Military Veteran
Resume Sample
A real resume example showing how we transform military expertise and leadership experience into proof civilian employers trust
Being qualified isn't enough — you need to be the obvious choice.
We fix your resume with one conversation
What Makes a Strong Military Veteran Resume?
A Military Veteran resume must demonstrate both comprehensive military expertise and proven civilian transition readiness. Hiring managers scan for leadership experience, security clearance, and transferable skills. This sample showcases 22 years Navy active duty, Senior Chief Petty Officer rank, Secret Security Clearance, $1M budget management, 3,200 Sailors trained, and multiple achievement medals with comprehensive training and development leadership.
Why Do Military Veteran Resumes
Get Rejected?
Most military veteran resumes get rejected not because of ATS software, but because they don't prove you're better than the other 24.8 applicants. Generic bullets like "managed construction projects" don't differentiate you — quantified achievements do.
See how we transform generic statements into interview-winning proof:
Held ownership of a $1M budget, earmarked to Sailor training and development. Successfully applied this budget without error, ultimately achieving "Outstanding" rating for training readiness after an unannounced audit."
This bullet demonstrates exceptional training leadership with substantial budget management and measurable excellence achievements. The combination of 3,200 personnel training, $1M budget oversight, and "Outstanding" audit rating shows advanced program management with comprehensive financial accountability and superior performance results.
Direct as many as 120 Sailors responsible for handling equipment and conducting maintenance. Lead and mentor people in an empowering manner to ensure effectiveness in the complex and high-stakes movement of equipment."
This bullet shows comprehensive operational leadership with large-scale personnel coordination and exceptional performance achievement. The combination of 45 departmental personnel direction, 4700+ maintenance checks, and 120 Sailors coordination demonstrates advanced project management with measurable excellence and systematic team leadership.
Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal: For diligent supervision and direction of complex technical elements of the 2009 Jacksonville Nas and Sky Show; Air Show, provided oversight of consistent equipment availability, manning of emergency equipment and the transfer of over 2200 gallons of smoke oil vital to the show's success."
This bullet demonstrates exceptional military recognition with measurable technical achievement and complex project leadership. The combination of multiple achievement medals, 35,591 square feet refurbishment, 19,227 man-hours coordination, and complex air show technical management shows outstanding performance with quantifiable operational excellence.
How Do Military Resume Writers Transform a Military Veteran Resume?
Professional resume writers transform military veteran resumes by analyzing job postings for required keywords, extracting specific achievements through targeted questions, quantifying impact with dollar values and percentages, and positioning you as the solution to employer problems.
We Analyze Military Veteran Job Postings
We identify exactly what hiring managers search for:
- Budget management and cost control requirements
- Schedule recovery and timeline management skills
- Site safety compliance and OSHA standards
- Subcontractor coordination and vendor management
We Extract Your Achievements
Our 1-on-1 interview uncovers:
- Project values and budgets you've managed
- Team sizes and subcontractors you've coordinated
- Problems you've solved that others couldn't
- Metrics you didn't think to track or quantify
We Quantify Your Impact
We find the numbers that prove ROI:
- Dollar values of projects completed on time
- Percentage of schedule improvements achieved
- Cost savings from value engineering decisions
- Safety record improvements and incident reductions
We Position You as the Solution
Your resume proves you solve employer problems:
- Delivering projects on time despite site challenges
- Managing subcontractors and maintaining quality
- Controlling costs while meeting specifications
- Leading teams through complex project phases
Listen to a Real Resume Interview
Hear how our writers extract military expertise and civilian transition achievements from military veterans.
What Does a Military Veteran Resume Interview Look Like?
A military veteran resume interview is a conversation where our writer asks targeted questions about your projects, probes for specific details, and extracts achievements you'd never think to include.
