Sharon Rau ⋅ Bronx, NY IBM ⋅ 4 years experience

Hi Rebecca,

Maybe an unconventional answer, but employers love qualities such as attention to detail, organization, and focus. In all of my interviews, I would being a notepad, take notes, and ask the hiring manager / interviewer to elaborate on a topic or two. I generally write everything down, but this actually displays the qualities that you have instead of just writing it on a resume. Every job offer I received after the fact always brought up my note taking. On top of the qualities I mentioned, it just displays interest and care, which ultimately every employer needs to maintain an employee in that job. Hope this helps, and good luck!

Jerry Welsh ⋅ Middleville, MI Master Military Transition Advisor/HPS GPO ⋅ 30 years experience

Rebecca,
All great answers, The key to your successful transition will be to learn your new career. Without narrowing down to a career, it will be your job to match the skills you use in HR now that would apply to forensic accounting(if that is your career). 1) look into Skillbridge or work with your university for an internship.(I conducted many workshops in Minot, so know the local networking is difficult, but now with COVID most contact is done via phone and virtual format). 2) start conducting Informational Interviews, with professions in your career. Look up the process of Informational Interviewing, it is requesting information about your career, NOT seeking a job. You will find a lot of open doors to someone willing to help via a 20 minute Zoom informational interview about providing you information about forensic accounting and helping a veteran that you will asking for a job! 3) Set up your profile on LinkedIn, seeking internships or information, but narrow it to your career. I am sending a couple of articles might help in career research and profile creation. Also a couple of very to the point profiles. I would also suggest you hook up with American Corporate Partners and get a mentor, this will be a great move. Thank you for your service, especially in "why not Minot". God Bless.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/come-prepared-transition-process-gap-between-civilian-jerry-welsh/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/when-more-right-jerry-welsh/
Good examples of “to the point” profiles are Mark Broc, PMP, SSGB, CSM and Jack Eisenhauer, Global Supply Chain. All have had long careers, but emphasized experiences and accomplishments that offer examples of the career they are searching for.

Tim Feemster ⋅ Dallas, TX Foremost Quality Logistics ⋅ 40 years experience

Recruiters are always looking for skills related to leadership/supervision, team building, critical thinking, quality control, and prioritizing action steps. Think of how you led your squad/team/platoon, made critical strategy decisions in combat situations. What about your role in making sure that aircraft on the carrier flight deck were totally ready for launch (quality control and critical timing of decisions)? There are many elements even of a military command office that mirror those of a civilian office that should be showcased with stories during an interview. Remember your resume is designed to get you the interview. Your interview is the place for you to show how your actions executing your duties are comparable to ones you would expect to do in the job you are seeking. Make sure you bring in the thoughts that while you might have been in "battle" where your team makes the correct course of action succeed, you can use those skills to make your civilian teams make correct courses of action as well.

Carly Jones ⋅ Boulder, CO Lockheed Martin ⋅ 14 years experience

Absolutely Rebecca. Having worked with plenty veterans now, I find it fascinating when folks pull from their military experiences to answer questions related to our industry, our group, and the specific team for which we're interviewing. If a military example/experience is applied to a question, it shows which skills are transferrable across fields and how best we can leverage such experience in your new environment.

Sterling Hawkins ⋅ Atlanta, GA Learfield IMG College ⋅ 18 years experience

Hi, Rebecca. While the specific traits and other factors sought by employers vary depending on the company, the role, and the management, there are some common traits that separate candidates. These include initiative, dedication, pride in one's work, and intellectual curiosity.

However, in addition to these general traits, having experience and skills reltive to the role sought is also critical.