civilianize your military resume · military resume dr. margarita gurri, csp how to civilianize...

Civilianize Your Military Resume

Dr. Margarita Gurri, CSP

28 January 2019How to Civilianize Your Military Resume | v.FY17

Objectives

• Create a winning resume for civilian jobs

• Identify top skills and relevant experiences

• Transform military experiences into civilian language

• Produce a civilianized resume

28 January 2019How to Civilianize Your Military Resume | v.FY17 2

Identify Your Top Skills

• Work individually

• Identify the type of civilian job and the required skills and experiences

• Handout 1: Functional Skills: Knowing Your Strengths*

* Career Development Center, Stanford University, Wall Street Journal http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/documents/JOBHUNT_skills_ws.pdf


Functional Skills: Communication

• write • edit

• summarize • verbal

communication • listen

• facilitate discussion consult

• teach


4

• train • sell

• promote • use languages • interview

• ask questions • make

presentations • negotiate

• think on one’s feet

• conversational ability

• entertain, perform

• host • deal with public

• public speaking • teamwork

Functional Skills: Information Management

• math skills

• organize information

• manage information

• keep records


5

• attend to details

• logical ability

• develop systems

• categorize

• summarize

• streamline systems

• monitor

Functional Skills: Design and Planning

• anticipate problems

• plan

• conceptualize

• design

• display


6

• layout/format

• design programs

• anticipate consequences

• brainstorm new ideas

• think visually

• improvise

• compose

• adapt

• create images

Functional Skills: Human Services

• interpersonal skills

• group process

• sensitivity to needs


7

• empathize

• counsel

• advocate

• use intuition

• coach

• provide care

Functional Skills: Research & Investigation

• analyze ideas

• analyze data

• research

• investigate

• read for information

• gather data


8

• interview for

• information

• evaluate

• critical thinking

• synthesize

• information

• observe

• outline

• formulate

• hypotheses

• develop theory

• calculate/

compare

Functional Skills: Organization Management

• solve problems• time

management

• make decisions• lead• meet deadlines

• supervise• motivate• recruit


9

• resolve conflicts• mediate

• initiate projects• organize• coordinate

• handle logistics• put theory into• practice

• delegate

• give directions

• assume

• responsibility

• determine policy

• interpret policy

• apply policy

• set priorities

• strategize

Functional Skills: Physical

• build

• construct

• invent


10

• operate equipment

• repair

• restore

• use physical

• coordination

Keys to Civilianize Your Military Experience

Highlight experiences recruiters value

• What skill sets or experiences are required for the

job you want?

Speak their language

• What key words do you see reappearing in job

descriptions?

Internet Resources

• Use internet resources to help identify civilian jobs

that use the same skill set as military positions


Job Title Examples

• Squad Leader: Team Leader, Team Chief

• Platoon Sergeant: Supervisor, Instructor, Trainer

• Infantry: Security Force, Lead Trainer

• Warrant Officer: Technical Specialist, Department Manager

• Executive Officer (XO): Deputy Director, Assistant Manager


General Term Examples

• Battalion, Unit: organization, agency, department

• Military Personnel Office: Human Resources

• Military Occupational Specialty/Classification:career field, career specialty

• Mission: task, function, objective, responsibility, job

• Regulations: policy, guidelines, instructions


Civilianize Military Positions and Duties

Individually

• Write down one military position you have held

• Civilianize your 3-5 duties or responsibilities that you had under that position

Share with a partner

• The civilian job you would like to pursue

• Civilianized description of your former military position duties and responsibilities

• Feedback on the clarity of partners civilianized duties

• Suggested revisions for partner to better emphasize relevant skills and experiences


Important Resume Reminders

Recruiters review resumes quickly

• Most important and relevant selling points should stand out

• Highlight field-specific headings and terms

The resume represents you


• Sloppy resume: presents you as sloppy

• Professional resume: presents you as professional

• An employer’s first impression

Choose a Resume Format

• Chronological

• Functional

• Combination

• Combination-Internal


An Outline of Your Civilianized Resume

• Write down an outline of the work experiences you plan on including on your resume

• Outline the main parts of your resume and keep in mind the top skills and experiences identified earlier

• Ask:

• Were skills and experiences successfully civilianized?

• Would you suggest describing your partner’s skills and experiences differently?


Get Your Resume Out There

Applying Online• Company websites• 3rd party employment firms

Professional Online Networking Sites• LinkedIn• Field-specific sites

Electronic Keyword Scans• Be descriptive, specific• Mirror key words on job descriptions


Additional Resources

My Next Move for Veterans*

• Helps you explore different career options by industry or careers similar to your military job

• Compares jobs in your field, at a glance, including the job’s projected salary and outlook information

*http://lion.militaryfamilies.psu.edu/sites/yrrp/mynextmove


Additional Resources

YRRP Website for Handouts:

How to Civilianize Your Military Resume

www.yellowribbon.mil/yrrp/handouts.html

Website for My Next Move for Veterans Tutorial:

http://lion.militaryfamilies.psu.edu/sites/yrrp/myne

xtmove


http://www.yellowribbon.mil/yrrp/handouts.html

https://lion.militaryfamilies.psu.edu/sites/yrrp/mynextmove/

Finding Specialized Civilian Jobs


What Do You Want To Do For a Living?


Radio Operator


Ra

dio

Op

era

tors


Education, Job Outlook


Objectives

• Create a winning resume

• Identify top skills and relevant experiences.

• Transform military experiences into civilian language.

• Produce an outline of a civilianized resume.


Civilianize Your Military Resume

Dr. Margarita Gurri, CSP


civilianize your military resume · military resume dr. margarita gurri, csp how to civilianize...

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