5 Career Tips for Veterans and Military Members
5 Career Tips for Veterans and Military Members
Are you a veteran or military member interested in taking the leap into a civilian life? Transitioning into the corporate world can sometimes be a challenge. You may find yourself wondering about explaining your role to recruiters, how to start networking or even formatting your resume to begin applying to new roles.
Meet Tammy Richardson, Lead Recruiter for Panasonic Energy of North America (PENA), whose passion for helping military members and their families stems from her own personal connection to the community as a military wife and mother.
Having run family readiness and support groups with the National Guard for over 12 years, Tammy brought her commitment to helping military members to Panasonic’s Reno, Nevada office. “I feel such a deep bond with this community. Once you’re in the military, no matter what direction you go, you’re always in that family,” she says.
Below, Tammy shares her tips to help you effectively translate your military experience to land a stand-out corporate career.
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Leave the jargon out! Try your best to translate some of your military job skills and codes into traits that are listed within the job description you’re looking at. Oftentimes, veterans will use jargon to describe the work they’ve done, but instead should try to parse out a few key skills. Pro tip: Check out this online tool to learn how you can do this easily!
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Build your network. Look for companies that market their mission of hiring veterans – this means they have an authentic commitment to supporting the professional development of military members. Veterans Employment Representatives at the American Job Centers will have information about companies who have approached them and be able to help you network with recruiters from these organizations.
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Gaps in professional experience doesn’t mean a lack of experience. Military spouses and partners: Oftentimes your resume may not show several years with the same employer due to relocating throughout your spouse or partner’s career. Be sure to highlight your volunteer work as relevant and applicable experience.
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Don’t forget about the importance of “rank”. You will be able to showcase your leadership skills or project management capabilities by translating your highest rank into more corporate terms like entry level, mid-management or supervisory levels. Don’t be afraid to walk a recruiter through your responsibilities to make a clear connection.
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Adaptability is key: If you are returning from training or deployment, or have had a long career with the military, this may your first time looking for a civilian career. This is a huge change and it’s important to give yourself some time to adjust, learn new skills and ask questions. It’s important to have patience with yourself in this new environment.
Interested in joining the Panasonic team? Search for a role that fits your skillset and interests here.
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