Transitioning From Military Life: How to Write a Civilian Resume

Overview

• Find a civilian job that matches your military experience
• Highlight military skills that transfer to the civilian world
• Create an easy-to-understand picture of your military history
• Convey your military achievements and awards

Transitioning into civilian life can be difficult for some veterans. In a recent survey, about half of post-9/11 veterans said they had some difficulty adjusting to life outside the military. Fortunately, securing a civilian job can provide some stability as you make this stressful life change.

But how do you move into a civilian career if most — or even all — of your experience comes from your time in the military? Remember, a military resume is very different from a civilian one. Many military veterans have difficulty translating their relevant service experience into valuable skills that will stand out and make sense to civilian employers.

Although it’s not easy to re-enter civilian life, this article will help former military members learn how to connect with civilian employers in meaningful ways. It will also instruct you on how to write an easy-to-digest civilian resume free of military jargon.

Before you write a resume, you should first identify which civilian career path could be a good match for the skills and experience you gained during your military service.

Some military roles have jobs that correspond to the civilian world. For instance, if you worked as an information technology (IT) specialist while serving in the U.S. Army, that background in IT work will serve you well as you search for a civilian IT position. Or maybe you were a U.S. Navy mess management specialist. Your mess hall experience makes you a good candidate for restaurant or food service management.

However, some military job titles are more difficult to pair with a corresponding civilian position. In this case, look at the relevant skills you’ve learned from your military roles and how they could pair with the jobs you’re interested in pursuing. Transferring these military skills to a civilian resume is still possible, it'll just require a little more creativity.

As you search through listings, read job descriptions carefully to determine if they sound like a good fit for you. Once you have your target job in mind, you can tailor your resume to match that career path.

Your resume after military service should clearly explain your roles and skills using everyday civilian terms. If you fill your resume with military jargon, you’ll likely confuse hiring managers with terms they’re unfamiliar with. For instance, military language relies heavily on acronyms and complex terminology that don’t translate well to the civilian workplace. To enjoy a successful job search, you need to simplify your language so it’s easy for any civilian to understand.

Your chosen resume format is also key to getting noticed by civilian employers. A clean, easy-to-read design highlighting key information about your experience and skills will help you stand out in a stack of applicants. As a job seeker, you want employers to quickly understand how your military background makes you a good match for the civilian positions you’re applying for. Consider working with a resume writer or finding a template to base your format on, especially if you're wondering how to write a resume for the first time.

As you create your civilian resume, a good place to start is milConnect. In addition to helping you manage your military benefits, you can also access your personnel records, including your Verification of Military Experience and Training (VMET) document. This information will be useful when writing your resume.

At the top of your resume should be a short introductory section — just a single powerful sentence or perhaps a short, impactful paragraph — that offers a strong snapshot of who you are, your qualifications, and your skills.

This introduction is a chance to sell yourself and grab the attention of recruiters. This snapshot of your experience should make them want to keep reading. A well-written introduction can determine whether you’re moving forward in the hiring process.

When crafting your introduction, assume the reader knows nothing about the military. Avoid jargon and technical terms and speak as plainly — but professionally — as possible. Use simple terms to succinctly explain your role in the military, how long you held the position, and how you got to where you are today.

The importance of demilitarizing your military experience so it’s easier for civilian human resource managers to understand can’t be stressed enough. Of course, you should include your title and rank on your civilian resume, but anything more complicated than that — like including military terms and lingo — should be avoided. Find an easier way to convey the basic information about your role without relying on jargon.

Focus on the skills you learned from your military career rather than your responsibilities, and consider how these skills can transfer to the workplace. There are plenty of transferable military experience examples. For instance, if you worked in intelligence as a service member, you could tout your experience analyzing and working to understand your competition, which is easily transferred to the business world. Or maybe you were a commanding officer who learned to inspire, direct, and coach a team to complete various tasks. You can easily add project management to your skill set.

Whether accomplished while in the military or as a civilian, your resume should highlight your special achievements or awards, especially those that might be relevant to your career. Hiring managers not only want to know what you do but whether you were successful at your work.

If you have difficulty determining your military accomplishments, ask yourself a few questions. Did you receive any praise, recognition, or awards for your work from peers or higher-ranking military members? Were you asked to take on any special projects or invited to participate on task forces or committees? Are there any challenging assignments that you’re proud of? Your answers to these questions can be fleshed out as accomplishments on your resume.

Remember that military campaigns and operations are the same as a project in the civilian world and should be included as an achievement. If you still have difficulty figuring out the language to express your achievements, considering hiring a resume writing service or reviewing resume samples for ideas.

When you think of the education section of a resume, you likely think of using the space to list a college degree. Coming out of the military, you may have attended college. If you don’t have a degree, that doesn’t mean you don’t have relevant education to share with a recruiter.

If you attended college or university, indicate that in this area. It’s also where you should list any specialized military training you’ve received during your service. Refer to course materials to craft descriptions of this training.

How detailed you get about your active combat experience will largely be determined by the type of jobs you’re applying for. If you’re applying for a job in an office, a hiring manager might shy away from references to violence. For these roles, focus less on combat and more on what you achieved. For instance, you can reference coordinating a team during defense operations or developing plans for a certain number of combat missions without getting too detailed.

There are some career paths where more combat details will make sense. If you’re applying for a law enforcement or security position, a potential employer might want to know everything from combat details to which weapons you have experience with.

Turn to Joblist for career assistance as you make the transition from the military to civilian life. Our platform provides job searches uniquely tailored to you — including your location, skills, interests, and experiences. We’re here to help you find the right match while you’re transitioning.

If you’re uncertain where your career path might take you, take Joblist’s quiz to help you discover specially selected jobs. Our blog also offers useful advice and resources for those entering the job market.

If you have an idea about the type of civilian job you’d like to find, start browsing our job openings today for that perfect match.