Here is a good article I found this morning that might be helpful to the veteran community; by a Navy officer, Ben Wheeler.
Transitioning Military Sell Your Talent Not Your Title
by Bob Wheeler
There’s a lot of PR going on right now around the topic of veteran hiring. Private organizations are picking up on the terrific talent pool coming out of the armed forces and many even have specific outreach programs designed to attract recently separated military personnel. Let’s be clear though, no one will hire us because we are veterans, they will hire us because we have something to offer their company.
If you’re still on active duty, look around your unit (if you’ve recently separated think back to your last one). Do you believe everyone in that group was equally talented? We as veteran job seekers can be quick to point out things like “NCO’s make great managers”, which is true. But can you really say that every NCO you worked for was great? Can you even say that all of them were even adequate? The same goes with every job and billet in the military. Not every Commanding Officer is an awesome leader. Not every Supply Officer can handle logistics in an exceptional manner. Not every technician is trusted to work on the most critical of equipment.
By definition, everyone in your unit is a veteran. But not all of them are talented.
In the military we focus on mission accomplishment for the unit, not necessarily the individual. This is why you may see a unit or staff function succeed even despite the obvious inadequacies of certain individuals. I’ve seen officers that would never survive without their subordinates going above and beyond their job description. I’ve also seen officers put in ungodly amounts of extra supervision (and sometimes even hands on work) to make the mission succeed because they were dealt a lousy hand in terms of NCO’s.
In order to succeed on the job market then, we need to ensure we sell our talents, not our titles. When recruiters are tasked with finding veteran talent, the word veteran is the adjective, not the noun.
The following are some tips on how to do just that.
1- Make sure your resume (and LinkedIn Profile) lists actual accomplishments, and understand that being responsible for something isn’t an accomplishment.
2- Learn about industries that you would like to work in after the military to understand what types of metrics they use to define success. Seek to put yourself in positions to do the same type of measurable work while still on active duty.
3- Keep steady and accurate documentation of your success. If the success metrics for the civilian world don’t exactly line up with the success metrics of your current billet in the military, so be it. Just keep parallel documentation. In the end, your performance evaluations can help you build a civilian resume, but they can’t replace it.
The ability to demonstrate our talents is critical to success on the job market. The best advice is to start early in your career to find ways to put yourself into positions to learn, grow, and ultimately perform, at the tasks valued by private organizations. It’s only when we demonstrate the talent that the adjective “Veteran” gets a chance to work it’s magic.
So what do you think? I hope this gives you some idea if you are struggling with your resume. I want to say even though he mentions "your title does not equal talent", I agree but do not confuse "title" with MOS or AFSC etc. Remember, there are many veterans working in HR for attractive companies that can identify with the specialty code and at least get your resume a look but if your achievements don't shine... you still might not be able to avoid resume wasteland. There are valuable resources at the installations for resume writing etc, use them. And save yourself a lot of headache.
Rashid Hill
Career Coach, Author, Speaker, Trainer
Happy to help!
Answers
Both. A resume isn't a one-stop get it done and then blast it out like it was 10+ years ago. I maintain one comprehensive resume that includes all the data I can think of about my past. I then take that, get some harsh critiques of it for both management and individual contributor (engineer in my case) versions. And I mean harsh. I've had people bleed (red line) all over it to make it crisp. In the words of Dale Carnegie - "brief and amazing". Then I've got two versions - I then will take the most appropriate and tailor that to the job description I am reading. Important!... I do not make stuff up, I simply make it so we are talking the same language. And remember this... the resume is only to get you an interview. It is not a biography. Keep it focused on that goal. Strip out anything that doesn't keep it brief and amazing. and then second, the interview is only to get an offer. Contrary to practice it is NOT to get all your questions answered. As much as the interviewer would like you to ask them all now, you can ask anything you want AFTER the offer. So, resume->get interview. Interview->get offer. Then when you have that offer - the playing field is open for you to ask anything else, negotiate anything else, etc. All the best and thanks for your service!