Provide formal training to as many as 3,200 Sailors on responsible handling of firefighting equipment, movement of aircraft and emergency procedures. Upheld a leadership mandate over the Training department of a carrier, ensuring
Held ownership of a $1M budget, earmarked to Sailor training and development. Successfully applied this budget without error, ultimately achieving "Outstanding" rating for training readiness after an unannounced audit.
Every bullet on this resume was created through this same process.
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Watch How We Transformed Senior Chief Josie's Resume
See how our interview process uncovered military leadership expertise and civilian transition achievements that generic templates miss.
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What a Military Veteran Resume Example That Gets Interviews Looks Like
A complete military veteran resume is typically 2 pages and includes a professional summary, core competencies, detailed work experience with quantified achievements, education, and certifications. Here's both pages of an actual resume created through our interview process.
Which Military Veteran Resume Example
Do You Need?
The military veteran resume you need depends on your career stage:
Military to Civilian Transition
Your resume needs to demonstrate transferable military skills, civilian-applicable leadership experience, and professional competencies that show readiness for corporate leadership and civilian management positions.
Questions We Ask in Your Interview:
- What military leadership and management experience have you developed that translates to civilian corporate environments and professional advancement?
- Have you gained experience in budget management, training development, project coordination, or team leadership through military service that applies to civilian roles?
What We Highlight on Your Resume:
- Military leadership translation with civilian-applicable skills development and comprehensive professional competency experience
- Management competency growth with budget oversight, training capabilities, and measurable organizational results in civilian contexts
- Professional advancement with transferable achievements, security credentials, and comprehensive civilian-ready expertise development
Veteran Career Advancement
Your resume needs to demonstrate civilian career growth, strategic leadership innovation, and comprehensive organizational impact that positions you for senior management and executive civilian leadership roles.
Questions We Ask in Your Interview:
- What civilian achievements or organizational improvements have you implemented that significantly enhanced business operations or strategic positioning?
- How have you achieved recognition for civilian excellence or led initiatives that influenced organizational practices or industry standards?
What We Highlight on Your Resume:
- Civilian leadership transformation with strategic innovation and comprehensive organizational impact success
- Advanced professional expertise and strategic management with measurable improvements to organizational performance and operational excellence
- Executive leadership potential and strategic influence with comprehensive business governance and organizational transformation capabilities
How Do You Write a Military Veteran Resume That Gets Interviews?
To write a military veteran resume that gets interviews, focus on four key sections:
- Professional Summary — highlighting your experience level and specialty areas
- Skills Section — matching keywords from your target job postings
- Work Experience — quantified achievements using the Problem-Solution-Result format
- Credentials — relevant certifications and education
Most "how to write a military veteran resume" guides give you generic templates. We interview you to extract specific military achievements—the personnel led, budgets managed, and recognition earned that make civilian employers take notice.
What Should a Military Veteran Put in Their Professional Summary?
Your summary must establish both military competency and civilian transition readiness. This summary opens with "Distinguished Instructor / Personnel Management Specialist and Navy veteran" then details security clearance and diverse cultural collaboration—proving both military expertise and practical civilian application readiness.
Lead with your military credentials and proven leadership experience, then immediately highlight your civilian-applicable achievements and security clearance. Position yourself as both military expert and civilian-ready professional with measurable organizational impact.
For military personnel seeking civilian transition:
Expert Questions We Ask:
- "What military leadership and management experience have you developed that translates to civilian corporate environments and professional advancement?"
- "How have you contributed to budget management, training development, project coordination, or team leadership through military service that applies to civilian roles?"
For veterans pursuing civilian advancement:
Expert Questions We Ask:
- "What civilian achievements or organizational improvements have you implemented that significantly enhanced business operations or strategic positioning?"
- "How have you achieved recognition for civilian excellence or influenced organizational practices through leadership and strategic initiatives?"
What Skills Should Military Veterans Highlight?
