A presentation for Veterans job searching. Resume tips for veterans and cover letter best practices.

2.  Targeted Marketing
Tool – sells YOU
 Summarizes how your
skills, experiences and
abilities can contribute
to the employer
 Serves as an employer
screening tool
 Provides structure for
the interview
 Justifies hiring you.

3.  The career field you would like to pursue
 Qualifications and credentials needed
 Where the jobs are and who is hiring
 Employers
 Position descriptions

4.  The career field you have experience in
 The dream job
 A field based on soft skills/transferable skills

5.  Close your eyes and imagine your on a beach
retired after working at your dream job for
twenty years.
 What is that job?
 What are the educational and experience
requirements for that career?
 What would it take to achieve those
requirements?

6.  Search for jobs in the following three areas:
1. Current career and training
2. Dream career
3. Skills Based Career
http://personality-
testing.info/tests/RIASEC.php

7.  Use a job search engine to search for possible
positions in your chosen career field.
 What are the common qualifications
employers are looking for?
 IE: “Utilizes innovativeness and compelling
rationale to overcome complex client barriers,
enabling mutually-beneficial outcomes”
 Does your resume verbiage match the
industry expectations?

8.  Contact Information
 Summary of Qualifications/Skills
 Education/Training
 Experience
 Honors/Awards
 Volunteer Activities

9.  Put your name, mailing
address, email address and
phone numbers (including
area code) prominently at
the top of your resume.
 Avoid using a nickname to
identify yourself.
 Use a professional email
address that includes your
name. Do not use slang.
No: idoljudge3@americanidol.com
Yes: scowell@americanidol.com
SIMON COWELL
1305 Idol Drive #12
Hollywood, CA 12345
scowell@americanidol.com
(555) 555-0000

10. -OUTDATED AND NOT NEEDED. THE COVER LETTER
SHOULD INCLUDE THIS INFORMATION
 A sentence summary of your area of expertise and
career interest
 Write as a complete sentence or as a descriptive phrase
with minimal punctuation
 Relate your existing skills directly to the job you are
seeking (transferable skills). Demonstrate what you can
do for the company rather than what they can do for
you
Objective: To obtain a sales position within the telecommunications
industry that will benefit from my organizational and marketing skills.

11. *Choose a transferable skill that you believe to be a strength such as
“Identifying and implementing opportunities” and type the words
into the search bar in Indeed.com or Monster.com
 Need a tip: NCO’s can use “responsible for planning, coordinating,”
 Sample descriptions of how the military experiences correlate to the
needs of an
 employer seeking a “Front Line Supervisor”.
 Supervised & evaluated up to 75 employees
 Conducted high quality training for groups up to 25 employees
 Improved staff productivity and efficiency by 30%
 Planned and executed logistical support for team with outstanding
results
 Enforced 100% of company policies and procedures
 Submitted comprehensive and timely reports to supervisor
 Worked under pressure, multi-tasked, and met tight deadlines

12. Summary of Qualifications
* Junior Mechanical Engineering Major with
expertise in the following areas:
* Using CAD programs to support projects
* Communicating with customers in project
environments
* Developing projects in conjunction with peers

13.  Write a bulleted list of your
qualifications and skills.
 You can also add an “Overview” to
summarize and emphasize skills you
possess that aren’t obvious from your
past work experiences.

14.  Beginning with the highest level of
educational achievement, include
university attended, degrees earned,
major, GPA, date of graduation

15. Bryant & Stratton College, Albany, NY
Associate Degree, Medical Assisting
Graduation Date: December 2008
• You do not have to include your GPA on the resume

16.  If possible, include positions you have held which
are related, in some way, to the job you are seeking
(paid or volunteer positions).
 Emphasize your transferable skills from past
positions held.
 Be creative with this section of your resume by
describing and emphasizing your experiences
using the qualifications sections of posted jobs.

17.  Include your internship in the
employment section of your
resume
 Include the company name,
location, job title, dates, and
duties performed (be specific)
 Make this section easy to read by
using spacing and bullets
 Use action phrases to highlight the
duties you have performed
 Action phrases will help you avoid
being too brief and from
understating your qualifications
 Think about your qualifications in
relation to the skills employers are
looking for

18.  Include relevant activities and honors that
you could discuss with your prospective
employer or that have given you valuable
experience or skills that relate to the job.

19.  Include skills that make you unique, such
as computer skills, foreign language skills,
or military service (include technical and
soft skills)
 List “key skills” they have referenced in the
job description, i.e. communication,
organization, flexible
 Be specific in describing your special skills;
name computer programs you know, how
long you studied a foreign language, or
your dates of military service.

20.  In general, do not include the names and
addresses of your references on your
resume.
 References should be typed on a separate
reference sheet.
 Choose professional references rather than
character/personal references.
 Employers and professors who know you
and your work are the best references.

