How to Put Military Experience Into Civilian Language
The military has a language all its own when it comes to job descriptions. It’s no wonder soldiers have such a tough time writing civilian resumes. Professional resume writers, Wendy Enelow and Louise Kursmark, a book, Expert Resumes for Military-to-Civilian Transitions, Second Edition, that might help.
Enelow and Kursmark provide helpful hints like:
- Review advertisements for positions that interest you.
- Make a detailed list of the specific requirements for these jobs.
- Remember, your entire background counts–everything you’ve ever done, from your 10-year infantry career with the U.S. Army to your six years as a volunteer for the local Special Olympics.
Although their military training and experiences may give them a slight edge over their civilian competition, newly separated soldiers have to play the job search game by the same rules. Using keywords, researching desired companies, and making sure all their information is correct, is crucial. Period.
Finding the right job is probably tougher for military veterans than it is for the average job seeker because their job descriptions are steeped in esoteric language that has to be translated into something civilian employers can understand. Maybe the advice given by Enelow and Kursmark in the revised edition of their book can help.
