Military Transition Resume
Making the Career Transition After Serving in the Military
Those who choose serve in this country’s military have already accomplished far more noble milestones than many in the country they defend. Military personnel arguably have some of the most important positions found anywhere in the world. Still, upon returning to a more civilian way of life, there are a few roadblocks that seem to get in the way as they begin the transition.
- A military resume is usually quite formal and all-inclusive of the applicant’s many achievements and citations. Not surprisingly, it can often be intimidating to interviewers who realize they have disciplined applicants in front of them who are trained to confront daily tasks and obstacles in a far different manner. While it can be unfair, it’s quite significant for those who have families to support and then enter the job market only to be told they’re over qualified.
While it’s important to present a professional resume, there are a few tips that can bridge the difference between the focused and detailed military resume and the professional resume that might not be as articulate. Your first task is to define the civilian career objectives.
While your accomplishments during your military career are important, it’s crucial to redefine those parameters so that they become useful in a traditional job setting and most importantly, that you present the solution for a company’s problem. If you can approach it from an interviewer’s point of view, you might able to gain a bit of perspective in the process.
Any educational advancements made during your military career should be included, 
especially if they’re related to computers or language. Bi-lingual applicants are always in big demand. If you’re fluent in Mandarin Chinese, include it. You never know when the company finds itself researching the Asian market. If you gained skills that allow you to recognize when a computer network is vulnerable, you can be sure that’s a big plus on a resume. With so much emphasis placed on security, those with abilities such as these will always have a job.
Finally, and this might prove quite difficult, you’ll have to step outside your military persona. Your best bet is to assume your interviewer has no idea of how to differentiate one military branch from the next. As always a cover letter is always an excellent idea and can often reveal a bit about the applicant. While the job market remains competitive, the discipline gained during your time spent with the military will serve you well – as long as it doesn’t intimidate the hiring manager.
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