| When military personnel prepare to separate from | | | | make you an attractive prospect? Try to |
| the service in search of a civilian career, it is a | | | | understand what he is looking for, and be sure |
| dramatic shift from one world to another. Not | | | | your résumé presents it. |
| only for you, but also for any prospective | | | | A well-written cover letter will greatly expand the |
| employer. So it is important that you translate | | | | power of your résumé. By its |
| your experience in a way that's thorough and | | | | very nature, your résumé is your |
| precise, yet understandable. | | | | work history, but your cover letter enables you |
| Your résumé needs lots of | | | | to address the specific needs of a particular |
| detailed information about your military | | | | position in which you are interested. If you have a |
| responsibilities. Remember, the reader is | | | | newspaper ad or an Internet post which details |
| wondering how what you did for the USAF | | | | what an employer is seeking, you can tailor your |
| compares to what he needs done now. Tell him, | | | | approach precisely. For instance, if the job |
| and be specific. Be sure not to sprinkle your | | | | requires problem-solving expertise, your letter can |
| résumé with military acronyms. | | | | include a short paragraph that shows how you |
| This is just like a foreign language to a civilian, so | | | | handled a tough problem and reached a satisfying |
| don't assume he will understand what is second | | | | solution. This, of course, might vary from one job |
| nature to you. | | | | description to another, but the dynamic flexibility |
| When you explain your various roles, don't merely | | | | of the cover letter makes it a valuable tool for |
| list your duties. Be certain that you highlight | | | | this very reason. |
| genuine accomplishments. What you were | | | | An objective statement is important, but be |
| expected to do is important, but how well you | | | | certain that it is clear. Are you shooting for an |
| performed is critical. Any employer will hire you | | | | entry-level position, or something higher? Is it so |
| for only one reason; i.e., he is convinced that you | | | | job-specific that it rules out other possibilities? You |
| get the job done. So you want to saturate your | | | | do well to keep the focus of the objective upon |
| résumé with evidence that you | | | | the reader and not upon yourself; i.e., tell him |
| are results-driven. | | | | what you can do for him and don't emphasize |
| A personal profile or qualifications summary is | | | | what you want him to do for you. Strengthen |
| good, but make it strong. Tell vital information | | | | your objective by stating that the experience and |
| both about your experience and your personal | | | | skills you bring an employer have been shaped |
| qualities that make your performance top notch. | | | | and sharpened by your years of duty in the |
| On average, the first yes-or-no decision about | | | | military and possibly the reserves. |
| you is made after only 15 or 20 seconds with | | | | Your military background and expertise can enrich |
| your résumé. That's not much | | | | your experience and make you stand out as a |
| time, so make the strongest statements possible | | | | valuable potential resource for an employer. Just |
| in your profile, and you compel the reader to | | | | be sure that your résumé doesn't |
| move on to your entire résumé. | | | | cause your real value to be lost behind obscure |
| Read your résumé from the | | | | and vague language, and your transition should be |
| viewpoint of the employer. What information does | | | | smooth and successful. |
| he need to see, and how much of it, in order to | | | | |