While providing military resume writing services, we have created thousands of resumes helping them to land their dream jobs. From our closet, we bring you the tips and techniques to write one for yourself.
As a current or former military member, transitioning careers can be overwhelming. It can be as monumental as your first day as a soldier. However, for this change to be significant and progressive, you must be well-informed about your chosen career.
In the United States, the federal workforce is the most suitable field for former military personnel. The US government is also playing its part in offering these individuals competitive job roles. Whether you worked as an aircraft repair technician, cook, bookkeeper, or officer, you can find the right career path in the federal sector.
A professional resume is the first step to becoming a federal government employee. Unlike civilian resumes, military resumes for federal job roles are written in different formats. Relating your military experiences and achievements with your responsibilities as a federal employee. Here, we will teach you everything about a federal military resume and how to create one yourself.
Military Federal Resumes: How are They Different from Civilian Resumes?
Unlike regular civilian resumes, a federal military resume is not based on civilian experience and skills. It is more detailed, like a military-to-federal guide. You should start by creating a list of military achievements, duties, and ranks. Your resume should also include a detailed directory of your awards, certifications, honors, campaigns, projects, and operations.
It is more detailed and longer than a regular civilian resume. Usually, military personnel do not have enough time or the capacity to write their resumes. They believe the process is complex and engage military resume writing services from a known provider. This requires an investment that people are reluctant to make.
Plus, the hardest part of writing a military resume is storytelling. Although resumes are not descriptive, they should be engaging enough to hook the reader. It can be difficult for military personnel who have not learned the basics of resume writing to curate an eye-catching summary.
They may also need help to unlearn all the basics about prevalent formats and writing styles that may have gone obsolete in the federal hiring process. Explaining work challenges and professional achievements can be daunting, especially when you are only a seasonal writer. You can take the following steps to make your military resume stand out.
Use the Cause and Effect Theory to Explain Your Worth
When a recruiter posts a federal or civilian job, they’re presenting a problem and finding someone to resolve it. Using the cause-and-effect approach in your resume helps you present yourself as a problem solver, who could solve that particular problem. Formally describe what you have done using sections and bullets, and divide your professional journey into different sections such as work experience, awards and accreditations, education, skills, and other additional information.
A Military Federal Resume is Longer Than a Civilian Resume
Contrary to a private sector resume that is usually no longer than 2 pages, a military personnel resume applying for a federal job can go up to 4 pages. Because it is comparatively more detailed and descriptive, highlighting your experience in the military. For instance, if a candidate has worked as a military firefighter, they can use the following details to add to their work experience section.
- The number of people employed in your department
- How many fire emergencies have you handled?
- The average amount of time you spent on your job per day
- What was the budget for your department?
This information helps the recruiter estimate the scale of your professional prowess, skills, and analytical capabilities. It helps them understand the impact you had on the organization.
Read the Job Description Carefully
Reading the job description thoroughly before creating a resume is advisable. Put greater emphasis on the wording used in the description. There can be many focus search terms, keywords, or jargon that are job specific and can add value to your resume.
However, don’t copy-paste the exact sentences from the description since any recruiter can spot that from a mile away. A military resume should be able to address the requirements posted in the job description. If a job post says: “Should be able to guide and give advice to the workers and the managers,” then you can incorporate “guide and give advice” into your work experience as a response to the recruiter’s need. You can add weight to such sections by showing great customer service, empathy, and communication skills.
Different agencies have different requirements when it comes to resumes. Federal job descriptions often have a “who may apply” section to inform people about the eligibility criteria. Some employers may ask for a cover letter, while some may not.
Also, read the qualification section thoroughly to see if you meet the criteria before applying. Certain federal jobs, such as accountant, engineer, and social worker, may require a specified degree or credit hours to qualify for a federal job. Although government departments encourage educational proficiency, they put greater emphasis on experience. Therefore, tailoring your resume based on experience and education is the best way to get hired.
Hire Professional Military Resume Writing Services to Do All of the Above
Writing a military resume requires a different approach than your usual resume writing process. Filling 3-4 pages with only relevant information, finding the written words to quote them, and making it attention-grabbing is no easy feat. This task only suits the hands of a professional writer who is trained to do it. At Finest Resume Writing Services, our industry experts know how to make your military federal resumes stand out with top-notch writing and adequate formats.
Author Bio:
Roxen Smith is a certified professional resume writer and is well-versed in the latest industry standards and trends. She is a highly skilled and experienced resume and cover letter writing expert with over ten years of experience in the field. At Finest Resume Writing Services, she has a proven track record of helping job seekers land their dream jobs by crafting compelling resumes that showcase their strengths and qualifications.
