resume objective examples for military

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5 Military Resume Examples Made for Success in 2024

Military Resume

• Military Resumes by Experience
• Military Resumes by Role
• Write Your Military Resume

 Your multifaceted role in the military could cover anything from groundwork or combat to manufacturing or communications. With unmatched expertise, you anticipate challenges and avert conflicts proactively, making decisions under pressure with ease.

The skills you amass during your service—leadership, adaptability, and teamwork—are invaluable. Now the question is: how do you describe your courage and discipline when writing an effective cover letter or one-page resume ?

Not to worry—we’re here to help. With our military resume examples , you can transform your raw experience into a captivating application that will get you the attention and the interviews you deserve.

or download as PDF

Why this resume works

• Therefore, you should mention in your military resume your contribution to decreased equipment downtimes to underline your input to team support.

Military Veteran  Resume

• To make such an achievement count in your military veteran resume, highlight how much you helped reduce equipment downtime to sustain uninterrupted workflows.

Retired Military Resume

• Speaking of your experience, list your missions and other roles in reverse chronological order, with your most recent positions and more impactful achievements taking precedence. Finish off this outline with side columns highlighting your military coursework, skills, and certifications.

Military Police  Resume

• For instance, “Assisted in slashing response times” could be better put as “Instituted advanced emergency protocols using NEC NeoFace, slashing response times by 44%.”

Military to Civilian Resume

• It underscores your ability to communicate effectively and ensure that all objectives are met within set timelines; attributes that make you an easy pick for joining the civilian workforce.

Related resume examples

• Officer Manager
• Operations Manager
• Office Administrator

Create a Military Resume That Fits Your Dream Job

Your military personnel resume should focus on showcasing skills vital to defense and strategic operations. Precision is paramount, so avoid vague terms like “team player.” If your role is technical, zero in on hard skills instead. 

Some of the things you could discuss include your proficiency in various weaponry, tactical strategies, and specialized equipment operation. You can also consider highlighting soft skills like leadership, communication, and crisis management. 

Ensure your skills resonate with the job’s requirements, whether it’s combat tactics or logistical coordination. Highlight the elevated level of discipline and stress management skills your service in the military has helped you develop, be it for another role within the military or a civilian job.

Looking for guidance?

15 best military skills

• Tactical Strategy
• Weapon Proficiency
• Logistical Coordination
• Military Comms 
• Cybersecurity
• Foreign Languages
• Crisis Management 
• Radio Operations
• Risk Assessment
• Joint Tactical Terminal
• Blue Force Tracker

Your military work experience bullet points

Between orchestrating strategic missions and leading successful teams, your military service showcases exceptional achievements. Rather than rehashing routine tasks, spotlight your impactful contributions. 

Your role directly influences the stability and security of operations, safeguarding national interests, and minimizing potential risks. While the nature of your experiences varies, harness this section to highlight your proudest moments, whether enhancing emergency response efficiency or mitigating adverse consequences. 

Make sure to back up your claims with quantifiable metrics to zero in on the magnitude of your successes. These could be anything from your budget optimization to the number of personnel you’ve trained—it all depends on your specific role and achievements. 

• Demonstrate your leadership and strategic skills with mission success rates.
• Showcase your ability to make quick decisions under pressure with metrics on your average response times.
• Highlight your commitment to operational readiness by presenting the percentage decrease in equipment downtimes after implementing maintenance protocols.
• Show off your adaptability by mentioning the varying shifts you’ve worked, deployments you’ve been sent on, and languages you’ve learned.

See what we mean?

• Created a comprehensive training program for recruits, resulting in a 78% reduction in onboarding time
• Conducted an employee satisfaction survey, resulting in an 88% satisfaction rate with internal communication efforts
• Maintained an 91% incident resolution rate by handling a variety of security issues and ensuring the safety of personnel and facilities
• Implemented a new internal communication system, which resulted in a 28% reduction in information gaps among employees

9 active verbs to start your military work experience bullet points

• Coordinated
• Implemented

3 Tips for Writing a Military Resume Without Much Experience

• Emphasize the significance of every role you’ve undertaken, regardless of your experience level. You can include relevant skills and accomplishments from your military service, training, and related roles. For instance, if you’re transitioning to a civilian logistics position, highlight your experience coordinating complex missions and managing supplies.
• Use your military projects to showcase your skills and flexibility. Mention specific initiatives or tasks you’ve executed during your service that align with the new position or civilian job you’re applying to. For example, discuss leading a team to establish a forward operating base, demonstrating your leadership and strategic planning abilities.
• Utilize internships, relevant coursework, or hobbies to spotlight transferable skills. Highlight leadership, teamwork, adaptability, and technical proficiencies that align with the role. For example, when applying for a communications role, discuss your experience with working in large teams and communicating under stress.

