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Translate Your Military Experience

The first step towards a meaningful career.

TRANSLATE YOUR MILITARY EXPERIENCE FOR EMPLOYERS, SO THEY CAN TRANSLATE IT INTO SUCCESS.

Help potential employers understand how the skills and experience you’ve gained as a service member make you a great employee. The Personal Branding Resume Engine™ will translate your military record into a strong resume that civilian employers can understand. Once you complete your resume, you can make it viewable by thousands of employers using the Resume Engine to look for qualified job candidates.

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The best resume writing services for military-to-civilian employment

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The top resume writing services for military to civilian transitioning can help members of the armed forces translate their uniformed background into private sector work experience. Many veterans can find it tricky to express their vast operational and leadership know-how to meet the needs of today’s employer. For example, resumes that state your “MOS was 11B” may mean very little to a hiring manager. But when you convert military abbreviations and jargon to show your “role in the infantry was to manage the safety of equipment appraised at over $1.5 million,” then managers have a much clearer understanding of the value you bring. 

Employers are keen to find professionals with your teamwork and critical thinking skills. And, you don’t have to transition from your military careers into the private sector alone. There are resume consultants who are eager to assist you. So if you’re ready to make the leap from chopper to cubicle, the first step is gathering hiring materials like cover letters, thank you emails, resumes, and in today’s job market — a compelling LinkedIn profile. Keep reading to discover resume writing services for military members and veterans seeking employment with civilian companies.

• Best Online Service: Find My Profession
• Best for IT: TopResume
• Best for Writing CVs: Career Confidence Resume Services
• Best for Executives: Great Resumes Fast
• Best for Federal Jobs: TopStack

Find My Profession

While most resume writing companies are online these days, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re all good at it — which is why many regard Find My Profession hard to compete with when it comes to ease of use, a smooth process, and online career resources for digital natives. For those who are transitioning from military careers into the civilian workforce, Find My Profession may offer an efficient and speedy online service at a competitive price.

This company’s online offerings provide a variety of solutions for military members seeking entry-level positions, managerial roles, and executive careers. It even extends support for curriculum vitaes (CVs) and federal resumes. All packages come with a 60-day guarantee and options for LinkedIn networking, interview coaching, and career counseling. You can even opt to let the team at Find My Profession take over your job search for you — it’s sort of like reverse recruiting.

Trustpilot gives Find My Profession 4.9 out of five stars, and many reviews highlight the company’s results-oriented approach and affordability. Find My Profession says its clients have been hired by the likes of Apple, Nike, Tesla, Morgan Stanley, the Department of Justice, and other high-profile employers. To find out if this service is right for you, take a look through its sample resumes and testimonials.

• Online service with options for phone correspondence
• One-on-one session with your resume writer
• Three- to five-day turnaround time
• If you’re looking for an online maker of military-to-civilian resumes, then you should check out this zippy service that offers job hunters a wholly digital platform.

Federal resumes, C-level, and curriculum vitaes also available

Member of the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PARWCC)

Packages come with one week of unlimited resume revisions

Packages with higher price points may be required to enjoy all benefits

LinkedIn profile not available with all packages

Nearly 99 percent of Fortune 500 companies simplify the hiring process by scanning and filtering resumes using some form of applicant tracking software (ATS), according to a recent Jobscan report. Smaller companies, too, have adopted similar digital methods. This is why commissioning a resume service with modern IT baked into its process can help get you seen by employers that are keen to identify candidates quickly.

In addition to its ATS-optimized system, TopResume offers a Military Resume Package that pairs you with a military resume expert who will align your service experience with the types of jobs for which you’re applying. You’ll also receive a cover letter, up to three resume revisions, and unlimited email correspondence with your consultant. TopResume also has a selection of other non-military resume packages, each with their own terms and offerings.

TopResume features testimonials and reviews on its website, many of which are written by former military service members. In fact, you can review a sample of the company’s military-to-civilian resumes, along with examples from other industries. TopResume has earned 4.2 out of five stars on Trustpilot, where over 70 percent of its some 11,000 customer reviews give it “excellent” ratings.

