Resume Tips for Veterans Entering Civilian Life
November 11, 2024
Transitioning from military to civilian life can be extraordinarily difficult. Not only do veterans have to consider things like where to live, but they must also think about getting a job. Although veterans return to civilian life with many skill sets, many struggle with transitioning those skills onto paper.
Resume Tips for Veterans
Confusing Military Jargon
Problem: Veterans may find the verbiage self-explanatory, but for many employers military jargon goes right over their head. If they can’t understand what the resume means, they may not be keen on hiring that applicant.
Solution: Edit the phrase to be something most civilians can understand or if it is something that cannot be changed, such as a job title, explain what it means and what types of duties it involves.
Playing Down Achievements
Problem: Many people entering the workforce do not emphasize their accomplishments. They may find it embarrassing or feel that they are exaggerating. While people should never lie on a resume, if there is something that they feel is a large accomplishment, they should highlight that in their resume! Employers want to see what makes someone stand out.
Solution: Write about what makes one valuable to a company. If someone has a specific operation that they led, or some other achievement that they feel is important, make note of it. If there are many large achievements, perhaps making a section dedicated to accomplishments might be helpful.
Vague Job Descriptions
Problem: When writing a resume, it is common to list what one has done for past organizations. There are bullet points of what someone has done and explanations of what that entails, but many fail to be specific on how that added value to their previous employer.
Solution: Be specific! When writing about the job, don’t just state what was done. Go deeper. Try to add quantifying details that show exactly how what was done impacted the previous organization positively.
Unorganized Resume
Problem: Even with vast amounts of experience, if a resume is poorly organized an employer will not spend much time looking at it. That is why it is important to have a simple resume that makes it easy for others to review in as little time as possible.
Solution: Using bullet points is a great way to list your previous experience without writing paragraphs about it. Full-length sentences that drone on and on can bore even the most interested parties, so be concise and use a few bullets to list what the job entailed and any specific accomplishments achieved during that employment.
Careless Editing
Problem: Your resume must look the same throughout the piece. If there are discrepancies within a resume, it shows an employer that the applicant is not detail-oriented and did not care enough to put effort into their application. Editing a resume is helpful and catches these small errors that may be the difference between getting a job or staying on the job market.
Solution: Keep the same font throughout the resume and use the same size (11 and up) unless the word is a heading. If it is a heading, make sure it is identical to all other headings in the resume. One should also be consistent in the use of periods. Either use periods or don’t but do not mix and match with some bullets ending in a period while others don’t.
Legal Help For Veterans, PLLC
Veterans who are still struggling with writing their resume should reference the Department of Labor’s workshop for Veterans. There are programs on resumes, workshops and interviews to be found on their website.
If you are a veteran looking for guidance on VA disability benefits, contact Legal Help For Veterans online or by phone at (800) 693-4800.