3 Tips for Writing an Experienced Military Resume

• If you have specialized military skills like leadership, logistics, or intelligence analysis, show them off. Next, tailor your accomplishments and metrics to align with the specific role you’re pursuing, highlighting your expertise and achievements in those areas.
• Adding relevant metrics really makes your achievements stand out more. Highlight your mission success rates, operational efficiency improvements, and leadership impact. This is good if you’re transitioning away from the military; for instance, in a logistics role, you can discuss how you optimized supply chain processes, reducing turnaround time by 39%.
• Include relevant military certifications that demonstrate your expertise and training. Whether it’s command certifications, technical training, or specialized courses, these credentials highlight your readiness for the civilian role or a promotion up the military ranks. 

While optional, a tailored career objective or summary can be valuable, especially if you’re switching to a whole new career. Emphasize your military experience and skills that align with the job, such as leadership, logistical coordination, or crisis management.

Make sure to use relevant keywords from the job description . Highlight your military accomplishments, skills, and specialized training that match the job requirements. ATS looks for keyword matches, so use terminology from both your military background and the civilian role you’re applying to.

Emphasize mission success rates, response times, equipment maintenance improvements, and any other quantifiable achievements. These metrics demonstrate your effectiveness in critical situations and your ability to impact operations positively.

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Military Resume Examples

As a member of the military transitioning to civilian life, you know how important it is to have a strong resume that makes you stand out from the competition. But, if you’re not sure where to start, it can be hard to know how to effectively present your experience and skills. Crafting a military resume is a big challenge, but with the right examples and a comprehensive writing guide, you can create an effective resume that will get you noticed. Here, we’ll provide you with examples of military resumes for each of the most common professional scenarios, as well as an in-depth look at the vital tips and strategies you need to know to make your military resume a success.

Resume Examples by Job-Title

• All Source Intelligence Analyst
• Army Recruiter
• Cavalry Scout
• Cbp Officer
• Family Readiness Officer
• Human Intelligence Collector
• Infantry Officer
• Military Officer
• Military Police Officer
• Recovery Specialist
• Sonar Technician
• Unit Deployment Manager

Military Resume Headline Examples

When you apply for a job, your resume will be the first thing that employers look at. If you have a military background, you may want to use a military resume headline to showcase your experience and skills. A military resume headline is a powerful statement that can show potential employers why your qualifications make you a great fit for the job. It should stand out from the rest of your resume and make it clear why you are the best candidate for the job.

The first thing to consider when creating your military resume headline is to ensure that it reflects the desired position. Be sure to include any relevant skills, experience, and accomplishments that you have that are related to the job. This could include any military awards or honors you may have received, as well as any special training or certifications you have.

When writing your military resume headline, it’s important to also keep in mind the type of job you’re applying for. You’ll want to make sure that you are conveying the type of experience that is relevant to the job you’re applying for. For example, if you’re applying for a technical job, you may want to include any technical certifications or qualifications you have.

Finally, make sure to keep your military resume headline concise and to the point. You don’t want to overwhelm employers with too much information. Keep it brief and focus on relevant information that will make you stand out from other candidates.

By following these tips, you can create a powerful military resume headline that will help you get the job you want.

Military Resume Career Objective Examples

When crafting your military resume, it is important to include a career objective that describes what you hope to accomplish in the position you are applying for. A career objective is your chance to highlight the skills you have acquired during your time in the military and explain how these skills can be applied to the job. Here are some examples of well-written career objectives for military resumes:

For an administrative position: “To leverage my experience in the U.S. Navy as a Senior Officer to coordinate and manage office operations and procedures in an efficient and productive manner.”

For a leadership position: “Leveraging my experience in the U.S. Army as a leader of both small and large teams to inspire and motivate those around me to achieve successful outcomes.”

For an engineering position: “To use my knowledge and experience from the U.S. Air Force as an Aerospace Engineer to create innovative solutions and help the team reach their goals.”

For a health and safety position: “To utilize my experience in the U.S. Marines as a Health and Safety Officer to ensure a safe and healthy workplace and maintain compliance with local, state, and federal regulations.”

These examples demonstrate how to effectively showcase the skills and experience you have acquired during your time in the military. Be sure to include details that demonstrate the value you can bring to the position and how the skills you have can be applied to the job.

Military Resume Summary Statement Examples

A military resume summary statement is a great way to show employers how you can leverage your military experience in a civilian role. It’s an opportunity to highlight your key skills and accomplishments from your time in the service, and demonstrate how these can be transferred to a civilian job. It’s also a great way to set yourself apart from other applicants.

When writing a military resume summary statement, it’s important to be concise and to the point. You don’t want to go into too much detail, but rather give a brief overview of your qualifications and skills. Focus on your most relevant accomplishments and experiences, such as any awards, training, or certifications you have received. If you have any leadership or management experience, it’s also a great idea to mention this as well.

When crafting your resume summary statement, also consider the job you are applying for and the skill set it requires. Tailor your summary statement accordingly to show employers why you are the best fit for the job. Additionally, be sure to use language and terms that civilian employers can relate to and understand. This will give you the best chance of success.

In the end, a military resume summary statement can be a great way to stand out from other applicants and demonstrate how your military experience can be applied to a civilian role. With a few tips and tricks, you can create a summary that will help you get your foot in the door.

How to write Experience Section in Military Resume

When writing the experience section of a military resume, it is important to highlight the skills and qualifications gained from military service. This section should be formatted to quickly and effectively explain the skills and qualifications that are applicable to the desired job.

