It has been heard on a regular basis, “Bring them Home”, speaking about the soldiers fighting the war overseas. But here is something to ponder… Thousands of soldiers back in the United States looking for employment and not having any clue how to complete an application correctly, write an impressive resume or how to interview for a job once they are invited to do so.
When completing a resume, remember that you are not the only one vying for a specific position. You have to stand out and really showcase your skills and accomplishments. Try not to list just your job duties, but instead, list what you did to make the office more efficient, to assist your clients or to change the negative morale of the staff into a positive and more inviting environment. Top mistakes for resumes I have reviewed are as follows:
Ridiculous emails- Johnny666@hotmail.com does not really make you seem like a team player. Try to always have a professional email address (first initial, last name @ a widely used domain). Keep the crazy email for your personal life.
Using plain text when you don’t have to- If the company’s website does not require plain text resumes, then use bold lettering, different fonts and even different colors to make your resume different from the rest. Your name should be the first thing they see, instead of them having to look for it.
Spelling and Grammar mistakes- OUCH! That will definitely get your resume tossed to the side. Pay special attention to the details and have two (2) if not three (3) people review the resume for mistakes.
If you are fortunate, the company staff now wants a face to face with you. That’s right… YOU! However, do not waste the panels time. I have seen job seekers all too often think they are prepared for an interview, when in reality, it appears to the panel that not one moment of their free time was spent on an attempt to ace it. Here are some of the biggest mistakes I have seen from interviewees:
Not dressed for the position- If you want a job as a supervisor, why are you NOT wearing a suit? Slacks and a polo are not going to cut it. Women should have their hair away from their face and makeup and jewelry should be kept at a minimum. Men should also have a clean haircut with facial hair trimmed neatly. Both should only use a small amount of cologne or perfume, if any at all.
Claiming the experience- Yet when the person interviewing is asked, they find themselves not being able to even provide one (1) example. It looks really bad. Try to have a few scenario-based examples handy in your brain “toolbox”.
Wearing your current job ID Badge to the interview- Does your current employer know you are at this interview? Do you want the job you have currently or the job with this company? It is just tacky and highly not recommended.
Not being able to transfer military skills/experience into civilian skills/experience- It is sad when you know someone can complete the mission but cannot verbally express it in an interview or via the resume. A military mission is the same as a mission in a civilian office. Explain how you can complete the task(s) in terms everyone can understand.
Throwing down “names”- Just because you may know someone does not necessarily mean you can do the job. The interview panel really does not care who you know or probably already knows who you know. So please, for our sake and yours, keep it to yourself.
Here are some additional tips, especially for military personnel:
Listing Rank as part of your name- put that in your job experience as your title/position and describe what you accomplished as a Staff Sergeant, Master Sergeant or Lieutenant. Your skills with your staff is very valuable in the civilian world.
Certifications not transferred into Civilian use- Almost every military certification is transferable to civilian skills. In most cases they can be transferred into civilian certifications. Combat Life Saver can be Basic Life Support or First Aid Certification/Skills.
Speak Civilian- It is very difficult to stop using acronyms or military language when you have been doing it for so long. But I can assure you that if you go into an interview and use it, ninety percent of the panel will have a hard time understanding what you mean. Take the time to get used to speaking like someone who is skilled in a variety of areas, not just the military.
This topic is near and dear to my heart and I hope I have helped someone during these difficult times, even if it is just one person.
Resources:
http://www.soc.aascu.org/Default.html, transfer your knowledge into a degree
https://www.cool.army.mil/index.htm, transfer your certifications into civilian ones
https://www.acap.army.mil/, mentoring and coaching for life after the Army
Comments
Alex, great advice!
My experiences may hopefully give be a personal example of what you wrote.
I started 6 years before I got out to translate my military experience into civilian language. HMC/USN with a lab specialty meant I took the tests to get 2 national certifications as a medical technologist(now clinical laboratory scientists). My husband was active and we had 3 young kids too so I know how hard it is to find time for the prep needed to get a civilian job. Being a HMC (E-7) translated into being a lab manager of 60 staff. Then I used Excelsior college NY to pull enough credits together to get a liberal arts BS so I could go to evening classes for a MA in Human Resources. After I retired as I worked for 10 years 3rd shift as a general med tech ( all I could get in my small town). I used the rest of my GI bill to get an MS in Community Health and Wellness Promotion. I finally got my dream job as an emergency manager at the local public health agency that serviced 2 counties.
What does everyone in the the military do? They prepare, train and engage in worst case emergency situations!
I faced a 2 stage interview with 5 other final candidates out of an original 40. First we all had to type a letter introducing ourselves to the local Emergency county manager. This showed not only computer skills but the ability to reach out and interact with other emergency managers at the hospital, fire, police, Red Cross etc. Part of the job was representing our agency on the county emergency committee/board. I then faced a 6 person interview panel that asked how I would write their emergency manual, train them and develop public health emergency training exercises that involved all the county agencies. Obviously "people" skills were very important. So I translated my USN experience of soliciting companies to hold mobile blood drives plus actually doing the drives during the 1st Gulf War into civilian words. I also used my experience in doing the commands "welcome aboard" seminars, sexual harassment seminars, safety workshops and inspections, galley health inspections etc into civilian experiences that the job needed. I provided evidence of manuals I had written plus presented beforehand my 2 master thesis that actually dealt with public health problems and their solutions. I had already had working relationships with the local medical community at all levels, the numerous police/ sheriff agencies and the MI state police so I highlighted those.
Plus I also researched the public health agency so I could ask detailed questions not only about the position but what each member of the panel thought might be the most important public health emergency in the two counties. I ended up later teaching several in the agency how to use power point for workshops, do surveys, crunch statistics, engage the citizens and run public awareness campaigns. These are done in the military but are usually coded inside Operation such and such.
Any leader, NCO or officer even in the war zone can translate their leadership skills into the experience/skills a civilian manager would use. The importance is using the correct civilian words.
Also remember you are selling yourself: you must be confident, assured and upbeat! Never, ever volunteer your family life, how you can only work certain hours or you can't travel. If the position requires travel don't apply for it if you can't. After you are offered the job is the time to negotiate salary and benefits.
If the company asked for you to state what kind of pay you are seeking on your initial application then do your homework and know what the industry average is in your state. Then give them a range but don't put the highest wage or the lowest. Don't ever give say I want specifically $12 an hour or $30,000 a year for example. Put what you need to live on based on the industry average to start and then put a high midpoint. If you put it too low if they hire you then you maybe not be earning what they were willing to pay. Then you also need to set a realistic high point that shows you know you have the skills/experience to be a fantastic employee for them.
This is another great website that will help with finding a civilian job: http://www.onetonline.org/crosswalk
Good luck to all!