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The best resume writing services for military-to-civilian employment
By Ryan Tronier
Updated on Sep 15, 2022 10:22 AM EDT
4 minute read
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The top resume writing services for military to civilian transitioning can help members of the armed forces translate their uniformed background into private sector work experience. Many veterans can find it tricky to express their vast operational and leadership know-how to meet the needs of today’s employer. For example, resumes that state your “MOS was 11B” may mean very little to a hiring manager. But when you convert military abbreviations and jargon to show your “role in the infantry was to manage the safety of equipment appraised at over $1.5 million,” then managers have a much clearer understanding of the value you bring.
Employers are keen to find professionals with your teamwork and critical thinking skills. And, you don’t have to transition from your military careers into the private sector alone. There are resume consultants who are eager to assist you. So if you’re ready to make the leap from chopper to cubicle, the first step is gathering hiring materials like cover letters, thank you emails, resumes, and in today’s job market — a compelling LinkedIn profile. Keep reading to discover resume writing services for military members and veterans seeking employment with civilian companies.
- Best Online Service: Find My Profession
- Best for IT: TopResume
- Best for Writing CVs: Career Confidence Resume Services
- Best for Executives: Great Resumes Fast
- Best for Federal Jobs: TopStack
TopStack Resume
Best for writing cvs, career confidence resume services, best for executives, great resumes fast, things to consider before choosing a resume writing service for military, resume writing for military service members and veterans.
Resume services can take the stress out of writing a military-to-civilian resume, but service members and veterans do have other options, many of which are free. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs provides an online employment toolkit with career counseling, job search guidance, and resume writing advice.
Veterans can also receive resume support through the Veterans Employment Center, as well as free online-based services through VetNet . In addition, many U.S. military bases and installations offer civilian transition instruction. You may also find resources with charitable organizations, such as HireOurHeroes , that specialize in mentoring service members as they begin their journey in the civilian workforce.
How resume writing services work
Resume-writing services create tailor-made hiring documents that are specific to the job seeker. You’ll generally work one-on-one with an expert who will use your employment history as the basis for a resume that will appeal to both human resources managers and job applicant tracking systems. Communication between you and your resume writer often takes place by phone or via email, but occasionally you’ll upload your details through the company’s website.
The cost of a resume writer varies depending on the level of service you require. However, you can typically expect to pay at least $150 for some of the more basic offerings, and upwards of $3,000 for an executive resume or a helping hand with your job search.
Evaluating resume writing services for military personnel
When choosing a resume maker for your military-to-civilian transition, look for companies that highlight the qualifications and backgrounds of their writers. Vendors that do not employ certified writers may be cheaper, but you’re potentially purchasing an inferior product. Similarly, you’ll benefit from direct correspondence with your writer, which can take place through phone calls, video meetings, or even email. It’s this type of one-on-one collaboration that will truly yield an effective resume. Also, prioritize companies that offer some form of guarantee. If a service doesn’t stand behind its product, then that’s generally a red flag that you’re working with an inexperienced team.
FAQs about resume writing services for military
Q: is it worth paying for a resume service.
A: Yes, it’s generally worth it to pay for a resume service, especially for military members who are inexperienced with the private sector. An expert can translate your military background into civilian work experience and provide a polished, ATS-optimized resume.
Q: What are employers looking for in a resume?
A: Employers want to see resumes that show alignment between an applicant’s experience and a hiring manager’s expectations for a role with their company. Resumes should be scannable, honest, and formatted to display your qualifications in a coherent employment history.
Q: What are most resumes missing?
A: Many military-to-civilian resumes are missing relatable work experience that is expressed using modern vocabulary. It’s important to translate military abbreviations, acronyms, and jargon into qualifications and skill sets that recruiters can easily understand.
Q: What words should not be used in a resume?
A: Military service members and veterans who are transitioning into the civilian workforce should avoid using words on their resumes such as medal, platoon, mission, and subordinates, to name a few. Instead, substitute those jargon words with terms like award, team, task, and employees.
Final thoughts
Resume-writing services for military members and veterans can relieve much of the stress from a job hunt in the civilian workforce. Many services will provide you with all of the hiring materials you need to successfully find a steady, well-paying job. Yet, those who do not want to pay for a commercial service may find support through the VA employment center or with non-profit organizations. Review your options beforehand to ensure you’re making an informed decision.
Methodology
To choose the best resume writing services for this list, the team at Task & Purpose looked at a large number of companies. We focused on cost, plan features and options, ease of use, customer service reviews, and past customer ratings as the most important factors in our ratings. Learn more about our methodology in the Task & Purpose review guide .
The opinions expressed are solely those of Find My Profession. Click to see our Advertising Disclosure.
10 Best Military to Civilian Resume Writing Services (2024)
Find the best professional military resume services. Compare costs and customer reviews of the top military transition resume writing services for veterans.
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Looking to make the transition from the military into the civilian world? Well first and foremost, thank you for serving our country.
If you’re preparing to enter the civilian workforce and stand out in a competitive job market, you may very well be searching for the best military to civilian resume writing services.
As you already know, military jargon is different than civilian jargon. If your resume is filled with military keywords that the average hiring manager cannot understand, it won’t take you far.
Believe it or not, most companies love hiring veterans. There is a work ethic that is instilled in military professionals that you just can’t find elsewhere.
The hard part isn’t proving your worthiness. The hard part is translating your skills and experience gained in the military into simple language that the civilian hiring manager can understand.
As a small thank you for your service, it is our privilege to bring you a shortlist of the very best military to civilian resume writers in America.
If you are transitioning to a federal government career, check out our list of the Best Federal Resume Writers .
Best Military Transition Resume Writers
Best resume services for military to civilian transition.
How We Choose Winners
Each of the military-to-civilian transition resume services below was reviewed by a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) taking into consideration the following:
The cost of the service compared to other military-to-civilian resume writers.
The speed at which the resume is completed.
Overall experience, awards, and certifications.
The design, style, and overall look of the resume.
Guarantees, number of edits, and reviews.
This list was hand-curated to serve all military transition professionals. Whether you were O-1 to O-10, W-1 to W-5, or E-1 to E-9, we have resume writers on this list that will be perfect for your career needs.
Average Military to Civilian Resume Cost
Military to civilian resume writer reviews.
Find My Profession
Find My Profession is much more than a resume writing service. They are a global career services company whose work has been featured on sites like Forbes, Inc., Zety, Fast Company, and more.
With their team of elite resume writers who have experience in over 85 industries and professions, they can match you with a writer who understands your unique background and experience. Additionally, every resume comes with a one-on-one phone consultation with your writer.
Find My Profession has an impressive track record of successfully landing clients jobs at top companies such as Apple, Amazon, EA, Oracle, GM, Facebook, DoJ, Morgan Stanley, and Tesla.
Their 900+ 5-star reviews speak to their commitment to delivering high-quality service. They also offer a 60-day interview guarantee and ensure that every resume created is Applicant Tracking System (ATS) compatible and highly customized to meet your specific needs.
You will work one-on-one with an elite and certified resume writer based in the U.S. Find My Profession is committed to ensuring that every client is 100% satisfied with their resume, which is why they do not limit the number of edits or time spent working with your writer.
Find My Profession is a virtual company allowing them to provide services worldwide. While they do not have a physical office for in-person visits, they ensure direct communication with your writer through email and phone calls.
4.9/5 based on 521 Trustpilot reviews 4.9/5 based on 319 Sitejabber reviews 4.9/5 based on 151 Google reviews 5/5 based on 52 Facebook reviews
3 – 5 business days (can expedite to 2 business days)
$395 – $995
(831) 888-0967 or [email protected]
Check out some of our 5-star reviews:
Resume & linkedin profile, terrific experience, exceptional resume, findmyprofession helped me, excellent job, 10/10 service & experience, highly recommend, incredible work.
ResumeZest is trusted by professionals from companies like Google, Amazon, Apple, Oracle, GE, Adobe, Uber, and Facebook. Their resume writing team has written resumes for more than 75 industries. A 60-day interview guarantee backs up every resume they write. Each resume is also ATS compliant and keyword-optimized.
ResumeZest is a very well-rounded company. They offer affordable pricing and quick turnaround times. You will work with a high-quality, certified writer and receive excellent customer service. They are also members of the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PARW/CC).
ResumeZest is one of the newer companies on this list. While they do a great job and their writers have many years of experience, the company was only founded in 2020.
4.8/5 based on 175 Trustpilot reviews 4.8/5 based on 93 Google reviews 4.9/5 based on 91 Sitejabber reviews 5/5 based on 12 Facebook reviews 5/5 based on 4 Yelp reviews
$279 – $479
(888) 530-4911 or [email protected]
Need Help With Your Job Search?
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A Word’s Worth
A Word’s Worth is owned and operated by Nina Ebert, a Certified Professional Resume Writer, Career Coach, and Military Reward Partner. Nina has had a series of resumes and cover letters selected for inclusion in 23 nationally published books. She started her business in 1989 and has since been able to help countless military professionals transition into civilian jobs.
A Word’s Worth has a special focus on military resumes. She also provides a handful of resume samples on her site including a military to civilian transition resume. If you are in the New Jersey area, Nina is more than happy to meet with you in-person to write your resume.
A Word’s Worth resume packages didn’t seem to be available on the website. You must call this company in order to receive an exact quote. Also, we are unsure if Nina is the only writer on the team or if she works with other writers.
4.8/5 based on 26 Google reviews 4.7/5 based on 15 Yelp reviews
$375 – $950
(609) 758-7799 or [email protected]
Masterpiece Resume
Masterpiece Resume was founded in 2008 by Kirstin Olsen. Kirstin is a professional resume writer who specializes in government, law enforcement, and military transition resume writing. With such a special focus on military resumes, you can rest easy knowing you are in great hands with Masterpiece Resume.
Masterpiece Resume has a special focus on military resume services. Founder Kirstin Olsen personally writes each and every resume and never uses ghostwriters for her work. They even mention that they offer military and returning customer discounts.
Masterpiece Resume does not feature any resume samples on their website. It would be great to be able to see the quality of work that Kirstin provides. Also, you will need to schedule a call in order to get more of an exact quote.
4.5/5 based on 13 Yelp reviews 4/5 based on 5 Google reviews
2 – 7 business days
$350 – $120
(760) 453-1448 or [email protected]
A Platinum Resume
A Platinum Resume is one of the finest military to civilian resume writing services around. Based in Colorado Springs, Kara Varner, the owner and writer, has three different resume certifications to translate your military service into an amazing civilian resume. They also offer discounted military spouse resumes which can really help out your significant other!
Kara is a Certified Military to Civilian Transition Resume Specialist (CRS-MTC) and member of the Military Spouse Resume Writers’ Coalition. That is a rarity when it comes to resume services. Kara has worked in both the Army and Air Force and now assists service members with their transition into civilian life.
A Platinum Resume has a long turnaround time, which could be a turnoff to some clients. If you need a resume ASAP, you will end up paying a significant cost to receive your resume in your desired time frame. Pricing is rather expensive if you want a more extensive package.
4.9/5 based on 19 Google reviews
8 – 10 business days (can expedite to 1 or 3 business days)
$417 – $477
(719) 339-2659 or [email protected]
1-Day Resume
1-Day Resume has the experience that many other resume writers dream of. Every single one of their resume writers has at least a Bachelor’s degree and has written at least 3,000 resumes. Based in Knoxville, they have worked with clients from all over the world –– including Thailand and Saudi Arabia. Your resume is in great hands with this military to civilian resume writing service.
1-Day Resume has collectively written over 15,200 resumes since its inception. They have a vast number of 5-star reviews online to backup their boisterous claims. Military to civilian transitions are one of the specialties they have listed on their website.
1-Day Resume does not have any standard pricing. That can be worrisome since you have no idea what they are charging their other clients. There is also no information on who is specifically writing your resume, which is a downside.
4.9/5 based on 81 Google reviews 5/5 based on 11 Facebook reviews
1 – 2 business days
$395 – $595
(865) 691-3796 or [email protected]
Is Your Resume Working Properly?
If you are having trouble landing interviews, it might be time to hire a professional resume writer. Check out our list of the 750+ best resume writers and start landing more interviews!
Empire Resume
Empire Resume understands how difficult the transition from military to civilian life is. The owner and writer, Phil Gold, was an Air Force captain who knows how to translate your service into skills that are positioned as attractive to employers. Phil Gold also has his PhD, so you will be on the receiving end of military to civilian transition resume writing that is top-of-the-line.
Empire Resume is dedicated to getting you a job. If you do not land an interview after 30 days, they will edit your resume for free. After another 60 days, they will edit it once again. Empire Resume cares about helping you secure a job and ensuring that your transition goes smoothly.