The experience section should begin with the individual’s current or most recent position. All positions should be listed in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent position. This section should include the individual’s job title, dates of employment, the branch of service in which they served, and their primary duties.

It is important to note that military positions often have specific titles and acronyms that may not be familiar to civilian employers. For example, a “Captain” in the Navy would be known as a “Lieutenant Commander” in the Army. To ensure accuracy, the individual should refer to their branch of service’s official job titles to ensure they are using the correct titles.

In addition to the job titles, the experience section should also include a brief description of the individual’s primary duties. This section should focus on the skills gained from their service, such as leadership, problem-solving, and decision-making. Any awards or achievements should also be included in this section.

Finally, the individual should emphasize any transferable skills gained from their military service. These skills can be used to bridge the gap between the individual’s military experience and the requirements of a civilian position. Examples of transferable skills include communication and interpersonal skills, problem-solving and critical thinking skills, and organizational and management skills.

Military Resume Writing Tips

When writing a military resume, there are certain tips you should keep in mind to ensure you make the most of this opportunity to showcase your skills and qualifications. The tips in this section will help you create a resume that effectively highlights your military experience and makes you stand out from the competition.

The first thing to consider when writing a military resume is to make sure your work experience is listed in a chronological order. This will make it easier for recruiters and employers to understand your career path and where you are at in your career. Additionally, make sure you list any awards, honors, or certifications you have received during your time in the military. This will show employers you are qualified, reliable, and dedicated.

When writing a military resume, it is important to include key words that are relevant to the job you are applying for. Make sure to include words such as leadership, teamwork, problem solving, and communication, as these are important skills employers are looking for. You can also use military-specific terms such as “combat experience” or “deployment” to highlight your experience in the military.

Finally, make sure to include any volunteer work or community involvement you have participated in, as this will show employers your dedication to helping others. This can demonstrate your leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills and give recruiters a better understanding of the type of candidate you are.

By following these tips, you can create a military resume that will stand out from the competition and get you one step closer to landing the job.

Military Career Prospects in the Industry

The military industry offers an abundance of career opportunities in a variety of diverse fields. It is important to recognize just how vast the possibilities are when seeking employment in this sector. From entry-level roles, to executive positions, the military offers a wide range of positions that can help propel your career.

The military offers a number of distinct career paths that can help anyone looking to advance their career. For example, enlisted personnel can pursue their career in the military through either a full-time or part-time role. Enlisted personnel are also able to take advantage of the military’s education benefits that can help them pursue a college degree, or even a post-graduate certification.

Military officers also have an array of career paths to pursue. Officers are typically placed in command positions, management roles, or in specialized fields. These positions provide invaluable experience and training that can help with career advancement in the military.

The military also provides a number of leadership opportunities for those seeking to gain experience in the field. Leadership roles in the military encompass a range of duties from managing operational teams to overseeing the development and implementation of tactical strategies.

Finally, civilian employees of the military can take advantage of a range of career prospects. Civilian employees typically carry out a variety of administrative and management roles, but can also find work in other specialized fields. Additionally, civilian employees of the military can take advantage of the military’s educational benefits to pursue a degree or post-graduate certificate.

Overall, the military provides a wealth of career opportunities for those looking to advance their careers.

In conclusion, a military resume should be written carefully and with purpose. Knowing the basics of how to create a resume, as well as utilizing the examples and writing guide provided, can help you create a winning resume that can take you to the next level of your military career.

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With an industry-relevant military resume.

Have you optimized your resume just yet?

If you haven't, don't panic. This blog has got you covered.

This blog holds the promise of elevating your military resume to the realms of industry perfection.

The 10+ military resume examples & military resume samples that we have embedded in this blog are designed to help you curate a resume that gets you shortlisted.

All you have to do is follow the guidelines in this blog and your perfect industry-relevant military resume is good to go.

Here’s a summary of our Military Resume Blog:

• Use the month & year format to illustrate relevant dates in your army resume (enrolment & graduation dates, D.O.J, and D.O.L dates, etc).
• Keep your email ID strictly professional. Avoid using childish email IDs as it attracts unwanted attention.
• Don't use paragraphs to compose your military to civilian resume. Instead, use one-liner points to communicate your roles & responsibilities and begin each point with an action verb (Led, Directed, Consolidated, Optimized, etc).

That's not all.

In this blog, we have also gone the extra mile to help you illustrate your military experience on resume with perfection.

The military to civilian resume examples that comes with this blog will also give you a better idea of what each section of your resume should look like once you have inculcated the rules of resume writing to frame your resume.

By the end of this blog, you will be able to write a job-winning resume while simultaneously learning:

• How to optimize each section of your military to civilian resume.
• How to add military experience to a resume.
• Whether to add military resume summary or military resume objective.
• What your US army address for resume should look like and which details to include and not include.

. . . All so you can get the job that you want!

With this blog, you will transform into impeccable military resume writers and you will be able to write professional-looking military resumes in no time.

Optimize your shortlist chances by perfecting your military to civilian resume by making the most of the 10+ military resume examples that we have mentioned in this blog.

