In the military, military personnel have had many jobs they have obtained while on active and reserve duty. Many military personnel are being discharged from the military with little to no information on how to convert their military experience into tangible information for the civilian sector. There are key words and phrases that will make you a “stick out” in the civilian world than the typical military terms a militant person is use to using. There are easy ways to convert your military experience into a civilian resume. This article will assist you with doing just that.

At first you as a military person may feel that your experience makes perfect sense and is easy to read, but it’s not. I am a 10 year military veteran whom realized once I as honorably discharged from the United States Navy how different the military was from the civilian sector in speaking of experience. I had to learn the hard way that the civilian sector is nothing like the military. All of my (KSAs) knowledge, abilities and skills were vastly different and diverse. I had to break my experience down by what it was, instead of the time period. Many military person work in different positions during a duty station and this experience should be broadcasted by the experience instead of by time period.

I served as a Yeoman Second Class with a Seabee Combat Warfare specialty. If you’re confused in reading this, so were the civilians whom received my resume. They didn’t know what a Yeoman Second Class was equivalent to in the civilian sector and that’s where I had to start. I went to the library or online and I got the book: Job Search, Marketing Your Military Experience By David G. Henderson. This book gives excellent information on how to convert your military experience into civilian jargon that anyone will be able to understand. This book is for all military forces not only Navy.

Next, do some research on your specialty and get detailed in explaining your exact experience. If you Google “Job Descriptions” you will find a ton of examples of free pre-written job descriptions. Copy and paste the job description and use it to help you make a resume template for yourself. It works and it’s easy.

Then, combine all of the experience together and make three resumes. Make a 1 page resume that is an overview of all of your experience to date. Make a 3 a page resume with a little more detail. Then make a resume with all of the experience you have starting from your very first job ever. If you need more information, or have a question you may contact me anytime. Happy job hunting.