Empire Resume is a one-man show. That is great from a service standpoint as everyone will receive the same level of resume. But if Phil is too overwhelmed with resumes, he may not be able to take your resume on.
5/5 based on 207 Google reviews 5/5 based on 86 Bark reviews 5/5 based on 11 Facebook reviews 4.7/5 based on 3 Yelp reviews
3 business days
(801) 690-4085 or [email protected]
EBR HR Experts
EBR HR Experts was established in 2015 by Krystal Yates. The company helps military members convert their skills into corporate skills so that they can land interviews in the civilian world. As an SHRM Veterans At Work Certificate holder, EBR employs resume writers that have military experience themselves.
Krystal is a member of the Professional Association of Resume Writers & Career Coaches who has also been a recruiter since 2010. You can easily check out the details and certifications of their resume writers through their website. Depending on your location, you can meet face-to-face with your writer.
There are no military to civilian resume samples on their website for potential customers to check out. You cannot purchase resume packages directly from the company’s website. To do that, you’d have to schedule an appointment or phone consultation first.
4.9/5 based on 33 Google reviews 5/5 based on 7 Facebook reviews
5 business days
(972) 855-8009 or [email protected]
Career Confidence Resume Services
Career Confidence Resume Services is led by Cassie Hatcher, a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW), Certified Veteran Career Strategist (CVSC), and contest-winning resume writer. Her company specializes in executive and senior leader military resumes. They have worked with all military branches and across various Military Occupational Specialties (MOS’s).
Career Confidence Resume Services is a growing resume-writing boutique that only accepts a set number of clients at a time to ensure high-quality services. If they are over capacity, you might have to wait to start your resume.
4.8/5 based on 39 Trustpilot reviews
$600 – $2,400
Di4Resume was founded by Dianne H. Millsap all the way back in 1984. That is longer than many resume writers have been alive. All jokes aside, Dianne has seen it all when it comes to resumes and thus knows the ins and outs of the game. It is safe to say that Dianne can whip up one of the best sales professional resumes out there.
Di4Resume does not up-charge their clients at all and there are no hidden costs associated with their service. Dianne has helped hundreds of Marines (of all ranks) throughout the years with a smooth career transition from the Marine Corps to corporate America.
Di4Resume does not have any sample resumes on their website, so we don’t have any idea as to what their resumes look like. The turnaround time is also quite long compared to others on the list.
5/5 based on 6 Google reviews
5 – 15 business days
(760) 687-6466 or [email protected]
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Military-To-Civilian Resume Examples and Templates for 2024
- Resume Examples
- Resume Text Examples
- How To Write a Military-to-Civilian Resume
- Entry-Level
- Senior-Level
Military-to-Civilian Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples
Hideo Araki (123) 456-7890 [email protected] LinkedIn | Portfolio 123 Abrahms Blvd, West Hartford, CT 12345
A Security Guard with five years of military experience in the United States National Guard, specializing in conflict resolution and crisis management. A proven track record of managing security for high-risk personnel.
Professional Experience
Security Guard, United States National Guard, West Hartford, CT October 2019 – Present
- Manage security operations for VIPs and special military events, prepare accident and incident reports, and identify potential security threats to high-risk personnel
- Lead a tactical unit of five military police officers for surveillance operations, provide training, assign responsibilities, and ensure compliance with military security protocols
- Provide support for civil and criminal investigations
Security Guard, Connecticut Army National Guard, Groton, CT September 2017 – October 2019
- Monitored designated parameters to identify any security threats, created weekly security reports, and verified security clearances for access control
- Operated and managed complex security systems with multiple CCTV cameras and monitoring equipment, which included performing routine maintenance
- Security Operations
- Crisis Response
- Threat Mitigation
- Access Management
- Team Leadership
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Criminology University of Connecticut, Mansfield, CT September 2010 – June 2014
Raymond Ortiz (123) 456-7890 [email protected] LinkedIn | Portfolio 123 Abbington Lane, Athens, GA 12345
A Network Security Analyst with over eight years of experience identifying threats and identifying innovative solutions. A proven track record of mitigating cybersecurity threats and providing technical support to military personnel and civilians.
Cyber Security Officer, United States Army, Fort Gordon, GA October 2017 – Present
- Triage phones, password resets, and VPN and internet connectivity, identify cyber security threats, and oversee access management to ensure data integrity
- Configure, install, and maintain edge routers, firewalls, laptops, and LAN switches
- Manage a team of 25 civilian and military employees and coordinate the delivery of tactical and technical support to subordinates and superior officers
Information Technology Specialist, United States Army, Fort Gordon, GA September 2015 – October 2017
- Installed, operated, and maintained computer systems and local area networks
- Troubleshot computer systems and hardware to support military operations, which included debugging and testing new software
- Provided technical support to military personnel for a wide range of IT-related issues
- System Administration
- Information Technology
- LAN and WAN
- Network Administration
- Cyber Security
Certifications
- Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Coursera, 2017
- CCNA Security, Cisco, 2016
- CompTIA Security+, CompTIA, 2015
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Computer Science University of Georgia , Athens, GA September 2011 – June 2015
Jasmine Brown (123) 456-7890 [email protected] LinkedIn | Portfolio 123 Aberdeen Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 12345
A Supply Chain Coordinator with 10+ years of military experience, specializing in logistics, fleet management, and procurement. A strong history of overseeing multi-million-dollar supply chains to support military operations.
Senior Logistics Officer, United States Army, Fort Bragg, NC September 2016 – Present
- Coordinate logistics for multi-million-dollar supply chains supporting domestic and international operations for the Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard
- Oversee the procurement, transport, and distribution of supplies to troops for military operations, including food, medical supplies, ammunition, and fuel
- Lead a team of 10+ army personnel to manage inventory and logistics, assign responsibilities, evaluate performance, and ensure adherence to army standards
Logistics Officer, United States Army, Fort Bragg, NC September 2013 – September 2016
- Created inventory reports, analyzed supply chain operations, and provided support to commanding officers to deliver supplies for domestic military operations
- Identified opportunities to improve delivery times and reduce fuel consumption by optimizing route planning and resource management processes
- Supply Chain Management
- Cross-functional Leadership
- Procurement
- Inventory Management
- APICS Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP), 2017
- APICS Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM), 2015
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Supply Chain Management University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC September 2011 – June 2015
How To Write a Military-To-Civilian Resume
Transitioning from a military career to a new industry as a civilian can be challenging for many veterans. Reframing your military accomplishments to align with jobs on the open market is often difficult. You’ll want to create an accomplishment-driven resume that leverages your leadership experience and technical skills to propel your job search forward during this career transition.
Rather than overwhelming the reader with complex military terminology, you’ll want to present your achievements in a way that hiring managers can easily understand. Throughout our military resume builder guide, we’ll provide expert tips to help you translate your military experience into a strong, professional resume.
1. Create a profile by summarizing your military-to-civilian qualifications
Your professional profile should open with your title, years of experience, and three to four specializations to align with the position you’re applying for. This is especially important for military-to-civilian resumes, as you must show hiring managers you have key qualifications the organization is looking for in place of industry experience.
Example 1 - Military Resume Professional Profile
Example 2 - military resume professional profile, 2. add a compelling section featuring your military-to-civilian experience.
To grab the hiring manager’s attention, you want to create compelling bullet points that showcase your strongest and most relevant accomplishments. It’s important to remember that most readers will be unfamiliar with military terminology, so you’ll need to translate your experience into language that the hiring manager can understand.
You should also quantify your career achievements using hard numbers and metrics. For instance, if you provide logistical support for a military supply chain, you should include a monetary figure to establish a sense of scope. It’s also important to keep your audience in mind when deciding what information to include. For example, mentioning that you were supporting a $38M supply chain may grab the interest of a medium-sized or large organization but could be intimidating if you’re applying to a smaller company.
Example 1 - Military Resume Professional Experience Section
Cyber Security Officer, Fort Gordon, Augusta, GA October 2017 – Present
Example 2 - Military Resume Professional Experience Section
Senior Logistics Officer, Fort Bragg, Fayetteville, NC September 2016 – October 2017
- Coordinated logistics for multi-million-dollar supply chains supporting domestic and international operations for the Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard
- Oversaw the procurement, transport, and distribution of supplies to troops for military operations, including food, medical supplies, ammunition, and fuel
- Led a team of 10+ army personnel to manage inventory and logistics, assigned responsibilities, evaluated performance, and ensured adherence to army standards
3. Add military-to-civilian education and certifications
Acquiring industry certifications can be a powerful asset during your career change. Many of your skill sets and accomplishments from your time in the military are readily translatable to civilian jobs, but obtaining additional certifications goes a step further in bridging the gap. For instance, even if you have extensive experience in security from your military career, you may want to consider pursuing a cybersecurity or network security certification. This strategy can help bolster your odds of landing the interview.
- [Certification Name], [Awarding Organization], [Completion Year]
- [Degree Name]
- [School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] [Dates Enrolled]
- Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Computer Science
- WIDENER UNIVERSITY, Chester, PA September 2019 – May 2023
4. Include a list of skills and proficiencies related to military-to-civilian experience
It’s important to feature a variety of skills and keywords that match the job description as you craft your military resume. One of the most prominent challenges veterans face during the job search is showing hiring managers that their army experience is translatable to their target industry. Incorporating a strong mix of keywords throughout your resume will ensure compliance with applicant tracking systems (ATS) and show prospective employers that you’re a qualified candidate.
Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
---|---|
Administration | Analytics |
Communication | Continuous Improvement |
Crisis Response | Cross-Functional Leadership |
Cybersecurity | Database Administration |
Information Technology (IT) | Logistics |
Network Security | Operations Management |
Process Improvement | Project Management |
Risk Mitigation | Supply Chain Management |
Technical Support | Team Management |
Vulnerability Assessment |
5. Additional military resume builder tips
Before writing your military resume, you’ll want to take some time to identify your target industry. This part is one of the more challenging aspects of the career change process. As you review your military experience and accomplishments, think about how these might translate to a civilian career. Are your skill sets more of a technical nature? Are you better suited for an operations management role? Analyzing job postings before crafting your resume will help you to identify the relevant aspects of your experience and translate them into effective bullet points for the hiring manager. Read our Veteran’s Resume and Job Hunting Guide for more military resume-builder tips.
How to Pick the Best Military-to-Civilian Resume Template
When selecting your military-to-civilian resume template, choose a straightforward and well-organized format. A limited amount of color is acceptable, but it’s better to avoid flashy graphics that may distract the reader. The top-down approach is also recommended in most instances since arranging your sections in a manner that splits the page may make reading difficult. Remember, hiring managers are focused on learning more about your qualifications and professional achievements, so you’ll want your template to support that objective rather than draw attention elsewhere.
Frequently Asked Questions: Military-to-Civilian Resume Examples and Advice
What are common action verbs for military resumes -.
It’s easy to find yourself running short on action verbs as you build your military resume. In many instances, you can use only a limited number of verbs to convey your professional achievements accurately. Differentiating your usage of action verbs can enhance the reading experience of your document. To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of verbs you can use to keep your content fresh and compelling:
Action Verbs | |
---|---|
Administered | Analyzed |
Coordinated | Conducted |
Created | Diagnosed |
Delivered | Developed |
Evaluated | Executed |
Identified | Improved |
Led | Managed |
Oversaw | Performed |
Provided | Supervised |
Supported |
How do you align your military resume with a job description? -
Although many challenges are associated with transitioning from a military career to civilian employment, your experience as a veteran also has several unique advantages. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics , the average employment rate of all veterans was 2.8 in 2022, which was lower than the 3.6 rate for non-veterans.
To effectively market your military experience for civilian jobs, you’ll need to align your resume with the job description carefully. As you craft your bullet points, you want to focus on reframing your military achievements to show why you’re uniquely qualified. This means limiting your usage of complex military terminology and instead highlighting aspects of your army experience that are explicitly relevant to the job you’re pursuing.
What is the best military resume format? -
You’ll often want to use a reverse chronological format for military resumes. This format will feature your most relevant experience at the top of your resume. However, if you feel that your military achievements are readily translatable to the industry you’re pursuing, you may consider placing your education, skills, and certifications towards the top. For instance, if you completed a computer science degree but weren’t employed as an IT officer, it may be beneficial to place relevant technical skills and certifications higher up on the document.
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Providing a cover letter can bolster the strength of your application during the military-to-civilian transition. The cover letter offers another opportunity to showcase how your military experience is relevant to your target industry. When building your cover letter, you should mention something about the organization’s reputation or work culture in the middle paragraphs of the document. This strategy will show hiring managers that you’ve researched before applying, which reflects positively on you as a candidate. For more insights, read our military-to-civilian cover letter guide .
