Creating Your Civilian Resume

Developing a civilian resume based on your military experience can be a difficult task. Your career in the military has been notable for many accomplishments. It is now time to transfer your military experience to a civilian career. Follow the steps below to create your professional resume.

Step 1

Before you begin your resume, it is important to know the goal of your resume. A resume that is too general will probably be ineffective. Determine your goal and tailor your resume to that goal to increase your chances of attaining an interview.

Step 2

It is important to highlight your military experience, skills and accomplishments that are most relevant to the job you are seeking. However, be sure to demilitarize your resume by marketing your experience, skills and accomplishments as they apply to the civilian workforce. As you begin to create your resume, it is important to use language that a hiring manager will understand. A good strategy to utilize for this task can be found at: www.onetonline.org/crosswalk/MOC/.

  • Select the correct military branch from the drop down menu.
  • Enter your MOS or MOC in the box and hit go.
  • Choose the correct job from the list on the next page.
  • Use the description in the tasks section to help write a civilian-friendly job description for what you did in the military. Do not cut and paste — make it your own!

Step 3 

Your military experience will open many doors for you. Many employers realize your potential due to your acquired skills in the military. Among these skills are dedication, leadership and teamwork. Your task is to effectively communicate to a potential employer that these skills bring value to them.

  • Highlight your military experience, skills and accomplishments that are most relevant to the job you are seeking.
  • Use the job description and other sources to determine the skills and experience that are required for the job.
  • Decide what aspects of your background skills, experience, accomplishments and awards are most relevant to the organization/position.
  • Deployment is optional, but if you include it be sure to include the relevant work and accomplishments.
  • It is commendable if you were involved in active combat, but it is not necessary or recommended to include the details of the experience.

Step 4

To further assist you, click on the links below to review resume samples and gain additional insight to assist you as you transition from the military to a civilian career.