Tips for Translating Military to Civilian Job Titles?

If I join the military, how would I translate my military job title into something a civilian employer would understand? Are there resources or tips on how to make my military experience resonate with potential employers?

Absolutely, translating your military job titles into terms that civilian employers can understand is a crucial step in your job search process after military service. Here are a few tips to help you with this:

1. Avoid Military Jargon: It's important to remove all military-specific acronyms, codes, ranks, and terminology from your resume. This wouldn't resonate with civilian hiring managers as much, as they might not understand the military lingo.

2. Focus on Soft Skills: Highlight the skills that civilians look for. Leadership, teamwork, organization, and problem-solving are all highly desirable skills in the civilian world that you likely have experience with from your time in the military.

3. Use Online Tools: There are online tools, such as the ONet Military Crosswalk, that can help you identify civilian jobs that align with the skills and experiences you gained in the military. Appily is another great resource that converts military skills into civilian counterparts, which you can utilize on your resume or in a job search.

4. Highlight Your Accomplishments: It's essential to not only translate your titles and roles, but also your achievements. For example, if you supervised a team of individuals, elaborate on what duties you had and accomplishments you achieved.

5. Seek Assistance: If you're having trouble with translation, don't hesitate to seek help. Career counselors, military transition centers, and veterans' networks often provide assistance with these kinds of issues.

Remember, the goal is to make your experience easily relatable and understandable to a hiring manager who may not have a military background. By doing so, you can bring attention to the valuable skills you've gained through military service.