Frank Hackett
Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW)
Frank Hackett is a professional resume writer and career consultant with over eight years of experience. As the lead editor at a boutique career consulting firm, Frank developed an innovative approach to resume writing that empowers job seekers to tell their professional stories. His approach involves creating accomplishment-driven documents that balance keyword optimization with personal branding. Frank is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PAWRCC).
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The 7 Best Military to Civilian Resume Writers in 2022
Are you searching for a professional military to civilian resume writer but are inundated with too many options?
We were too. After extensive research, we’ve found the best military transition resume writing services.
We had our certified resume experts review hundreds of professional resume writing services and they identified the most important things to look for when selecting a military to civilian resume service.
Overall Rating: How does the resume service compare to other services?
Resume Quality: Will you receive a unique, eye-catching, ATS-compatible resume?
Phone Consult: Is a one-on-one phone consultation with your writer included with your resume?
Draft Time: How quickly will the service deliver the first draft of your resume?
Resume Cost: How much will your professional resume cost?
Satisfaction Guarantee: Are there any guarantees included with your resume?
1 ResumeZest
Best overall resume service.
Who you work with: The ResumeZest team consists of Certified Professional Resume Writers (CPRWs) with backgrounds in HR, recruiting, and career coaching. Your writer is assigned based on your unique background and experience ensuring you work with someone familiar with your line of work.
Additional services: Cover letter writing, LinkedIn profile makeover, professional bios, thank you letters, and expedited delivery.
2 Find My Profession
Elite option for executives.
Who you work with: Find My Profession hires elite US-based Master Resume Writers with experience covering 85+ industries and professions. Whether you are a physician, lawyer, executive, or working for the federal government, they will assign you a seasoned writer with vast experience in your line of work.
Additional services: LinkedIn profile makeover, cover letter writing, expedited delivery, professional bios, career coaching, and professionally managed job search.
3 Employment Boost
Same-day delivery available.
Who you work with: The top writers of Employment Boost are Certified Professional Resume Writers. All the writers have bachelor’s degrees from top colleges. No contractors, freelancers, or overseas workforce are hired. They have training in recruiting, interviewing, job search processes, and industry trends.
Additional Services: LinkedIn profile makeover, interview coaching, college planning, college coaching, career coaching, and expedited delivery.
4 CareerProPlus
30+ years in business.
Who you work with: CareerProPlus is one of the most experienced military to civilian resume writing services around. They have been in business since 1986. There are multi-certified and award-winning resume writers on the team who have experience in hundreds of career fields.
Additional Services: Career coaching, certification programs, and books.
5 Sequence Resumes
Most additional service offerings.
Who you work with: Sequence Resumes is an outgrowth of parent company Sequence Staffing. The service is directed by Frank De Safey, who co-founded Sequence Staffing 20 years ago. The staff interacts with different trade organizations daily, so they understand the career fields inside and out.
Additional Services: Cover letter writing, LinkedIn profile makeover, professional bios, follow-up letters, thank you letters, career coaching, interview coaching, training courses, and books.
6 Solutions for the Workplace
Who you work with: Solutions for the Workplace was founded by Nancy H. Segal in 2005. Before that, she had a federal HR career for 30 years. Nancy is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW). Her resume was nominated for a Toast of the Resume Industry (TORI) award for best military transition resume.
Additional Services: Job search and interview coaching, LinkedIn profile makeover, and cover letter writing.
7 Brand Resumes
Who you work with: Brand Resumes was founded by Brandon Mitchell in 2019. In the space of just a couple years, this company has helped over 5,000 clients and their team has expanded to 50+ employees. (Not all their writers are US-based.) The team has multiple writers who focus on military to civilian resumes.
Additional Services: Linkedin profile makeover, resume distribution service, targeted job site booster, interview coaching, and headshot photography.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a military resume different?
1. Typical resumes are usually formatted to reflect a clear timeline, whereas military resumes will list qualifications and accomplishments upfront. 2. Transferable skills are given special attention (ex. Leadership, problem solving, teamwork etc.) 3. There is emphasis put on global and cross-cultural experiences gained through deployments and international assignments. 4. Military awards and certifications play a key role in showing your achievements
How does the resume process work?
1. We get to know more about your career history and goals. 2. We match you with your ideal military resume writer. 3. You submit your current resume or give us your career details. 4. You fill out a form with all the necessary info for your writer. 5. The collab begins! 6. You two review and refine the doc to make sure it aligns with your goals. 7. You’re done! Your professionally polished resume is ready to put out into the world!
What qualifications do the resume writers have?
Our resume writers are the real deal—we recruit and vet our writers based solely on the value they can bring to your case. Our network is over 1,200 strong and includes certified career coaches, former and current hiring managers, HR professionals, recruiters and professionals with specialized experience in over 65 industries.
This way, we can match each client with an expert who is an exact match for their needs.
What if I’m applying for a government or academic job?
Government and academic positions have a particular set of requirements that typically go beyond those of a standard resume. If you need a federal resume or an academic CV , we offer special services dedicated to fulfilling your needs.
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Military to Civilian Resume Example for Veterans [Updated 2024]
Transitioning from a military lifestyle to that of a civilian is far from easy.
According to a Pew Research Center study, 95% of veterans seek employment after serving in the military.
26% of veteran respondents, however, found shifting from the military to the civilian lifestyle to be somewhat difficult.
Coincidentally, one of the biggest struggles for veterans is creating a compelling military to civilian resume that’s going to help them get a job that’s well-paid and enjoyable.
To help solve that problem, though, we wrote this guide. Read on to learn everything you need to know to create a compelling veteran resume, including:
- Military to Civilian Resume Example
- How to Write a Military Veteran Resume (8 Simple Steps)
- Free Military to Civilian Resume Template
- Essential (Free) Job-Search Resources for Veterans
In case you’re looking to brush up on the resume basics, watch the video below.
If you’re ready to get started, though, let’s start by reviewing a well-written military to civilian resume example.
Military to Civilian Resume Example (for Veterans)
Compelling, right? Here’s what the above military to civilian resume example does right:
- Follows a functional resume format. The functional resume format focuses more on your skills and strengths rather than work experience. It helps convey how your military experience is going to help you perform well in the civilian role you’re applying for.
- Lists the contact information the right way. It includes the applicant’s full name, email, location, phone number, and even a LinkedIn URL while skipping out on a photo.
- Captures the hiring manager’s attention with a resume summary. The summary on top of the military to civilian resume example offers a brief snapshot of the candidate’s career, instantly showing the recruiter their value.
- Focuses on transferable skills instead of work experience. Instead of mentioning military buzzwords that civilians wouldn’t understand in the first place, the resume example instead focuses on how the candidate's experiences helped them develop valuable skills.
- Mentions achievements when possible. Achievements help convince the recruiter that they’re not just any candidate - you’re an overachiever who plays to win.
- Uses bullet points to make the resume easier to skim. The recruiter doesn’t have all day - they have hundreds of other resumes to review just for a single role. Making the resume easy to skim makes it more likely to be read.
- Includes educational history (in brief). The military to civilian resume example describes the candidate’s educational background, which includes taking a leadership course and basic training.
- Makes use of the optional sections. The achievements and interests sections help shed light on the candidate’s personality outside of work, as well.
Now, let’s talk about how YOU can make your resume as impressive as the example above.
How to Write a Military Veteran Resume (8 Easy Steps)
In this section, we’re going to walk you through the 8 steps to creating a powerful military veteran resume, starting with:
#1. Pick a Functional Resume Format
These are the 3 most popular resume formats out there:
- Reverse-chronological . This format focuses on your work history over education or skills.
- Functional . It focuses less on your work background and more on your skills and how they make you a qualified candidate.
- Combination . This format is a mix of the other two formats. It puts equal emphasis on skills and experiences.
As a military veteran, you’re better off with a functional format .
As you can see above, the resume example focuses more on key strengths instead of just listing out work experiences.
This improves your odds of landing a civilian job for one important reason:
Most recruiters aren’t really familiar with military lingo.
Your experiences in the military might be super compelling, but chances are, most recruiters won’t understand how these experiences make you a good candidate for the role.
By framing your experiences around your skills, on the other hand, your resume becomes more understandable for a civilian.
Once you’ve decided on the format, you also need to sort out your resume style, layout, font, and more. Here’s what this includes:
- Don’t go over one page . Your resume should be concise and to the point. More often than not, if you’re going over one page, you’re probably including information that isn’t relevant for the role.
- Pick the right font and font size . In terms of size, go for 11-12 pt for body text. For the font, pick something like Ubuntu, Times New Roman, etc. That way your resume will look professional AND stand out at the same time.
- Use the military-to-civilian resume template . Want to skip the hassle of formatting a resume? Hit the link and pick from one of our free templates! Our templates are easy to use AND look much more compelling than the conventional black-and-white ones.
#2. Include Contact Information
Now that we’ve got the formatting hassle out of the way, let’s talk about resume content.
The first thing in your veteran resume is the contact information section.
Here, you need to include:
- Descriptive title. This should include your title in the military, as well as the title you’re applying for. Something like “Security Officer Seeking a Role as Customer Support Specialist.”
- Phone number.
- Professional email address. Think, [name][lastname]@gmail.com
- Location. City and state are good enough, you don’t need to include an address.
- (Optional) LinkedIn URL. If you have an up-to-date LinkedIn profile, you can include a URL in the contact information section.
And finally, make sure NOT to include a photo in your military to civilian resume. In the US, employers prefer that you don’t include a picture to avoid unconscious bias during the hiring process.
Here’s what your resume contact information section should look like at the end:
Security & Customer Service Professional
416-821-9879
Seattle, US
linkedin.com/in/john.doe
#3. Capture the Hiring Manager’s Attention with a Military Veteran Resume Summary
When reading your resume for the first time, the recruiter will spend roughly 7 seconds skimming it to make sure that you’re qualified for the role.
If the resume catches their attention, they’ll give it a more in-depth look.
If it doesn’t, they’ll simply move on to the next one.
This is where a compelling resume summary can come in handy.
A resume summary is a 2-4 sentence “summary” of your past work experience. It helps the recruiter understand your skill-set and whether you’re relevant for the role in a single glance.
Here’s what a convincing military to civilian resume summary looks like:
Dedicated professional with over 9 years of outstanding performance and results in the U.S. Military. Earned three promotions and excelled as a leader. Seeking to apply the skills I gained in the military as a Customer Support Specialist at Company X.
When writing your resume summary, make sure to include the following information:
- Your title in the military and the role you’re applying for.
- Years of experience.
- Top achievements and experiences.
#4. Summarize Your Experiences with a Key Strengths Section
This one’s arguably the most important part of your military to civilian resume.
At the end of the day, the main deciding factor in whether you get invited for an interview or not is if your resume manages to convince the recruiter that you’re capable of doing the job…
And that’s where the key strengths section comes in handy.
To create yours, start by listing out your top strengths as section headers. Then, underneath each header, list your achievements and responsibilities that prove you actually have the relevant skill.
Here’s what this looks like on a resume:
Customer Service
- Promoted within a short period by demonstrating an over-achieving dedication that maximized results for the entire team.
- Proved internal customer service by relating to all personnel in a professional manner that facilitated the development of a diversified group.
- Enhanced soldiers’ individual and professional growth, developing them into independent decision-makers.
- Accounted for the safety of equipment valued at over $1.3 million.
- Secure the personal safety, training, and performance of fifteen U.S. Army soldiers.
Operations and Administration
- Organized schedules for over 45 soldiers.
- Implemented new routes, resulting in savings in gas time and reduced work time.
- Prevented over 10 cancellations and negotiated over 20 contract renewals with the local government.
Applying for a Military or Private Security Role? Do This
Now, in case you’re applying for a role that’s somewhat related to your experience in the military (e.g. in private security), then you can simply create a conventional Work Experience section instead of Key Strengths .
If that’s your case, here’s how you should format the section:
- Create a section header called “ Work Experience .”
- Start by listing your most recent role and go backward in time from there.
- For each entry, include your title, company name, dates employed, and 3-5 top achievements.
- For older positions, you can include fewer achievements and responsibilities.
Now, if you want your work experiences to stand out from the rest of the candidates, we recommend you to include achievements over responsibilities.
- Achieved a 99.5% average delivery rate on all assignments, resulting in no losses of materials or assets.
- Conducted deliveries of materials and assets.
The first example shows just how the candidate stands out from other applicants. The 2nd, on the other hand, does not.