On the contrary, if you're looking for a quick solution to your problems, use Hiration's Online Resume Builder .

The military resume template that comes with it is designed for ATS compatibility. It also has pre-filled sections which will help you craft an impeccable resume in no time.

Moving on, here’s a list of all that you will learn in this blog:

What is a Military Resume & why do you need it?

A military resume or army resume is a resume for army professionals and aspiring citizens who want to join the US army.

It consists of important details regarding your educational and professional life.

To get shortlisted for the military job of your dreams, you need to optimize your resume by making it ATS-compatible.

So let's get started! There's a lot of learning left to do!

In the meanwhile, get your existing military to civilian resume professionally reviewed by Hiration’s Resume Review Service.

With us, your existing military to civilian resume will be reviewed based on the following parameters:

• Resume Length
• Resume Keywords
• Core Section
• Resume Name
• Bullet points
• Contact Information
• ATS Compatibility

Does this seem exciting? If it does, keep an eye out on the bottom left corner of this page to get an in-depth review of your military to civilian resume within minutes!

Military Sample Resume

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Before we begin, here's a sample military resume showcasing the ideal army resume. We have made this using Hiration's Online Resume Builder .

• Administered disciplinary actions in the team to cut incidents by 30% in a time span of 3 months
• Rendered daily surveillance & security for headquarters and oversaw safety inspections & security checks
• Negotiated with vendors to acquire food supplies & inventory for the army headquarter at a 15% subsidized rate
• Oversaw the upkeep of army equipment and researched market trends to assess the need to procure new weapons
• Coordinated with first-class sergeants to achieve 100% team goals before the stipulated deadline
• Trained 5 new sergeants on individual and collective security tasks to bolster overall team performance
• Mentored a team of 30 operations & security sergeants on the correct usage of latest equipment & weapons
• Received " Most Diligent Staff Sergeant Award " twice in Jun '18 and Jun '17
• Communicated with the management and supervised accountability of 30+ trainees
• Directed surveillance & security for headquarters and provided external security for internment corrections
• Promoted from a position of Security Specialist to Security Forces Staff Sergeant in just 2 years due to 5 star performance
• Among the top 2 % of the class
• CPR/First Aid Certification | ECC | Jun '13
• Weapon Certification
• M240b Machine Gun
• M780 Shotgun
• Received National Defense Service Medal | Jun '18
• Secured National War on Terrorism Service Medal | Jun '17
• Won Joint Meritorious Award | Jun '16

How to write a Military Resume

Most people tend to write their military resumes just to re-write them all over again. Following the right approach to resume writing helps you write your army resume while optimizing the time it takes you to curate it.

Mentioned below are the 3 stages of resume writing that you should follow:

• Stage 1: Master Military Resume
• Stage 2: First Draft of Military Resume
• Stage 2: Final Draft of Military Resume

Master Military Resume

The first stage of resume writing involves making the master resume.

In this stage, your only job is to compile information. Doing this has the added benefit of helping you write your military to civilian resume in the present and future timeline.

Having a library of information with you, the need to explicitly look for information gets eliminated. Thus, writing your resume in the present and making any updates to it in the future becomes an easy process.

First Draft of Military Resume

In the second stage of drafting your military resume, compose the following sections:

• Personal Information
• Profile Title
• Professional Experience
• Certifications (if any)
• Awards & Recognition (if any)
• Additional Information (if any)

Final Draft of Military Resume

In the final stage, compose the sections we have mentioned below:

Summary/Objective : In this section, you have to impactfully summarize your military experience on resume. Composing your resume summary/objective towards the end helps you identify the best highlights of your career, thereby helping you make a well-informed summary/objective for your resume.

Key Skills : Right before composing your military resume summary/objective, draft the key skills section. Composing this section second-to-last helps you write an impeccable military resume skills section.

Military Resume Sections

The key to a perfect ATS-compliant army resume lies in information presentation. How you present important information in your resume matters.

This is why resume sections are important. It helps you organize information and present it impactfully.

Attached below are the must-have sections of your resume:

• Summary/Objective

You can also put your information under the sections that we have mentioned below:

For a better understanding of resume sections, read Hiration's 2022 Guide to sections in a resume .

Additionally, you can use Hiration’s Online Resume Builder to stand a better chance of getting shortlisted for the job of your dreams.

It comes with a huge library of pre-filled military resume templates that you can personalize to suit your professional needs and work history.

Read on and look out for the military veteran resume examples that we have attached in this guide to learn what each section should ideally look like.

Military Resume: Professional Experience

The hallmark of a great veteran resume is perfect readability and relevant information. You can meet these criteria by following the below-mentioned points to communicate your roles & responsibilities:

• Frame points
• Use the STAR format
• Use Bucketing & Bolding

Framing Points

It is a common consensus that you should not use paragraphs to compose the details of your work experience. Instead, one-liner points have been commonly suggested by resume experts globally to present your work-centric information in your military to civilian resume.

Using one-liner points radically enhances the readability of your resume too.

Don't believe us?

Take a look at the military veteran resume examples given below to decide if one-liner points are a better alternative to using paragraphs.

