Turn Your Military Service into a Job Offer
"My military experience will really help me," predicted Kelly Perdew in an interview with Entertainment Weekly before he won on the second season of "The Apprentice." A former military intelligence officer, Perdew used skills he honed in the armed forces, such as discipline and leadership, to impress Donald Trump to hire him over thousands of candidates.
Like Perdew, the men and women who serve in the U.S. military gain experience and skills that are transferable and highly desirable for employment in other sectors. Here's some guidance for turning your military service into a job offer.
Showcase Your Skills
Start your post-military job search by taking inventory of your broad, transferable skills. Members of the military are known for teamwork, leadership by example, loyalty, and commitment. What are your strengths?
The armed forces produce professionals who are focused, adept at handling a crisis, and ethical. These qualities, along with discipline, confidence, competitiveness, and cooperation, are all in demand from corporate America.
Put together a short list of your strongest, transferable skills and practice discussing how they make you an ideal employee at any civilian organization.
Translate, Please
Once you know what your transferable strengths are, it's time to tailor your resume and the way you present your experience.
When you write your private-sector resume, treat the military as a corporation you worked for. Refer to each post you had as you would a position with any corporation. Refrain from using any military acronyms on your resume or in interviews. Avoid using military jargon, either in writing or when speaking with a potential employer.
To help ease your transition, join a professional association in your field of choice, if possible. This will help you assimilate into corporate culture and network with professionals in your chosen industry.
Take Your Aim
Once you're armed with a first-rate resume and have begun to network, focus on connecting with employers for whom you'd like to work. Seek out businesses known for hiring committed, ethical, and disciplined professionals. You can also target agencies or companies in need of workers who have security clearances, if you have one.
You may also consider using a search firm specializing in placing former military personnel. These firms usually have relationships with an array of companies in need of your skills.
Flexibility Is a Virtue, Too
Every job search requires patience, and every job search benefits from flexibility. If you haven't yet put down permanent roots, wait. Find your job first. Remaining flexible about the geographic location of your next job allows you the freedom to target employers all across the United States. Kelly Perdew, in fact, moved from Southern California to work for Donald Trump in New York City.
Remember that your military experience holds benefits for nearly any career you pursue. What you do with that experience and how you present it may be the key to hearing those important words, "You're hired."
