Blog Post: Veterans: Make the Transition with a Civilian-focused Resume

Keep in mind that although many employers will be able to appreciate and use the skills that you bring to the table, they may not have the experience to understand military terminology, equipment names, ranking, or acronyms. 

If it is difficult for you to list your work experience without using the military terms above – consider writing your work experience using the terms for your first draft.  Then revise statements to align with civilian needs.  Examples of military experience that transfer well to civilian employer requirements are:  assets and budget management, training roles, people management (numbers of people and years of leadership), evidence of trust (clearances – etc.), and logistics experience.

When writing this second draft consider removing any items/skills that would not be required for the job you are applying for.  For example, except for positions that involve security, law enforcement, etc. – you will most likely not need to list training or skills that relate to marksmanship.