You put military experience on a resume in any of the following sections:
- Resume introduction: Include the length of your military experience, your position, and a quick overview of your key skills and one or two of your most impressive career accomplishments
- Work experience section: Include duties and responsibilities, and use action verbs and hard numbers when including your accomplishments from the military
- Education section: List dates, degree(s) achieved, and any academic achievements or honors you gained (such as Dean’s list or your GPA)
- Skills section: List the hard and soft skills you gained while in the military. If you’re unsure which skills you have, use a military skills translator to find out
- Awards: Only list your military awards that are relevant. For example, your OEF Campaign Medal or Army Good Conduct Medal won’t be relevant for most civilian jobs
Where you choose to add your military experience on your resume will depend on the position you’re applying for. If your military experience is relevant to the job you want, then mention your military experience in every section of your resume.
However, if your military experience isn’t relevant, you should primarily focus on the civilian employment experience you have.
One way to show that your military experience is relevant is by translating military terms, such as your position, rank, duties and responsibilities, and other military jargon into civilian-friendly language so that a hiring manager can understand its significance and how it makes you qualified for the position.
