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
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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
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Functional Skills: Communication
• write • edit
• summarize • verbal
communication • listen
• facilitate discussion consult
• teach
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• 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
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• attend to details
• logical ability
• develop systems
• categorize
• summarize
• streamline systems
• monitor
Functional Skills: Design and Planning
• anticipate problems
• plan
• conceptualize
• design
• display
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• 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
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• empathize
• counsel
• advocate
• use intuition
• coach
• provide care
Functional Skills: Research & Investigation
• analyze ideas
• analyze data
• research
• investigate
• read for information
• gather data
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• 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
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• 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
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• 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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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• 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
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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?
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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
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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
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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
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Finding Specialized Civilian Jobs
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What Do You Want To Do For a Living?
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Radio Operator
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Ra
dio
Op
era
tors
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Education, Job Outlook
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Objectives
• Create a winning resume
• Identify top skills and relevant experiences.
• Transform military experiences into civilian language.
• Produce an outline of a civilianized resume.
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Civilianize Your Military Resume
Dr. Margarita Gurri, CSP
28 January 2019How to Civilianize Your Military Resume | v.FY17 28