Spot on...great advise. I'd add, that companies are looking for how YOU can positively effect their bottom line, which is...getting problems solved, jobs done, saving them time and money and finding ways to streamline processes. Focus on a few specific results from what you did...how having you on a task, in a past job, as part of a team was a benefit because of what you brought or accomplished. It's a good idea to find out all you can about the company you are seeking a position with, what are their challenges, what is important to them....then tailor and phrase your skills with words to show how you can provide that to them. Keep it brief, just enough to pique their interest so they want to know more. And, it's true, your resume is just to get you the interview...from there you can elaborate on how you can help them be successful!
Titles are impressive but what you accomplished to receive the title is even more impressive. I suggest you design your resume around your accomplishments and then streamline it to the job requirements of the position you are applying for. Make sure you address all the key words that you see in the job description. Don't exagerate. Be specific. Also note the importance of your experience and knowledge and how it would be an asset to the company you are applying at.
You will have to make your resume fit the job you are going for. Look at the job requirements of the job you want and the qualifications that they are looking for.
what can you bring to the table to show your potential employer that you are the best canidate for job?
The more statements that you have in your resume that fall within the job requirements and description, the better your resume will look.
Tell me what YOU did and what the results were. Titles are great, but actions and results speak a lot louder.
Both - but spend much more time on talent. Some titles don't sound like much or are not descriptive. and I don't really care what your prior job title was. Tell me what your experience is. I would be hiring you for what you can do, not what some other company called you.
You should include your title but focus on your experience and relevant skills. A title doesn't describe what you have done or what you are being asked to do in a job.
Additionally, NEVER use the word "Responsibilities" to describe your past positions. All that denotes is what you "were supposed to be doing" on the job. It doesn't indicate what you actually did. Talk about what you achieved - as well as how you went above and beyond.
Always great contributions from the industry professionals. Thank you Suzanne for the great suggestions. Thank you Pam for giving us a new perspective on rank and titles in the work place. As mentioned, some companies don't use titles... that's interesting. I can imagine that does put your skills and performance at the forefront of each day.
Really great conversation here. Thank you all so much.
Rashid Hill
Happy to help!
Definitely focus on your talents, not your title. Some companies, like ours, don't even have titles. When we interview people we're looking for specific skills and experience. Highlight your greatest skill sets up front. Focusing on your skills will highlight your ability to fit into many different roles. Hope that helps.
Job titles vary from company to company so I don't put a lot of stock in them. You need to tailor your resume and discussions around the position(s) you are interested in, but my general rule is that experience matters most. Be sure you illustrate what you bring based on the job description - if they are looking for leadership qualities, find a way to bring those out, even if you're experience is more as a team member (ie: did you lead something, mentor someone new to the group, create a new process, etc.) Do you have unique experiences, talents, skills, interests? Find a way to introduce them. Best wishes and thank you for your service!
That's really bringing it all together Cindy. Veterans that are looking to transition and stand out from the crowd will certainly need to show how your leadership as part of a team or leader/project manager made the difference in the success of that project. Doing the research so the applicant will know what is important to the company. I think in sales this same concept would be defined as WIFM. No matter if you are a job seeker or the company this applies. The veteran has to make themselves "appealing" to the company in order to get noticed (via resume). The company evaluates "what's in it for me?" What value does this veteran bring to my company? In which determines if they want to explore this interest further or bring them in for an interview.
Thank you Cindy for your industry thoughts. Very helpful. Our veterans are very fortunate to have access to this platform.
Rashid Hill
Happy to help!
Truly great insight by all responders. Thank you for sharing your experience to help our fellow veterans in transition to the civilian sector.
Mike S, love that post. I agree that we must know what the job announcement is seeking so we can adjust our "KSAs" to compliment that. No false statements just prudent arrangement and formatting to pass the initial screening onto an interview. Because if you can't get more than one look you most likely will not have a chance at getting an offer.
Thanks Damin Kurk. Yes sir, the results are the focus.
Charles F, you are right on point. When writing a resume you must show what you can bring to the table for "that potential employer." I call it the intelligent resume.
And yes Dwight, we agree this is the best course of action.
Greatly appreciate the dialogue. With our dialogue we are sure to contribute to helping our veterans in the best way.
I welcome your experience.
So what would you say would be key in a resume(section or wording) to compel the potential employer to bring you in for an interview? Education, Skills, Certifications, Hobbies etc.
Thanks,
Rashid H
Happy to Help!
Sounds great Greg. Thanks for contributing.
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