During the Transition Assistance Program course, we were berated with the notion that translating your skills would get you hired. However, as the G.I.Joe theme song said so eloquently, “Knowing is half the battle”, which means you still have work to do. The other half is learning how to take those translated skills and sprucing them up with words that match the job posting, have keywords, highlight soft skills, and much more. Highlighting those military talents in the civilian workforce can be impactful when translated correctly into relevant, relatable skills that match what the system is looking for.
5 Techniques to Showcase Military Skills
Here are five techniques to make your military experience resonate with civilian hiring managers.
1. Translate Military Jargon into Civilian Terms
Civilian recruiters may not understand military-specific terms, so it’s essential to translate roles and achievements into language that’s easily understandable. If you were a squad leader responsible for logistics and personnel, describe it as “Managed and led a team of X individuals, coordinating logistics, ensuring mission completion, and maintaining high morale and performance under pressure.”
2. Highlight Leadership and Teamwork
Many military roles involve high levels of responsibility and leadership, both highly valued in civilian sectors. Make sure you emphasize situations where you had to adapt quickly, lead diverse teams, and make decisions under pressure. Frame this as an example of “effective leadership in dynamic environments.”
3. Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Employers value candidates who can think critically and find solutions. Military training often includes real-time problem-solving, which is a significant asset. To do this, you can just describe a challenging situation you encountered, the steps you took to address it, and the successful outcome. For instance, “Assessed and reorganized team resources to meet a tight deadline, resulting in a X% increase in efficiency.”
4. Emphasize Adaptability and Flexibility
Civilian roles, especially in fast-paced industries, require professionals who can adapt to new challenges. Highlight how you managed multiple relocations, deployments, or unexpected changes in assignment, demonstrating flexibility and resilience under constantly shifting conditions.
5. Focus on Achievements and Measurable Outcomes
Civilian employers appreciate measurable results as they offer concrete proof of success. Share your key achievements with metrics, like “Increased operational efficiency by X% by implementing streamlined protocols,” or “Reduced training time by X hours through the introduction of optimized methods.”
Do the Translation Work
No matter what job you had in the military, whether it was a pilot, a dental hygienist, or part of an elite squad of cartoon warfighters (see how I brought G.I. Joe full circle?), you still need to do the work. This is so the recruiters, the hiring managers, and whoever else might be looking at your resume, can quickly assess your skills, your value to the company, and your talents, in less than 30 seconds. And that is generous to even think that a person is looking at resumes these days.