• Industry-leading ATS-optimized platform
• Speciality services for Army, Air Force, Marine Corp, Navy, and Coast Guard
• Military Resume Package starts at $199
• Jobseekers who are looking to get one step ahead of the competition may like what they see with TopResume. Its internet technology is arguably second to none.

Federal resumes and curriculum vitaes also available

Free resume critique via online upload

Turnaround time is generally under seven business days

Military Resume Package does not include a money-back guarantee

May not be ideal for those looking for managerial or C-suite level roles

TopStack Resume

Many military members find themselves in federal jobs after their uniformed service. But not only do some struggle with translating military jargon into civilian vocabulary, even more find the federal resume itself quite challenging. That’s because federal jobs require specialty resumes that are often four to six pages long with formatting that varies by department. In these cases, a federal resume expert like TopStack is critical in helping military personnel apply for government jobs.

TopStack furnishes new customers with a choice of packages, all of which can be paired with its federal resume service. Yet those who select its Premium Package will presumably enjoy the most that TopStack has to offer, including working with the most experienced writers, 60-day interview guarantee, phone and email correspondence, career counseling, and an optimized LinkedIn profile — that’s in addition to your federal resume and a cover letter.

Still, TopStack’s standard of service can take upwards of 10 business days to deliver. Plus, its interview guarantee is not a money-back guarantee. If you’ve applied to at least 10 jobs and not received any interviews within 60 days, TopStack will only provide one-on-one career guidance and application support, free of charge. So you’ll need to look elsewhere for a faster turnaround or an actual money-back offer.

TopStack receives 4.9 out of five stars on Trustpilot, and many customers praise the company for its effectiveness and affordability. Besides these accolades, TopStack donates five percent of its profits to the Fisher House Foundation, which is a charity dedicated to providing free lodging to families of hospitalized military members.

• Payment after you approve the first draft of your federal resume
• Two rounds of revisions included in all packages
• One-on-one career counseling and other services available
• If you’re confused by the strict resume formatting required for federal jobs, then TopStack might be right for you. It's an industry leader in federal resume writing.

Select packages come with a 60-day interview guarantee

All resumes are ATS-friendly

Discounts and promotions for return customers

Turnaround times are upwards of two weeks, which is longer than other options

No money-back guarantee

Career Confidence Resume Services

Whether you’re a researcher pursuing your dream job or you’re seeking international employment, the perfect curriculum vitae (CV) will get you noticed. But not all resume services are right for this type of document, and even fewer are qualified to translate your military record into civilian work experience. But the team at Career Confidence Resume Services is well-equipped to help military members and veterans find work that is commensurate with their educational and service backgrounds.

Career Confidence was founded by Cassie Hatcher, a self-professed former Air Force brat who works with a team of military spouses who can leverage their unique insights to assist members from “all military branches and across a wide range of Military Occupational Specialties (MOSs).” You’ll receive two versions of your CV — one that is more general and the second that is tailored for a specific role. Furthermore, your CV will be assessed by a CVCS and CPRW (see above), and it comes with a money-back guarantee. Career Confidence also provides a custom LinkedIn profile, and it will throw in a 200-page ebook to guide you through your job search.

That said, the biggest drawback to Career Confidence is that this boutique service only has the capacity to assist a limited number of clients at a single time. So if you’re in a rush, a company that is built for volume may be better suited to your needs.

While we couldn’t find any customer reviews on Trustpilot, Career Confidence showcases testimonials from its military customers, some of whom have landed employment with Northrop Grumman, Amazon, Verizon, and the Civil Aviation Authority, to name a few. You’ll also find sample resumes, career resources, and an option for a free resume review on the company website.

• Dedicated military-to-civilian resume service
• All packages include an ATS-friendly resume, Linkedin optimization, and email support
• Certified Veteran Career Strategists (CVCS) and Certified Professional Resume Writers (CPRW) available
• Scholars who need to incorporate military service into their curriculum vitae might have a lot to like about this company’s expertise with both academic writing and military life.

