Veterans Resume: Writing A Resume That Will Stand Out

Ready. Aim. Fire. There’s an obvious reason for the sequence of the words. If you’re firing a rifle at a target, it makes logical sense to load the weapon, take careful aim, and then squeeze the trigger. The same paradigm applies to your search for a new position as you transition from military service. Firing off a bunch of generic resumes without preparation might hit something, but a planned and targeted effort is much more likely to produce the job you really want.

Ready: Great Job Opportunities for Veterans

If you’re in military service and looking to transition to a private sector or federal job this year, your timing couldn’t be better. The economy is booming. America’s businesses and the federal government are looking for exceptional employees, and Veterans certainly fit the bill. You’ll be bringing strong assets from the military to your job search – leadership skills, the ability to solve problems, determination, and discipline, to name a few.

The private sector continues to add jobs at a steady rate. The latest Bureau of Labor Statistics figures show 213,000 jobs added in June 2018. Professional and business services increased by 50,000. Manufacturing increased by 36,000.¹ Unemployment remains low, hovering around 4 percent since early 2017.

In a recent survey of 237 military friendly employers, the GIJobs.com website identified the top jobs where Veterans were in demand.² Here’s the list of the top 10:

If your military experience corresponds to any of the positions in the list, and you can translate that military experience for a civilian resume, you’re going to be very competitive in the job market.

Federal government employment numbers are essentially flat, but the government is definitely hiring. Over 30 percent of federal employees are currently eligible for retirement and vacancies are created every day. Plus, the administration’s reorganization plans are opening new jobs at Homeland Security, the Department of Defense, FEMA, Veterans Affairs and many other agencies and departments.

Aim: Translate Your Military Job Experience for the Civilian Economy

Preparing for your military transition is going to require a bit of translation work. During the course of your military career you’ve been immersed in acronyms, all of which make sense to you. Unfortunately, many private sector and government employers don’t speak MOS. You’ll need to take some time to correlate your military positions with corresponding job titles in the civilian economy. For example, EOD is bomb disposal. MOAB, that’s a bomb. TDY is a temporary assignment. FM and CF . . . best leave those off altogether.

Here are a few places to start:

1. 1. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Military to Civilian Occupation translator – There are a few translators available online, but this one provides job titles when you input your MOS.

1. 1. Careerbuilder – You shouldn’t rely exclusively on career boards to find a job, but Careerbuilder and others are a great place to identify the job titles you’ll target and to learn the important keywords that employers use to select the candidates that they’ll interview.

1. 1. USAJobs.gov – The federal government employment website lists thousands of jobs that can be searched by job title, occupation, and specific department. As of the date this article was written there were 4,978 positions designated specifically for Veterans.

Take notes, make lists, and begin to identify the companies, agencies, and positions that look like a good fit for your first post-military career move.

Fire: Customize Your Veterans Resume for the Position You Want

There are lots of ways to find the positions you’ll want to target. For the federal government, USAJobs is the compendium. In the private sector, you’ll want to search company websites, use LinkedIn, and find contacts at the companies you want to join. To hit the bullseye, get an interview, and land a job, you’ll want to aim your Veterans resume at specific open positions.

Here are some tips for preparing a targeted Veterans resume:

1. 1. Use the keywords – You’ll want to pull keywords directly from the position description for your target job. It’s a good idea to include a list in a summary section at the top of your resume. You’ll also want to intersperse keywords in the career history section of your Veterans resume.

1. 1. Focus on accomplishments – Today’s employers want to know about your accomplishments. They understand that getting a sense of what you have done and how you make decisions is a good predictor of how you’ll perform on the job. Duties describe the job requirements, but accomplishments highlight the important qualities that you’ve learned and put into practice during your military career.

1. 1. Include the numbers – Numbers indicate the results of your accomplishments. If you’re targeting management or analytical jobs, stats and figures illustrate responsibility and achievements.

CareerPro Global: Professional Assistance with Your Military Transition

The transition from a successful military career to a great civilian position can seem complicated. Your goal is to frame your knowledge, the skills you’ve gained, and your accomplishments into words and stories that make an impact when present yourself to potential employers. Because that’s a new skill for many Military Veterans, investing in some professional help can be a good decision.

The Veterans Resume Writers at CareerPro Global are trained and experienced to help officers and NCOs with the transition to the civilian economy. Many of our resume writers in our Veteran resume services come from military backgrounds. All share a common mission: to help you with your career and to ensure you receive the best customer service, product quality, and results. CareerPro provides valuable assistance with career coaching, military-to-corporate resumes, and military-to-federal resumes. It’s easy to get started – just get in touch today for a free career consultation.

Sources: 

¹ Bureau of Labor Standards, Current Employment Statistics Highlights, July 6, 2018.

² Fazio, Dan, Top 25 Hot Jobs for Veterans 2018, GIjobs.com

Photo credits: USAF (af.mil), Wikimedia Commons, pixabay.com