Military Resume Example 1

"As part of my roles & responsibilities as a security forces staff agent, I was responsible for researching logistics operations, engineering and technical evaluations for defense projects. I also advised senior agents on important aspects like safety, disposal, and decontamination procedures. Part of my daily responsibilities included constantly cooperating with sergeants to achieve the team goals of the security forces within the assigned deadline. Additionally, I have also played a key role in coaching a team of approximately 29 operations & security sergeants on how weapons & latest equipment should be used".

Military Resume Example 2

• Collaborated with first-class sergeants to achieve 100% team goals before the stipulated deadline
• Advised senior agents on safety, disposal, and decontamination procedures involving chemical weapons
• Researched the logistics operations, engineering, and technical evaluations for defense projects

Framing Points: Analysis

The above-listed military resume examples present us with the following observations:

• Example 1 uses a long paragraph and Example 2 uses crisp one-liner points to communicate the same information.
• Example 1 (which uses paragraphs) is hard to read & comprehend. Thus, it fails to satisfy the bare-minimum requirement of great readability that is needed in any ideal military to civilian resume.
• On the contrary, Example 2 (which uses one-liner bulleted points) has aced the readability test due to its reader-friendly nature. Moreover, it uses action verbs to begin each point which gives your resume a confident tone of professionalism.
• Using one-liner points is an easier alternative to using paragraphs. It is thus highly recommended.

STAR Format

Now that you know how to enhance the readability of your work experience, let us now optimize it using the STAR format.

STAR stands for the following:

Situation : The situation/backdrop/context of your contributions Task : The actual task that was assigned to you Action : The strategy you used to execute the assigned task Result : The result/outcome of your action in the form of an achievement figure

STAR format encourages the use of numbers to quantify your achievement under each one-liner point. Thus, it enhances the effectiveness and relevance of your roles & responsibilities.

Our recommendation: Use the STAR format to optimize each one-liner point.

Bucketing & Bolding

By now, you have a highly reader-friendly and effective resume. But what's the point if it still goes unnoticed?

Nothing. Your hard work goes to ground zero.

This is why bucketing & bolding is important.

Observe the military to civilian resume examples given below to understand the merit behind our argument:

• Received "Most Diligent Staff Sergeant Award" in Apr '17
• Managed safety inspections & security checks to ensure daily surveillance & security in headquarters
• Facilitated the upkeep of army equipment and researched market trends to assess the need to procure new weapons
• Negotiated with vendors to acquire food supplies & inventory for the army headquarter at a 25% subsidized rate
• Enforced disciplinary actions to cut incidents by 50% within 6 months
• Trained 10+ sergeants on individual and collective security tasks to bolster overall team performance

Surveillance & Inventory Management

Discipline Enforcement & Training

Key Achievements

• Received " Most Diligent Staff Sergeant Award " in Apr '17

Bucketing & Bolding : Analysis

• Example 1 uses simple one-liner points and Example 2 uses bucketing & bolding to organize each point.
• By grouping similar points under unique subheadings (bucketing) and marking the important elements in each point in bold (bolding), Example 2 succeeds at enhancing the visibility of your work experience. It diverts the recruiter's attention to an applicant's key responsibilities & achievements in one go.
• Thus, you should use bucketing & bolding alongside one-liner points to illustrate your military experience on resume.

Military Resume Sample for Professional Experience

Learn how to add military experience to a resume with Hiration's Blog on how to compose the work experience in your resume . It is a detailed explanation of this section and contains the best tips to perfect it.

In the meanwhile, look out for our military to civilian resume examples to get a better grip of resumes and what they should ideally look like.

Here's a military experience on resume example illustrating a perfectly composed professional experience section:

Military Resume: Key Skills

Are your skills good enough to land you a job as an army personnel in the US army?

If it is, put them down in the 'key skills' section of your resume.

If it isn't, get skilled.

As a rule of thumb, your key skills section should be crisp and to the point as doing this helps a recruiter quickly identify your functional skills & proficiency.

Do not use phrases like 'experienced in' or 'expertise in' to endorse your resume skills. Instead, summarize your skills into 1-3 words of action. Eg: 'Surveillance & Security', 'Weapons Training', 'Discipline Enforcement', etc.

Read Hiration's 2022 Guide on what skills to put on a resume to get a better understanding of how to efficiently curate this section.

Here's a sample military resume showcasing the perfect key skills section:

Military Resume Summary or Military Resume Objective?

Should you write a military resume summary? Or should you write a military resume objective?

Read on to find out:

• Write a military resume summary if you have over 3 years of work experience.
• Write a military resume objective if you have no work experience or less than 3 years of active work experience.

Now that you have identified which one to write, follow the guidelines we have outlined below:

• Write your summary/objective at the end: Doing this saves you both times and effort as you wouldn't need to revisit these sections all over again.
• Pick the best highlights of your career from the work experience section of your army resume and talk about your unique strengths & skills that make you fit for the military job you are after.
• Keep the length of your resume/summary limited to a 3-5 line paragraph.

For a better understanding of both resume summaries and resume objectives, refer to Hiration's Resume Summary Guide and Hiration's 2022 Guide to Resume Objectives .