Full 100 percent money-back guarantee

Free resume review

Career and job search resources

Limited number of clients at any given time

No “hard” pricing; costs vary by customer

Great Resumes Fast

Regardless of your military rank, your service background makes you a strong contender for executive positions with many private sector companies. Undoubtedly, Great Resumes Fast is up to the task of communicating your skill set effectively.

This company’s C-Level Job Alignment package is designed to bring your candidacy to the attention of hiring managers. You’ll have access to the full range of services that the standard packages provide, including an ATS-friendly resume, a custom LinkedIn profile, cover letter, and two rounds of revisions. But you’ll also receive a customizable thank you letter, a value proposition letter, and a professional career biography. Additionally, you’ll work directly with a writer who has proven executive and C-suite level hiring experience.

That’s an impressive set of tools to work with, but it comes at a premium. This vendor’s resumes can cost nearly $3,000, but considering the concierge service you’ll get and the potential pay off when you land your corporate job, the investment in yourself could be worth it. Still, there are other amazing resume builders out there who can support your job search for much less money.

Great Resumes Fast has earned a 4.9 star rating from Trustpilot, and almost 90 percent of its reviewers ranked the company as “excellent.” What’s more, you’ll find success stories and testimonials on the website, including one case study that features a former military service member who transitioned into an executive role with a civilian company.

• Process begins with a 25-minute phone call with the company founder
• Turnaround in three to five business days
• Two rounds of revisions included in every package
• Professionals searching for tailor-made executive resumes should know about Great Resumes Fast. It provides next-level service and support for applicants who are serious about landing that big job.

Full 100 percent customer satisfaction guarantee

SEO optimization for LinkedIn profile

Customizable cover letters

Premium packages may be cost-prohibitive for many

Things to consider before choosing a resume writing service for military

Resume writing for military service members and veterans.

Resume services can take the stress out of writing a military-to-civilian resume, but service members and veterans do have other options, many of which are free. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs provides an online employment toolkit with career counseling, job search guidance, and resume writing advice.

Veterans can also receive resume support through the Veterans Employment Center, as well as free online-based services through VetNet . In addition, many U.S. military bases and installations offer civilian transition instruction. You may also find resources with charitable organizations, such as HireOurHeroes , that specialize in mentoring service members as they begin their journey in the civilian workforce.

How resume writing services work

Resume-writing services create tailor-made hiring documents that are specific to the job seeker. You’ll generally work one-on-one with an expert who will use your employment history as the basis for a resume that will appeal to both human resources managers and job applicant tracking systems. Communication between you and your resume writer often takes place by phone or via email, but occasionally you’ll upload your details through the company’s website.

The cost of a resume writer varies depending on the level of service you require. However, you can typically expect to pay at least $150 for some of the more basic offerings, and upwards of $3,000 for an executive resume or a helping hand with your job search.

Evaluating resume writing services for military personnel

When choosing a resume maker for your military-to-civilian transition, look for companies that highlight the qualifications and backgrounds of their writers. Vendors that do not employ certified writers may be cheaper, but you’re potentially purchasing an inferior product. Similarly, you’ll benefit from direct correspondence with your writer, which can take place through phone calls, video meetings, or even email. It’s this type of one-on-one collaboration that will truly yield an effective resume. Also, prioritize companies that offer some form of guarantee. If a service doesn’t stand behind its product, then that’s generally a red flag that you’re working with an inexperienced team.

FAQs about resume writing services for military

Q: is it worth paying for a resume service.

A: Yes, it’s generally worth it to pay for a resume service, especially for military members who are inexperienced with the private sector. An expert can translate your military background into civilian work experience and provide a polished, ATS-optimized resume. 

Q: What are employers looking for in a resume?

A: Employers want to see resumes that show alignment between an applicant’s experience and a hiring manager’s expectations for a role with their company. Resumes should be scannable, honest, and formatted to display your qualifications in a coherent employment history.

Q: What are most resumes missing?

A: Many military-to-civilian resumes are missing relatable work experience that is expressed using modern vocabulary. It’s important to translate military abbreviations, acronyms, and jargon into qualifications and skill sets that recruiters can easily understand. 

