How to highlight military experience on a job application?

I'm getting ready to apply to some jobs and I have some military experience that I'm proud of. How should I best highlight this on my job applications to catch an employer's eye? Any tips would be appreciated!

Absolutely, your military experience can be a strong asset in your job application. Here are some tips to help you showcase your service:

1. Include Military Service in Your Resume: Make sure to list your military experience in the employment history section of your resume, just like any other job. Include your rank, the branch of service, and the dates of your service.

2. Highlight Transferable Skills: While the tasks you performed in the military may not directly relate to your prospective civilian job, the skills you used to accomplish those tasks most likely do. These could be leadership, team-building, discipline, strategic planning, and so forth. For instance, if you led a team or supervised operations, those demonstrate team management and supervisory skills, which are important in most fields.

3. Use Civilian Language: Try to avoid military jargon or acronyms when writing your job descriptions. Many hiring managers may not be familiar with military terminology, so it's important to translate your duties and responsibilities into civilian language. For example, instead of saying you "managed logistical operations in a war theater," you might say you were "responsible for the coordination and distribution of resources in a high-pressure, fast-paced environment".

4. Emphasize Achievements: Similar to any job on a resume, it's also beneficial to highlight specific achievements or awards you received during your service. These provide concrete evidence of your skills and dedication.

5. Draft a Persuasive Cover Letter: In your cover letter, address your military experience and how it will benefit the employer. Draw correlations between your military service and the job for which you’re applying.

6. Prepare for the Interview: Think through experiences from your military service that you can reference in an interview as examples of your skills, results, and character. Practice explaining these experiences in a way that a civilian hiring manager will understand and appreciate.

Each of these strategies can help you communicate to employers the value you gained from your military service and how it distinguishes you as a candidate. Best of luck with your job applications!