Writing a Civilian Resume

• Get a copy of your Verification of Military Experience and Training through the Department of Defense. Your VMET will give you an overview of the skills you've gained while in the military.
• Make a list of your technical skills. Some military jobs are a fast track to a career in the civilian world. Computer technicians, mechanics, and engineers, for example, have skills that can be easily converted to civilian jobs. Even if you're in a different field, much of your job training can be converted into civilian terms. Budgeting, for example, is a critical skill for managers in most civilian companies.
• Make a list of your intangible skills. Recruiters often site intangible skills, such as leadership, discipline and a strong work ethic, as important. You can showcase these skills by incorporating each into you resume.

Select a resume style

When it comes to a well-written resume, it is not only important to target the information you want to include, but also to pick a resume style that best highlights your strengths. After assessing your skills, you probably have a good idea of the type of position you'll be pursuing with your civilian resume. Now it's time to write it. There are three basic types of resumes:

• Chronological resumes list your employment history in chronological format, starting with your most recent work experience. This is often a good format for job seekers who have been in one job for a long time.
• Functional resumes highlight skills and de-emphasize work history and gaps in employment. The main body includes skills and accomplishments, which may be divided into specific areas of expertise.
• Combination resumes emphasize skills earned in a variety of jobs, while maintaining a job history format. These resumes highlight specific skills in the main body of the resume, while including a concise employment history below.

Outline your resume

Although there are several types of resumes, they all contain the same basic elements. Because your skills and experience are different from those of any other job seeker, you resume will be unique. You can modify or eliminate these sections depending on how relevant they are to your skill set:

• Contact information, in the form of a heading, includes your name, address, phone number and email address.
• Objective or job target identifies what kind of job you're looking for and what makes you uniquely qualified for the job. The description should be no longer than one or two lines. For example, "A position as Director of Operations for AAA Corporation in which ten years military logistics experience will be an asset."
• Summary of qualifications is a bulleted section just below the objective in the visual center of the resume. It includes five or six lines highlighting the skills that make you uniquely qualified for this job. You could title this section "Highlights of Qualifications," "Summary of Skills," or "Summary of Experience."
• Employment history varies depending on the type of resume you choose. You may list your employment history chronologically, including your responsibilities and accomplishments under each separate job.
• Education and training lists colleges, schools or military training schools you attended. List the name of the school and the location, but not necessarily the dates.
• Special skills should include things like foreign languages, computer skills or any other relevant skills that will set you apart from other applicants. This section is useful if you have several skills that don't fit easily into other areas.

Customize your resume

Once you have created a basic format, it's time to showcase your abilities and accomplishments in a way that is concise and easy for the reader to understand.

• Target your resume. Ideally, you should tailor each resume to the job you are targeting. Creating a resume worksheet, with all your employment, skills, accomplishments, volunteer work, and training, will give you something to draw from.
• Translate your resume into civilian terms. "Managed" makes more sense than "officer in charge of" to most civilian recruiters. Take out the acronyms and insert terms they can recognize. For example, most civilians won't understand "SNOIC for 2d MarDiv G-3, planning and executing all logistics for operations conducted in our AOR." But they will understand, "Supervised staff of 15 people. Planned and coordinated operations conducted by various subordinate units within our division."
• Include your accomplishments. Instead of simply listing job duties, take a look at your accomplishments. Use numbers to legitimize them, if possible. For example, "Managed budget of $100K" or "Reduced training time from 26 weeks to 24 weeks."
• Make your resume concise. Try to limit your resume to one or two pages. Your resume is a marketing tool that you use to create interest in your abilities – you can talk more about your experience in the interview.
• Include volunteer experience if it's relevant to the job you're seeking. Volunteer experience is legitimate work experience and may add credibility.
• Leave off details not relevant to the job. Don't include marital status, height and weight or religious affiliation, unless these details are appropriate for the job. Leave off salary information unless you were specifically asked to include it.
• Check for spelling errors. After you proofread your resume, ask a friend or family member to read it. Reading your resume backwards may help you catch spelling or typographical errors.

In many cases, you'll send your resume electronically. Be sure it's in a format that's easy to read on a screen. If you're pursuing federal employment, upload your resume to the federal resume-building websites. Visit the federal government's USAJOBS site or your installation Transition Assistance Program for more information.

Write a cover letter

Once you have put together a winning resume, there's one more thing you will want to do - write a cover letter. A cover letter is an opportunity to explain to employers why you are interested in the position and how your skills make you the best choice for the job.

• Learn the name of the person in charge of hiring and send your email or cover letter to him or her. Sometimes this isn't possible - with a blind ad, for example. In many cases, you can simply call the company and ask.
• Focus your cover letter. Mention the job that you're applying for in the first paragraph. Without repeating your resume, focus on describing how your skills and abilities are suited to the company's needs. Keep it at one page and in a business-letter format.
• Follow up. Mention that you will call to follow up on your resume - and don't forget to do it.

Make the most of your military to civilian transition by preparing for the job search early. The Transition Assistance Program office on your installation can help you get started.