Q: What words should not be used in a resume?

A: Military service members and veterans who are transitioning into the civilian workforce should avoid using words on their resumes such as medal, platoon, mission, and subordinates, to name a few. Instead, substitute those jargon words with terms like award, team, task, and employees.

Final thoughts

Resume-writing services for military members and veterans can relieve much of the stress from a job hunt in the civilian workforce. Many services will provide you with all of the hiring materials you need to successfully find a steady, well-paying job. Yet, those who do not want to pay for a commercial service may find support through the VA employment center or with non-profit organizations. Review your options beforehand to ensure you’re making an informed decision.

Methodology

To choose the best resume writing services for this list, the team at Task & Purpose looked at a large number of companies. We focused on cost, plan features and options, ease of use, customer service reviews, and past customer ratings as the most important factors in our ratings. Learn more about our methodology in the Task & Purpose review guide . 

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Get Started With Dan The AI Resume Builder for Veterans!

The only AI resume writer that can produce both FEDERAL & CONVENTIONAL resumes! We trained our AI model on successful resumes that are getting people hired!

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Can ai write a resume that will get me hired, the military resume builder that automates your next step, how does it work.

We took all of the best practices from working in the federal government and the private sector and built an AI assisted program that uses machine learning and natural language processing to generate fully formatted and tailored resumes. The result was absolutely MIND BLOWING!

Meet Dan, The Resume Builder for Veterans!

Check out how easy it is to create a resume with Dan!

Extract any duties, specialized experience and KSA's from the JOA.

Generate a professional summary tailored to the job announcement.

Tailor your work experience sections to the job announcement.

Export your new tailored resume to a PDF and apply for that job!

Give it a try!

Military resume builder results, frequently asked questions.

We made it simple and effective.

• Paste over the information from your current resume or Military evals.
• Click generate new resume
• Hit extract (Your target job announcement URL)
• Hit generate with AI (Professional Summary, +Work Experience)
• Check it over for accuracy.
• Export to PDF

That’s it! It is incredibly easy and quick to generate and tailor resumes with our builder.

Veterans, Active Duty Military & Military Spouses can get started for free!

Just paste over your work history and you can generate 1 free federal and 1 free corporate resume in an award winning format that has been proven to get jobs.

• No paywall when you try to export
• No premium features to pay for

Every service member should leave the military with at least one good federal and conventional resume IN HAND. I am very proud to say, this will do that for you.

Its my way of saying thank you for your service, let me help you with your next journey.

To generate an unlimited number of tailored resumes, a subscription costs $6.99/wk. This cost helps us with other veterans free resumes and the costs for running the servers etc.

Non-veterans are more than welcome to use the app! I only ask that you subscribe for at least a week to help me cover the costs and help other veterans. 

AI capabilities have exploded in the last few years. The Federal Government and companies all use AI (ATS) to screen and track applicants. By using AI to generate and tailor resumes, we can level the playing field and save time. The trick was teaching it to write federal resumes which are very different from conventional resumes. Its also proved to be a very effective tool for translating military experience to civilian resumes.   

Our AI resume writer is very good at translating military experience. Why? Because it was trained exclusively on veteran resumes! Hooyah!!! 

Just paste your evals into the builder and we’ll do the rest! Easy Peezy!

Dan can also create conventional resumes. This is open and available for use but, we are still working on improving his responses. They are pretty good but, we think he can do better!

We are continually improving functionality and would like to push Dan further!

Yes! We went through the process of making it completely mobile friendly!

As you can see, the videos were taken from a mobile phone. We did this intentionally to show how easy it is! 

I personally made it mobile friendly because I remember when I was frantically applying for jobs after leaving the military, I was constantly on my phone applying. 

Put this tool to work and dominate the competition with perfectly tailored resumes in seconds!

Yes! Well….. kind of. 

Our tool is so good, you may have to tone it down.

It was trained to perfectly tailor your resume to match the job announcement. This means that  it may add experience  that you don’t have to match the job announcement.

This is a good and a bad thing.

If you have that experience you’re good to go. If not, it may come out in the interview. 

