Phase 2: Resume Writing
Empowering Your Next Career with Your Resume:
Crafting a polished and comprehensive resume is an integral part of positioning yourself for success in securing your dream job.
As the first or second impression on recruiters and hiring managers, your resume speaks volumes about your capabilities and what you can bring to the table.
Your LinkedIn and resume work in tandem to convey your professionalism, competence, and suitability for the role.
General Resume Rules of the Road:
1) You should have two resume templates—one for corporate roles and another for government roles
Significant distinctions exist between corporate and government resumes. This section is dedicated to corporate resumes. To adapt your corporate resume for a government position, ensure you incorporate bullet points that clearly articulate the role's requirements. Unlike corporate resumes, which emphasize achievements and impact, government resumes benefit from detailing the various functions you performed in your roles. It's important to note that government resumes do not prioritize brevity. Instead, comprehensively listing all relevant work experiences is valued more than a concise, impact-focused resume.
2) Make sure your resume is no longer than one page. No exceptions.
Recruiters sift through hundreds of resumes hourly, and a lengthy, verbose resume that's hard to navigate can quickly lead to rejection. To ensure your resume stands out and fits on one page, adopt a concise bullet format that describes what you did and the impact of your actions. Make every bullet point meaningful and impactful.
3) To be most competitive, tailor your resume to the role you are applying for
For every position you pursue, it's crucial to customize your resume to mirror the language used in the job posting and to ensure your resume content is directly relevant to the role. Consider creating a tailored resume template for each category of job you're applying to. Then, for each individual application, further refine your resume to align with the specific nuances and requirements of the role at each company. This personalized approach significantly enhances the relevance and appeal of your application.
4) Translate all military language to civilian terms
Eliminate all military jargon from your resume, translating every term into civilian language. To expand your civilian vocabulary and ensure your resume resonates with hiring managers, explore job postings for positions that interest you. Adopt the language used in these postings to make your resume more relatable and understandable to civilian employers.
Operation MOS has created two tools to assist translate military experience to a strong civilian resume.
1) Complete the Resume Worksheet
A step by step guide of organizing experience into strong, impact driven bullets.
2) Copy input into the Resume Template
NOTE: There are two resume templates attached. Choose the one that fits your experience best.
3) Have as many people as possible, especially those who have never been active duty, to provide feedback on your resume
Ensuring people who do not understand military lingo reviews your resume is one of the most effective ways to make sure you have completely civilianized your resume.
Operation MOS offers a resume review service: Purchase Resume Review Here
