Add Your Military Education To Your Resume
Military academies and schools are highly regarded in the U.S. as being top-tier educational institutions. If youve graduated from a military academy, take credit for your hard work by listing your education in your resume education section.
Treat your military education the same as any education acquired at a public or private U.S. institution. List dates of study, degree achieved, and any achievements or honors you gained.
Heres an example of a veterans military education experience from West Point:
UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY | WEST POINT, NY 2010 2014
Bachelor of Science, Law and Legal Studies
- Graduated with a 3.9/4.0 GPA
- Deans List 4 semesters
- Superintendents Award for Excellence recipient
Start Writing Your Civilian Resume
You have served your country, and now you deserve a rewarding career. Start writing your military veteran resume with CareerProPlus. Our team has three decades of experience writing personalized resumes for military service personnel.
We wont hand you a veteran resume sample and send you on your way. Well take the time to analyze your information and explain what you need to include to qualify for the jobs you want. Each veteran resume we develop is customized. Well also review what jobs youre eligible for and how to format your resumes correctly even for online applications and built to be in compliance with artificial intelligence systems.
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You Think Social Media Is For Kids Or Sharing War Stories
If you think social media is a huge waste of time and doesnt offer real value, watch this video.
The reality is that two out of three job seekers will get their next job using social media. What does that mean to you? It translates to lesser-qualified people using technology to their advantage to get hired. They know how to use each of the social networking sites to the maximum extent in their transition action plans. If you think Twitter is of little use to a job seeker or professional, your competition will be happy to land the job you want because theyre using it and you arent.
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Why It Is Important To Translate Your Military Skills On Your Resume
No matter how impressive your military experience and accomplishments may be, if the potential employer doesnt understand your terminology or how it is relevant to the job you are pursuing, your resume will not go very far. You must translate your military skills and relate your military experience to your next career. Incorporate your military experience throughout your resume using the same format as work experience, with the most recent positions listed first.
Here are some key strategies to translating your military experience:
Should Veterans Leave The Military Service Off Their Resume
According to the Center for a New American Security, 33% of America’s six million military veterans are currently working below their skill level. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, transitioning veterans found it increasingly difficult to find work as unemployment rates fell to record lows.
It left a lot of veterans and military members to wonder if their military service hurt their chances of getting that first big job after the military — and if they should leave it off their resume.
There are a few reasons for the disparity between veteran work experience and employment, all of which are outdated and easily fixed with a little effort from newly-separated veterans and those who want a loyal, quality workforce.
Why Are Veterans Left Behind?
Many of the 200,000 separating veterans who leave the military every year are still in their early 20s, and entering the civilian job market for the first time. Some have degrees and all of them have technical training and work experience.
But employers still value the traditional path of education to employment that does not factor in military service. This means they’re more likely to hire a new college graduate with no work history over an older, experienced military veteran with years of on-the-job training. Veterans end up in a situation that Joan Lynch of WorkingNation calls “underemployed.”
What Can Veterans Do To Get a Job That Fits?
What Employers Can Do to Hire Qualified Veterans
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You Cant Accept That Youre Starting Over
Lets suppose that immediately after graduating from college or high school, I went to work for one of the well-known defense contractors. During the course of my 20+ year career at that company, I was very successful and promoted to the position of Program Manager, frequently working with the military. However, Im now at that point in my career where there isnt any opportunity for further advancement, or Im simply weary of the industry.
Im now in my late 30s or early 40s and decide its time to leave the company to pursue a different career. Ive worked with the military my entire adult life, so I decide I want to join its ranks. Because of my previous experience with managing multimillion dollar budgets and hundreds of personnel, I feel Im the equivalent of a Commanding Officer or Senior Enlisted Leader. When I talk to a recruiter about my level of entry, what would they tell me?
The cold dose of reality is that despite all of my experience, Id have no idea what the organizational culture is like in the military. Id be set up for failure if someone allowed me to don the collar devices and step into a command position. On day one, something as basic as sending an email to a flag officer could go very sour very quickly. This is because even though I may have transferable skill sets, I lack the knowledge of industry norms and protocol experience to succeed.