Read through it once its generated!

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This is nuts i literally spent hundreds of hours working on my federal resume. started over from scratch with this tool and turned out better. total time start to finish - 15 min....., jason oliveira.

Military to Civilian Resume Example for Veterans [Updated 2024]

Transitioning from a military lifestyle to that of a civilian is far from easy.

According to a Pew Research Center study, 95% of veterans seek employment after serving in the military.

26% of veteran respondents, however, found shifting from the military to the civilian lifestyle to be somewhat difficult.

Coincidentally, one of the biggest struggles for veterans is creating a compelling military to civilian resume that’s going to help them get a job that’s well-paid and enjoyable.

To help solve that problem, though, we wrote this guide. Read on to learn everything you need to know to create a compelling veteran resume, including:

• Military to Civilian Resume Example
• How to Write a Military Veteran Resume (8 Simple Steps)
• Free Military to Civilian Resume Template
• Essential (Free) Job-Search Resources for Veterans

In case you’re looking to brush up on the resume basics, watch the video below.

If you’re ready to get started, though, let’s start by reviewing a well-written military to civilian resume example.

Military to Civilian Resume Example (for Veterans)

Compelling, right? Here’s what the above military to civilian resume example does right: 

• Follows a functional resume format. The functional resume format focuses more on your skills and strengths rather than work experience. It helps convey how your military experience is going to help you perform well in the civilian role you’re applying for.
• Lists the contact information the right way. It includes the applicant’s full name, email, location, phone number, and even a LinkedIn URL while skipping out on a photo.
• Captures the hiring manager’s attention with a resume summary. The summary on top of the military to civilian resume example offers a brief snapshot of the candidate’s career, instantly showing the recruiter their value.
• Focuses on transferable skills instead of work experience. Instead of mentioning military buzzwords that civilians wouldn’t understand in the first place, the resume example instead focuses on how the candidate's experiences helped them develop valuable skills.
• Mentions achievements when possible. Achievements help convince the recruiter that they’re not just any candidate - you’re an overachiever who plays to win.
• Uses bullet points to make the resume easier to skim. The recruiter doesn’t have all day - they have hundreds of other resumes to review just for a single role. Making the resume easy to skim makes it more likely to be read.
• Includes educational history (in brief). The military to civilian resume example describes the candidate’s educational background, which includes taking a leadership course and basic training.
• Makes use of the optional sections. The achievements and interests sections help shed light on the candidate’s personality outside of work, as well.

Now, let’s talk about how YOU can make your resume as impressive as the example above.

How to Write a Military Veteran Resume (8 Easy Steps)

In this section, we’re going to walk you through the 8 steps to creating a powerful military veteran resume, starting with:

#1. Pick a Functional Resume Format

These are the 3 most popular resume formats out there:

• Reverse-chronological . This format focuses on your work history over education or skills.
• Functional . It focuses less on your work background and more on your skills and how they make you a qualified candidate.
• Combination . This format is a mix of the other two formats. It puts equal emphasis on skills and experiences. 

As a military veteran, you’re better off with a functional format .

As you can see above, the resume example focuses more on key strengths instead of just listing out work experiences.

This improves your odds of landing a civilian job for one important reason: 

Most recruiters aren’t really familiar with military lingo.

Your experiences in the military might be super compelling, but chances are, most recruiters won’t understand how these experiences make you a good candidate for the role.

By framing your experiences around your skills, on the other hand, your resume becomes more understandable for a civilian.

Once you’ve decided on the format, you also need to sort out your resume style, layout, font, and more. Here’s what this includes:

• Don’t go over one page . Your resume should be concise and to the point. More often than not, if you’re going over one page, you’re probably including information that isn’t relevant for the role.
• Pick the right font and font size . In terms of size, go for 11-12 pt for body text. For the font, pick something like Ubuntu, Times New Roman, etc. That way your resume will look professional AND stand out at the same time. 
• Use the military-to-civilian resume template . Want to skip the hassle of formatting a resume? Hit the link and pick from one of our free templates! Our templates are easy to use AND look much more compelling than the conventional black-and-white ones.