21. Shelley Schmidt
Career Services Representative
Bryant & Stratton College
953 James Street
Syracuse, New York 13203
(315) 472-6603 ext. 265
slschmidt@bryantstratton.edu
Andrew Pettitte
Pitcher
New York Yankees
E 161st Street & River Avenue
Bronx, New York 10451
(212) 555-1212
apettitte@emailaddress.com
Donald Trump
Real Estate Mogul
Trump Towers
725 Fifth Avenue at 56th Street
New York, New York 10022
(212) 832-2000
dtrump@emailaddress.com
 Include the names, addresses,
and phone numbers of your
references (email address
optional).
 Always ask permission before
you include any information on
your reference sheet.
 Consider giving your
references a copy of your
resume so they will be
prepared to talk to employers.
 Always use business contact
information (not personal)
 List 3-5 professional
references

22.  Triple-check your cover letter, resume and
references for accuracy
 One typo could cost you an interview!!!!

23. UNDERSTATED
◦ Received multiple awards while deployed
◦ Infantry squad member
PROFESSIONAL
◦ Responsible for training, maintenance, health, welfare,
and discipline of a 12-man Airborne Infantry Squad.
Responsible for ensuring the squad’s readiness to
deploy anywhere in the world within 18 hours, conduct
an Airborne Assault, and conduct future operations.

24. -Only 1% of civilians have military experience. They do
not understand common military terms such as
NCOIC, PMCS, Title 32 orders. Title 10 Orders, etc.
-ERBS and NCOERs are good starting points for a
resume but the language needs to be converted to
civilian terms.
_Leadership, supervision, support, transition,
maintains, responsible for…, manage, effectively
communicate…

25.  A cover letter should get a hiring manager
excited enough to get off the phone and over
to the managers desk with your letter in
hand.
 It should tell a story of why you’re a good fit
for the organization.
 Dynamic & based on job outcomes that
integrates soft skills from resume with
concrete examples

26.  Cite a transferable skill (and then provide a high
quality concrete example of the skill from a
previous position. Expound upon your strengths in
a few of the job qualifications for that job (they’re
typically listed first on the job description or
mentioned more than once).
 Supervising- “In my role as infantry squad leader I deployed and directly
supervised 8 squad members for 18 months in Southeast Asia under a
variety of situations. My ability to execute and assist the mission commander
to meet critical deadlines led to my Army Commendation medal. I believe my
ability to meet critical deadlines under stressful situations will greatly benefit
NYSERDA if I become a Community Engagement Specialist.”

27.  Choose a transferable skill
 Choose a high quality example from past experience-
174th fighter wings unit award for Outstanding Unit.
 Combine- My excellent organization skills were cited by the
base commander during the 174th fighter wings unit award for
Outstanding Unit. The highly prestigious Air Force Outstanding
Unit Award, awarded to units which have outstanding
achievement that clearly sets the unit above of national or
international significance was a team effort and I'm grateful for
being an integral member of such a high performing team. I
believe my organization skills would be a benefit as a team
member at Excellus.
1. Communication Skills 6. Learning Skills
2. Teamwork Skills 7. Computer Skills
3. Time Management Skills 8. Listening Skills
4. Problem-Solving Skills 9. Creativity Skills
5. Organization Skills 10. Leadership Skills.

28.  An introduction- Dear Hiring Manager: It is with great
enthusiasm that I submit my resume for the position of Sales Coordinator for
the Empire Castle Project. As a professional with over ten years’ experience, I
know my diverse skills and qualifications will make me an asset to Empire
Corporations project team.
 The Body- 3 transferable skills that relate to the job qualifications
with concrete examples that highlight your abilities and strengths.
 Conclusion- In closing, I am excited at the possibility of being involved
in the new castle almost literally from the ground up, and would love the
opportunity to meet with you and discuss the value that I can bring to the Empire
organization and the Empire Castle Project. I appreciate your consideration and
look forward to hearing from you.
Warmest regards,
Kevin K. Dean

29.  Once you have determined a career field
create a target list of the largest employers in
that field.
 Search the companies websites for openings
 Do you know anyone at the company that
could introduce you to the hiring manager?
 Contact HR and ask if you can forward your
resume to a POC
 Attend career fairs and network. More than
70% of jobs are found through networking

30.  More than 70% of jobs are found through networking
 Create and complete a LinkedIn account
 Contact Human Resource hiring Managers
 Keep a detailed log

32.  Locate and contact the veteran’s rep within the
Federal Department of Labor.
http://www.servicelocator.org/
 Locate and contact State Veteran’s
representative.
http://www.longtermcarelink.net/ref_list_state_c
ounty_veterans_service_officers.htm
 Locate and contact county level veteran’s
representative. http://nacvso.org/find-a-
service-officer/

33. Thank
you!