Skills should demonstrate complete military foundation with advanced civilian-applicable capabilities. This resume combines leadership competencies (Complex Team Coordination, Leadership & Direction) with operational skills (Operations & Resource Management, Training / Development) and communication excellence—proving well-rounded military expertise with civilian transition understanding.
Balance leadership expertise (Complex Team Coordination, Leadership & Direction, Training / Development) with operational capabilities (Operations & Resource Management, Problem Solving & Conflict Resolution, Scheduling / Time Management) and communication skills (Communication: Verbal / Written, Effective Communication, Regulatory / Safety Compliance). Show comprehensive civilian-applicable competency.
For professionals building civilian transition readiness:
Expert Questions We Ask:
- "What military skills and leadership competencies have you developed through service, training, or command assignments that demonstrate comprehensive civilian readiness?"
- "Have you gained experience in budget management, training coordination, project leadership, or team development that shows advanced civilian-applicable competency development?"
For veterans showcasing civilian advancement expertise:
Expert Questions We Ask:
- "What advanced civilian skills, strategic leadership knowledge, or management capabilities differentiate your professional expertise and senior advancement potential?"
- "Do you have expertise in corporate leadership, strategic management, or executive coordination that supports senior civilian leadership or director-level positions?"
How Should Military Veterans Present Their Experience?
Experience must prove both military competency and comprehensive civilian-applicable leadership capabilities. This resume demonstrates specific achievements ($1M budget management, 3,200 personnel training, multiple achievement medals) while showing progressive responsibility and measurable organizational impact with advanced leadership and operational excellence.
Focus on civilian-applicable achievements, leadership success, and measurable results with specific examples. Show progression from military service to comprehensive leadership capability. Include personnel managed, budgets overseen, and quantifiable organizational improvements.
For professionals proving civilian transition readiness:
Expert Questions We Ask:
- "What military work have you completed that demonstrates leadership competency, management capabilities, or comprehensive civilian-applicable excellence?"
- "How have you contributed to organizational success, operational efficiency, or team development with measurable benefit and civilian career advancement potential?"
For veterans demonstrating civilian leadership readiness:
Expert Questions We Ask:
- "What civilian achievements or organizational improvements have you implemented that significantly enhanced business performance or strategic operational positioning?"
- "How have you achieved recognition for professional excellence or influenced organizational practices and industry standards through leadership and innovation?"
What Education Matters for Military Veterans?
Education should validate both military preparation and comprehensive civilian application capability. This resume emphasizes extensive professional training including firefighter certifications, leadership development programs, and specialized military education—proving both military competency development and practical civilian-ready expertise that supports veteran career advancement.
Military training and civilian education provide foundation, with professional certifications enhancing competency. Include relevant military education, civilian coursework, and professional development. Highlight education that demonstrates both theoretical knowledge and practical civilian application capability.
For professionals building civilian transition credentials:
Expert Questions We Ask:
- "What military education and civilian training have you completed that supports civilian career responsibilities and professional competency development?"
- "Have you pursued professional certifications, civilian education, or leadership development that demonstrates advanced civilian knowledge and career capability?"
For veterans pursuing civilian advancement:
Expert Questions We Ask:
- "What continuing education, advanced certifications, or professional development enhance your civilian expertise and career advancement capabilities?"
- "Do you have advanced civilian education, leadership training, or professional development that supports senior civilian leadership or executive positions?"
Skip the guesswork — let our expert resume writers ask these questions for you.
Schedule Your Resume InterviewHow Does a Resume Interview Extract
Your Military Veteran Achievements?
A professional resume interview extracts military veteran achievements by probing into specific projects, uncovering the goals you were trying to achieve, documenting the systems and processes you implemented, and surfacing challenges you overcame.
What Projects Should You Include
on a Military Veteran Resume?
Include projects that demonstrate scope, stakes, and significance. We probe to understand the project value, team size, and your specific role.
How Do You Show Business Impact
on a Resume?
Connect your work to business outcomes by documenting the company's objectives and how your contributions achieved them.
