Wounded Warrior Project Offers 7 Tips to Improve Your Resume
By Tony Smith, Warriors to Work regional director, Wounded Warrior Project
Are you in the process of writing your veteran resume for a post-military career?
Getting your resume ready for an employer to review is one of the most important steps when job hunting. For some, this can be a challenge – every person has their own way of organizing their thoughts for others to see. Resume writing assistance or resume help for veterans is one of the things Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) offers through Warriors to Work®, a veteran employment program providing warriors and their families with the resources and assistance to be successful in the civilian workforce.
In this article, we’ll outline some tips to consider when writing your resume.
1. Watch Your Accuracy
Nothing sends a bigger red flag to an employer than a resume that has spelling mistakes or bad grammar. Employers will think you are careless, cannot write, or simply did not put in the effort to get your resume ready. Take your time – and if you need to – use a web tool to check your work. It could be the difference between a call-back or being passed over for the position.
2. Less is More …
Your resume needs to focus on as much of your work history as possible, but it does not need to be a novel. Expand on your professional experience but be concise.
3. … But Be Specific
Simply saying you “served in the Army” is not as good as also saying which division, whether you did any tours, and what your responsibilities were during that time.
4. One Size Does Not Fit All – Tailor Your Resume
You might be tempted to use the same resume for every position you apply for – do not. Think about each position for which you are applying. What within your previous job experience/skills relates to it? Also, do not forget to focus on the soft skills that you gained while in the military – teamwork, dependability, leadership, problem-solving, and creativity to name a few. These are very important to employers as they let them know that you can interact and work well with others.
5. Make Sure It Looks Nice
Your resume can stand out by the way it looks, and it can be just as easily dismissed for that reason. Ask yourself about the visual appeal and the way everything is spaced on the page. Does it look cluttered and busy? If so, can you adjust the font size or line spacing to make it look less crowded? Fiddle with the formatting until it looks just right.
6. Consistency is Key
There is no bigger eyesore to an employer than a resume with multiple fonts and colors. Keep it black and use one font style.
7. Be Honest
Be bold when describing yourself in your resume. It needs to represent your best self and be the highlight reel of all the amazing things you have done professionally. But do not stretch the truth; your employers will find out, whether in the interview or later when you get the job and cannot perform the basic job functions. If you have to stretch the truth or lie, it is not the right job for you.
Click here to view and download 3 veteran resume examples.
To access more resources on WWP’s free employment assistance, check out the Warriors to Work web page.
If you are interested in joining the WWP team, we have several positions available across the country. Visit the Cool Careers page to learn more.
About Wounded Warrior Project
Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) connects, serves, and empowers wounded warriors. Read more at https://newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org/.