Creating a Civilian Resume

Transitioning from military to civilian employment is by definition a life-changing event for many men and women. A good number of exiting military personnel find that translating their responsibilities in the Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, or Coast Guard into a resume that Corporate America can understand can be one tough order! But, just by following two simple suggestions, a military employee can optimize his or her resume in a way that communicates unique skills and talents to civilian hiring managers Military Resume Writers | Upgrade Resume

First, create a functional resume. Instead of listing jobs in a chronological order, leading with job titles that may not be deciphered by corporate human resources professionals, put together a functional or "skills-oriented" resume that groups together skills acquired over the years spent in service.

Various sections could include sub-headings such as Management Skills, Computer Skills, Strategic Planning Skills, and so on. In each of these sections, the job seeker would then elaborate on the skill, adding any quantifiable performance data if available. It is also perfectly acceptable to have a Military Experience section where a job seeker can list out the ranks, duties and dates for each position held.

Second, discharge "military speak" and irrelevant jargon. The most "military speak" a corporate hiring manager has heard is probably from war-themed movies and television shows! If an exiting military job seeker fills up his resume with an over abundance of technical jargon and lingo used in the various branches of services, it will not be easy for a recruiter to read and may therefore be tossed in the trash. So, re-writing a resume with language a layman would be familiar with is important when searching for outside the military. When writing a civilian resume, think of soldiers as "staff", weapons and rations as "supplies" and military bases as "facilities". The names of very long technical military positions may also be tweaked to fit into a career title that Joe Q. Public would understand.