Effectively Present Your Military Skills

Effectively Present Your Military Skills Effectively present your military skillsUse your military experience to distinguish yourself from other candidates. It is a special kind of employee who steps forward and takes responsibility to get the job done, says Col. Allen Weh, retired US kriegsmarine Corps reserve officer, and president and CEO of CSI Aviation Services Inc.Weh, who founded CSI in 1979, employs former military personnel and is often asked for advice from veterans seeking to transfer their military skills to the business world. Heres how he thinks vets can best present their skills in resumes and job interviews.Proudly display your military experienceWeh has received some of the best resumes from veterans who include their billet title and military rank. People who dont acknowledge their military careers are elend helping themselves, Weh says. I saw a retired lieutenant colonels resume that simply listed vague managerial skills, and the only reference to his military career was that he served in the US Air Force. An employer could have mistaken his military career for one at IBM.Employers cannot glean a complete understanding of your work potential if you disguise your past. Given that a typical HR manager wont comprehend the significance of title and rank, veterans should also include an equivalent civilian title. For example, a commanding general can list the equivalent civilian title as chief executive officer.Resume Tip Dont disguise your rank to civilianize your resume that discounts your military faculties. As a veteran, you can help the civilian sector understand mora about the military. And if companies understand, they might feel less intimidated.Dont embellish your military skills Theres nothing wrong with giving credit where credits due, but embellishing is wrong, says Weh. Some career coaches encourage veterans to decorate their resumes in civilianese. For example, a veteran might claim that managing millions of dollars for the military is similar to someone doing the same in the private sector. Money management in the military is totally different than money management in civilian life, Weh says. People in the military have a budget, but they didnt earn it, and its often spent by consensus.Resume Tip Acknowledge skills like the ability to organize, analyze or lead. Emphasize time management, communication skills and conflict-resolution capabilities. Match your skills with those required in the job youre applying for.Highlight your work ethicMy former manager of special operations, Vincent Nulk, a former Air Force Captain and helicopter pilot, oversawone of CSIs sensitive contracts, says Weh, who goes on to describe the type of workers veterans typically exemplify.Nulks mission wasto provide the client with large aircraft that fly all hours of the night. My man will work a 60-hour week, including weekends, and does not have any problem getting up at 2 a.m. to bird-dog a maintenance issue. Hes a hard w orker and a valuable asset to the company. Nulk showedleadership, stamina, and willingness to go the extra miletraits that are valued and rewarded in the workplace.Interview Tip Describe a military operation where you pushed yourself to do more than was required and show how that project was successfully completed due to your efforts or the combined efforts of your team. Teamwork is often encouraged in the workplace and can be an easily translatable job skill.Understand what does and doesnt belong on a resumeEveryone in the military works in an occupational field, and according to Weh, you have to translate how youve evolved in your military career. However, some of your daily duties are not applicable to the civilian workplace. For example, if you were an infantry or artillery officer, shooting cannons does not apply. But if youre an air traffic controller, theres an actual counterpart civilian job, and you should list the skill set that relates to the position.Resume TipSome job s eekers will have an easier time adapting their skills to civilian jobs, but for those whose qualifications arent directly transferable, youll need to start thinking about how youve used your skills to achieve tangible and measurable results. Need some help with that? Get a free resume evaluation today from the experts atMonsters Resume Writing Service. Youll get detailed feedback in two business days, including a review ofyour resumes appearance and content, and a prediction of a recruiters first impression. Its a quick and easy way you can ensure youre properly displaying your military experience in such a way that hiring managers sit up and take notice.