If you’ve ever felt employers just don’t get the value of your military skills and experience, you may be right. But you can do something about it.
Studies show that more than half of civilian employers admit to being in the dark when it comes to understanding the qualifications transitioning service members have to offer. In some cases, this includes security clearances. As security conscious as the nation has become in the post 9/11 environment, many employers have never served in the military. Thus, their understanding of military qualifications may be more limited now than in any other generation.In fact, that communication’s gap prompted New York State Senator Joseph Addabbo, Jr., to draft legislation requiring the state’s Division of Veterans’ Affairs provide a web link that translates military job titles, certifications and skills into civilian terms. The bill was approved in April, which is good news for New York’s veteran job seekers. But the rest of the nation’s veterans looking for second careers may want to take heed. If you know at the onset of the job hunt that employers may not know what you bring to the position, you can start preparing for better ways to communicate the facts.
New York career coach, Cynthia Pauley, put it this way: “If a veteran holds a security clearance, three words should be at the top of the resume, no matter what position the veteran is interested in getting. It should state ‘active security clearance.’”
Pauley explained that while most government and defense sector hiring managers understand security clearances and military terms, many in other industries are often not as well versed. These sectors may include medical and biomedical industries, telecommunications, education, finance and transportation.
“These all increasingly need personnel capable of providing the means to safeguard information,” she said. “Your security clearance says something about your ability to do that for them. It also means you can be trusted: period.”
In addition to stating your clearance at the top of your resume, veterans are advised to state it again in the first paragraph of any cover letter. Following the introductory line about why you are applying, the next line should state that your qualifications for the position include the fact that you hold a security clearance, have a proven track record of being dependable, and that you possess leadership skills. The specifics of your job skills should follow that line.
“The clearance should be the first thing a veteran conveys and also the last thing,” she said. “That includes thank you notes following any interviews. I’d thank the hiring manager for the opportunity to meet them and remind them that as a security cleared veteran, you are looking forward to serving again, this time in a civilian capacity. It’s now up to our veterans to educate the civilian world about what it means to have served. They are the most trustworthy of employees and they have the proof as well as the skill sets.”
