Creating a resume would be the first step for any person recently separated from the military and are seeking a civilian job. Stephen Varanko III mentions that even if the military experience of a person does not directly translate to a civilian role, a number of transferable military skills can be added to their resume. Stephen currently works at Bradley-Morris, Inc. as a recruiting manager, and focuses on connecting top military veterans with premier employers across the country. This is the largest military-focused recruiting firm in the U.S., and is known to expertly match candidates who are leaving the military with the leading job opportunities.
People who join the military have to go through rigorous and valuable training that not also augments their physical capabilities, but also provides them with a host of qualities that are highly in demand in the modern job market. Stephen Varanko III mentions that following their discharge from the service, veterans can include these transferable military skills in their resumes when applying for jobs, in order to enhance their employability.
Military personnel learn a number of soft and technical skills that help them to work seamlessly both independently, and as a part of a team. The majority of the skills learned during active duty tend to appeal to employers looking for candidates with a strong work ethic. Here are a few of those skills as underlined by Stephen Varanko III:
- Communication: Communicating with team members to complete missions and objectives is common for most military personnel. These communication skills translate well in almost any civilian job setting. Great communication skills also help people to be more productive in company meetings, facilitate goal settings and help resolve conflicts. Communication involves both active listening and talking, which subsequently helps people to build a good rapport with their coworkers, clients and managers with ease.
- Planning: Individuals with a military background are quite habituated to extensive preparation and planning, and are experienced in following through with plans that increase their chances of achieving the desired outcome. This is the reason why employers value veterans who know how to both set and achieve goals, and demonstrate proficient planning skills. These individuals are more likely to get promoted to management positions much easier become of their competent planning skills:
- Flexibility: Military training goes a long way in teaching people how to handle change, and smoothly adapt to new situations. One can use their flexibility to adapt to changing work environments while staying consistently productive. Flexibility can also help people to work well with their co-workers who might have varied opinions and work methods. Moreover, in the modern dynamic marketplace, a number of employers actively seek out flexible employers who have the capability to multitask, and earn new responsibilities with ease.
Other transferable skills that veterans may have are leadership, integrity, dedication and problem-solving.