#5. Mention Your Education (the Right Way)
On to the next section!
The next step to creating a convincing military to civilian resume is mentioning your educational background .
This is where you mention your higher educational degrees, as well as training (e.g. boot camps) and any personal development courses you’ve taken.
First things first, here’s how you’d go about the formatting part:
- Create a header called “Education”
- Add your latest degree right on top. Then, include older degrees underneath.
- If you have a B.A. or an M.A., you can skip your high school degree altogether.
- You can skip mentioning a GPA. These days, no one cares about your grades.
Here’s how the end result would look like:
B.A. in Communications Boston University 08/2016 - 05/2020
Now, if you don’t have the relevant experience needed for the role you’re applying for, you can use your education section to show off your knowledge or skills.
You can do this by including:
- Any honors you might have earned.
- Exact courses you’ve attended.
- Any other way you’ve excelled during your education.
#6. Include In-Demand Skills (For the Industry You’re Applying for)
Another must-have of a military to civilian resume is the skills section.
This is where you list out all of your hard and soft skills and (optionally) grade them by knowledge level.
The key here, though, is not to simply list out random skills like:
- Critical Thinking
- Microsoft Word
Rather, you want to include the skills relevant to the role .
E.g. applying for a role in accounting? You should probably mention payroll tax accounting, cost reduction strategies, budgeting and forecasting , and so on.
You wouldn’t want to mention your Adobe Illustrator skills, for example (even if you’re an expert at it).
So, how can you know which skills are essential to your resume, and which ones aren’t?
The best way to understand this is to read the job ad you’re applying for. More often than not, they include an exact list of skills required for the role, and all you have to do is mention them in your resume (as long as you possess the said skills, of course).
#7. Take Advantage of the Optional Resume Sections
If you still have some space on your military veteran resume, you can take advantage of some optional resume sections.
While these sections won’t land you the job on their own, they can definitely help you stand out from other applicants seeking the same role.
Some optional sections you can include are:
- Projects. Any type of personal project you’ve worked on. This can be a local business you started, a side-gig, freelance work, and so on.
- Certifications. Any type of certification you might possess. If you don’t have the experience for the role you’re applying for, certifications can help show the recruiter that what you do have is the right skill-set.
- Volunteering Experience. If you’ve volunteered in the past, you should definitely include it in your resume. Employers love candidates who love to help others (even if there’s no monetary incentive for it).
- Hobbies & Interests. Including hobbies or interests in your resume helps the recruiter see more of your personal side. While your hobbies won’t land you the job, they might help you build rapport with the interviewer.
#8. Make Sure Your Military to Civilian Cover Letter is as Impressive as Your Resume.
At this point, your military veteran resume should be quite compelling…
But you’re not done just yet!
To have both a complete and compelling job application, you need to pair your resume with a cover letter that’s just as good.
Here are our top tips on how to write a quality cover letter :
- Start the cover letter by addressing the hiring manager directly. Sure, you could go with the default “Dear Sir or Madam,” but mentioning the hiring manager’s name shows that you’ve done your research and really care about working at the company.
- In your introduction, mention the most important parts of your background. E.g. years of experience, key achievements, top skills, and why you’re applying for the job in question.
- In the body section of your cover letter, expand on whatever you mentioned in the introduction. This is where you can also explain how the experiences mentioned in your resume make you a good candidate for the role.
- Conclude the cover letter with a call to action . E.g. “Looking forward to hearing more from you!” or “I’d love to discuss how I can help Company X as a Support Specialist over a call or an interview.”
Want to learn more? Check out our step-by-step guide on how to write a cover letter .
Essential Job-Search Resources for Veterans
There are a lot of free job-search resources for veterans on the internet - everything from dedicated job boards to free tools, programs, and more.
Here’s a comprehensive list of some of the very best resources:
Veteran Job-Search Resources
- Job board that helps you find federal organizations that prioritize hiring veterans over other candidates.
- Lots of quality resources to help you transition into civilian life.
- If you’re not sure what kind of career you want to focus on, you can use this website to discover different occupations and learn what they’re about.
- Website for finding veteran job fairs in your area.
- Free career consulting and job search help for veterans.
- American Corporate Partners matches you with a free, year-long mentor to help you build your career.
- For group discussions for veterans on resumes and gaining employment after service. (Veterans only/ screened and weeded out by questions and profile)
- For discussing Skill Bridge opportunities and military transitions. Skill bridge is a military program for giving veterans an opportunity to learn and work at civilian companies for 6 months before leaving the military.
- LinkedIn offers its Premium program to veterans for free for a year. You can use the platform to learn new skills, kick-start your career, as well as find and apply for jobs.
- A website dedicated to helping veterans transition into a civilian lifestyle. You can use it to find jobs, discover career events, attend job fairs, and more.
- Job board for US federal jobs. While it’s not specifically made for veterans, the US government prioritizes hiring veterans over other candidates.
- Job board for veteran-friendly roles and companies.
- Job board for roles in the private security industry.
- Another veteran-only job board.
Key Takeaways
And that’s all you need to know to create a strong military veteran resume!
Before you go, though, let’s do a quick recap of the key learning points we just covered:
- For a military to civilian resume, use a functional resume format to show off your skills instead of work history.
- Use a “Key Strengths” section to explain how your military experience distills into valuable skills for a civilian role.
- Don’t include every skill under the sun on your resume. Instead, pick the ones relevant for the role you’re applying for.
- Take advantage of the optional resume sections to show the recruiter that you’re an individual and not just a resume.
- Finally, make sure that your cover letter is just as impressive as your resume by following the tips we mentioned above.
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- Military-to-Civilian Resume Writing Services
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CareerProPlus Military to Civilian Resume Writing Services
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.
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Translating Military Experience to Civilian Resumes
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:
- Style: A military resume is skills-based, highlighting the applicant’s most relevant expertise. Civilian resumes are slightly different. Hiring managers want to see the progression of your skills and how they’ve led to your greatest accomplishments.
- Format: Members of the military have many different jobs throughout their careers. When applying for a military profession, you often list your most relevant jobs and leadership experiences first. Civilian resumes tend to follow a chronological order, starting with your most recent position and working backward. Experts recommend including the last 10-15 years of your career. If you’ve held dozens of military roles, fitting them all on your resume can be a challenge.
- Vocabulary: People in the military use acronyms and jargon to explain their roles and responsibilities. When writing a military transition resume, you should assume your employer has minimal knowledge of military operations and terminology. Spelling out acronyms and explaining your accomplishments in simply, non-military terms can help civilian employers understand your skills.
Start Getting Interviews
CareerProPlus provides you with several professional resume writing services to choose from, including corporate, military transition, federal, government contractor, overseas resumes and civilian resume writing for Veterans.
Military Resumes
Corporate Resumes
Administrative Law Judge
KSAs & Assessments
Linked-In Profile Writing
Writing a competitive resume.
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.
What Type of Veteran Resume Do You Need?
- Military to corporate job resume services : The corporate world needs the discipline and tangible skills many Veterans have. However, the typical Veteran resume doesn’t emphasize skills such as leadership, team building and other transferable skills in a way that corporations understand. Our CareerProPlus Veteran resume services help you create an application that’s focused on results.
- Military to federal job resume services : The government employment market is vast, with more than 2.1 million civilians working for the federal government in 2023. It’s also a very diverse market, with more than 350 different types of jobs . If you’re transitioning to a government career, the CareerProPlus team can help you create a customized resume that focuses on your talents and strengths — stressing your advantages as a job candidate.
- Military to government contractor resume services : Government contract jobs can be lucrative if you get them. Simply using Veteran resume builders online may not emphasize the depth and breadth of relevant experience in a way that human resources departments can understand. Our personalized services get to the heart of what you need to include on your resume.
- Management resume services: The discipline and leadership required of military careers are in demand in managerial positions. Highlighting these skills in a way that Human Resources can understand can be a challenge, so let CareerProPlus services help you put your best foot forward.
- Executive resume services: Executives require business knowledge, discipline, organization, teamwork and leadership. CareerProPlus can help you showcase these abilities, so corporations recognize that you’re a team player and a powerful asset.
How to Build a Military Veteran Resume
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.
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Military-to-Civilian Resume: How to Translate Your Service Experience
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How to write a military-to-civilian resume
- Get started by creating a master military resume
- Consult your VMET and fitness evaluations for ideas and resume content
- Translate your military titles and skills for civilian readers
- Focus on experience that is relevant to the job for which you’re applying
- Top-load your resume with targeted keywords and accomplishments
- Don’t separate your military experience from your other work experience
Get help if you need it
Military veterans transition into the corporate job market with a broad skill set and experience shouldering unimaginable responsibility. Unfortunately, most civilians have no idea what’s going on in the military or how to decipher military terminology. To succeed in a post-military job search, it’s up to a transitioning veteran to create a military-to-civilian resume that describes their experience in a way that makes sense to civilian recruiters and hiring managers.
To gain some insight, I spoke with three military resume experts:
- Jen St. Pierre , Warriors to Work Specialist at Wounded Warrior Project
- David Madden , Veterans Representative at Worksource King County
- Clif Cooper , Former Army Transition Manager
The military speaks its own languages. Each service has its own way of communicating things. “Even between the different services within the military, I can’t read some of their lingo,” said Cooper. If the Army has trouble understanding the Navy or Air Force, you can bet that a civilian recruiter will be confused by all of it.
“If the veteran went straight from school into the military and hasn’t had any type of civilian employment, when they come out, everything they speak is military language,” said Madden. “How do you go to an employer, who really knows nothing about the military, and answer when they ask, ‘What was your job description?'”
The first step in creating a strong military-to-civilian resume is to, as St. Pierre put it, “demilitarize the language.”
“What I mean by that is avoiding military terms and acronyms that civilian recruiters and hiring managers aren’t going to understand.”
Translate your titles, acronyms, equipment, skills, and anything else that could go over the head of a civilian decision-maker.
Start with a master military resume using the terms you know best
When you’re looking at a blank resume template , translating your military experience on the fly makes it a more difficult process than it needs to be. “It’d be like me applying for a job in the Hague and trying to write it in Dutch in my first draft,” explained Cooper. “I would write it in English and then translate it to Dutch.”
For veterans struggling to get started, creating a master military resume can be an effective first step. “I tell people when they write their resume , use military lingo on your first draft because that’s what you know,” said Cooper.
“In this master resume, we can speak to everything,” said Madden. “They have that opportunity to get it out of their system.”
Consult your documentation and fitness evaluations
There are records and resources available to all veterans that can provide a starting point or fill in some gaps.
“VMET stands for Vocational and Military Employment Training,” explained St. Pierre. “That is a document that every single [service member] receives when they transfer out. They don’t really realize that they have access to it. It’s basically their military resume. It contains every MOS [military occupational specialty] they were in with a description. Not only that, but every single course and certification they took.”
“A lot of information is available on your fitness reports or evaluations and quarterly counselings,” added Cooper.
“It’s different in every branch of the service,” continued St. Pierre. “It could be a ‘fit eval,’ or a ‘fit rep.’ These are performance reviews. … These contain such valuable information for a resume. They contain measurable results, number one. And number two, real specifics about their accomplishments , spoken from their leader’s point of view.”
Digging up these documents can make a world of difference when it comes to creating a strong resume foundation.
Translate your military ranks, titles, and duties
Civilians do not understand the hierarchy or responsibilities of military titles. One of the most helpful things you can do on your military-to-civilian resume is to change your titles into something a civilian reader will find familiar.
“Most corporate and profitable environments aren’t going to have any idea how to translate E1, E2, first sergeant,” warned St. Pierre. “Instead of taking the time to research it, they’re going to count the candidate out of the lot because they don’t understand.”
St. Pierre shared these examples:
“For instance, E7 to E9 … the civilian equivalent could be director, supervisor, department manager, senior advisor. Below that is an E4 to an E6, which depending on what service they’re in [would be a] corporal, specialist, petty officer, or sergeant. That translates over to assistant manager, line supervisor, section leader, task leader, foreman. Same things with the lower ranks, like E1 to E3. Maybe they were private or a seaman recruit or a seaman apprentice. That could be a production worker, an assembler, a technician, an apprentice, or a team member. So even when they’re lower ranks, you can still give it a strong civilian title.”
This practice also extends beyond official titles to roles and duties.
“If I was a main battle tank crew member, in the civilian world, we would translate that to ‘heavy equipment operator,'” explained St. Pierre. “We’re taking those titles and we’re civilianizing them.”