Attached below is a sample military resume illustrating the ideal summary for your veteran resume:

This is a snapshot of a veteran resume that we have compiled with the pre-designed & pre-arranged military resume template on Hiration's Online Resume Builder .

Military Resume: Header

Next up, we will discuss the resume header.

Here are some steps you should follow to perfect your army resume header:

• Position it at the topmost part of your resume.
• Write it in the largest font size of 16-20 points .
• Give a single space between your first name and last name.
• If you have a middle name, initialize it. Eg: "Mary L. Baxter".

For a better understanding of this section, read Hiration’s 2022 Guide To Writing The Perfect Resume Header to learn the art of curating the perfect header for your army resume.

Here's a military experience on resume example illustrating the ideal resume header:

This is a snapshot of an army resume that we have composed using Hiration’s Online Resume Builder . The ideal resume header should ideally look like this.

Make use of our military to civilian resume builder now!

Military Resume: Personal Information

The personal information section of your military to civilian resume is a compendium of important contact-centric details such as:

• Updated mobile number
• Professional email ID

Current Location

Hiration Protip : Don't flood this section with extremely personal details such as your passport details, date of birth, sexual preference, religious beliefs etc. (unless explicitly asked to do so) as it may lead to unbiased hiring and you don't want to be on the receiving end of THAT.

Updated Mobile Number

Most recruitment-centric activities such as an interview or a shortlist announcement happen over the phone. A minor typo can keep you from a potential shortlist. Thus, the details of your mobile number must be presented accurately.

Here are some few tips that you should follow to document your contact details:

• Use your country’s ISD code as a prefix before your phone number.
• Put a plus sign (+) before the ISD code.
• Eg: +1 37648 21511.

Professional E-mail Address

Your email ID is the official communication channel between you and the recruiter and is thus extremely important.

Make sure that it is professionally presented. Do not use fancy email IDs as it would look extremely unprofessional (and you don't want that).

A simple way to go about composing your email ID is by using your name followed by your domain name. Example: '[email protected].

In the language of writing resumes, location is indicative of an applicant's city & state of residence.

Here are some points that you should remember to compose your location correctly in your military to civilian resume:

• Follow the city/state code format to showcase location in your army resume.
• DO NOT INCLUDE your house number, street number, and your locality name as part of your location.
• For job applications in the country of your residence, use the city/state code format . Example: If you live in Albany, New York; your location should be written as 'Albany, NY'
• For job applications in other countries, use the city/country code format to showcase your location. Example: If you live in Newark, New Jersey; your location should be written as 'Newark, US'.

Military Resume Sample for Personal Information

For a better understanding of this section, read Hiration's 2022 Guide to composing your contact information .

Our military to civilian resume examples visually communicates what each section of your resume should ideally look like.

The sample military resume we have mentioned below showcases the ideal personal information for your military to civilian resume:

This is a snapshot of a veteran resume that we have built using Hiration’s Online Resume Builder .

Use our Online Resume Builder to explore the pre-designed & pre-filled military resume template that comes with our military resume builder.

Read on to learn about the rest of the resume sections for your veteran resume from the 10+ military to civilian resume examples that are attached in this blog.

Military Resume: Profile Title

Another important section of your veteran resume is the profile title. It communicates the following career-specific information about you:

• Your current designation.
• Your functional industry.
• Your level of seniority in your line of work.

Use the second-largest font size ranging 14-16 points to compose your profile title. This enhances the visibility of your profile title which helps a recruiter identify the above-mentioned information about you in one glance.

Here's a military experience on resume example showcasing the perfect profile title for your veteran resume:

In the meanwhile, give your army resume the touch of professionalism. Use our AI-powered Resume Review Service today.

Military Resume: Education

Textbook knowledge is just as important as practical knowledge, especially if there is a minimum educational criteria for a given job position. As such, you should always include your educational details in your veteran resume.

Making an 'education' section with the following mentioned details is a must:

• Name of the school/university you have attended.
• Name of the courses you have pursued.
• The location of your school/university.
• Enrolment and graduation dates in month & year format .

Refer to Hiration's 2022 Guide on how to list education on your resume to read an exhaustive guide on how to correctly curate the education section.

Here's a resume sample showcasing the ideal education section for your resume.

This is a snapshot of a veteran resume that we have made with Hiration's Online Resume Builder .

Our military to civilian resume builder has an optimized military resume template that you can easily modify to suit your professional needs & requirements.

Military Resume: Certifications

As an aspiring army man, being certified in weapon certifications such as the following will give you an advantage over other applicants:

If you have done these certifications (and more), don't shy away from putting them in your military to civilian resume.

Once you do, make sure that you give the following details regarding your certifications in your veteran resume:

• Certification course name.
• Name of the institute of affiliation.
• Location of the institute of affiliation.
• Enrolment and completion date of the course in month & year format .

Arrange these points in the below format:

{Name of Certification} | {Affiliating Institution} | {Location} | {Date} (month & year format)

For a better understanding of this section, refer to Hiration's Guide to listing certifications on a resume .

