About Military to Civilian Resume Conversion
Transitioning from the military to the civilian job market isn't always easy. For some military jobs, describing your occupation and responsibilities can be tough to translate for the uninformed public. Military service can provide you with a multitude of job skills, but there is just as much terminology and jargon as well. But by understanding how to translate your skills, you can better use your military experiences to get you the best possible job.
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Instructions
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About Military to Civilian Resume Conversion
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Collect all documents pertaining to classes, reports and qualifications you've acquired during service. These documents can help you focus on some of the core skills you've developed while serving in the military. For example, the Air Force's Self Aid Buddy Care class could serve as experience in first aid, which could be a requirement for safety-oriented jobs.
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Log on to the O*NET website (see Resources below) and use the Crosswalk function to find jobs that could be best suited to your military experience. Input your MOS/MOC/AFSC or similarly coded military job, and the site will reveal civilian jobs that might be a match.
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Research jobs that fit the O*NET results and look for their descriptions. Match up their requirements with your own experiences via performance reports and highlight key words and requirements in the civilian job description. Some key words typically involve money management, safety training and supervision.
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Translate your viable skills into civilian terminology as outlined in the job description. Whereas you may have supervised a platoon of soldiers in repairing M1A1 Abrams tank engines, in civilian terms you supervised more than 30 workers in heavy vehicle engine repair. An Air Force resource adviser is a budget analyst in the civilian world.
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Expand upon your many job titles and see where they relate in the civilian world. Many military careers involve holding several responsibilities at once. Some careers start in one main career field, such as vehicle repair. Yet as you advance in rank, you may have been tasked to help manage the squadron parts orders or track supplies, which is the equivalent of logistics management in the civilian world.
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Review your resume and consider taking it to your local base career center, such as an Airman Family and Readiness Center. Consider which military terms you leave in the resume versus ones you substitute. General terms such as "ship" or "unit" are typically understood in the civilian world, but abbreviations like "con ops" or terms like "force multiplier" may not be. Ranks for your references like "Commander" and "Supervisor" are understood, while "Master Chief" or "Petty Officer" may not be.
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Tips & Warnings
Join online forums for veterans and employment to get additional tips. Attend free employment classes offered by the military before separating or retiring.