This can be a tough pill for veterans to swallow. It’s not just heavy equipment, after all. The responsibility of human safety or millions of dollars in equipment that comes with performing any number of military duties won’t be found in your average civilian job description. “The military gives you an immense amount of responsibility that you will never be responsible for again,” said Cooper, but making your military resume accessible for civilian hiring personnel will make a big difference in your job search.
Perhaps the most powerful tool for this type of translation is O*NET’s Military Crosswalk search .
Enter your service branch and classification code or title to receive a detailed report including all the tasks, skills, technology, and knowledge associated with the position, as well as a list of civilian-equivalent job titles.
“A lot of times, individuals do not even know Military Crosswalk exists,” said Madden.
Translate everything you can on your resume. St. Pierre suggested spelling out any necessary acronyms and even replacing the word “soldiers” with “personnel.”
Tailor your resume to the job description
“A veteran thinks, and rightfully so, they can do human resources, operations, logistics– kind of the whole gamut,” said Cooper. “While that’s true, and there’s nothing wrong with that mindset, it actually hurts them in the search.”
Veterans are trusted with a great deal of responsibility and can serve in a wide variety of roles throughout their military career. It’s tricky to narrow all that experience down. Referring to some of the resumes she receives from her clients, St. Pierre jokingly said they’re “like eight pages long.”
Once a transitioning veteran decides which direction to take their career, they benefit from removing as much unrelated experience as possible . A targeted resume is not a list of everything you’ve done. Rather, it answers the questions asked in the job description. Tailoring your resume to the job description makes it fast and easy for the recruiter to see how you’ll make an impact.
“Look at the things that are important to the employer [in the job description],” said Madden. “It’s great that you’ve done these things [in the military], but the employer is looking for XYZ.”
“We really want to focus on speaking the language of the employer,” added St. Pierre.
Both St. Pierre and Madden advocate for using Jobscan to home in on what the employer wants to see. Jobscan analyzes your resume against the job description to see which skills and requirements you’re missing.
“That’s what we’ve been able to help them do time and again [by] using Jobscan,” said Madden. “We’ve been able to really take the game to another level because we’re speaking the language and we’re showing [the veterans] live, this is what it looks like.”
“I bring up the Jobscan report and I walk them through it,” said St. Pierre. “Every single section, what it means, how to incorporate those keywords into the resume. It makes sense to them.”
Include your military measurable results
Accomplishments and achievements are a great way for anyone to make their resume stand out. A military veteran’s experience is full of opportunities to include these measurable results.
“Usually what I do is talk [veterans] through stories and really figure out, what are the results?” said Cooper. “It needs to have a number … whether it’s man hours, reduction in steps, or additional steps for compliance.”
For some veterans, aspects of their roles might overshadow seemingly mundane results, making it difficult for them to see the value. “Nobody [in the corporate world] cares that you were a fighter pilot,” pleaded Cooper. “How much money did you save by buying doors or surfboards or windshields last year?”
“We all deal with money because [the military] a global force now,” continued Cooper. “Simple things like government travel cards, saving money, coming up with better ways to save money” can make for quality measurable results on a military-to-civilian resume.
“There’s so much project management within the military,” St. Pierre used as an example. “A strong action verb would be, ‘C ollaborated with a team of six senior leaders to develop a security action plan that resulted in zero incidents within the command for the year of 2017.'”
As previously mentioned, some of these results can be found in the VMET or fit evals. “Sometimes I take exact sentences from them because their leaders did a great job of quantifying and explaining [the veteran’s] accomplishments,” said St. Pierre.
Measurable results should be sprinkled throughout your resume, from your summary section down through your work experience.
Military-to-civilian resume formatting tips
Formatting your military resume presents a unique challenge. You might have served through a series of diverse roles with increasing responsibility all around the world. How do you sum that up on a resume in a way that makes sense?
“The first top half of the resume is the most important,” said St. Pierre. “That is what a recruiter will spend their six-to-seven seconds on.”
After your name and contact information, St. Pierre recommends having a strong summary statement that introduces that you’re a veteran as well as your areas of expertise. She also recommends including a skills section “so that the recruiter can easily find those resume keywords that they need.”
If you went back to school after leaving the military and you’re not far removed from earning a degree, your education section can come next.
When it comes to your experience section, “I wouldn’t separate it out, military and civilian,” advised St. Pierre. “I would just put ‘Work Experience.'”
St. Pierre recommends breaking up your different roles within the military, but underneath a single heading for the service branch, resulting in something like this:
This format helps keep the resume in a format familiar to the recruiter, and should help to minimize confusion.
“Seek out assistance,” concluded St. Pierre. “[Veterans] aren’t expert resume writers and that’s okay. Seek out subject matter experts and mentors. Like the Wounded Warrior Project Warriors to Work program, there are many, many VSOs out there that help .”
There are also people online willing to help. Create a LinkedIn profile and follow or reach out to veteran career coaches and advocates like Michael Quinn , Leslie Coffey , Daniel Savage , Maggie Cutler , Tom Cal , Jacqueline Contreras , and others for tips, resources, and mentorship during your transition.
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Military to Civilian Resume: Example, Template, and Pro Tips
When transitioning from the military to the civilian workforce, one of the most critical documents you need is a well-crafted resume. A military to civilian resume allows you to showcase your unique skills, experience, and qualifications that make you a valuable asset to any employer.
Creating a military to civilian resume can be a challenging task, especially if you have spent several years in the military. With this in mind, this article aims to provide insight, guidance, and tips on how to write an effective military to civilian resume.
In this article, we will discuss the importance of a military to civilian resume and provide examples and templates to help you get started. We will also offer professional tips and advice to ensure your resume stands out in a competitive job market.
Whether you are a transitioning veteran or a military spouse seeking to enter the civilian workforce, this article is for you. Keep reading to learn how to translate your military experience into a compelling civilian resume.
Understanding the Transition
Transitioning from military to civilian life is a challenging experience that requires careful planning and preparation. Military personnel face unique challenges when they return to civilian life, such as finding new employment opportunities, adapting to a new work environment, and adjusting to civilian culture.
One of the most crucial aspects of transitioning to civilian life is crafting a well-designed resume. This document serves as a critical tool for military personnel in their job search process. It needs to showcase skills, education, and experience in the most attractive way possible.
However, military and civilian resumes differ considerably in their structure and content. Military resumes tend to be more detailed and include military-specific terminology that may not make sense to civilians. Hence, it’s vital to create a tailored resume that can help recruiters and hiring managers understand the transferable skills and experience one possesses.
Another challenge that military personnel face is understanding what non-military workplaces would look like. Employers in the private sector may have different expectations and work cultures. While military service is highly respected and valued, the language, rank structure, and acronyms used within it differ from non-military workplaces.
Therefore, it is essential to create a well-crafted resume that highlights transferable skills and soft skills. Retirees or recent military veterans must be aware of their unique value proposition and the qualities that they can bring to a prospective employer.
Transitioning from military to civilian life is a significant life-changing event that takes time and effort. For military personnel, crafting a well-designed resume is the key to securing a civilian job role. Knowing the unique challenges that they will face during this transition will better equip them to succeed in their job search. It is vital that military personnel understand the differences between a military and civilian resume to tailor it effectively based on the skills learned in their service.
Identifying Transferable Skills
Transferable skills are abilities and knowledge that can be applied in various scenarios, regardless of the industry, role or job function. They are typically acquired through previous work experience, education or life experiences. The majority of transferable skills are soft skills, such as communication, leadership, problem-solving, and time management but can also include hard skills, such as technical proficiency.
Identifying transferable skills is an essential step for those transitioning from military to civilian careers. To determine transferable skills, examine both the technical and soft skills that you employed in your previous role. Start by reflecting on your daily work routine, listing your duties and responsibilities, and identify the skills you utilized. Then explore how these skills could be applied in a new industry or position.
To identify your transferable skills, start by following these steps:
Evaluate your military experience: Focus on the skills you applied in your military role, and assess how they could potentially be applied outside the military sector.
Analyze job descriptions: Review job descriptions in civilian roles you are interested in and compare them to your current military job requirements. Identify any overlaps or similarities in skills.
Consider your achievements: Think about your accomplishments in your previous military role, what skills did you use to accomplish them, and how could you apply these skills in a new role?
Conduct informational interviews: Speak with individuals who work in the industry or role you are interested in, ask about their job duties, and what skills they feel are critical to their success.
Some examples of transferable skills include:
Leadership: Managing a team, supervising colleagues or coordinating projects.
Communication: Effectively conveying information, negotiating or managing conflicts.
Problem-Solving: Analyzing data, creating strategies, and making complex decisions.
Time Management: Prioritizing tasks, managing schedules, and meeting deadlines.
Interpersonal skills: Cooperating with colleagues, demonstrating empathy and active listening.
Technical proficiency: Programming, information technology, and other specialized skills.
Transferable skills are abilities that can apply to multiple industries, roles, or job functions. Identifying your transferable skills is a critical step in your military to civilian career transition. By evaluating your military, analyzing job descriptions, considering your accomplishments, and conducting informational interviews, you will develop a clear understanding of the transferable skills required to succeed in a new role. Ensure that you highlight your transferable skills in your resume, cover letter, and during interviews to increase your chances of a successful military to civilian career transition.
Military to Civilian Resume Example
If you’re a veteran looking to make a transition into the civilian workforce, crafting a compelling resume is one of the most important steps you can take. However, making the transition can be daunting, as the terminology and priorities in the military differ from those in the private sector. Below is a step-by-step guide to creating a military to civilian resume, along with tips on how to use military-friendly language and an example resume to inspire your own.
Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Military to Civilian Resume
Translate your military experience: Start by translating your military experience into civilian terminology. Focus on your key job functions and accomplishments that demonstrate your leadership, discipline, and problem-solving skills.
Use simple language: Avoid using military jargon or acronyms that could be confusing to someone outside of the military. Instead, use simple, clear language that anyone can understand.
Highlight transferable skills: When listing your experience, be sure to highlight transferable skills that will be relevant to the civilian job you’re applying for. For example, if you have experience managing a team, that could translate to a civilian management position.
Quantify your achievements: Use data and numbers to quantify your achievements wherever possible. For example, if you were responsible for managing inventory, include information on how much inventory you managed and how you improved the process.
Tailor your resume: Tailor your resume to the job you’re applying for by emphasizing the skills and experience that are most relevant to the position. Use the job description as a guide to help you choose which skills to highlight.
Military-Friendly Language to Use in the Resume
- Use action verbs that demonstrate leadership and initiative (e.g. managed, led, supervised, initiated, organized)
- Mention relevant training and certifications, such as leadership training, security clearances, or technical certifications
- Use terminology that is familiar to civilians (e.g. “team” instead of “squad,” “budget” instead of “funding allocation”)
- Emphasize the results of your work and the impact you had on your team or organization
Example of a Military to Civilian Resume
Below is an example of a military to civilian resume that demonstrates the tips outlined above. This is just one possible format; be sure to tailor your resume to your specific experience and the job you’re applying for.
Name: John Smith Contact Information: (555) 555-5555 | johnsmith.
Military to Civilian Resume Template
When transitioning from military to civilian life, creating a resume that can effectively showcase your skills and experience can be challenging. That’s why we have created a comprehensive military to civilian resume template to guide you through the process.
Overview of the Template
Our military to civilian resume template is designed to highlight your accomplishments and transferable skills in a clear and concise manner. It is formatted to be easily scannable by hiring managers and ATS systems. The template includes the following sections:
- Contact Information
- Objective Statement
- Summary of Qualifications
- Professional Experience
Tips for Customizing the Template to Fit Individual Needs
While our military to civilian resume template is a great starting point, it’s important to customize the template to fit your individual needs. Here are a few tips for personalizing your resume:
- Use keywords and phrases that are relevant to the job you’re applying for
- Quantify your accomplishments whenever possible
- Focus on the skills that are transferable to the civilian workforce
- Use clear and concise language
- Keep your resume to one or two pages
Section-by-Section Breakdown of the Template
This section includes your name, phone number, email address, and physical address. Make sure your contact information is up-to-date and professional. Avoid using nicknames or unprofessional email addresses.
Your objective statement should be tailored to the job you’re applying for. It should be a brief statement that highlights your qualifications and career goals.
This section is where you can showcase your skill set and achievements. Focus on transferable skills that are relevant to the job you’re applying for. Use bullet points to make this section easy to read.
In this section, you will list your work experience in reverse chronological order. Include the job title, company name, location, and dates of employment. This is also where you can showcase your accomplishments and how they relate to the job you’re applying for.
List any relevant education and training you have received. Include the school name, degree or certificate earned, and dates of attendance.
Use this section to highlight any additional skills you have that are relevant to the job you’re applying for. This can include language proficiency, technical skills, or certifications.
