Crafting a resume can be a daunting task in itself, but creating one when you have to translate your military skills into their civilian equivalent can be even more difficult. When you are a spouse trying to put everything together for the (ex) service member it becomes complex, especially when you know very little about their day to day responsibilities, as in my case. This is by no means all-inclusive and does not cover every variable associated with each branch of service. I am simply relaying what has worked for us, with the examples presented geared toward the US Navy. Hopefully this series will give you some tips to help in creating an attractive resume and also some that are military specific, including job boards and resources for transitioning military.

Drafting a military to civilian resume can quickly overwhelm even the most savvy of writers. There are so many things to take into account, especially with the knowledge that you must make the best impression possible within the 10-15 seconds the employer will spend looking it over. Too much info in too little space can be thrown aside by the employer because of time constraints. Too little info can also be thrown aside because on the surface it may look like you have no experience or are unqualified. Where can you go if you need help?

There are many well written and easy to understand books on the market that will help you along your journey. There are even books geared towards military to civilian resumes. I have two recommendations if you are going this way. The first one is called “Military to Civilian Resumes and Letters.” Of all of the books that I have checked out geared towards military transition, this one is the best. It has good examples but may not be great for lower enlisted and those with only 1 tour. It is not my best recommendation but some of you may be looking for something along those lines.

My top recommendation is “Resume Magic.” This is the book that I use and have found extremely helpful. Sometimes it is easier to copy a format you like than try to come up with your own from scratch. This book has a lot of examples in every area that you can customize to fit your needs. It is written in a way that even the most inexperienced can understand with explanations and examples on every suggestion. It covers everything from gathering your information, choosing your format, writing properly, editing, cover letters and much more. I cannot recommend this book enough.

The Resume Magic Series also has a book about cover letters and if it is anything like it’s predecessor, it’s a handy book to have as well. There is an art to writing cover letters and they really are a very important part of your employment package, as we will cover later on. All of the books listed here are priced extremely well, especially for the quality you receive.

Books are great but let’s not forget our friendly neighborhood FSC! Your Family Service Center offers many options to help you in the process of writing a resume for the servicemember and the spouse. There are classes you can take, you can use their computers and software, and you can make an appointment with a specialist to help you through the process or any roadblocks you may encounter. They won’t do the writing for you but they will help you every step of the way. They will even look over your completed resume and offer constructive criticism. I used this option along with my Resume Magic book and my own judgment. The fact is, these people are not all professional (or ex) resume writers. They are not hired to work with resumes all day. They are office workers who also help out in this area who may or may not have received some training in this area. If you find someone here who really sounds like they know what they are talking about, work with them only when you need help. It also bears mentioning that if you do go for help, try and stick with the same person anyway. Different people have different views on what makes good copy. I have read many times from ‘experts’ that you should keep your resume to one page at all costs. Yet I have a friend who works for her state and has hired for years who says that it is a ridiculous goal. While you don’t want to send out packets unless specifically requested, a two page resume is ideal.

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not include the fact that there are also professional resume writers in every nook and cranny of the country. There are also national websites that will do the work for you, but I have no experience with them. I would highly recommend working with someone local that you could actually meet and talk with. Don’t be afraid to ask for references and examples of their work. You are spending your money on their services so take the time to make sure their work is of acceptable quality. Write down your list of questions so that you don’t forget anything. Make sure you are very clear as to what you are expecting and ask them to be very clear on what they will deliver. Clear a time frame with them and ask about rewrites, how many the price includes and if you will be charged for extra. Does the resume include a reference sheet, is it limited to one page and do they allow for free updating during a specified period of time, such as 6 months? Will you receive printed copies only or will you also receive the computer file? If so, in what format? There are a lot of things to take into account but if you treat it with common sense, like any other service you are researching, you should be fine.