If you’ve ever tried to write a resume, you know how difficult it can be. Not only do you have to list your job history and academic accomplishments, but you also need to make sure all the information is formatted correctly.
In some cases, that means making a separate section for each item on your resume. Now imagine writing a resume if you’ve worked in six different areas instead of working within one industry or field.
That’s exactly what military service members have to contend with when applying for civilian jobs after serving their country.
Let’s look at some ways that these veterans can showcase their military experience on a resume:
Leading and Mentoring
Leadership is not just about giving orders; it’s also about helping others achieve goals and demonstrating what it takes to do their jobs. If you’re applying for a leadership position, you must show that you have the required skills.
For example, if the job requires training new recruits in basic combat techniques, being able to demonstrate those techniques will demonstrate your leadership ability better than simply saying, “I can train recruits.”
Discipline and Commitment
Discipline and commitment are key components of any job. Military jobs are no different, so it’s important to put these skills on your resume. Discipline is the ability to follow the rules and regulations, while commitment is the ability to stay focused on a task despite distractions and setbacks.
If you want to show off your discipline and commitment skills for military jobs and other positions, here are some examples:
- You were able to complete assigned tasks without supervision or instruction from others (e.g., training exercises)
- You completed tasks that were required within a given timeframe (e.g., deadlines for projects like helping to organize a special forces event)
- You completed tasks in challenging environments (e.g., extreme weather conditions)
Critical Thinking Skills
Critical thinking is the ability to analyze and evaluate information. This skill is crucial in any line of work, but especially so in the military. It’s what helps soldiers figure out how best to plan their missions, find solutions to problems, and make decisions quickly under pressure.
There are many ways you can develop your critical thinking skills:
- Read as much as possible—from books, magazines, or online articles—about different topics that interest you.
- Listen carefully when someone else is speaking; pay attention to what they’re saying rather than focusing on yourself (e.g., worrying about what others might think about your hair).
- Practice making assumptions about other people based on limited information.
Adapting to Change
Adapting to change is a skill that is required in the military and also in the civilian world. The ability to adapt to change can be a key differentiator between people who are successful at their jobs and those who aren’t. In order for you to get ahead of your competition, it’s important that your resume reflects this skill.
In the military, adapting means constantly changing from one mission or job assignment to another as you progress through your career path and become more experienced in certain areas of expertise.
Outside of the military, adapting means changing how you approach a project based on feedback from managers or superiors. This lets them see what kind of work ethic they’re getting out of each employee and identify which employees they should promote into management positions.
Effective Communication
Communication is a key skill to have in any job, and the military is no exception. Effective communication involves listening, speaking, and writing—all of which are useful skills to have on your resume.
Effective communication is important for sharing information with your team or commanding officers in the military. You’ll need to be able to listen effectively to take in all the details before making a decision or giving orders. You’ll also need to speak clearly and concisely so that people understand what you’re saying.
Finally, when writing documents such as emails or reports for your superiors (or even just for yourself), it’s important that these documents are clearly written so others can read them easily without missing out on any important details.
Prioritizing Tasks
Prioritizing tasks is a skill that every military member will have to use, but it’s one that can be difficult for people who aren’t used to it.
This is an especially important skill for people in the military because you will often have multiple tasks at once, and you need to know which one should get done first. The best way to do this is by using a priority ranking system.
You can prioritize tasks according to their importance (the most important task should be done first), based on their time frame (the quickest task should be done first), or based on urgency (the most urgent task should be done first).
Conclusion
If you’re looking to put your military experience on a resume, you should have no problem finding a job.
The skills you learned in the military are highly valuable in any situation and are something employers love seeing on your resume.
Just make sure that you are highlighting these skills when writing about your work history, or it may come off as an afterthought instead of something important!