Here's a military resume sample showcasing the ideal certification section for your resume:

This is a snapshot of a veteran resume that we have composed using Hiration's Online Resume Builder .

The military resume builder is embedded with an ATS-optimized and pre-filled military resume template which shows you what each section of your resume, and the content in these sections should ideally look like in your resume.

Military Resume: Awards & Recognition

Are you an awardee of the National Defense Service Medal?

Or have you been recognized for a job well done?

If the answer is yes, make a separate "Awards & Recognition" section in your army resume and put this information here.

Here's an example of what the perfect sample military resume should look like:

In the meanwhile, write a stellar resume to boost your chances of a shortlist with Hiration's Online Resume Builder :

Military Resume: Additional Information

Perhaps you speak multiple languages?

If you do, putting this information in your veteran resume is a great idea.

When you work for the US army, you can always be deployed to other countries, and if you are sent away for service abroad, knowing the local language would prove to be a big asset in your hands.

Bottom line is, being multilingual is a plus point. So make sure that you mention this skill in your resume but only if you think it will help advance your job application.

Here's a military resume sample showcasing what your additional information would ideally look like in your army resume (must you choose to include this section):

In the meanwhile, boost your chances at getting shortlisted with Hiration's Online Resume Builder .

Resume Review & Free Military Resume Templates

Get your military resume professionally reviewed by our resume experts at Hiration for a constructive analysis of your military resume.

Evaluate how well your veteran resume is performing based on the below-mentioned parameters:

• Compliance with industry norms
• Content Relevance
• Recruiter Friendliness
• Design Compatibility
• Conversion Scope
• ATS Compliance
• Global Compatibility
• Performance Assessment
• Resume Formatting (font, margins, the order of sections, etc.)

Here's the kicker:

You will get 2 resume templates for free!!

Online Resume Builder for Military Resume

Hiration's Online Resume Builder is designed to help you write an ATS-compatible veteran resume.

Alongside this, you will also get these resources with our Resume Builder :

• Option to save unlimited resumes
• 25+ resume designs
• Full rich-text editor
• Unlimited PDF downloads
• 100+ resume templates
• 1-click design change
• A sharable link
• Live resume editor

Key Takeaways

• Follow the 3 stages of resume-writing to optimize the time you take to curate your resume.
• Stick to a one-page veteran resume if you have less than 10 years of relevant work experience. If you don't, write a two-page resume. Make sure that you adhere to the two-page limit.
• As a rule of thumb, always use your name as your resume header and position it at the top-most part of your military resume.
• Your resume header should be composed in the largest font size of 16-20 points and your profile title should be composed in the second-largest font size of 14-16 points . Doing this enhances the visibility of these components in your resume.
• Knowing what to put in your resume is not enough. Knowing how to organize them is important too. So make sure that you compile your information under the relevant sections that we have mapped out in this guide.
• The professional experience is an integral component of your veteran resume. Make sure that you do justice to this section by communicating your roles & responsibilities using crisp one-liner points.
• Use action verbs to begin each one-liner point. Doing this gives your resume a tone of assertiveness and professionalism.
• Quantify your achievements wherever possible. Doing this helps you endorse the feasibility & utility of your skills.

With this, you have reached the end of this blog.

For a better understanding of each section, go back and evaluate the military to civilian resume examples that we have endorsed at the end of each section in this blog.

Go to Hiration resume builder and create a professional resume for yourself. Additionally, reach out to us at [email protected] and you can get 24/7 professional assistance with all your job & career-related queries.

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Palladian Career Resources

Military to civilian transition: 50 objective statements.

Yesterday, I listed 50 objectives from resumes of managers and executives.  Today, I have 50 more objectives, but all of these are from military officers transitioning into the civilian workforce.

For transitioning military officers, it’s improtant to have an objective statement.  Transitioning from the military is a significant career change.  Defining what type of position they are seeking is important.