Is Military Experience Good For A Resume
Your military experience is an asset and you should demonstrate on your resume what you have acquired through it. Many employers realize the value of bringing veterans on board. Personal attributes you obtain through the military include dedication, leadership, teamwork, positive work ethic and transferrable skills.
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Dont Overwhelm The Reader
Your potential employer does not need to know everything you have ever done in the military. Instead, they only want the details that are relevant to the job for which you are applying at their company. Your resume should not be longer than two pages. Use concise bullet points that are not longer than one to three typewritten lines and contain measurable results to keep the reader interested.
You Wrote A Thank You Note
Sending a thank you note is something that sets you apart from the competitors also vying for this position. And while its appreciated and infinitely better than sending nothing at all, dont just send the note to say thank you use it to tell me how much passion you have for my company and the job. Remind me of those things that excited you during our interview and, if there were any areas you looked vulnerable in, ease my concerns.
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How To Write A Military Resume
Writing your military resume should follow the same basic format as all other resumes. It should consist of the following sections:
- The resume header
- The resume skills section
- The education section
Since the military is a strictly ordered and regimented career choice, your resume should reflect that with a professional and neutral tone. This is not the place to get flowery with your language. Instead, choose your words carefully and be concise.To help you create the correct tone, take a look at recruitment literature and websites and try to echo the writing style.
Although you will not be applying to many different organizations, you should still make sure you tailor your resume for the specific military job you seek.
Cv Skills Example: Boost Your Rank
The skills section of your CV may seem redundant, but it is actually very important, so you must curate it carefully. It is here that you choose the top skills that recruiters seek and the ones that you believe will best represent what you bring to the table. Recruiters see hundreds of resume examples so yours needs to stand out with high-level and targeted skills.
Military personnel must exhibit more than technical job skills. Dependability, understanding and following orders, precision and calm under pressure are all necessary to be successful in the armed forces. Dont neglect these attributes, known as soft skills, in favor of the hard skills you have learned along the way in related positions such as security guard. Instead, find a good mix.
Brainstorm every skill or attribute that you have. Then choose your top 5-7 based on what your branch of the military and the position you are targeting ask for.
Use the military resume sample text below to guide you.
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Second Use Simple And Easy
Your military experience should be listed in a way that is easy for recruiters to comprehend. Military terminology and codes that are used to describe a job title or experience should be avoided in your resume since many civilian recruiters and employers likely wont understand what they mean. You may use your military job title instead of your military occupational specialty. For example, instead of listing your job position as a commissioned officer, you can list it as a supervisor. There are many websites you can search for that will offer a civilian translation of your military job title if you are unable to figure out the correct translation.
Define Your Civilian Job Objective
You can’t effectively market yourself for a civilian job if you don’t have a clearly defined goal. Because so many service people have diverse backgrounds, they often make the mistake of creating resumes that are too general to be effective.
Before writing your resume, do some soul searching, research occupations, and pinpoint a specific career path. If you’re having trouble with this step, tap into your local transition office or solicit the help of a career coach. If you’re torn between two or more potential goals, set up different resumes.
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From Infantry To Logistics Management
Military Experience: An infantryman with 23 years in the Army who operated tanks and weapons and dug ditches is having a hard time identifying skills or direct experience to bring to the civilian workforce.
Experience to Market to Civilian Employers: Trained and evaluated 40 personnel supporting 2,000+ troops in 4 countries, with an inventory list of 1,500 line items and assets valued at $65M.
Functional Areas of Expertise or Core Competencies: Personnel management, logistics and operations. Strategic planning and tactical application.
Possible Employment Opportunities: Based on his experience, this Command Sergeant Major could market his skills as a logistics expert and apply for management positions.
Opportunity To Land Civilian Government Jobs
You can receive preferential treatment if you apply for civilian government jobs after you are honorably discharged from the military. For example, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management states that you may have five or more points added to your test score when you take examinations for government jobs. To receive the credit, you generally must have served during a war, be disabled and have received an honorable discharge.
