How do I put my military experience on a resume?

How to Put Your Military Experience on a Resume

As a veteran transitioning to the civilian workforce, you may be wondering how to effectively highlight your valuable military experience on your resume. Military experience can be incredibly valuable, but it often requires special attention when translating it to a resume format that civilian employers are familiar with. In this article, we’ll walk you through the process of putting your military experience on a resume, providing guidance on how to effectively present your skills, qualifications, and achievements.

Translating Military Experience into Civilian Terms

**Understanding How Employers View Military Experience

It’s essential to understand how civilian employers view military experience. While they may recognize the value of military training and experience, they often require a more traditional job description format to understand how your skills translate to a civilian role. Employers are looking for how your military experience applies to their specific job requirements. Therefore, it’s crucial to focus on the relevant skills, qualifications, and achievements you gained during your military service.

Conversion Chart: Military Rank and Job Titles to Civilian Equivalents

**Converting Military Rank and Job Titles to Civilian Equivalents

When translating your military experience onto a resume, it can be helpful to use a conversion chart to map your military rank and job titles to civilian equivalents. Below is a sample chart to get you started:

Keywords and Phrases to Include

**Keywords and Phrases to Include in Your Resume

When listing your military experience, focus on using keywords and phrases that are commonly used in the civilian industry. This will help your resume pass through applicant tracking systems (ATS) and catch the eye of the hiring manager. Common keywords and phrases to include:

• Leadership skills
• Team management
• Communication skills
• Problem-solving
• Budgeting and finance
• Time management
• Multi-tasking
• Analytical skills
• Collaboration
• Adaptability
• Crisis management

Formatting Your Military Experience

**Formatting Your Military Experience

When formatting your military experience on your resume, use a clear and concise format. Use action verbs such as:

• Managed
• Developed
• Coordinated
• Supervised
• Conducted
• Designed
• Implemented

and bullet points to break up large blocks of text. Below is a sample format:

Military Experience

• Sergeant, 101st Airborne Division (2015-2020)

• Led a team of 20 soldiers in operations and tactical planning
• Managed a budget of $50,000 and ensured project timelines were met
• Coordinated with team members to complete tasks, resulting in a 20% increase in productivity
• Utilized project management software to track and analyze project progress

Tips for Highlighting Specific Skills

**Tips for Highlighting Specific Skills

When highlighting specific skills gained during your military experience, focus on the ones that are most relevant to the civilian job you’re applying for. Use the following tips:

• Highlight technical skills: If you have certifications or training in specific technical areas, such as electronics or mechanics, be sure to highlight them.
• Emphasize transferable skills: Skills like communication, problem-solving, and leadership are highly valuable in the civilian workforce, so be sure to highlight these.
• Focus on soft skills: As well as technical skills, focus on the soft skills you’ve developed during your military service, such as teamwork, adaptability, and time management.

Conclusion

**Conclusion

Translating military experience onto a resume can be a challenging task, but by following these steps, you can effectively present your skills, qualifications, and achievements to civilian employers. Remember to use keywords and phrases, action verbs, and bullet points to make your experience shine. By highlighting the transferable skills and accomplishments you gained during your military service, you’ll increase your chances of landing a job in the civilian sector.