Page 12 - Desert Lightning News Sept. 2015

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Raytheon offers tips on making the most of a military resume
Raytheon Public Affairs
For veterans, finding a civilian job can be the
hardest part of leaving the military.
But many skills that veterans learn in the ser-
vice carry over well to the civilian job market.
Raytheon employs more than 10,000 veterans,
and Raytheon.com asked a few of them for ad-
vice on making military experience stand out
on a resume. Here are some of their tips:
Describe what you did in civilian terms
Military titles and structure are an enigma to
those who never served – and possibly to the
HR person who is reading your resume. Putting
what you did in clear, common words will help
bridge that language barrier. A U.S. Army lieu-
tenant who led a platoon, for example, should
list the number of personnel who were under
his or her command, and an infantry sergeant
should explain that the position required plan-
ning operations involving dozens of soldiers.
“You have to take the military terms we are
all comfortable with and make them into the
whole picture of who you really are and what
your talents are,” said retired U.S. Army Col.
Philip Foster, who works for Raytheon Space
and Airborne Systems. “The intangible stuff is
so hard to explain because it’s ingrained in us
from day one, it becomes like second nature,
and that’s hard to explain sometimes. It’s all
language.”
In Foster’s case, instead of saying he served as
a G4, he explained that his responsibilities in-
cluded management-level supply-chain strategy
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Review your records
It’s possible you learned and did more in
the military than you realize. Reading through
your records, such as evaluation reports and
Verification of Military Experience and Train-
ing (VMET) will provide complete and verifi-
able information about your skills and duties.
Emphasize any specialized education, such as a
military academy or training in intelligence and
logistics.
“Going back though your old evaluation re-
ports may trigger that memory, and say, ‘Yeah,
you know what? I did do that,’” said retired U.S. than likely mastered the ability to speak directly and
Army Maj. Ryan LeVier, who now works for
Raytheon’s Intelligence, Information and Ser-
vices business.
Show your attention to detail
Military life demands discipline and organi-
zation – think uniform regulations and beds
with hospital corners. That mentality is attrac-
tive to employers. “Attention to detail pays off
in the private sector. The military pounds that
into your head,” said Steve Upton, a former U.S.
Navy technician who worked on several aircraft
carriers and is now a program manager for Ray-
theon’s Intelligence, Information and Services
business. “Attention to detail can make the dif-
ference between the company losing money
and the company making a lot of money.”
Display your discipline on your resume. Use
simple, clear typography and formatting. Punc-
tuate correctly and consistently, and scour for
common mistakes in spelling and word use.
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Retired
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Enlist allies
If you’re a college student, it’s likely your cam-
pus has a chapter of Student Veterans of Amer-
ica – an organization whose mission is to help
military veterans succeed in civilian life through
education. Raytheon, through its partnership
with Student Veterans of America, awards
scholarships to help veterans earn degrees of
high value in the job market, particularly in the
fields of science, technology, engineering and
math. The partners also work together through-
out the year on other programs to provide ca-
reer support and mentoring.
Sell your communications skills
No matter what you did in the military, you more
listen carefully, said Felicia Jackson, a U.S. Air Force
veteran who now works for Raytheon Missile Sys-
tems. “In the military, you either listen or you die,”
she said. “Being able to communicate effectively is
the biggest thing we bring to the table.”
On a resume, you can convey this by noting
that you regularly briefed senior commanders,
prepared key reports or complied intelligence
information for executive-level review.
Talk about your travels
Military job-seekers who have served over-
seas have a huge advantage, particularly if
they’re looking to work for a multinational or
international company. If you’ve been deployed
abroad, provide detail about where you served
and the knowledge you gained. A candidate
who is expert in faraway cultures and languages
stands out.