By following our military to civilian resume template and customizing it to fit your individual needs, you can create a strong resume that highlights your skills and experience. Don’t forget to have someone proofread your resume for errors and clarity before submitting it to potential employers.
Pro Tips for Military to Civilian Resumes
Transitioning from military service to a civilian job can be challenging. Military veterans, especially those who have spent many years in service, often have difficulty converting their military experience into civilian terms. One of the most important steps in this process is creating a military to civilian resume that highlights relevant experience and accomplishments. In this section, we will discuss three pro tips for creating a successful military to civilian resume.
Adding Accomplishments
When creating a resume, it’s important to highlight your accomplishments, not just your job duties. Accomplishments show what you’ve achieved in your roles and how you’ve impacted your organization. In the military, there are many accomplishments that are worth noting, such as awards, medals, and successful missions.
To translate these accomplishments into civilian terms, think about how these achievements benefited your team or organization. Did you save money? Did you improve efficiency? Did you lead a successful project? These are all accomplishments that will impress civilian employers, so be sure to include them on your resume.
Highlighting Leadership Skills
In the military, leadership skills are highly valued and often developed early on in a servicemember’s career. These skills, including the ability to motivate and guide a team, are highly transferable to civilian roles.
When listing your leadership skills on your resume, be sure to highlight specific examples. For instance, if you served as a team leader in a mission, discuss the leadership strategies you employed to ensure the success of your team. It’s also important to emphasize your ability to work well under pressure and make critical decisions in a timely manner.
Emphasizing Relevant Experience
One of the biggest challenges in creating a military to civilian resume is translating military experience into relevant civilian terms. However, it’s essential to highlight your relevant experience to show civilian employers that you have the skills they’re looking for.
To do this, review the job description carefully and highlight the skills and experience that the employer is seeking. Then, review your military experience and think about how it translates to that job description. Focus on key skills that match the job requirements and include them on your resume.
A successful military to civilian resume requires translating military experience in civilian terms, highlighting your accomplishments, highlighting your leadership skills, and emphasizing your relevant experience. By following these pro tips, you’ll be well on your way to creating a winning resume that highlights your unique skills and experience.
Writing Accomplishments
Before diving into how to write strong accomplishments for military personnel, it’s important to define what constitutes an accomplishment. Accomplishments are specific achievements or results that an individual has achieved within a particular role or job. They showcase an individual’s unique contributions, skills, and experience.
When writing accomplishments, it’s crucial to focus on tangible results rather than just listing responsibilities or tasks performed. Begin each accomplishment statement with an active verb and quantify the results whenever possible.
Below are some tips on how to write strong accomplishments:
- Use specific numbers and percentages to illustrate the impact of your actions. This helps to demonstrate the scope and scale of your achievements.
Example: Increased unit efficiency by 25% through implementing new logistics procedures.
- Highlight your individual contributions and leadership skills in team achievements.
Example: Led a team of 10 in successful completion of a high-priority project three weeks ahead of schedule.
- Use action-oriented language to focus on your proactive and results-driven approach.
Example: Initiated and executed a cost-saving measure that resulted in a $50,000 reduction in annual expenditures.
Now, let’s take a look at some examples of accomplishments for military personnel:
Led a platoon of 30 soldiers in combat operations, resulting in zero casualties and successful completion of all mission objectives.
Developed and implemented a safety training program resulting in a decrease in workplace accidents by 50%.
Instrumental in the successful execution of a multinational joint training exercise, increasing overall readiness and strengthening partnerships with allied forces.
Writing strong accomplishments is an integral part of crafting a successful military to civilian resume. By focusing on specific results and using action-oriented language, individuals can effectively showcase their experience and skills to potential employers.
Relevance of Military Service
If you are someone who has served in the military and is now transitioning to civilian employment, then it is important to understand the relevance of military service on a civilian resume. Military service offers a unique set of skills that can be valuable in the civilian workforce. What’s more, it shows dedication, discipline, and a willingness to work hard.
To incorporate military service into your civilian resume, it is typically recommended to take a skills-based approach. This involves highlighting the skills and experiences gained from your military service, and demonstrating how they would be relevant to the position you are applying for. One approach is to use relevant military language and terminology that aligns with your new line of work.
Additionally, it is important to translate military-specific jargon into language that civilians can easily understand. This makes it easier for a hiring manager to clearly see the value of your military experience.
Here are some examples of how to incorporate military service into your resume:
Use relevant military language: For example, if you were trained in the use of weapons as part of your military service, you could use language such as “weapon systems training” or “small arms proficiency” on your resume.
Highlight your experience in leadership: Military service often involves leading teams of people, so it is important to highlight this experience on your resume. Describe specific instances where you took charge and made important decisions.
Show off your dedication and work ethic: Military service is characterized by a sense of duty and responsibility. Highlight your ability to work hard and get things done.
Demonstrate your adaptability: The military requires individuals to be able to adjust to new environments quickly. Highlight your adaptability by demonstrating how you have succeeded in different roles or assignments.
The relevance of military service on a civilian resume cannot be overstated. By taking a skills-based approach and highlighting the valuable experiences and training gained from military service, you can make yourself a strong candidate for a civilian position.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
As military personnel transition into civilian life and job search, one of the critical steps is creating a civilian resume. However, military servicemen and women often make common mistakes that can hurt their job search endeavors.
Here are some of the common pitfalls and how to avoid them:
Mistake 1: Using military lingo or jargon
One of the most significant mistakes military personnel make when creating a civilian resume is using military jargon and acronyms. Unless the civilian employer has a military background, they may not understand the military language, and it can be off-putting. It’s essential to translate military jargon into terms that the civilian employer can understand.
Mistake 2: Focusing on duties rather than accomplishments
Military personnel often list duties and tasks they performed rather than highlighting their significant accomplishments. It’s essential to show how your skills and experiences transfer to the civilian workforce. Quantify your achievements, and showcase how you contributed to the success of your unit or team.
Mistake 3: Too much information
Military personnel have a whole set of skills, training, and experiences that they have accumulated over the years. It’s tempting to include every piece of information in the resume. But the truth is, not every experience is relevant to the civilian job market. Focus on the skills and experiences that relate to the job you’re applying for.
Mistake 4: Lengthy resumes
A standard militarized resume can range from three to ten pages. However, civilian employers prefer shorter and more concise resumes. A two-page resume should be sufficient to showcase your skills and experience.
Mistake 5: Not tailoring the resume to the job
Job descriptions vary from company to company, and not tailoring your resume to the job can reduce your chances of getting an interview. Read the job description, identify the skills and experiences the employer is looking for, and match them with your qualifications.
To avoid these common mistakes, military personnel can seek assistance from career counselors, veterans support groups, and civilian mentors. These professionals can guide them on translating their military experiences into civilian language, highlighting their accomplishments, and tailoring their resumes to the job description. Creating a civilian resume is a crucial step in military-to-civilian transition, and avoiding these mistakes can increase your chances of landing a job.
Cover Letter Writing for Military to Civilian Resume
When transitioning from military life to civilian employment, having a well-written cover letter is essential to getting noticed by potential employers.
Importance of a Cover Letter
A cover letter serves as your introduction to the hiring manager and is your opportunity to showcase your qualifications and explain why you are the best fit for the job. A well-written cover letter can significantly increase your chances of getting an interview and landing the job.
Tips for Writing an Effective Cover Letter
Research the company – before you start writing your cover letter, take the time to research the company and the job you are applying for. This will help you tailor your cover letter to the specific needs of the employer.
Use the right format – your cover letter should follow a standard business letter format, with your contact information at the top, followed by the date, the employer’s contact information, the salutation, the body of the letter, and a closing.
Highlight your qualifications – focus on your most relevant qualifications and experiences that match the requirements of the job.
Keep it concise – your cover letter should be no more than one page and should quickly and succinctly explain why you are the best candidate.
Edit carefully – take the time to proofread and edit your cover letter for spelling and grammar errors before submitting it to the employer.
Example of a Cover Letter for a Military to Civilian Resume
Dear Hiring Manager,
As a former Army Sergeant with experience in logistics and supply chain management, I am excited to apply for the logistics coordinator position at XYZ Company. In my 8 years of military service, I honed my skills in organization, communication, and problem-solving, which I believe will make me an asset to your team.
During my time in the military, I was responsible for the successful management of a large-scale logistics operation, overseeing the distribution of critical supplies and equipment to multiple units across various locations. I am well-versed in the intricacies of coordinating complex and time-sensitive logistics operations, and I thrive under pressure.
In addition to my military experience, I have also completed a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a focus on supply chain management. My education, coupled with my military experience, has prepared me to hit the ground running in a civilian logistics role.
I am thrilled at the opportunity to bring my skills, experience, and work ethic to XYZ Company and am confident that I would be a valuable asset to your team. Thank you for considering my application.
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Veterans, Take Note: Here's How to Translate Your Military Experience to a Civilian Resume
As a member of the United States military, you’ve cultivated valuable skills and have a lot to offer the civilian workforce. But how do you get that message across when applying for jobs? According to Colleen Deere, the executive director of American Corporate Partners —a New York City-based nonprofit that offers career counseling to veterans as they transition to the civilian workforce—the key is knowing how to transform your military experience into a resume that hiring managers and recruiters will understand.
“You only have about 30 seconds to impress the person reading your resume,” Deere says. “They aren’t going to do the work of researching your military jobs to figure out what they mean, so make sure to put the prep work in up front.”
Remember, it’s not a question of whether you have valuable transferable experience (you do!), but rather whether you’re able to explain that experience in a way that will make sense to a civilian hiring manager. Here’s how to do just that.
Focus on the Right Things
When considering how your military experience translates, “we always advise veterans to describe their accomplishments rather than simply outlining their previous job descriptions,” Deere says.
To start, make a list of everything you accomplished during your time with the military. For example, did you earn a promotion? Help execute a new initiative? Assist with training? Then, highlight the achievements that feel most relevant to the particular job you’re applying for. Being selective will also help you avoid making a mistake that Deere often sees: cramming too much onto the page. “One of the most common challenges for veterans to overcome is their desire to list every single duty assignment, which very few hiring managers will take the time to read,” she cautions.
Spotlight Your Transferable Skills
Skills like leadership, teamwork, training, communication, problem solving, and adaptability will all serve you well in a civilian workplace and should be highlighted on your resume. But determining what aspects of your military experience will show off those skills is admittedly more of an art than a science—and it’ll depend greatly on what type of job you’re pursuing. The best indicator of transferable skills can usually be found by browsing job descriptions.
Just bear in mind that you may need to zoom out a bit to find a skills match. For example, if you’re interested in customer service positions and most of your military experience was in the infantry, it might be challenging to find areas of overlap. But, if you take a step back, you’ll note that both require patience, following instructions, interacting with teammates, communication, and problem solving. A bullet point on a resume might say, “Collaborated daily with a diverse team of 25 people to resolve or complete 60 complex initiatives with a 98% success rate.”
Translate Terms Into Civilian Language
Some positions, such as those in combat, can be harder to quantify. In those cases, it’s important to put the job into terms that any lay person could understand. For example, if you were responsible for property and equipment, you might say, “proactively maintained and repaired six vital IOT-enabled pieces of equipment, ensuring operational efficiency for 300+ team members.” Or if you worked under stressful conditions, you could say “cultivated strong attention to detail under stressful conditions, successfully completing 23 initiatives while juggling multiple competing priorities.”
If you can translate your actual job titles into civilian terms, it’s worth including both on your resume. “This can work well in some cases, like Team Lead instead of Squad Leader, or Operations Manager instead of Operations NCO,” says Deere. Here’s what it might look like:
Squad Leader (Team Lead) | United States Air Force | May 2013 - July 2019
(You’re in luck if you had a position like Army medic or Navy HR officer because both the titles and responsibilities are straightforward.)
Lastly, don’t forget that the military has a language all its own and most civilians won’t understand the acronyms and jargon. So, do your best to simplify or translate whenever possible. A tank might be an “operational vehicle” or a piece of “equipment,” a mission might be better described as an “initiative” or “project,” and reconnaissance might be “data collection” or “research.”
Pick the Right Format
The most common (and recruiter-approved) resume format is the single-page chronological layout, which displays experience in descending order starting with your current or most recent job. It also generally includes a brief summary of your experience, a list of your technical skills and education or training, and your interests or volunteer work. You’ll find a fantastic guide (with an example) here .