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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 documents 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:
Military Skills To Put On A Resume For Any Job
Lori Norris has been educating and supporting military service members to see their career options and market their military skills during their military transition since 2005. Lori considers herself bilingual she speaks military and civilian language. She is the host of the Lessons Learned for Vets Podcast, the owner of Next for Vets education services and Get Results Career Services company.
During your military service, you receive extensive training and the diversity of your experience ensures that your skill set is very strong and well-rounded. This article will highlight the top 12 skills that can add value to your resume, no matter what job you are targeting in your post-military career. These skills can help you stand out from the competition during the job search process.
In this article, we discuss why military skills are important and how you can use those skills to demonstrate your value on a resume when seeking a career in the private sector.
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Tips For Adding Military Experience To Your Resume
The first thing to remember when youre trying to decide how to include your service on your resume is that you should absolutely include as much of your service as you can.
Never feel self-conscious about describing the specifics of the work you did just keep in mind whos going to be reading it.
You might get lucky and send it along to someone who knows exactly what certain terms mean but youre much more likely to encounter an employer whose closest connections to military service are through the Call of Duty matchmaking games they play on weekends.
So keep the following things in mind when youre listing your military experience on your resume:
Your Resume Is Longer Than The Ceo Of Our Companys
A long resume doesnt impress me at all. Even worse, a resume that has neither definition nor clarity is guaranteed to be placed in the trash. Im probably going to look at it for six seconds, tops.
Your resume should be a windshield document. That is, it should reflect the positions youre going towards. It shouldnt be a rearview mirror which simply lists all of the duties you performed. It should contain keywords, which websites such as wordle and tagcrowd can help you identify in both job announcements and your resume. This is because your resume will most likely be filtered by Applicant Tracking Software before it even gets to a human resources screener.
And, while I appreciate that you volunteered to clean up a highway or had some collateral duties in addition to your main assignments, Im looking for candidates who have years of matching relevant experience, the right job titles and are in the same industry. Most importantly, Im not looking for a jack of all trades if I were, the job posting would have said so.
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How To Write Military Experience On Resume
Quantify the results of your work as much as possible. Include percentages, numbers, or other quantifiable results as you explain your accomplishments.
Dont assume job recruiters will know things like how many people form a platoon or flight crew. Cite any awards or commendations that you received. This shows employers that you excelled in your work. You need to be precise on how to list military service on resume. If you want to mention decorations and awards, explain the details that led superiors to recognize you.
Good Example:
Supervised 6 mechanics on a crew that maintained 50 armored vehicles and reduced rate of mechanical failures in the field by 11% over 2 years.
Look over the job description and find keywords that the employer used to describe the duties and requirements. Make it your top priority to communicate your skills that match the keywords. Regardless of your resume format, your text should contain the keywords used by the employer.
You’ve Gained A Wealth Of Experience And Skills In The Military Now You Need To Prove That On Your Resume
Effectively communicate your skill set to employers.
You’re leaving the service and are faced with the daunting task of developing your resume. Your military career is filled with accomplishments, but even the most decorated veteran needs to figure out how to effectively communicate those successes in civilian terms. Monster’s resume-writing tips for veterans will show you how to draft a high-impact resume that describes how your military experience is transferable to a civilian job.
As with all other resumes, you need to kick things off with a professional summaryabout three or four sentencesthat quickly lets the reader know what you’ve accomplished and the value you’d bring to an organization. From there, follow Monster’s basic resume format to cleanly and clearly demonstrate your skills and experience. Make no mistake: Although companies are eager to hire veterans, that doesn’t mean you can skip the fundamental elements of a strong resume.
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How To List Military Experience On A Resume
Transitioning into a civilian career may take some time for former military personnel. It is best to choose a specific career path before you begin updating your resume for your job search. Each military job has different experiences and it is important to identify the military experience that is applicable to jobs you are interested in. In this article, you can learn what military experience is, how to list military experience on your resume and review some examples that show how you can list your military experience on your resume.