#2. Include Contact Information

Now that we’ve got the formatting hassle out of the way, let’s talk about resume content.

The first thing in your veteran resume is the contact information section.

Here, you need to include:

• Descriptive title. This should include your title in the military, as well as the title you’re applying for. Something like “Security Officer Seeking a Role as Customer Support Specialist.”
• Phone number.
• Professional email address. Think, [name][lastname]@gmail.com
• Location. City and state are good enough, you don’t need to include an address.
• (Optional) LinkedIn URL. If you have an up-to-date LinkedIn profile, you can include a URL in the contact information section.

And finally, make sure NOT to include a photo in your military to civilian resume. In the US, employers prefer that you don’t include a picture to avoid unconscious bias during the hiring process.

Here’s what your resume contact information section should look like at the end:

Security & Customer Service Professional

[email protected]

416-821-9879

Seattle, US

linkedin.com/in/john.doe

#3. Capture the Hiring Manager’s Attention with a Military Veteran Resume Summary

When reading your resume for the first time, the recruiter will spend roughly 7 seconds skimming it to make sure that you’re qualified for the role.

If the resume catches their attention, they’ll give it a more in-depth look.

If it doesn’t, they’ll simply move on to the next one.

This is where a compelling resume summary can come in handy.

A resume summary is a 2-4 sentence “summary” of your past work experience. It helps the recruiter understand your skill-set and whether you’re relevant for the role in a single glance.

Here’s what a convincing military to civilian resume summary looks like:

Dedicated professional with over 9 years of outstanding performance and results in the U.S. Military. Earned three promotions and excelled as a leader. Seeking to apply the skills I gained in the military as a Customer Support Specialist at Company X.

When writing your resume summary, make sure to include the following information:

• Your title in the military and the role you’re applying for.
• Years of experience.
• Top achievements and experiences.

#4. Summarize Your Experiences with a Key Strengths Section

This one’s arguably the most important part of your military to civilian resume.

At the end of the day, the main deciding factor in whether you get invited for an interview or not is if your resume manages to convince the recruiter that you’re capable of doing the job…

And that’s where the key strengths section comes in handy.

To create yours, start by listing out your top strengths as section headers. Then, underneath each header, list your achievements and responsibilities that prove you actually have the relevant skill.

Here’s what this looks like on a resume:

Customer Service

• Promoted within a short period by demonstrating an over-achieving dedication that maximized results for the entire team. 
• Proved internal customer service by relating to all personnel in a professional manner that facilitated the development of a diversified group. 
• Enhanced soldiers’ individual and professional growth, developing them into independent decision-makers.
• Accounted for the safety of equipment valued at over $1.3 million. 
• Secure the personal safety, training, and performance of fifteen U.S. Army soldiers.

Operations and Administration

• Organized schedules for over 45 soldiers. 
• Implemented new routes, resulting in savings in gas time and reduced work time. 
• Prevented over 10 cancellations and negotiated over 20 contract renewals with the local government.

Applying for a Military or Private Security Role? Do This

Now, in case you’re applying for a role that’s somewhat related to your experience in the military (e.g. in private security), then you can simply create a conventional Work Experience section instead of Key Strengths .

If that’s your case, here’s how you should format the section:

• Create a section header called “ Work Experience .”
• Start by listing your most recent role and go backward in time from there.
• For each entry, include your title, company name, dates employed, and 3-5 top achievements.
• For older positions, you can include fewer achievements and responsibilities.

Now, if you want your work experiences to stand out from the rest of the candidates, we recommend you to include achievements over responsibilities.

• Achieved a 99.5% average delivery rate on all assignments, resulting in no losses of materials or assets.
• Conducted deliveries of materials and assets.

The first example shows just how the candidate stands out from other applicants. The 2nd, on the other hand, does not.

#5. Mention Your Education (the Right Way)

On to the next section!

The next step to creating a convincing military to civilian resume is mentioning your educational background .

This is where you mention your higher educational degrees, as well as training (e.g. boot camps) and any personal development courses you’ve taken.

