Using Numbers on a Resume to Effectively Translate Military Experience

Photo By Spc. Michael Gault | As a chaplain assistant in the U.S. Army Reserve, Brandon K. Bassett, from Lindon, Utah, personifies the idea of “Twice the Citizen.” One weekend a month, Bassett attends battle training assembly with the 191st Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, Fort Douglas, Utah, supporting soldiers as a member of the Unit Ministry Team. When he is not serving his country, Bassett works for a publishing company that produces classroom curriculum materials used to educate elementary students. In addition, the military benefits he receives as a member of the Army Reserve allows Bassett to study computer science at a local university.  

FORT KNOX, KY, UNITED STATES

09.28.2017

Story by Jenny Hale 

U.S. Army Human Resources Command

-By Jenny Hale and Julia Park

Throughout military service, Soldiers work with people in various locations, overcome problems, ensure deadlines are met, and that mission tasks are accomplished. These are just a few things that make a military career successful and these are skills that are transferable to the civilian sector.

Transitioning Soldiers should include this information on their civilian resume and expand on their experience during the interview process. While the interviewer doesn’t need to hear every detail starting from the day a Soldier departs on the bus for basic training, they do want to learn examples of how they have shown teamwork, responsibility, integrity, and other qualities.

Companies looking for new employees want to learn specifics. This is especially true for resumes. Job seekers should expand on generic statements. For instance, instead of stating an award was received, explain why the award was earned with qualifying data and performance metrics. For example, a Soldier could state that they exceeded retention goals for four consecutive quarters for a particular year and surpassed the unit’s reenlistment goals, resulting in the unit receiving a commendable rating during inspection. It is always a good idea to use percentages and numbers where applicable.

If a Soldier is interested in working for a trucking company, employers may prefer to see skills on the resume that include the number of miles driven accident-free, the number of team members supervised, the percentage of on-time missions, and other key indicators of success.

Consider these translated military tasks below and how successful experience can be conveyed by the addition of numbers.

-Effectively managed marketing and communications campaigns in support of recruiting [insert number] personnel annually.

-Managed a $[insert amount] annual budget effectively, reducing excess spending waste and saving $[insert amount] per year.

-Supervised [insert number] team members over the course of [time period].

-Managed daily utilization of over $[amount] worth of equipment. Equipment was maintained, cleaned, and stored properly.

-Developed and published professional guidelines for conducting safe and efficient military training exercises. The guidelines became standardized and used by all teams, consisting of [amount] personnel.

To learn more about how to translate military experience to a civilian resume, visit a local SFL-TAP Center. Transitioning Soldiers are encouraged to start SFL-TAP 18 months prior to transition or 24 months prior to retirement. SFL-TAP locations and information can be found at www.sfl-tap.army.mil or by contacting a local SFL-TAP Center.

• Date Taken: 09.28.2017
• Date Posted: 09.28.2017 07:08
• Story ID: 249877
• Location: FORT KNOX, KY, US