Your Employment Matters: Job Search Advice and TIPS for Veterans (Part IV)*

TIP: Use your marketing pitch from Part I to draft your cover letter.

The material in your marketing pitch can be edited for use in your cover letter,
resume and thank you notes/letters. Every communication in connection with your search should reinforce your core marketing pitch.

Resumes:  Your resume is your calling card. The objective is to get you an interview.  http://www.wendyenelow.com/articles/?page_id=22

TIP:  Translate your military experience into language that is understandable by civilian HR and hiring managers.

Communication is an essential job search skill.  Unlike English-speaking civilians who are looking for employment, veterans have to translate their military skills, experience and training to communicate to human resource and hiring
managers that they meet the job requirements.   The following links will help you “de-jargon” or reword military terms and better communicate the experience, skills and character you bring to the employer and the value your service and background  adds to an organization.  

https://www.usaa.com/inet/pages/usaamag_job_front; 
http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs/skills-translator/.

“Employing America’s Veterans Perspectives from Businesses 2012”[1] p. 23.C. www.cnas.org/files/documents/publications/CNAS 

TIP:  Resumes must be complete, concise, accurate, neat and easy to read.

All of your contact information should appear at the top of your resume and should include: your name, home address, home phone number, cell phone number and e-mail address.  You want to make it easy for the reader to contact you. 

Use an easy-to-read font such as Times New Roman.  A bullet format is usually best because it is easy to read and it is usually preferred by recruiters.

Your resume should, to the extent you can,

• Be limited to one page, highlighting your employment experience and education.
• Start with your most recent job, and
• Include a brief description of your responsibilities and achievements. 

At the bottom of your resume make sure to list

• Not only your education and date of graduation, but
• Any awards you have received or volunteer work you have performed or are currently performing.  
  • Firms particularly like to see that candidates have participated in some sort of volunteer work.

List all your computer skills because it’s one of the first things prospective employers want to know. Interviewers usually look for that information at the bottom of the resume.

When completing resumes and employment applications, it’s important to pay attention to every detail. 

• Dates are very important so don’t guess about them if you can avoid it. 
• If necessary for the sake of accuracy, look for documents that will help you
  reconstruct your prior employment history, addresses and educational
  information. 
• Never include inaccurate information on your resume. 
• If you are unsure of a date, name or address indicate your uncertainty by using “approximately” or “approx.” on your resume or employment application.

If you need two pages because you can’t reasonably include all of your employers, education and other relevant information, then use two pages.  You must avoid anything that may indicate that you have not provided complete and accurate
information.

TIP:   Your resume should contain key words and phrases that will help identify you as a potential candidate.

Computer-generated database searches focus on key words and phrases found in job descriptions and in management theories and concepts for more experienced candidates.  Accordingly, your resume should contain the words and phrases in the job description of the position for which you apply. 

For example, if the description says that the employer is looking for a candidate who can be a “strategic partner” or someone with a “proven track record,” “analytic capability,” or “leadership skills,” these phrases should be used to describe you either through the jobs you held previously or because of non-work-related activities and your description of your personal interests. 

Be prepared to tailor your resume to each different job description. As you progress with your job search, depending on the position you are applying for you may find that you will need to create numerous versions of your resume to emphasize different skills and experiences.  

Be sure that your resume is accurate and always proofread before you submit it. 
Resumes must be well organized, neat with no typograghical errors.  Ideally, someone other than you should proofread your resume before you distribute it.

*Martha Sloane, Principal, MARTHA SLOANE CONSULTANTS, LTD. contributed to this post.

Thanks to Dansby White of Maplewood, NJ for his contribution.

[1] By Margaret C. Harrell and Nancy
Berglass