• OBJECTIVE: Logistician / Analyst
• Objective: To be an asset to the company with my experience in the U.S. Army
• Objective: To obtain a position that will allow me to display my rapid adaptation and troubleshooting skills. My ideal position would allow me to make use of my talent for rapidly learning new systems and technology and integrating new, old, and international equipment to further my education and career. This position would let my ambition lead the way giving me open space to excel and move upwards to the best of my abilities.
• Objective: To acquire a professional position of the Customer Service focus to further develop myself as well as enhance an established work force.
• OBJECTIVE: TO OBTAIN EMPLOYMENT AS A WASTE/WATER PLANT OPERATOR
• Objective: Obtain a position with an established company to utilize my experience, technical knowledge, and skills in administration, logistics, computer systems and software, office equipment, people, and organization that will contribute to efficient business operations.
• OBJECTIVE Seeking a position as Generator Technician where experience and motivational skills will enhance the company.
• CAREER OBJECTIVE: Recently retired active-duty service member seeking a position in the U.S. Government sector to include the Logistics, Transportation and Security industries that will certainly capitalize on my military training, leadership and management skills. Team oriented, well organized individual, with 20 years experience in the U.S. Army’s Transportation Logistics arena.
• OBJECTIVE: To obtain a management position with a progressive organization that will effectively utilize my acquired expertise and experience.
• OBJECTIVE: To obtain a position with an organization where I can maximize my multilayer of management skills, quality assurance, program development, training experience and administrative skills.
• Objective: A challenging position as an Administrative Office / Human Resources Manager
• OBJECTIVE: Corporate position which capitalizes on a 15-year career leading senior level financial operations and managing “turn around” operations supporting an organization’s new direction and strategy. Senior level experience managing financial transformation plans integrating program and project management initiatives, oversight of multi-million dollar budgets, and acquisitions. Extensive experience in multinational markets.
• Objective Seek a position in Administration Services or Human Resources.
• OBJECTIVE: Seeking an Information Technology position
• OBJECTIVE: A position as Logistics Analyst in an organization where an extensive knowledge in Acquisition and Logistics Management is utilized to ensure accurate logistics and customer support for the Warfighter.
• Objective: Information Technology Management
• OBJECTIVE: Seeking a career utilizing my management, leadership and instructional skills.
• OBJECTIVE: To secure a position that will provide a challenging and respectable career as well as room for advancement
• Objective: A Production/Distribution Supervisor position
• OBJECTIVE: To obtain a challenging position as Program Manager.
• Objective: Senior Maintenance Supervisor
• OBJECTIVE: Desire a career in Project or Operational Management.
• OBJECTIVE: A position as a Network Switching Systems Technician/Installer with full range of responsibilities and possibilities for advancement.
• OBJECTIVE: A position as a Safety Manager/Director.
• OBJECTIVE: A POSITION IN SENIOR MANAGEMENT where I can leverage my experience in operations, Human Resources, security and intelligence.
• Objective: Seeking a position as a logistician
• OBJECTIVE: Seeking a challenging opportunity in Project/Facility Management, that will utilize my skills in overseeing total project development from start to finish, including maintaining quality and cost control.
• PROFESSIONAL OBJECTIVE: A challenging Director of Logistics or Supply Chain Management position utilizing leadership, coordination, operations, logistics and communication skills to improve team building and focus on customer service and profit margins for a company in the Government Infrastructure, Oil and Gas or Industrial supplies/products industry.
• Objective: To seek career opportunities and provide my knowledge and expertise in knowledge management and communications planning using my extensive skills to an innovative and adaptive detail and results oriented company.
• OBJECTIVE: Seeking an analytical position in management or administration that allows me to use and apply over 34 years of progressively responsible experience in both the Department of the Army and public education. Skills and experience include extensive knowledge of workforce (manpower) management, Army programming and budgeting, human resource management, training and development, and logistics.
• PROFESSIONAL OBJECTIVE: I am seeking to join a team of dedicated and highly skilled professionals as a Senior Logistics Planner/ Manager/ Analyst/ Trainer/ Project Manager or Supply Chain Manager.
• OBJECTIVE: Full or part time position within the field of Loss Prevention/Security or investigations
• Objective: A Human Resources Opportunity where I can utilize my professional, technical and leadership skills in a company with a long-standing reputation for a great customer service and strong business partnerships.
• OBJECTIVE: To secure a position as a Manger with an established organization utilizing my technical knowledge in Human Resources and experience gained from 25 years as a Leader, Trainer and Manager with the army.
• OBJECTIVE: Work in a leadership position committed to customer service, developing employees, and achieving organization goals.
• Objective: To secure a Manufacturing Production Superintendent position where my past experience and educational experiences would be fully utilized in a career opportunity.
• Objective: Seeking a position within a company where I can contribute my efforts and use my acquired skills to complete a mission.
• PROFESSIONAL OBJECTIVE: A senior position involved in all aspects of managing and reporting in financial terms the results of an enterprise’s operations to its internal and external stakeholders or a senior position involved in all aspects of logistics/production.
• OBJECTIVE: Seeking a challenging management position with a dynamic company that will utilize my solid logistics, operations and program management background to the fullest capacity.
• OBJECTIVE: I would like a responsible management position in a challenging environment, which will utilize my expertise in aviation logistics in marketing and foreign military sales.
• Objective: To obtain a professional position where my experience, initiative, leadership and management Skills will be strongly utilized.
• OBJECTIVE: Seeking a challenging and rewarding position in Human Resource Management/Strategic Planning where my skills and experience will be utilized to enhance organizational goals.
• JOB OBJECTIVE: Seeking a challenging IT software development position to leverage and expand my full-life cycle technical leadership, team building and software development skills
• OBJECTIVE: To obtain an Administrative Services Manager or Security Management position in the Colorado Springs Area.
• Objective: A senior program management, operations or consultant position in a firm supporting homeland security or defense related enterprises.
• OBJECTIVE: Seeking Distribution/Operations/Logistics Manager’s position.
• OBJECTIVE: Senior management position using proven leadership, planning, and problem solving skills that will result in superior accomplishments and achieve organizational goals.
• Objective: Executive Management- seeking a senior position to draw on proven results-driven abilities in strategic planning, team building, or organizational needs assessment.

I’m intersted to hear your impression of the objective statements – do you plan on making any changes to the objective on your resume?  How would you assess the average objective – good/bad, effective/ineffective?

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.
• 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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