7 ways a veteran can supercharge their résumé

7 ways a veteran can supercharge their résumé


Play all audios:


PRO TIP: Do this whether the role you’re seeking is in the government or the private sector. It speaks volumes. 5. LESS IS MORE “Your résumé should be more of a list of highlights, not three


pages listing every detail from every role you have ever held,” says Lana Peters, vice president of the Americas at HiBob. Amplify the most important skills and experiences you already


possess as they relate to the importance of the prospective job so it’s apparent to the hiring manager that you’re a slam dunk for the position. Peters adds, “If it’s a leadership role,


highlight your leadership and team-building experience. Want to work in an office role where detail is king? Highlight your organizational experience.” PRO TIP: You are used to filtering out


the minutiae and focusing on what’s important. Do this in your résumé. 6. SHOWCASE UPSKILLING AND ADAPTABILITY Employers need to know that candidates have the ability to learn and the


capability to upskill — to elevate their current skills to the next level. Veterans already have the agility to pivot, adapt, learn and grow. So supercharge your résumé by highlighting


experiences that illustrate these points. Gary Pearcy, vice president, payment operations at DailyPay and a U.S. Army veteran and aviation officer, says, “Veterans have the proven ability to


learn new skills and concepts. In addition, they can enter your workforce with identifiable and transferable skills, proven in real-world situations.” PRO TIP: Think of these experiences


and the skills they show as talking points for interviews. 7. LEAN INTO KEYWORDS Veterans can boost their chances of standing out by including keywords on their résumé that make it easier to


get discovered by recruiters for jobs they haven’t even applied for yet. So highlight transferable skills that will likely be searched for. PRO TIP: Don’t be discouraged if you don’t land


an interview. You may well have sown the seeds for success further down the line. _Vicki Salemi is a nationally recognized career expert, author and speaker who writes a nationally


syndicated column, “Vicki on Careers,” for Tribune. She previously worked in corporate HR and recruiting. Her work has appeared in _The Chicago Tribune_, _Forbes_, _BBC.com_, the _New York


Post_ and dozens of other publications._ _You can _subscribe here_ to _AARP Veteran Report_, a free e-newsletter published every two weeks. If you have feedback or a story idea then please 


_contact us here_._