If you’re looking to make a more substantial career pivot, a functional resume might be a better option, since these layouts allow you to more prominently feature your most relevant skills and experience separate from your work history. A functional resume does have some drawbacks, however—namely that recruiters typically prefer a chronological format. (Because functional resumes are more often favored by candidates with less conventional work histories, some recruiters may unfairly screen out applicants who use them, assuming that they don’t have the right skills for the job.) You can read up on functional resumes (and see an example) here .
Need something in the middle? Try a combination resume . This format combines the traditional appeal of a chronological layout with the flexibility of a functional version, and can be a “best of both worlds” option if you have a mix of directly transferable skills and less conventional experience.
Know the Basics
Here are a few tried-and-true fundamentals you’ll want to incorporate into your resume.
1. Write a Summary
Summaries are a great way to help a prospective employer understand where you’re coming from and what you’re hoping to do next. “It’s like an elevator pitch. If you have only 30 seconds to explain who you are, what would you say? What makes you stand out and what do you bring to the table?” Deere says. It doesn’t need to be long—just two or three lines—but it can make a big difference. Use this simple formula as you write your own:
[Relevant traits] + [former job title] eager to leverage [transferable skills/areas of expertise] to [outcome] within a [target job title] role in the [target industry] space.
Here’s what that might look like:
Adaptable, team-oriented former Army operations specialist eager to leverage strong communication skills, resilience under pressure, and enthusiasm for technology to generate viable sales leads and drive new business within a BDR role in the SaaS space.
2. Keep it to a Single Page
Recruiters often receive hundreds of resumes every day, so they simply don’t have time to read every single line. That’s why it’s important to keep your resume short, sweet, and relevant. So, if something doesn’t pertain to the job you’re applying for, leave it out. Sticking to more recent experience (within the last 10 years) is another great way to keep the length down.
3. Create Clearly Defined Sections
Recruiters love resumes that are visually scannable, and individual sections—summary, experience, education, etc.—will make your resume much more appealing. Use caps or a bold font or underline the title of each subsection to make it easier to read.
4. Write Well-Crafted Bullet Points
Bullet points are the most effective way to clearly and concisely explain your experience. They consist of a few key ingredients: a compelling verb (directed, resolved, led), a brief description of the job duty, specific metrics (team of 35, month-long, six-part), and the result (if applicable)—all contained within one to two lines of text.
For example:
Installed and maintained 100+ communication devices across six locations, connecting more than 400 team members and ensuring operational efficiency.
5. Read up on Keywords
Most resumes pass through an applicant tracking system (ATS) that scans each application before it reaches an actual recruiter. If your resume doesn’t have enough of the right keywords, it might get automatically screened out. Sites like JobScan can help you determine which keywords to include, depending on the posting.
6. Include Relevant Technical Skills
As you browse job postings, make a note of the technical skills each requires. You’ll often see Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), Google Drive (Gmail, Docs, Sheets), Mac/PC, and even social media platforms like Twitter or Instagram. If you have strong experience with any of the technologies mentioned in a given description, be sure to list it on your resume.
7. List Awards, Education, and Training
Resumes are meant to showcase your abilities and accomplishments, so there’s no need to be modest here. Awards and education always translate well.
Reach Out to Your Resources
Transitioning from a military career to a civilian job can feel understandably overwhelming, but you don’t have to do this alone. “Talk to other veterans who have successfully made the transition and ask to look at their resumes,” Deere suggests.
Your civilian friends and family members are also great resources. Deere recommends talking to them (or better yet, showing them your resume if you have a rough draft ready to go!) about what you did in the military and noting down what they struggle to understand about your duties. That should be a good indicator of where a recruiter or hiring manager might be confused, and will help you to identify the areas of your resume that need to be tweaked. And don’t be shy about coming back to your support network with a new or revised version. It’ll likely take you a few tries to get it just right.
You can also partner with a career advisor or resume writer for additional support. They’ll know what hiring managers are looking for and can help you bridge the gap between military terminology and civilian workplace lingo.
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Your military resume is probably packed with impressive accomplishments and awards. The problem is, civilian employers find it difficult to understand accomplishments from your military career. Another setback is the military jargon and acronyms that civilian hiring managers can hardly understand.
Our military resume writers can describe your experience using language and terms that civilian employers understand. We offer government contractor, veteran, and military to civilian resume writing services, helping professionals with a military background get more interviews. The experts of our company will translate your military achievements and experience, and emphasize your strong work ethic, resilience, and adaptability to get you noticed faster.
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Custom military resumes
We compose each military to civilian resume from scratch, translating your achievements and skillset to illustrate your impact. The writer also uses keywords and an ATS-friendly format to help you pass the electronic screening.
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Each military resume writer in our team has 2+ of experience with resumes or as an HR manager. All writers are trained in writing resumes for different industries, including military transition.
Affordable prices
Our resume writing service is fairly priced and affordable to professionals at all levels. If you order a civilian resume writing service, we will offer an additional discount as a small thank you for your service.
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If you're not satisfied with the first draft, we offer free revisions for 14 days. Let us know your concerns, and your resume writer will update the document until it meets your requirements.
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Why hire us to complete your military transition resume?
Military to civilian resumes are the toughest to complete, as you have to explain military terms to a new audience. Our experts will gladly handle this task for you. With 12+ years of experience in military resume writing, we create resumes that help all job seekers get noticed faster:
- our in-house resume writers have 2+ years of experience and are well-trained in all aspects of resume creation and the best practices;
- the writer will translate your military experience to help a civilian hiring manager understand your hard and soft skills and accomplishments;
- we work on resume content, structure, and design to help you make an irresistible first impression and ace your job search;
- you will work one-on-one with the assigned writer who will take your career goals into account and create a tailored resume;
- our military resume writing services have a 97% customer satisfaction rate thanks to the quality of writing and prompt service.
We create resumes for all branches of the military
Our team offers military transition resume services for all military branches:
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An experienced military resume writer will evaluate your background and create a new resume and supporting documents for your future goals. Make the step into civilian life with confidence and get more opportunities with a professional resume!
Prepare for transition with our proven military resume writing services
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At ResumePerk.com, we offer all documents you will need for your job search. We prepare customized career marketing documents to communicate your skills and achievements comprehensively:
- a custom resume
- a tailored cover letter
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Our best military resume writers will align the documents to ensure that they tell your career story and emphasize qualifications that matter for your civilian career. By ordering a package, you will receive an additional discount for military personnel.
Tailored to your dream job
To get more interviews, you need to tailor the resume for a specific job opening and use relevant keywords. Our resume writers can assist with that, too. At ResumePerk.com, we work with different military occupational specialties (MOS), helping our clients stand out for their target jobs.
Send us a link to your target job, and we will adapt the resume for the specific job, underlining the needed skills. The writer will use high-impact keywords and an ATS-friendly format to help you pass the electronic screening and impress the human recruiter at the same time.
Quick and simple process
Unlike other military resume services, we will deliver your brand-new resume in 2-5 business days. Choose the deadline when placing an order, and your writer will deliver everything right on time. If you are in a rush, a 24-hour delivery is available so you could apply for the job tomorrow.
Our process is online for your convenience. As a leading resume writing service, we will match you with a writer experienced with your type of resume. You will work one-on-one with the writer until you are satisfied with the product. Our civilian resume writers are dedicated to your success and are always ready to answer your questions.
Affordable services
Military to civilian resumes are usually pricey, especially if you'd like to hire a famous or a certified professional resume writer. However, it is possible to receive a quality civilian resume without spending hundreds of dollars.
At ResumePerk.com, we offer affordable sergeant, specialist and senior leaders military resumes. Prices for resume writing start at $117. Each resume is customized to your needs and adapted to your target job posting, plus free revisions are included in each writing order.
How to compose a winning cover letter?
According to the statistics, a cover letter is just as important in your job application as a resume. 49% of hiring managers believe that attaching a cover letter is a must. To write an effective resume for a civilian position, follow these tips from professional resume writers:
Keep it concise
According to a resume expert, the ideal length for a cover letter is between 250 and 400 words. Keep your letter to one page or half of the page. No need to list your complete career story here - instead, focus on qualifications and skills relevant to your target position. Include figures where possible to give context to your accomplishments. Keep the paragraphs short as well - 3-5 paragraphs will be enough.
Use the hiring manager's name
Like any other business letter, your cover letter should start with a professional salutation. Address your letter to a specific person - you can look up the hiring manager's name on LinkedIn. Avoid the salutation 'To whom it may concern' at all costs, as it signals a lack of interest in a position. If you cannot find the person's name, use a neutral salutation 'Dear Hiring Manager'.
Use a traditional letter structure
The first paragraph is the ideal place to shortly introduce yourself and how you learned about the position (you can mention your reference in a company here as well). Then, in a letter body you should describe relevant qualifications, education, and skills that make you a perfect fit for the target position. Finally, in a conclusion, reiterate your most notable skills and end the letter with a call to action, encouraging the employer to discuss the role with you further.
Organize the letter in a reader-friendly way
After you have written a letter, structure it in a reader-friendly way to make it visually attractive. Use short paragraphs and bulleted lists to make your letter easy to skim through. Align the letter content to the left since it's a common standard. Finally, edit and proofread the letter before sending it. Grammar errors, typos and other issues can spoil the first impression and work as a red flag for the recruiter.
Check cover letter samples before writing
Read the job description carefully and emphasize the required qualifications in your cover letter. Also, to get an idea of how a strong cover letter looks like, it is helpful to review some samples online. Thus, you will understand how to structure your letter and what tone to use to describe your qualifications. You can view some good samples on our website. Yet, do not copy the content from someone else's letter, as your letter needs to be unique and show qualifications that distinguish you from the competition.
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Who are your military transition resume writers?
At ResumePerk.com, we have 100+ resume writers and consultants who specialize in different types of resumes, including military to civilian ones. Each writer is trained in resume format and best practices, so you can be confident in the quality of our services.
What if I'm not happy with the new resume?
Customer satisfaction is our top priority, that's why we offer free revisions for 14 days. If you think that something should be improved, message your concerns to the writer, and they will fix it within 24 hours. Make sure that your revision instruction is not different from the original one.
Can I see the work samples?
Yes, some sample resumes written by our writers are available on the site. You can also find some 'before and after' samples there. If you order a resume, the writer will create original letter content, focusing on your accomplishments and develop a custom design to draw attention to your key qualifications.
Our experienced writers can create a powerful resume suitable for each position. However, you may also request a specific resume depending on the job you are applying for, thus it will be tailored individually for your profession:
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Writing Military-to-Civilian Resumes: Make Your Resume 'Interviewable'
Resume writing isn't easy, and there are many different opinions on how to do it. If you're stressed out about writing the perfect resume, consider using a free expert resume writing service. If you want to take the plunge yourself, visit our Military Skills Translator to make military lingo something any civilian employer will understand.
Consider the fact that your resume has three primary missions:
- To showcase your skills, qualifications and accomplishments in such a way that it attracts prospective employers.
- To entice a prospective employer to take action; specifically, to offer you the opportunity for a job interview.
- To serve as a tool to guide your job interviews .
Your challenge, therefore, is to write and design a resume that not only opens doors to prospective opportunities but can also be used as an effective interview guide. This is critically important for military-to-civilian job seekers who must focus their resumes on skills , qualifications and accomplishments that are transferable to the civilian workforce. In essence, you want to write a resume that paints a picture of who you want to be and not who you were. And, by doing so, you can create the perfect interview guide ... a tool ( your resume ) that leads your interviewers down the precise path you want them to follow.
Here's an example ... David Michaels is retiring after a 20-year military career with a specialization in manpower planning, force management and personnel deployment. His goal is a senior-level position in corporate human resources and organizational development. When David develops his resume, he basically has two options and the decision that he makes will influence his entire job search .
Option 1: Focus his resume on who he was. If he does this, his summary might read something like this:
Twenty-year career in Manpower Planning, Force Management and Personnel Deployment for the United States Marine Corps. Exceptionally strong strategic planning, analytical and organizational leadership skills. |
Option 2: Focus his resume on who he wants to be. If he does this, his summary might read something like this:
Human Resource Leadership/Human Capital Management/Team Building & Team Leadership Workforce Optimization/Executive Training & Development/Organizational Design |
Twenty-year career building and leading top-performing organizations worldwide. Consistently delivered the human talent required to support multimillion-dollar enterprises with critical goals and objectives. Dynamic public speaker. |
The obvious answer is that Option 2 is, by far, the best alternative to the position that David wants in the civilian workforce. In the summary, David has used the right words to create the right picture of how he wants to be perceived in the market. And, in turn, these are the skills and experiences that each and every interviewer will ask David about. With his summary, he has created the picture of a talented HR and organizational development executive, and that's how people will perceive him and interview him. Mission accomplished.
