Photo By Col. Cindi King | U.S. Soldiers in the 132nd Military Police and 124th Engineers, S.C. Army National...... read more read more
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Transitioning from Army active duty can be an overwhelming process for Soldiers. Before applying to a civilian job, Soldiers must have pinpointed the type of career they are looking for, researched various organizations, networked with targeted companies, attended job fairs, gone to the Soldier for Life - Transition Assistance Program (SFL-TAP), and prepared tailored resumes for job applications.
The resume is the foundation of a job search. It lists a transitioning Soldier's qualified skills, job experience, measurements of success, and education levels. Every company will require the submission of a resume during a job search, but every resume is different.
There are several resources that teach job seekers how to write a resume, the best practices, and modern trends, including SFL-TAP. However, it's easy to compare several articles and resume critiques across the board and see that they all give slightly different advice.
Some say to list a home address, others say to only list a major city within commuting distance, others recommend leaving a location off altogether, as it's a way for a hiring managers to discard a resume due to relocation pay. Which advice does a job seeker take?
Every hiring manager has a slightly different idea of how a resume should look. Every college, course, workshop, and article states slightly different tips and tricks. Yet all tell readers and attendees that this style is the perfect way to find a job.
So what's the truth? The truth is that resume critiquing and writing is subjective. While there is a common understanding and foundation to creating resumes, the final product can range by industry, position, skill-sets, and the writer. No resume is perfect.
The reality of resume writing for transitioning Soldiers is that while the Army can send a Soldier to basic training to teach them how to be a Soldier and then they become one, resume writing and the transition process is much different.
The Army cannot get a transitioning Soldier the job or give them a fill-in-the blank template resume to do so.
The Soldier must get themselves the job.
It is up to the transitioning Soldier to learn the foundational form for their resume, get opinions from their SFL-TAP counselor, ask civilian friends for their suggestions, and reach out to several recruiters for improvement recommendations. Then, Soldiers should take back ownership of the product, as a resume is always a work in progress - a living, breathing product that is constantly updated.
At the end of the day, the resume represents the transitioning Soldier, their goals, and their future.
So how does a transitioning Soldier get a job with an "almost-perfect" resume?
A recent LinkedIn report stated that networking is the number one way to find a new career. Transitioning Soldiers need to put in the time to network with company leaders, hiring managers, recruiters, family, friends, old coworkers, current coworkers, and many others.
The secret to the job hunt is that many job openings never make it to an online job board, but instead are filled from the inside based on connections.
Not finding success with a resume? First, determine that there are no errors or foundational resume problems and that the jobs being applied for are within the job seeker’s qualifications. Next, ensure the resume is specifically tailored to each position.
Then, it's time to put personal skills to work. Attend networking events, job fairs, hiring events, after-work professional groups, contact a veteran mentorship organization, utilize social media, and set up discovery phone calls with targeted companies.
While a resume can get a job seeker an interview, it's usually because a contact had a way to get it through the door. Starting the resume and networking process early is important in order to take full advantage of all resources available and to put in the time to build a personal brand and network. SFL-TAP authorizes Soldiers to start the program 18 months prior to transition or 24 months prior for retirees.
Ready to be the next veteran success story? Start a foundation for success at a local SFL-TAP Center. Visit www.sfl-tap.army.mil to learn more or find us online on Facebook (Soldier for Life - Transition Assistance Program), Twitter (@SFLTAP), and LinkedIn (Soldier for Life - Transition Assistance Program Connection Group).
| Date Taken: | 06.07.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 06.07.2017 13:05 |
| Story ID: | 236704 |
| Location: | FORT KNOX, KENTUCKY, US |
| Web Views: | 139 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, No Resume is Perfect and How to Get the Job Anyway, by Jenny Hale, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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