5 Resume Tips for Veterans Starting a Civilian Job Search ePropelr

5 Resume Tips for Veterans Starting a Civilian Job Search ePropelr 5 Resume Tips for Veterans Starting a Civilian Job Search We talk to a lot of amazing men and women who have recently separated from the military and many struggle with translating military experience into terms employers and hiring managers will understand. How you market yourself on your resume is so important! It’s critical that you know how to break down the skills and training you’ve had in the military and paint a picture of the value you can add to an organization.  We’ve created a short list of suggestions to help you do just that! Here are 5 tips to help you market your military experience to employers:  1. Less is MoreWhen we say “less is more” we mean that literally: use fewer words. Recruiters and hiring managers spend seconds looking at a resume and you want to make it easy for them. This means not hiding your core skills among lots of wordy text. It won’t be read. Streamline your resume as much as possible. 1-page and 2-page resumes are ideal; very few people should have a 3-page resume.2. Avoid Using Military Term sWe know that certain words are ingrained in your brain, but you want to be careful about peppering your resume with military jargon. If you worked on a certain system or managed a military-specific project, try to explain your responsibilities in words that a civilian would understand.3. Make Core Skills Marketable and ObviousTake a step back and think about your core skillsâ€"make a list. Subjective terms like “responsible,” “reliable”, “trustworthy,” and “goal oriented” won’t get you hired. Results and hard skills will get you hired so focus on measurable, tangible skills. Examples can include project management, data analysis, leadership, computer skills, and customer/client management. 4. Use Bullet Points Formatting makes such a difference! Keep your resume simple, straightforward, and easy to read. Bullet points are a great way to highlight your core strengths and help a hiring manager quickly tell what you can do. Instead of a paragraph at the top that outl ines your background and goals, we recommend a bulleted overview of your marketable skills. Your work experience will outline your background and your goal is always the same: to get their attention. 5. Find a Civilian ProofreaderOnce you’ve updated your resume and feel that it reflects what you can do, enlist the help of a civilian outside of your immediate circle. Ask this person to read your resume to see if they can easily understand your strengths and value as an employee. If they have questions or are confused by what you’ve said, there is a strong chance someone from human resources will be too.