A man sitting at office desk in front of laptop hold mobile phone make pleasant business or informal call.

Many of the duties you performed in the service have a civilian counterpart in business and industry, including here at Travelers. Still, the job search process can be challenging. That’s why we want to help you along the way, with practical resume and interview advice that can make your transition from the military easier and more successful.

YOUR RESUME:  Making a good first impression.

The goal of your resume is to obtain an interview. It should give potential employers an overview of your background, while highlighting your accomplishments. You want to stand out among your peers. At a minimum, your resume should include your professional experience in a themed or chronological order, as well as your education, achievements and volunteer interests.

GENERAL RULES

• Keep your resume recent and relevant.
• Limit your resume to one or two pages in length.
• Make it concise and easy to read.
• Use bullet points instead of paragraphs.
• Check for and fix spelling, grammar and punctuation errors.
• Include the URL to your LinkedIn profile (if applicable).
• Do not include personal data or photos.
• Use an identifiable file name (First.Last.docx or First initial.Last.docx).

MILITARY-SPECIFIC RESUME TIPS

• Avoid military jargon, as the majority of people will not understand.
• Explain job titles in civilian language. For example: Platoon Sergeant (Team Lead).
• Refer to your transition as a “separation from the service.”
• Use numbers to quantify your experience (size of platoon, dollars managed, value of equipment, etc.).
• Focus on transferrable skills such as leadership, teamwork, problem-solving, attention to detail, process and procedures, and situational awareness.
• Military spouses should identify as such, in order to explain job and location moves.

YOUR INTERVIEW: Getting the job.

Your resume is your chance to make a good first impression. But, the interview is where the job is won!

BEFORE THE INTERVIEW

• Research the company on their website and career pages.
• Do an online search for recent company and industry news.
• See how the company performs in their industry and against competitors.
• Prepare a list of questions to ask during the interview.
• Reflect on your greatest strengths and be prepared to discuss them.
• Practice – do mock interviews.

INTERVIEW DAY

• Dress appropriately for the company and job you are seeking.
• Use military time. Arrive 15 minutes early.
• Treat everyone you meet like they are the Commanding Officer.
• Give a strong handshake, smile, and maintain good eye contact.
• Sit comfortably without distractions. Avoid fidgeting or otherwise appearing nervous.
• De-militarize your skills/experiences and offer explanations of military terms.
• Many companies do first-round phone screens; they are an interview so take them seriously.

PHASES OF AN INTERVIEW

This is your chance to set the tone with a sort, interesting introduction.

Tell Me about Yourself

• This is your chance to share your story with a short, but interesting introduction:

“I grew up in ___. I decided to join the [military branch] because____. I had a great experience including___, and learned ___, ___ and ____. That brings me here today to learn more about [company] and your opportunity for [position].”

Question and Answer

• Be prepared for open-ended, behavioral questions about your previous experiences (“tell me a time when…” or “give me an example about…”).
• Give specific answers about your past experience by using the STAR technique: S – Situation/ T – Task/ A – Action/ R – Result.
• Pay attention to non-verbal cues and occasionally ask if your answer was detailed enough, or perhaps too detailed.
• Ask questions based on your research about the company and current industry events.
• Ask about the expectations of the position. For example: “Can you describe what success looks like for someone taking this position?”

The Wrap-Up

• Develop a quick elevator speech to wrap up your key points:

“Based on my visit and discussions today, I am very interested in joining [company]. I believe my ___, ___, and ___ skills position me well to both learn from and contribute to the success of the organization. Is there anything more that I can tell you about my experience, or are there areas where you feel I am lacking?”

• Ask the interviewer about next steps and thank them for their time.
• Be sure to ask for a business card and send a thank you email promptly after the interview.

Chances are, interviews and boards that you have participated in throughout your military care have adequately prepared you to take on an interview in the civilian corporate world. Still, it’s always helpful to have a toolkit for reference.  For additional interview tips, read our post about Behavioral Interviewing.

An in-person interview can be a critical step in the hiring process and can help a recruiter or hiring manager determine whether a job candidate fits the organizational safety culture and core safety values of your company. Studies have shown that behavioral interviewing1 can be an effective interviewing technique and can help the interviewer understand more about how a candidate might act when faced with a workplace concern or safety issue.

The premise behind behavioral interviewing is that a person’s past behavior can more accurately predict future performance in similar situations. By asking a job candidate how they performed in specific real-life settings, you’ll gain a better idea of how that person may behave if they work at your company. By considering a candidate’s propensity to adopt safe workplace practices, business owners can gain insight into how they will embrace the company’s safety culture.

Sources:
1 Predictive Validity of a Behavioral Interview Technique; Oliphant, Hansen and Oliphant; Marketing Management Journal, Fall 2008.

Career fairs can be somewhat overwhelming. From ensuring that your resume is up-to-date to perfecting your elevator pitch, there are many details to consider. However, jobseekers must remember, employers are also there to promote their best selves. The pressure is certainly not one-sided. When it comes to preparing, members of our University Relations recruitment team – Janixia Reyes, Alicia Hitchcock, and Jamie Roshka – shared three essential tips to consider:

Research the Companies Attending

Traditionally, career fairs will publish a list of employers attending the event in advance. Utilize this information to select and prioritize the companies you wish to connect with. Research those companies online, utilizing their company and career websites and social media channels. Collect general information about the company, their core values and mission statement as well as recent news about the company and any available job openings.

“Having conducted research before speaking to representatives from a company will make you stand out as someone who has taken the time to learn more,” said Reyes, “It will also help you curate your questions to maximize the time you have with the representatives behind the table.”

Practice Your Pitch

You won’t get much time with one person or company, so it is important to make a good impression quickly. Have your pitch ready to summarize your skills and experience in a concise and memorable manner.

“Think of this as a personal commercial,” said Hitchcock, “Your pitch should grab the employer’s attention, keep it, and give them cause to recall it later.”

Take the time to thoughtfully craft your pitch and practice it for length and efficiency. Having it committed to memory will bring confidence and enthusiasm to your delivery.

Hitchcock added, “Be sure that your pitch is genuine and rehearsed so that you can speak calmly and effectively about the subject you know best – you.”

Articulate Your Ambitions

“Effectively communicating your objectives gives the recruiter insight into whether you’d be a fit for their organization,” said Roshka, “It also helps them assess what role or job would work best for you.”

If you aren’t sure what your specific career goals are yet, focus on your skill set and apply it to the company you are speaking with.

“If you don’t know yet what you want to do that’s okay, too! As a recruiter it’s helpful to know if a candidate has a definitive long-term plan or if there are other opportunities we can introduce that you may not have been aware of,” added Roshka.

No matter your major, no matter the industry you’re most interested in pursuing, your ability to vocalize the correlation between your skills and the scope of an opportunity is critical. That includes highlighting details that are specific to each of the employers you connect with during the fair and beyond.