Members of the military making the transition to civilian employment have excellent skills that the workforce demands. As a result, the unemployment rate for former members of the armed forces is relatively low. In September 2023, the unemployment rate for Veterans was 3.6% according to the Department of Labor. These numbers have fluctuated significantly due to the pandemic, but they are steadily dropping back down toward 3.1%, where Veteran unemployment hovered in 2019.
Over the years, Veterans tend to enjoy lower unemployment rates. Many U.S. Veterans agree their military service has helped them gain valuable skills for jobs outside of the military. If you’re transitioning to civilian life, you probably have similar skills and experiences that can help you obtain employment. This guide will explain how you can present your military experience in a resume to help you earn civilian jobs.
The first step toward getting a job after your military career is to create a Veteran resume. You probably have many marketable skills that employers demand right now – the challenge is translating your military expertise into an attractive civilian job application.
Military and civilian jobs are significantly different, so it makes sense that they have a unique format. They differ in many ways, from the document’s style to the language people use to describe their skills. Understanding the expectations of civilian employers will help you tailor your resume, so it appeals to their needs.
Here are the main differences between military and civilian resumes:
In a competitive job market, writing an excellent military transition resume isn’t always enough. Studies show job recruiters will decide if you’re a good candidate in a mere seven seconds. And that’s only if your resume survives the first automated keyword scan used by 90% of large companies.
You must craft your civilian resume carefully to show you’re qualified for a particular position. This includes using the language and keywords the employer used in the job posting. Many of your military skills and responsibilities can help you stand out if you describe them as relevant real-world talents. For example, instead of saying you were a lieutenant commanding a 45-person platoon, you could say you provided the necessary training and support to lead a team of 45 people.
You only have a few seconds to stand out from a pile of other applicants, so writing an impressive resume is crucial.
CareerProPlus has been helping people apply for jobs since 1986. We specialize in Veteran resumes and resume services to help military personnel move from military jobs to private sector or government jobs. Our services include:
There are plenty of Military Veteran resume examples online, but simply printing a generic resume and adding your information may not be enough to impress hiring managers. Military resumes use specialized terminology that may not transfer directly into civilian job applications. If you want a job outside of the military, you’ll need to use approachable language and even a different format to attract attention.
At CareerProPlus, you’ll work one-on-one with our Certified Master Military Resume Writers to create an impressive resume to land a new career. With our help, 99.6% of our clients are completely satisfied and motivated to compete in the job market. Email us a copy of your military performance evaluations, awards, training and citations, along with the listing for the job that you want. We’ll provide a veteran resume rich in relevant keywords, content and accomplishments based on your military experience.
You have served your country, and now you deserve a rewarding career. Start writing your Military Veteran resume with CareerProPlus. Our team has nearly four decades of experience writing personalized resumes for military service personnel.
We won’t hand you a Veteran resume sample and send you on your way. We’ll take the time to analyze your information and explain what you need to include to qualify for the jobs you want. Each Veteran resume we develop is customized. We’ll also review what jobs you’re eligible for and how to format your resumes correctly – even for online applications and built to be in compliance with artificial intelligence (AI) systems.
Contact CareerProPlus for a free consultation today!
For a no-obligation, consultation and to receive a quote, contact a Master Federal Career Advisor today. CareerProPlus military and federal resume services can make the transition to the civilian job market as smooth and strategic as possible. Contact our team of military service resume and federal resume writers today!
