Ronald Carvalho ⋅ Avon By The Sea, NJ Marketing Resource International ⋅ 40 years experience

Erik,
There are job skills and there is knowledge of a specific industry. If an employer does not have the fortitude to teach someone the characteristics of an industry, experience in and/or knowledge of those characteristics are important. Do your homework and speak with people in that industry so you can convey to a prospective employer that you do understand industry characteristics and do not need a long learning curve to get up to speed. Use your military experience to segue to the most important characteristics of the industry in question.

Georgia L Mitchell ⋅ Lake Mary, FL Blue Buffalo ⋅ 20 years experience

It depends on the type of industry and the experience. If you are interested in manufacturing and logistics, there's a good chance that related military experience would apply -- especially now that unemployment is below 5% in many parts of the country.

Consider adding bullet points to your cover letter that highlight how your experience applies to the new role. A well written cover letter can put you ahead of others who also have related experience. Good luck!

Liz Campanelli ⋅ East Brunswick, NJ Johnson & Johnson ⋅ 25 years experience

Hello Coby!
Many thanks for your service especially on this Veteran's Day!

To answer your question, my very best guess is that you HAVE transferrable skills!
In addition, your military skills will need to be translated to civilian skills. This combination, is what gets you the interview you want. I will be happy to review your resume and one or two specific job descriptions that you are interest in. I would tailor a cover letter for those jobs that will get you the attention you need in that specific role you want to apply for.
I hope this helps!

Regards,

Liz Campanelli
lizcampanelli55@gmail.com

Coby Kutcher ⋅ New York, NY ⋅ 6 years experience

Industry specific time requirements could be flexible and should not deter you from applying. You should tailor your resume for each job application. Try to highlight experience that shows skills that are transfereable and relevant to the job for which you are applying. If you get the interview, and you are asked about specific experience, you should say "no, but I have done x, y, and z, and this qualifies me because..". And make sure to think of examples that show you are a quick learner and a self-starter. If you can demonstrate those skills, a company might be more likely to forgive specific time requirements.

Darlene Casstevens ⋅ Oxford, NC Liberty University ⋅ 13 years experience

I am not sure but my husband is a veteran and honestly, I think he would tell you that most employers count a proven, quantifiable military track record of success equal to if not more impressive than 5 years spent in industry. However, if you are applying for a job that specifically is looking for logistics experience, you could be less likely to be chosen for that job if someone with the specific experience they are looking for applies for the same job. If you really want to go into that field and you don't get the job, maybe consider attending a degree program in Supply Chain Management. Of course, all of this is just my personal opinion. I hope this helps!