How to Write a Military-to-Civilian Resume. A Simple Guide.

Congratulations on your transition to civilian life after your military career! This transition is fresh in my mind as my husband, active-duty Navy for 15 years, just transitioned from the military to a civilian career. One of the key tools you will need for this transition is a resume, and as a military resume writer, I would be happy to help with your military-to-civilian resume!

From a Military Resume Writer: How to Write a Military to Civilian Resume

Writing a resume is daunting for most military and veterans because one has not been required of you! Additionally, the terms used in the military rarely translate to civilian lifestyle. Here are some steps to ensure your military experience translates well to civilian employers.

1. Find a job description for your ideal position and analyze it.

You’ll find this advice in every single resume blog I write. No matter your background, you must tailor your resume to the job and employer; however, this step is even more critical for transitioning servicemembers. Find the job description for your ideal position and analyze it carefully for keywords, phrases, and duties. Once you have the job description, highlighted key terms, and made notes, you are ready for the next step in writing a military-to-civilian resume.

2. List your hard and soft skills from your various military roles.

Most people will jump right into writing a resume next. But first, I want you to list all of the roles you have held in the military and brainstorm the hard and soft skills you developed and utilized in each. You often wear multiple hats for a command in the military, so think through this step. Your list will likely be quite long!

Hard Skills are technical skills one uses to complete tasks and are often developed through formal education or on-the-job training. Examples include changing a hard drive on a computer, installing software, or mechanic skills. List out your hard skills utilized in each role.

Soft skills are transferable skills that one organically builds and uses throughout employment. Examples are communication skills, public speaking skills, and leadership skills. As you list your soft skills, note how you demonstrated those skills in each role. This will save you time later and make your experiences more tangible to employers.

You will yield the best results if you give yourself time and space to create this list. Also, speak with your partner, colleagues, and friends to help you remember what you did in each role (especially if you’ve had a lengthy military career).

3. Align your hard and soft skills from the military to the keywords in the job description.

As a military resume writer, I can’t stress enough how important this step is when writing your military-to-civilian resume. And it is probably the most difficult. Go back to the job description where you highlighted keywords, phrases, and skills. Find hard and soft skills from your list that match the position’s requirements. If you struggle with this step, please book a free consultation, and as a military resume writer, I’ll be happy to assist you!

4. Speak the employer’s language.

After matching your hard and soft skills to the position description, you must use the employer’s language on your resume, not the military’s terms and language. For example, if you are in the Navy or Marines, your performance evaluations are called FITREPs. To a civilian, that would likely translate to a physical fitness evaluation, not a job performance evaluation. Add to your military notes how you will speak the employer’s language and translate the military language to the civilian market. Not only does speaking the employer’s language appeal to the hiring manager, but it will ensure you get passed an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) in the likely event one is used.

5. Choose the best resume structure to highlight your unique career.

The last step of writing a military-to-civilian resume is choosing the best strategy to organize your information. Most people default to a chronological format, but that is not always the best option! A functional or combination resume could be the best structure to make you stand out! I also urge you to choose your resume headings wisely. What will speak to the hiring manager but also meet the requirements of ATS? If you need help with resume strategy and organization, I am a military resume writer and offer free consultations to help!

Military Resume Writer

My name is Loren, and I am the proud spouse of a veteran. My husband recently transitioned to the military reserves after 15 years of active-duty service! I have helped him and many others with military-to-civilian resume writing, and it would be an honor to help you, too!

Book a Free Consultation to chat about your resume!