With the right skills and resume, the change from a military career to a civilian career can be easier.
Transitioning from a military to a civilian career is not easy but necessary for some. If you’ve been fortunate enough not to have sustained any physical or psychological injuries during your deployments, there’s also the issue of landing a job that pays well once you come home. In theory, this transition should be a smooth one. What’s more, the service offers plenty of skills that have their uses in civilian life.
One of the big things that stands in your way here is your resume, as explaining to potential employers your skills and experiences while in the military may prove somewhat tricky. While they will make sense to you, someone with limited army experience may have difficulty in understanding what you want to say. As a consequence, your skills and accomplishments may get lost in translation, depriving you of a great opportunity, in the process.
It’s for this reason that you should not only pay attention to the type of resume you use as well as how you manage to translate your skills and experiences. MyComputerCareer is an organization that helps veterans get certified in Information Technology (IT). We also offer our students aid in finding employment. If you have any questions or are interested in becoming IT certified, contact us today!
The Type of Resume
When changing careers, it’s essential to realize that not all of your skills will be relevant to your new job. That said, there’s also a strong chance that some will be highly sought-after, even if you don’t realize it at that moment.
A common mistake that most people make when changing careers, not only those in the military, is to use the wrong type of resume. Usually, people will choose a chronological CV. This model is the most widespread but is relevant only when people seek to advance their careers or change companies within the same industry. This resume model presents their past jobs and achievements in chronological order, from newest to oldest.
A functional resume, on the other hand, is more relevant in this scenario, as it highlights skills, experiences, qualifications, and credentials, not past employment. When going from a military to a civilian career, a functional resume is highly recommended.
Translating Your Military Skills
The next step is to make military jargon and titles more easily understandable to the general public. You can either use the Military to Civilian Skills Translator or the O*Net Military Crosswalk to help you out.
Below are some common translation examples from the military to the civilian job market:
Job Titles
- Commander – Senior Manager
- Executive Officer – Deputy Director
- Field Grade Officer – Executive or Manager
- Company Grade Officer – Operations Manager
- Warrant Officer – Tech Specialist
- First Sergeant – Staff Manager
- Senior NCOs – First-Line Supervisor
- Supply Sergeant – Supply Manager or Logistics Manager
- Squad Leader – Team Leader
- Operations NCO – Operations Supervisor
- Infantry – Security Force
You should mention what your title was in the military and how it qualifies you for the job at hand.
Other Relevant Terms
- combat – hazardous conditions
- company – company, department or section
- medal – award
- military personnel office – human resources (HR)
- mission – task/goal/function/objective
- squad/platoon – team
- reconnaissance – data collection and analysis
- regulations – policies/guidelines
- service members/subordinates – employees
- TAD/TDY – business trip
With MyComputerCareer you will be well on your way in achieving your career goals and rapidly land a job in IT We will also help you during your job-seeking process. Contact us today and find out more about what MyComputerCareer can do for you.