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Civilian Resumes for Veterans

Earlier this year I had a question from a former member of the military asking how to translate military experience into a civilian resume. In honor of Veterans Day, I’d like to expand on some of the advice I gave that correspondent. Here are a few of the most important considerations if you are a veteran looking for a civilian job:

  1. Know what job/industry you are interested in. The military assigns you where they want you; civilian companies expect you to tell them where you fit.
  2. Military abbreviations and jargon are hard for civilians to understand. Keep acronyms to a minimum and spell them out first. You also may want to use a non-military equivalent.
  3. Numbers are as important in civilian life as in military life. Maybe you supported 1,000 troops with your supply chain skills; trained 300 individuals; or kept a 30-vehicle motor pool humming—all those numbers are easy for civilians to grasp.
  4. When relaying your experience in your civilian resume, concentrate on the common denominators between the military and civilian careers. In both environments, people value individuals who communicate clearly, are able to work with all levels of the organization, have leadership skills, and have demonstrated concern with efficiency, productivity, and cost control.
  5. Focus on results. Companies are less interested in how you saved $5,000 or organized the transfer of 400 troops than in the fact that you did it. Even if military procedures have no equivalent in civilian life, the results definitely resonate.
  6. Focus on the numbers, experiences, and results that are most in line with the position you are applying for. Your resume does not have to include everything you accomplished during your military career, only those accomplishments that relate to the job you want.
  7. Person-to-person networking is just as important as filling out forms online. Make sure of local veteran resources and also attend the Chamber of Commerce and other business groups to get a handle on what businesses are looking for and to sharpen your networking skills.
  8. In many cases, your security clearance, overseas experience, ability to work with diverse or remote teams, and quickness of advancement will generate interest in civilian employers. Make sure you mention any awards or special recognition you received.

If you are a veteran in need of resume writing and career advice, please contact me.

Federal Resumes: What has Changed?

In the past few years it has become more difficult for folks seeking federal jobs to secure employment because:

  1. Fewer jobs are available. The Legislative and Executive branches have cut back substantially on funding in the Federal government. These cutbacks have caused job freezes and downsizing.
  2. More people are applying for each job, even those with lower salaries and less advancement.
  3. More veterans are applying as they are released from or retire from service.
  4. Veterans are give preference among applicants for jobs.
  5. The application process has changed, with multiple choice questions about skills, knowledge, and abilities instead of a narrative. The questions are very specific for the job, and in some cases, for the pre-selected person the hiring official wants for the job.

How can I help job applicants in this new environment? There are several things I ask potential clients to determine if they qualify for a federal job:

  • “Have you been asked to apply for the job? Is the announcement tailored to your background?” For example, I often help folks get very technical jobs working for the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), even if they are not veterans, since the jobs require specific degrees and highly technical experience. 
  • “Are you a disabled veteran?”  If a disabled veteran has at least some experience and can match the minimum requirements and if the job is below GS-09, they have a very good chance at qualifying.
  • “Are you a veteran?” If so, they could qualify for a job where they are the expert in all the job duties and can answer every question in the questionnaire.
  • “Do you have clearance?” Due to the number of veterans with clearance now applying for jobs, controversies in the current clearance processes, budget cutbacks, and the costs/time to conduct clearance checks, many agencies no longer process new clearance checks, except in very few cases.

If a person is not a veteran and has not been asked to apply for the job with a job tailored to them, the chances that they will be hired for the job are very low—unless it is a highly technical position and the applicant has all the expertise and qualifications asked for.

If a client is qualified for the job, the resume that is written must address every item in the questionnaire, job duties, and job requirements.

If you are unsure whether you qualify for a federal job, please contact Robin’s Resumes®.