First things first, here’s how you’d go about the formatting part:

• Create a header called “Education”
• Add your latest degree right on top. Then, include older degrees underneath.
• If you have a B.A. or an M.A., you can skip your high school degree altogether.
• You can skip mentioning a GPA. These days, no one cares about your grades.

Here’s how the end result would look like:

B.A. in Communications Boston University 08/2016 - 05/2020

Now, if you don’t have the relevant experience needed for the role you’re applying for, you can use your education section to show off your knowledge or skills.

You can do this by including:

• Any honors you might have earned.
• Exact courses you’ve attended.
• Any other way you’ve excelled during your education.

#6. Include In-Demand Skills (For the Industry You’re Applying for)

Another must-have of a military to civilian resume is the skills section.

This is where you list out all of your hard and soft skills and (optionally) grade them by knowledge level.

The key here, though, is not to simply list out random skills like:

• Critical Thinking
• Microsoft Word

Rather, you want to include the skills relevant to the role . 

E.g. applying for a role in accounting? You should probably mention payroll tax accounting, cost reduction strategies, budgeting and forecasting , and so on.

You wouldn’t want to mention your Adobe Illustrator skills, for example (even if you’re an expert at it).

So, how can you know which skills are essential to your resume, and which ones aren’t?

The best way to understand this is to read the job ad you’re applying for. More often than not, they include an exact list of skills required for the role, and all you have to do is mention them in your resume (as long as you possess the said skills, of course).

#7. Take Advantage of the Optional Resume Sections

If you still have some space on your military veteran resume, you can take advantage of some optional resume sections.

While these sections won’t land you the job on their own, they can definitely help you stand out from other applicants seeking the same role.

Some optional sections you can include are:

• Projects. Any type of personal project you’ve worked on. This can be a local business you started, a side-gig, freelance work, and so on.
• Certifications. Any type of certification you might possess. If you don’t have the experience for the role you’re applying for, certifications can help show the recruiter that what you do have is the right skill-set.
• Volunteering Experience. If you’ve volunteered in the past, you should definitely include it in your resume. Employers love candidates who love to help others (even if there’s no monetary incentive for it).
• Hobbies & Interests. Including hobbies or interests in your resume helps the recruiter see more of your personal side. While your hobbies won’t land you the job, they might help you build rapport with the interviewer.

#8. Make Sure Your Military to Civilian Cover Letter is as Impressive as Your Resume.

At this point, your military veteran resume should be quite compelling…

But you’re not done just yet!

To have both a complete and compelling job application, you need to pair your resume with a cover letter that’s just as good.

Here are our top tips on how to write a quality cover letter :

• Start the cover letter by addressing the hiring manager directly. Sure, you could go with the default “Dear Sir or Madam,” but mentioning the hiring manager’s name shows that you’ve done your research and really care about working at the company.
• In your introduction, mention the most important parts of your background. E.g. years of experience, key achievements, top skills, and why you’re applying for the job in question.
• In the body section of your cover letter, expand on whatever you mentioned in the introduction. This is where you can also explain how the experiences mentioned in your resume make you a good candidate for the role.
• Conclude the cover letter with a call to action . E.g. “Looking forward to hearing more from you!” or “I’d love to discuss how I can help Company X as a Support Specialist over a call or an interview.”

Want to learn more? Check out our step-by-step guide on how to write a cover letter .

Essential Job-Search Resources for Veterans

There are a lot of free job-search resources for veterans on the internet - everything from dedicated job boards to free tools, programs, and more.

Here’s a comprehensive list of some of the very best resources:

