Transitioning from military to civilian life comes with a heck of a lot of challenges, not least of which, finding a job. Often, military experience just doesn’t translate well on a resume for your typical nine to five job. The certificates and technical language are quite specific and a civilian employer may not exactly know what the military title encompasses. It’s the same for the candidate, coming out of the military workplace and applying to multiple industries which can have major differences between them.
One example is preventive maintenance checks and services (PMCS) in the Army or preventive maintenance inspections (PMI) in the Air Force. If a civilian reads PMCS in a resume they would likely be confused, so it is clearly not easy to express experience in a resume. In many ways, it’s like speaking and writing a different language. But it’s not just the transferrable skills of troubleshooting, resourcefulness, and drive that we as employers can watch out for. It’s also their training and experience.
As someone who looks at hundreds of resumes, I know how sometimes it’s necessary to use to filters to decide which candidates to call first. Sometimes you organize them on the tickets they have or the years of relevant experience. But when you get a resume from a vet, I encourage you to take a second. One five-minute call with them might be enough to assure you that their experience does indeed apply.
As I mentioned, prospective employers usually aren’t in the position to understand how someone’s military experience might qualify them for the position they’re seeking to fill. If you’re looking for heavy-duty or automotive mechanics, industrial electricians, or even plumbers, then don’t disregard a vet. Depending on the province, military certification may be accepted as certain trades tickets. For more info on military-trades equivalents, check out our blog here: https://redsealrecruiting.com/how-does-your-military-experience-translate-to-trades/
Kael Campbell is President and Lead Recruiter of Red Seal Recruiting Solutions, a company providing recruitment services in mining, equipment and plant maintenance, utilities, manufacturing, construction, and transportation. When he is not recruiting, Kael spends as much time as possible with family in the great outdoors and on the water. He volunteers his time as a Board Member of the Entrepreneurs Organization of Vancouver Island. You are invited to subscribe to our employer newsletter or submit your resume.