Resume Advice from our Veteran and Military Spouse Resume Workshop

To give back to our local veterans and military spouses during Military Appreciation Month, Renewal by Andersen of Central Virginia hosted a resume workshop at the Better Business Bureau, led by our Talent Acquisition Manager, Thomas Wiley. Designed to provide support during a transitional period, this workshop detailed veteran resume tips and best practices with a specific focus on obstacles faced by veterans and military spouses when applying for jobs in the civilian workforce. As a former U.S. Marine himself, Thomas understands the unique challenges that veterans and their spouses face when transitioning back into civilian life.

“Speaking from experience, I know it can be tough to get civilian employers to understand the terminology that the military would use to describe your experience,” Thomas shared during the workshop. “But civilian employers do value your skills!”

Thomas advises veterans to tailor their resumes to their audience and to their goals. Many of the following tips can benefit military spouses as well as veterans!

6 Essential Resume Tips for Veterans and Military Spouses

1. Knowing your audience.

When applying for a new job, adjust the wording on your resume to include specific language from the job description.

2. Focusing on relevance, not rank.

Civilian employers may not understand the significance of your rank. Detailing your specific skills that relate to the prospective job is the best way to illustrate that you are a qualified candidate.

3. Quantifying achievements.

Include numbers when describing your experience and accomplishments. This could include the number of people who reported to you or the number of times you were awarded in a specific area.

4. Reducing military jargon.

Avoid military-specific acronyms and other terms that a civilian hiring manager may not understand. Opt instead for more widely understood terms such as “supervisor” over military-specific terms like “sergeant.”

5. Tailoring your resume format to your goals.

When selecting between a functional, chronological, or hybrid resume format, consider both your work history and the role you are pursuing. If the role you are pursuing diverges from roles you have held in the past, use a functional resume format to emphasize your skill sets rather than past titles. If you plan to stay in a similar line of work, use a chronological resume format to showcase your career growth in your chosen field. A hybrid resume format works best for showcasing a variety of work experience, such as both military and civilian roles.

6. Using A.I. to your advantage.

Use A.I. to find key words in job descriptions and refine your resume to include them.

Watch Thomas break down his resume advice for veterans in more detail below.

Military spouses, as well as some veterans, often face the additional challenge of gaps in their resumes. Thomas recommends explaining gaps in a cover letter and including any steps taken to stay current in your career field during that time.

Watch Thomas discuss resume gaps

Ultimately, Thomas recommends patience and resilience during your job search and staying focused on your goal.

“Your time will come,” Thomas said in closing. “If you stay resilient, and you put all these tips and these tools and these recommendations into practice toward your new position, you will be successful.”

Ready for a new career? View all open positions here and apply online or send your resume to ta@richmondwindow.com.