What Systems and Processes
Should You Highlight?
Document the specific systems, processes, and strategies you implemented. This is where your expertise becomes visible.
How Do You Present
Challenges Overcome?
Describe challenges you faced and how you solved them. Problem-solving examples prove you can handle obstacles.
The Power of a 1-on-1 Resume Interview
No cookie-cutter calls. Your interview length matches your career complexity. We ask the questions you can't ask yourself.
Telephone Interview
- Students / New Grads
- Specialists, Analysts, Coordinators
- Targeting mid-level positions
Telephone Interview
- Individual Contributors
- Managers
- Career Changers
- Seeking Promotions
- Masters / Ph.D Holders
Telephone Interview
- Senior Managers
- Directors
- Department Heads
- Senior Writer Assigned
Telephone Interview
- Vice Presidents
- C-Suite Executives
- Business Owners
- Senior Writer Assigned
- Executive Resume Format
How Competitive Is the
Military Veteran Job Market?
Military Veteran jobs are lowly competitive, averaging 25.8 applicants per position. With most job seekers applying to 20+ roles, you're competing against approximately 516 candidates for the same jobs.
Military Veteran Job
Jobs Posted (30 Days)
Per 20 Applications
Hardest to Land
Most competitive military rolesEasier to Land
Less competitive military rolesData based on LinkedIn job postings, updated January 2026. View full job market data →
Here's the math most job seekers don't do:
Your resume needs to stand out against 516 other military professionals.
Most of them list the same projects. The same certifications. The same responsibilities.
What makes you different is the story behind the projects.
Military Professionals We've Helped Are Now Working At
From general contractors to specialty trades, our clients land roles at top military firms across North America.
Reach Military's Hidden Job Market
80% of military positions are never advertised. Get your resume directly into the hands of recruiters filling confidential searches.
Military Recruiter Network
When you purchase our Resume Distribution service, your resume goes to 185+ recruiters specializing in military — included in Advanced & Ultimate packages.
Sarah Mitchell
Washington, DC
Michael Rodriguez
Norfolk, VA
Sample Military Recruiters
185+ Total| Agency | Location |
|---|---|
SM Sarah Mitchell |
Washington, DC |
MR Michael Rodriguez |
Norfolk, VA |
JC Jennifer Chen |
San Diego, CA |
Frequently Asked Questions About
Military Veteran Resumes
A Military Veteran resume should include comprehensive military leadership, proven civilian transition skills, and measurable achievements. This resume showcases 22 years Navy active duty, Senior Chief Petty Officer rank, Secret Security Clearance, and $1M budget management with 3,200 Sailors trained. Include specific military accomplishments, security credentials, and quantifiable leadership results.
Demonstrate transferable leadership skills, budget management experience, and systematic training capabilities. This resume highlights $1M budget oversight, comprehensive personnel coordination, and exceptional audit performance. Include specific leadership volumes, training achievements, and successful civilian-applicable management outcomes.
Emphasize security clearances, military awards, and specialized certifications. This resume features Secret Security Clearance, multiple Navy Achievement Medals, and NFPA firefighter certifications. Include both security credentials and military-specific achievements relevant to civilian employment and defense contracting.
Absolutely—military recognition and measurable achievements demonstrate exceptional performance and leadership potential. This resume highlights multiple Achievement Medals, outstanding audit ratings, and quantifiable project success. Include specific awards, performance metrics, and measurable military accomplishments.
Show comprehensive financial oversight, large-scale training coordination, and exceptional performance results. This resume emphasizes $1M budget management, 3,200 Sailors trained, and "Outstanding" audit achievement. Include examples of financial management, training development, and successful performance measurement outcomes.
Military Veteran positions have moderate competition with emphasis on transferable skills and proven leadership, typically seeing 25-30 applicants per opening. These roles value military experience and leadership capabilities. Security clearances, measurable achievements, and civilian-applicable skills provide competitive advantages.
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