Your Resume Isn’t Your Biography: Resume Tips for Service Members Entering Civilian Work
Learn how to write a results-focused resume that translates military experience into civilian language and helps you land the right job after service.
By Kasen Stephensen
When it comes to landing a civilian role, your resume isn’t meant to tell your whole life story. It’s not your biography. It’s a marketing tool. Its purpose is to get you an interview.
For service members, this often means letting go of dense job descriptions and military acronyms, and instead focusing on clarity, achievements, and results that a civilian employer can quickly recognize.
Here are some practical ways to make your resume stand out.
Translate Experience Into Civilian Language
The biggest hurdle for many veterans is jargon. Terms like MOS codes, ranks, or unit names might carry weight in the military, but most recruiters won’t know what they mean. Swap them for plain language that emphasizes your responsibilities and results.
Instead of: “Platoon Sergeant, 11B”
Say: “Led and trained 30 personnel while managing $10M in equipment.”
Focus on Results, Not Duties
Hiring managers want to know what you accomplished, not just what you were assigned to do. Ask yourself: What was the impact? Did you reduce costs, improve efficiency, or increase readiness? Use numbers when possible to make the results clear.
- Increased supply chain efficiency by 20% by redesigning the inventory system
- Trained 15 new team members, leading to faster onboarding and improved performance
- Managed operations for 200+ missions with zero safety incidents
Keep It Concise
A resume should be focused and easy to scan. Aim for one to two pages, tailored for each role you apply to. Quality beats quantity. A good rule of thumb is one page per ten years of experience. Employers would rather see a few relevant, well-written accomplishments than a long list of unrelated duties.
Include Your SkillBridge Internship
If you’ve completed or are in the middle of a SkillBridge internship, highlight it. It shows you already have civilian work experience and are serious about your transition. Place it in your work experience section with the company name, role title, and a few bullet points about what you contributed.
Get Feedback on Your Resume
Different industries and roles look for different characteristics and experience from candidates. This insider knowledge can be hard to find or understand, especially at the beginning of your job search.
Reaching out to veterans in your target industry or role on LinkedIn can be a great way to get feedback on how you present your achievements. Ask if they’d be willing to review your resume or give any advice on how to translate your military experience into descriptions that your recruiter will not only understand, but also value.
For more on how to build and optimize your LinkedIn profile, check out our companion article: LinkedIn Isn’t Optional: Tips for Service Members Entering Civilian Work.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Listing every duty or job since enlistment, instead of tailoring to the role
- Filling the page with jargon or acronyms without explanation
- Making the resume too long or unfocused
- Treating SkillBridge as an afterthought instead of showcasing it
Final Thoughts
Your resume doesn’t need to capture every detail of your service. It needs to give employers a reason to call you. By translating your military experience into clear, results-oriented language, keeping it concise, and highlighting your most relevant achievements, you’ll put yourself in the best position to land interviews that lead to the right job.
SkillBridge is the bridge into civilian work. A strong resume is the key to getting through the door.
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