If you are leaving the military, more than likely you haven’t had to write a resume to get a job. Many people join the military out of high school or college and have never had to write a resume. And while knowing how to write a performance report or an awards package is an important skill while in the military, it doesn’t translate when you leave the service and are looking for a new career.
Luckily, many military transition offices have courses you can take to help you learn the tools you need to write a resume and other things that may be required in the job hunt search. If you have the chance to take an in person or virtual class, take advantage of it. There you can ask questions and dive deeper to prepare yourself when you begin looking for your next career. These are the things you need to learn about before you leave the military and start looking for your next career.
Resume Writing
Many people believe that you can write one resume and then apply to job openings within your career field. But that isn’t true. You can create a general frame to start with to build resumes when applying for a job, but it can’t be a be-all end-all. Instead, job seekers must first find the job opening that you want to apply for. Then, using the job posting keywords, create your resume. You can work with a qualified professional to help you build your base template. Another option is utilizing AI tools like Chat GPT or Grok to tailor your resume to a job posting. But make sure that after you get inputs from these AI chatbots that you then take time to go over your resume and make sure everything makes sense.
Many job postings also require cover letters. Cover letters, just like the resume, should use keywords found in the job posting. Once again, qualified professionals or AI can be a helpful tool in creating the cover letter, but it is just a means to get started or a way to move forward when you are stuck. AI is a tool and not something that doesn’t require your own input.
Beside using AI, asking someone to look over your resume is a great way to help improve it. You can ask someone in the field you are looking to join or a friend. Just make sure who you ask for advice has had to write a resume before.
Interview Skills
Another important aspect in helping you land your next career is preparing for an interview. This is something that your military experience may help you with. But it still will take a lot of work on your own part. When applying for jobs, see if you can find example job interview questions for either the role or from the company you are applying. For example, Amazon has an in-depth hiring process and expects candidates to know their sixteen leadership principles. When you go into an interview, you should learn all you can about the company that is hiring and work to prepare for questions they may ask and other things they expect you to know.
Lastly, practice. Practice a lot. You likely can’t guess all the questions that will come in the in-person interview. However, prepping by answering basic questions can help you have more confidence and can help you think of different situations from your career that could be examples when you are in the job interview. Getting an interview is a big step closer to getting the job offer, so take time to prepare for it.
Learn How to Negotiate a Salary
Another thing military members do not have to worry about while they are serving is what they are paid. It isn’t a negotiation. It is based on your rank and years of service. Many states have laws requiring the range of the job to be listed with the job listing. Know your value and what you should be paid. Don’t start the negotiation at the minimum amount you want to be paid. Instead give yourself space to move down to a lower number.
A negotiation is often a back-and-forth discussion. Just in the same way, you don’t have to say yes to the initial offer the company gives you. It can feel tempting to take whatever is offered. But remember this is a negotiation and not something that is a take it or leave it.
Utilize Your Network
Use tools like social platforms and ClearanceJobs to allow you to connect with others. Let people you know in your career field know that you are looking for a new job. You never know what telling someone that you are looking for a new job could lead to.
When you leave the military behind, life is different. You may have to say good bye to things that were once part of who you were. It doesn’t mean that you are not the same person but things also have to change. For example, your profile picture should not be in uniform. Know what job title you are looking for and put it in your byline so people will know what you are looking for. Make sure to start connecting with others in the field you want to work with. This can be reconnecting with past contacts or reaching out to new people that are working in a job you would like to be in.
Lastly, think about what you want. This can be hard for veterans. For so long in their life they have done what they are told and answering what do you want can be hard. Take time to think about what type of company you want to work for0. What salary do you need to make to afford your lifestyle? What do you want to do? Answering these questions can feel simple until you start to do the work to answer them.
