How to Utilize Military Experience in the Workforce

I've reviewed 150 or so military transition resumes in the last few weeks. Most of them struggle to quickly share how the candidate is qualified for the target job. How do you help someone make the transition on paper? Here are a few thoughts: 1. Start with the job aim. Translating military language to civilian language is overwhelming. When you have a specific job to align with, this is easier. 2. Narrow down what you share to what matters to that job. Select stories that show required skills, write them, and adjust to target job language. 3. Ditch the fluff. Yes soft skills are important, and they need to be demonstrated in the experience, not listed in a core competencies area. 4. Question every word. After you have the main stories aligned with the job requirements, ensure each word aligns to the target role and employer. These terms will vary with the target job, and some changes I'm frequently suggesting include: soldiers => team members mission => projects service member => patient or customer Plus removing unnecessary specifics like mission names, technologies and equipment (unless relevant to the new employer), locations, and more. There are more great suggestions in these podcasts on military transition featuring Marisol Maloney - https://lnkd.in/g2WE_BMN and Cassie Hatcher - https://lnkd.in/gtb49T8D What would you add to help veterans transitioning into the civilian workplace? #resume #careers #newandnext

Interviewer: How does "fast-roping" out of a helicopter make you qualified for this role? Me: How much time do you have? 😉 Being able to translate your military skills can seem impossible, especially for the combat-heavy experiences. But breaking them down into their most basic components can illustrate the true value you bring to a team. Let's look at Fast-Roping... For those unfamiliar with this, it's when you are hovering in a helicopter and you slide down a 30'-90' rope wearing all your combat gear using nothing but your gloved hands and feet. To give you an idea, we wear welding gloves because the friction gets so hot. How can you break down fast-roping to explain the value you'd bring to a company? Easy. It's not the act of fast-roping that's important. It's what goes into it to make it safe and effective. Here's how: > It shows you have the confidence to overcome fear > It shows you have the ability to assess and minimize risk > It shows you have the discipline to learn and perfect new skills > It shows you have the awareness to work in a cross-functional team Your military experiences are valuable, both as an employee and an entrepreneur. Learn to translate your skills and you'll become invaluable. ======= If you'd like to learn how other veterans have used their military experiences to become successful entrepreneurs, check out my weekly newsletter here: https://lnkd.in/gQ5XwNqg