Hi everyone,
I'm currently looking at separating from the Army in October (I'll be on 60 days of terminal leave before that). I have started some preliminary things to prepare for my transition such as applying to a local police force, as well as enrolling in Syracuse's VCTP, however, I'm having a very difficult time with the resume writing process. As part of their program you submit a resume during the application process, and after writing it I realized that it was a pile of garbage.
I have 11 years experience as a Combat Medic, from E-1 to E-5, from serving as a line medic in an infantry unit, to an assistant ncoic of a medical treatment facility but I have no clue how to translate those things into a focused resume. I know that Combat Medic's transfer into EMT-B's really easily but I feel that my leadership qualities are much better to highlight than my certifications. I've been responsible for million's of dollars of equipment, for up to 15-20 personnel at times, managing schedules, time-off, and even handling pay and pay problems for civilian employee's, but most of those things come from a very small % of my entire military work experience. I've also ran my own blood draw lab (not the testing though) as well as worked in several positions in an optometry clinic.
I feel that I would make a strong supervisor or manager in almost any field, but again have no clue how to separate those qualities from my actual experiences. Managing soldiers, supplies, and equipment is what I do. I can take a limited amount of resources and a small amount of time and accomplish great things, but pointing to daily things in the military where this is apparent is a daunting task.
I've even considered using a resume writing service tailored to veteran's online, but I'm so inept at the resume process that I have no clue which service's sample resume's look the best. I have no idea where to even start in reviewing the services, or what is worth the money. I don't really mind investing hundreds of dollars in something that can be a great influence on my future, however, I don't want to spend the money for nothing.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Answers
Sounds like you may be cover with everyone's help. If you do still need help email me at my last name at yahoo.com your resume it whatever form it is in and I will get it put together for you. I have done many transitional resumes with only a military MOS and covered it into a civilian resumes that gets the attention it deserves. Thank you for your service.
The two entries above are excellent. Here's another idea. Go to CareerBuilder.com. Using your background, do a job search based on your background. Many for your background will probably be similar. Use the ad text for your career goals, and pick 8-10 key words that are included in the ads that fit your background. Weave these into your resume as you design it, and you'll certainly turn up when the posting employers search through responses. If you want to discuss, feel free to contact me. My background is HR, and I know how the system works. I'll also be happy to help you with your resume.
You have received some excellent advice and recommendations. I would only add that your resume is the only thing an employer has that tells them who you are. It is extremely important that your resume be the best you can make it. A quality resume is priceless. You don't want the difference in receiving a follow-up call or interview invite to be because your resume lack quality behind someone else's.
I would be glad to take a look at your draft resume. Generally a straight chronological resume with title, what you did and then accomplishments after each job is the best technique. I am at jgreenwald@gilberttweed.com. The resume does not have to be one page.
I would be glad to take a look at your draft resume. Generally a straight chronological resume with title, what you did and then accomplishments after each job is the best technique. I am at jgreenwald@gilberttweed.com. The resume does not have to be one page.
First off, thank you for all the replies. I will try the resumeengine.org site first, so that you all have something to work with. Then I'll probably be contacting a few of you to help with the review. Thank you all so much in advance, I really do appreciate the time that you are all willing to devote to helping me.
Hi William,
My husband was also an E-5 when he separated from the Army after 13 years, and he dealt with similar frustrations in translating his military experience onto paper. We ended up sitting down for a couple of hours one night where he talked and I typed, because he could easily tell me what he did, and I have the HR background to be able to help him put it into a resume format. So the first thing I'll say is please feel free to email me if you'd like some help with your resume. I can review what you already have in place, or we can start from scratch: Stephanie.Arnold23@gmail.com
Second, I agree with others who have said that there are resume building websites available and individuals who are willing to lend their resumes to use as formatting/experience examples; I would recommend that you start with those tools first before shelling out hundreds of dollars on a resume writing service. They're mostly going to do what any of us here can do for free, anyways.
Another idea you can look into is contacting a local university/community college's Career Services department and see if they could help you with your resume. In the meantime, let me know how I can help!
Stephanie
William,
You have received some very good advice above. I would like to add a third process that you can use to take your resume and work it into something that is akin to what is done in the business world. There is a book out there called Winning the Job Race, Pathways through Transition. There are a couple of chapters that make a good "workshop" process to help you through the work. I would be willing to get you a copy of the book and work with you. If you are interested, contact me at krcallahan@alumni.nd.edu and we can make arrangements.
Regards,
Kevin
I'm a Sr. IT Security Analyst working for NASA at the Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island, VA.
William,
I would be more than willing to email you a copy of mine, that you can use as a template, if you wish, to assist you in the resume writing in preparations for your retirement. Congratulations, by the way, on a job well done.
I retire in November, but will be available for full-time employment beginning September 1st, and I'll be on 90-days terminal leave, plus 20-days house hunting, job hunting PTDY, and so I'm looking forward to the next chapter of my life.
Congrats,
Eric
William,
Check out resumeengine.org - it's a free service from Hiring our Heroes that allows you to plug in your rank, MOS, and service information and they'll generate a basic resume for you with bullets that match your experience, and make sense to the corporate world. Use this as a starting point.
From there, go back to your NCOERs and look at the leadership and other relevant bullets. Translate the acronyms and military jargon to civilian terms (e.g. "supervisor vs. "NCOIC"). Place your strongest bullets onto the pre-formatted resume from resumeengine.org.
Once you've done this, you'll have a decent foundation. From there reach out on this forum and other places to obtain as much feedback as possible from professionals, especially those in HR fields. I would also recommend finding someone who has worked in the field you want to apply to, who can help you identify who you are, what you're good at, what makes you tick, and how your experience solidifies those factors. Once you understand these things you'll have a better idea of the exact position you'd like to seek, and you can tailor your resume accordingly.
I'm not an advisor on here, but this should help get you started until someone more knowledgeable can offer more input.
Your Answer
Please log in to answer this question.