The resume for (the fictional) Roberta C. Jackson is an excellent example of the "make your resume interviewable" strategy in action. Roberta has created a resume that effectively positions her for a civilian career in inventory control and logistics. What's more, the format works extremely well as an interview guide, clearly identifying her key areas of experience and success, and making it easy for her interviewer to just follow along the path that she has outlined.
Page 1 of Roberta's resume clearly shouts out, "I am an extremely well-qualified inventory control and logistics professional with substantial experience in all inventory control functions, management, organization, training, quality assurance and safety." By highlighting each of her core areas of expertise (bold print) and then showcasing her most notable responsibilities and achievements in each of these functions, she has created a powerful picture of how she wants to be positioned in the market ( and the key points she wants to focus on in an interview ).
Page 2 of Roberta's resume is equally well-presented. Her U.S. Air Force career is prominently presented, and her educational credentials are easy to identify. Her job descriptions are concise and focus on notable achievements, key projects and leadership competencies.
It's not necessary for her to go into any additional detail in the descriptions, because she has already highlighted the most important information on Page 1. What's most impressive is that Roberta has used "civilian" job titles so that the corporations to which she is applying will understand the capacity in which she worked. Anyone interviewing her will now be able to ask, " Tell me more about your job as an acting plant manager? " -- the exact type of position she is currently pursuing.
Your resume is a powerful tool on so very many levels. It's going to open doors and help generate interviews and, if done well, can serve as a remarkably effective interview guide. Take the time that is necessary to enhance your resume's "interviewability factor" and make it easy for someone to hire you.
Related: For the latest veteran jobs postings around the country, visit the Military.com Job Search section .
Wendy S. Enelow is the author of "Expert Resumes for Military-to-Civilian Transitions."
The Next Step: Find the Right Veteran Job
Whether you want to polish up your resume, find veteran job fairs in your area, or connect with employers looking to hire veterans, Military.com can help. Sign up for a free Military.com membership to have job postings, guides and advice, and more delivered directly to your inbox.
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Navigating Professional Development When Transitioning from Military to Civilian Life
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Navigating Professional Development When Transitioning from Military to Civilian Life was originally published on Vault .
Deciding to leave active duty and transition to civilian life is often a stressful and difficult decision. Upon transition, military members might have questions about what their next moves should be. Should they go back to school? Venture a new career path? What skills from their military career can they translate into a professional setting?
Professional development resources are great tools for newly transitioned veterans to help them advance in their careers. By learning new skills and developing relationships with like-minded industry experts, veterans set themselves and their new employers up for success. Here are a few different ways veterans can use professional development to help advance their careers.
Think outside the box for networking
Networking is an effective way to build relationships with like-minded industry professionals and opens the door for new opportunities with employers, business partners, and clients. Whether a virtual networking event on LinkedIn or an industry conference, attending panels and seminars is a great way to learn about new tools, trends, and opportunities in your current industry, or one you’re interested in exploring. Suppose you have a personal or organizational goal to broaden your network with other veteran professionals. In that case, free mentorship organizations like Vets2Industry and HireMilitary are great venues for expanding relationships and opening the door to connect with potential recruits for a company. In any approach, showing initiative and bringing in new business are desirable assets for any employer.
While gravitating towards fellow veterans is natural as a former military member, it’s also important to broaden horizons to other professionals. For instance, on LinkedIn, take advantage of digital networking platforms to connect with individuals in similar or targeted industries. Making the right connections with vetted contacts can help professionals in any sector flourish in their careers and establish long-lasting relationships.
Explore new professional development opportunities
Beyond networking, expanding knowledge with tangible skills and tools can help you advance in a civilian career. Keep an eye on industry trends to identify the latest in tools, software, and best-practices you can learn and explore. Take the time to research professional development opportunities in these areas thoroughly to determine which are most appropriate for your skillset, goals, and current workload. Ask your employer about professional development opportunities within the organization, such as mentoring and training programs. Maintain an open line of communication on professional development opportunities with managers and supervisors. If the areas of further learning are valuable to the business’s growth, it might be open to covering costs.
Whenever possible, look for resources and programs catered to veterans or those which offer discounted access to former military members. LinkedIn’s premium features are freely accessible to veterans for one year. Programs like PM-Pro Learn offer military and veteran rates on catered project management courses for individuals at all experience levels. Obtaining a Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification, Agile Project Management certification, or SCRUM can make you a more valuable team member or job candidate in many industries. Across the board, showing employers you’re a team player willing to learn more to help the company grow displays leadership and initiative, which won’t go unnoticed in a professional setting.
Communicate needs and goals with employers
While the idea of approaching employers with professional goals might seem intimidating at first, it’s important to maintain this line of communication. Employers hire veterans because they see the value in translating military skills into a professional setting, and therefore, it’s beneficial to self-advocate. Communicating professional development goals with employers shows you’re excited to gain new skills, become a more valuable team player, and work to reach shared goals.
Make sure to have answers to potential questions prepared in advance for these conversations. How much will these programs cost? What value will they bring to the organization? How much time will be allocated towards training? During talks with supervisors and executives, stress the benefits training programs, seminars, and development courses will bring to the organization as a whole. Applying these simple techniques and knowledge of proper resources can create a lasting ripple effect throughout an organization, encouraging colleagues to pursue growth opportunities themselves. In any scenario, professional development should be viewed to mutually benefit both personal and organizational growth, creating a more productive work environment.
Justin C. Pearson, First Sergeant, U.S. Army (Ret.), is VP of Business Development at the American Armed Forces Mutual Aid Association (AAFMAA). Justin served in the U.S. Army for 20 years, earning the Bronze Star during a combat tour in Afghanistan. Justin has experience managing strategic partnerships and collaborating with Fortune 1000 companies to expand their military talent pipeline.
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Navigating USAJOBS & Introduction to Federal Resume Writing (24 JUL 2024)
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Army Civilian Careers invites you to participate in a virtual informational session on federal resume writing, navigating USAJOBS website, including paid internships and fellowships in the federal government. We are a values-based community of nearly 300,000 federal civilian employees, much like those in other U.S. Federal Agencies, e.g., State, NASA, Commerce, Justice, and Education. These are strictly civilian positions. Applying for employment on USAJOBS can be a challenging process, but we are here to help! In this session we will walk through the application process to include the questionnaire, discuss resume formats, preferences, required documents to include, and how to align your experience with the job qualifications. This class is designed specifically to help you develop your federal resume and address key areas in the job announcement to make you an eligible applicant. In this session we will cover: The Army Student Intern Program The Army Fellows Program How to create a USAJOBs account Applying for federal jobs How to navigate USAJOBS Application announcement information – what the words really mean. Beginning steps to writing a federal resume Note: This session will be conducted via MS Teams, and you will need to download the application to view the session in its entirety.
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Compare online and offline resume services that specialize in helping veterans translate their military skills and experience for civilian jobs. Find out the pros and cons, prices, and features of each service, and see sample resumes and testimonials.
Military to Civilian Resume Writing Services. The companies presented in a chart were selected due to several positive feedbacks from satisfied customers and good professional reputation, including guarantees, several free military resume revisions, a low rejection rate, on-time orders delivery, and excellent value for many.
Use numbers to highlight, if possible. For example, "Managed budget of $100K" or "Reduced training time from 26 weeks to 24 weeks.". Be concise. Limit your resume to one or two pages. Include volunteer experience if it's relevant to the job. Volunteer experience can add to credibility and character.
Kara is a Certified Military to Civilian Transition Resume Specialist (CRS-MTC) and member of the Military Spouse Resume Writers' Coalition. That is a rarity when it comes to resume services. Kara has worked in both the Army and Air Force and now assists service members with their transition into civilian life. CONS.
A strong history of overseeing multi-million-dollar supply chains to support military operations. 2. Add a compelling section featuring your military-to-civilian experience. To grab the hiring manager's attention, you want to create compelling bullet points that showcase your strongest and most relevant accomplishments.
2. Make a list of your military duties to determine if they're relevant. Once you know what type of civilian job you want, think about all your duties as a veteran and make a comprehensive list of your accomplishments. At this step, you can use military terminology if it helps you make the list.
Who you work with: CareerProPlus is one of the most experienced military to civilian resume writing services around. They have been in business since 1986. There are multi-certified and award-winning resume writers on the team who have experience in hundreds of career fields. Additional Services: Career coaching, certification programs, and books.
Make the transition from military to civilian with confidence with a specialized, professional resume: Optimized and formatted to get past Applicant Tracking Systems. Carefully tailored to the types of positions you're looking for. Professionally written by a military resume expert. $199.
Here's another military resume example: Security Specialist - U.S. Marine Corps 2008 to 2011. Led and mentored a diverse team of 25 people, attaining a 5% increase in promotions and 20% decrease in turnovers. Received recognition for reporting and documentation accuracy.
Content. Top ↑ Military to Civilian Resume Example (for Veterans) How to Write a Military Veteran Resume (8 Easy Steps) #1. Pick a Functional Resume Format #2. Include Contact Information #3. Capture the Hiring Manager's Attention with a Military Veteran Resume Summary #4.
CareerProPlus Military to Civilian Resume Writing Services. Unemployment Rate for Veterans source. 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 ...
The resume on the left is used by 50% military servicemembers/veterans, and you get what you pay for. At Career Confidence US, we align military experience and translate military jargon that civilians can understand. If you want to make heads turn in a room full of competitors reach out to us today to kick-start your transformation. GET STARTED.
Empire Resume Can Help! We specialize in writing resumes for members of the Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard and are experts at helping servicemembers make the civilian transition. Additionally, our constantly updated military-to-civilian blog offers the most useful and effective ways to help you with your job search.
Army resume highlights. Relevant certification: This applicant has a certification they picked up in the Army that civilian employers will want to see too (their Six Sigma certification).If you have a relevant certification, add it to your resume. Military term translated: Try avoiding military terms when you write your resume. For example, this resume uses the term "senior leadership ...
Consult your VMET and fitness evaluations for ideas and resume content. Translate your military titles and skills for civilian readers. Focus on experience that is relevant to the job for which you're applying. Top-load your resume with targeted keywords and accomplishments. Don't separate your military experience from your other work ...
Military to Civilian Resume Writing Services. Whether you are just getting ready to leave the military or have already left, our resume writers can help. SCHEDULE A FREE PHONE CONSULTATION HERE OR CALL US AT (312) 428-6048. Why Choose Us For Your Military to Civilian Resume.
Below is an example of a military to civilian resume that demonstrates the tips outlined above. This is just one possible format; be sure to tailor your resume to your specific experience and the job you're applying for. Name: John Smith. Contact Information: (555) 555-5555 | johnsmith.
Military-to-civilian resume example William Smith 555 Liberty Way Portland, OR 97035 555-555-5555 [email protected] Summary Aircraft mechanic and crew leader with 10 years of experience leading teams of up to 6 technicians to maintain all aircraft systems of multiple airframes. Dedicated to efficiently balancing productivity, quality and safety to ensure customer needs are met.
Military to Civilian Transition Resume. Modern resume design in Word and PDF. For professionals including Director and regional management, curriculum vitae, and entry level. Keyword optimized to pass through Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). Cover Letter. Customizable & editable as you apply to different positions and companies. Thank You Letter.
Transitioning from a military career to a civilian job can feel understandably overwhelming, but you don't have to do this alone. "Talk to other veterans who have successfully made the transition and ask to look at their resumes," Deere suggests. Your civilian friends and family members are also great resources.
We compose each military to civilian resume from scratch, translating your achievements and skillset to illustrate your impact. The writer also uses keywords and an ATS-friendly format to help you pass the electronic screening. Experienced writers. Each military resume writer in our team has 2+ of experience with resumes or as an HR manager.
The VMET is a thorough document outlining your entire military career and it will include an equivalent to use in your resume. For example: Dates: June 2021 - Present (2 years 8 months) Organization: US Army, 1st Infantry Division, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, Alpha Company. Location: Fort Hood, TX.
Option 1: Focus his resume on who he was. If he does this, his summary might read something like this: CAREER SUMMARY. Twenty-year career in Manpower Planning, Force Management and Personnel ...
Justin has experience managing strategic partnerships and collaborating with Fortune 1000 companies to expand their military talent pipeline. Vault Author info A comprehensive resource for students and job seekers looking for career advice, job postings, company reviews from employees, and rankings of the best companies and industry employers.
Army Civilian Careers invites you to participate in a virtual informational session on federal resume writing, navigating USAJOBS website, including paid internships and fellowships in the federal government. We are a values-based community of nearly 300,000 federal civilian employees, much like those in other U.S. Federal Agencies, e.g., State ...
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