Veteran Job-Search Resources

• Job board that helps you find federal organizations that prioritize hiring veterans over other candidates.
• Lots of quality resources to help you transition into civilian life.
• If you’re not sure what kind of career you want to focus on, you can use this website to discover different occupations and learn what they’re about.
• Website for finding veteran job fairs in your area.
• Free career consulting and job search help for veterans.
• American Corporate Partners matches you with a free, year-long mentor to help you build your career.
• For group discussions for veterans on resumes and gaining employment after service. (Veterans only/ screened and weeded out by questions and profile)
• For discussing Skill Bridge opportunities and military transitions. Skill bridge is a military program for giving veterans an opportunity to learn and work at civilian companies for 6 months before leaving the military.
• LinkedIn offers its Premium program to veterans for free for a year. You can use the platform to learn new skills, kick-start your career, as well as find and apply for jobs.
• A website dedicated to helping veterans transition into a civilian lifestyle. You can use it to find jobs, discover career events, attend job fairs, and more.
• Job board for US federal jobs. While it’s not specifically made for veterans, the US government prioritizes hiring veterans over other candidates.
• Job board for veteran-friendly roles and companies.
• Job board for roles in the private security industry.
• Another veteran-only job board.

Key Takeaways

And that’s all you need to know to create a strong military veteran resume!

Before you go, though, let’s do a quick recap of the key learning points we just covered:

• For a military to civilian resume, use a functional resume format to show off your skills instead of work history.
• Use a “Key Strengths” section to explain how your military experience distills into valuable skills for a civilian role.
• Don’t include every skill under the sun on your resume. Instead, pick the ones relevant for the role you’re applying for.
• Take advantage of the optional resume sections to show the recruiter that you’re an individual and not just a resume.
• Finally, make sure that your cover letter is just as impressive as your resume by following the tips we mentioned above.

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Jumpstart Your Career with the Best AI- Veteran Resume  Builder

At SkillMil, we understand that the transition from military service to the civilian workforce can be challenging. Your military experience is a valuable asset, but translating it into terms that resonate with civilian employers can be a daunting task.

That’s where SkillMil’s AI-veteran resume builder and military skills translator  comes in to help you shine.

Why Choose SkillMil's Veteran Resume Builder? Simply, because it is the BEST!

• Precision and Clarity Our AI-driven technology specializes in articulating your skills, achievements, and work experiences into language that resonates with hiring managers. We ensure your resume highlights the qualifications that employers are specifically seeking.
• Keyword Optimization In the digital age, keywords are key to getting your resume noticed. Our technology identifies the most relevant keywords for your target job, boosting your chances of passing through applicant tracking systems (ATS).
• ATS-Friendly Resumes Many companies use ATS to screen resumes. SkillMil ensures your resume is ATS-friendly, giving you a better chance of making it to the interview stage.
• Expert Guidance Our team of resume reviewers and editors are here to guide you through the entire resume writing process. They have a deep understanding of the job markets and the unique needs of each job seeker that will help you craft a compelling resume that stands out.
• Unique Career Story Your military experience makes you unique. SkillMil's resume editing services help you showcase your military skills and individuality, making you a standout candidate.

How it Works

Create an account on SkillMil and choose our resume writing service.

Expert Review

Our team of resume experts reviews the AI-generated resume to ensure it captures your unique story.

Upload Your Information

Share your military background, achievements, and job preferences.

Receive Your Resume

You'll receive a polished, ATS-friendly resume ready to impress employers.

AI-Powered Analysis

Our advanced AI technology analyzes your information, identifies key skills, and tailors your resume accordingly.

Launch Your Civilian Career

Don't let your military experience go unnoticed in the civilian job market. Join SkillMil's community of job seekers who have used our AI-powered resume writing services to achieve their career goals. Your next adventure awaits, and SkillMil is here to help you seize it.

Ready to take the next step? Click the button below to get started on your journey to a fulfilling civilian career!

Need help getting started?

No worries, we got you covered!  We've put together Demo Mode with a step-by-step tutorial that will guide you through the process.

Our Trusted Partners

SkillMil partners with companies, governments, nonprofits, and other organizations to address the challenges our transitioning service members, veterans, and military spouses face in the civilian job marketplace.

We share their ideas, mission, in-kind support, and more to continue to strengthen our veterans and military community. If you would like to help support our veterans' efforts during their transition out of service, consider partnering with us.

Please email us at [email protected] .

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How to complete any task on USAJOBS, step by step.

Manage Account

• Create a login.gov account
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About USAJOBS

As the federal government's official employment site, USAJOBS has attracted over 16 million job seekers to create accounts to date.