Listing Military Service On A Resume Application

How can military service help job seekers?

Writing a resume to properly highlight your military service offers several challenges. The knowledge and skills you picked up through your experience are valuable assets. You must put your military background down on paper in the most clear, concise, and effective way possible. With the right guidance, writing a resume displaying your military boils down to simply following the right steps.

Before you start writing, decide what kind of job you seek. Tailor your resume to a particular career path. A generalized resume to canvas the entire job market wastes time. Instead, create a generalized resume then tailor it to specific businesses prior to applying. If you have various job titles in mind, make sure to write a resume specific to each job.

Next, if you have not done so already, research the particular job or field you have in mind. Determine the skills and traits employers typically desire. Think about how your skills match up to the traits employers want. Pick your greatest accomplishments and display them to prove you have the skills they seek in a job candidate. If any of your accomplishments do not apply to the skills needed in the job, eliminate them from your resume. You may have to omit achievements you take pride in, but you must focus on skills and achievements paramount to your desired career.

Once you start writing your resume, remember to keep the reader in mind. If you apply to a civilian company, the person in human resources may not understand military terms. Make sure to avoid jargon or acronyms potentially confusing for the person reading your resume. Write as if a potential employer reading your resume possesses no military knowledge. Convert your military terminology into wording anyone may understand. For example, instead of listing your E-5 serving in an E-7 billet, relay the importance of these terms and explain why you received the responsibility and authority of a more senior position.

The military provides you an abundance of skills ably transferred to the civilian work environment. Show employers how these skills will benefit the business when you take on a job. Some effective traits a serviceman should display on a resume include an accelerated learning curve, leadership skills, teamwork capability, efficiency under pressure, positive work ethic, and cross-functional skills. You may also list some of your noteworthy accomplishments. Make sure to show the results you accomplished. For example, if you found a new way to make a certain task go half-again as fast, then you may say you implemented a new organizational system and effectively sped operational efficiency by 50%.

It is also beneficial to highlight any awards, medals, or other honors earned. Awards exist as quantifiable proof of accomplishment and look good in the eyes of an employer. Also list previous assignments or tours of duty as your previous employment. These experiences help bolster your resume and any military assignments qualify as career experience; however, avoid any combat related details. Referencing combat in your resume may give employers the wrong impression of your abilities outside of military service.

Finally, let an extra set of eyes look at your resume before you send it out. Let someone you trust as a proofreader check for any typos, grammatical errors, and overall clarity. Most employers look at a resume for only a few seconds. Ensure your resume offers a clean and concise picture of your job qualifications and desired career goals.