Leaving behind an illustrious military career and getting back to a civilian profile is a pre-meditated decision. Despite so many things that seem contrary and different from the world of military personnel, there is much to look forward to and learn in a civilian profile. A military person aspiring to take up a civilian job requires to focus on the thought process. This includes a process of unlearning and learning some key skills that will add merit to your existing skills.
The cover letter as well as the resume must be tailored as per the job requirement and military resume examples certainly help in the process. It is great to treasure the glorious days in the military service as this boosts your confidence. But the hard truth is that certain traits may not be comprehended by an employer. It is imperative to have a critical thinking process with lot of focus. Seeking the help of an expert will also highlight the career path you need to pursue. Once there is clarity, it is essential to align the resume based on the job specifications mentioned by the employer.
An effective military resume
Harsh as it may sound but the mega feats at a combat or war may really not go well with the employer. It is good to leave out major details and focus on core strengths that are realistically used by most employers. Words and phrases in the resume must be contextual to the job profile.
The following effective words are important:
- Highly focused
- Proactive
- Ethical conduct
- Timeliness
- Dedicated and sincere
- Team spirit and team building ability
- Goal oriented
- Self motivated.
These are some of the core skills, which will be appreciated by the employer and will meet up with the job profile. Other special achievements like awards and medals can be mentioned but the details may not be impressive to a civilian. This can be projected as achievements and translated as skills of a team leader or motivator with proactive qualities. The glory of a war won is truly great but facts pertaining to organizing capacity during a surprise attack or leadership skills during a fight will prove to be more effective. It is best not to stretch on the details of a military feat so that the present job focus and civilian needs are highlighted.
A few do’s and don’ts
Seeking professional help to write your resume is also a good idea or browsing through military resume examples also helps. An impressive and latest styled layout makes good reading. One can surely have statistical data like the number of team members managed during a time and other qualities shared in the team building exercise to retain personnel. Any project undertaken for highlighting environmental standards as well as fund saving capacity also shows the potential of the candidate as resourceful with organizational skills. Training programs, grooming exercises and technological skills are an achievement. Other skills like communication skills and a technical expertise or any ongoing upgrades in education will also be considered during short listing.
The most important thing is to avoid jargons pertaining to military achievements. Details of the weapons held, badges, profiles and excessive mentioning of squad achievements will not prove to be interesting. It is best to presume that the employer does not possess any know how about technical military details and hence it must be kept to the bare minimum.
Lastly, a repeated review is essential while working out the resume as it has to be customized depending on the employers expectations.
