31 at 2016 11:59 AM

2016-05-31T11:59:27-04:00

I haven't seen anything too dumb on a resume, but how about this?

I personally feel that my own resume has been written TOO well at times. I feel that there has been times I didn't get selected for a job because I was "over-qualified."

Response by 1SG Eric Espino made May 31 at 2016 8:13 PM

2016-05-31T20:13:20-04:00

many of us have a lot of military schools. So Chris, how do you determine what is appropriate in the military resume for a civilian employer? I could see where the Marine would list just his basic education like a degree. My recommendation and research would be add the appropriate education that fits the civilian job description. The service member could use it for an opener through the interview process. Remember, the key is to get our foot in the door or this case the interview.

Response by 1SG Eric Espino made May 31 at 2016 8:24 PM

2016-05-31T20:24:16-04:00

Q: Was the marine training to go into an electrician job?
O: Many times as leaders, we need to determine what the young or old service member wants to get into when they grow up, (army saying). Many of us have plenty of military education that could cover two pages alone. The best recommendation is go through these steps:
ID what type of job the SM want to get into or industry.
Add the appropriate education that fits the job description. Trust me, I added all my education and no one responded to my resumes.
Get down to the basics, high school diploma or degree.
Add how you got your highest awards.
Comment: The marine is right if didn't want to get into electrician field. Don't add anything if it doesn't relate to the job description. Wish you luck.

Response by SSgt Michael Cox made Dec 30 at 2016 12:24 PM

2016-12-30T12:24:07-05:00

Had two this year for a VA Workstudy job in my office to do clerical work. I let every veteran that comes through that if they would like a job here they have to know how to use Word, Excel, know the alphabet, and have good communications skills. The first two resumes I received had nothing but platoon leader, cannon operator, and squad leader, vehicle mechanic. Neither of these had anything to do with the job they were applying for. The one we hired went to our in office resume writer which turned his Navy experience into exactly what we wanted.