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CV Writing - DO's and DONT's
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There are a few things you need to be aware of when putting together your CV
when leaving the military and entering into civvy street. There is no doubt
you have achieved a great deal throughout your military career but it is a
daunting task trying to write this down and pick out the right aspects for
your CV. Here are some DO’s and DON’T’s to help you think about what and how
……
DO’s
Translates skills to civilian terminology
The military is full of terminology, military acronyms, jargon so you must
ensure that you translate this into something the recruiters can understand.
Try to write out any military terms and explain them where necessary and
avoid any abbreviations. If you have taken any military training then go
into the detail of the course and translate this to civilian terminology so
it makes sense to the reader. As someone NON military to read over to see
what they think :)
Use your personal development records
Your Personal Development Record will detail your duties and accomplishments – it is highly important to use this to your advantage as it is something that civilians will not have. You can use the results of this to highlight your achievements using quantities. For example, you can explain that you managed a team of 30 people, you saved the company over £30,000 etc. It is great to have working examples to illustrate your success and this is the perfect opportunity!
Tailor your CV accordingly
It is really important not to just list all of your achievements, skills, responsibilities you have had through your military career as not ever single thing will be relevant to the job you will be applying for. You need to spend some quality time researching jobs and companies and working out which job you are going to apply for and then tailor the CV accordingly. This way the employer will be more attracted to your CV.
Use your military background as its honourable
There are many skills that every employer will see as an asset to them, for example, skills like teamwork, positivity, leadership, dedication, self-motivation, discipline. Make sure that your CV clearly conveys this very attractive skills.
Get feedback on your CV to improve it
When you have done enough to the CV, ask a friend, colleague, family member to read it over and give you feedback on how to improve it. Whether it is just checking grammar, spelling, content or structure, a second pair of eyes is imperative.
DONT's
Use acronyms
Avoid the use of acronyms and abbreviations especially those relating to the military as employers will not understand them. If you need to make reference to them, ensure you explain them clearly.
Refer to the battleground
An employer will not want to read about active combat. This is not relevant to civilian employment and should be left out.
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