Listing military experience on your resume means you can talk up your work ethic and leadership skills — but it may also be a liability. Last March, an Army veteran who served in Afghanistan claimed she was discriminated against during a job interview for a department store sales position because of her military background. A hiring manager told her because she’s seen combat, she wouldn’t be able to relate to customers.
“The military brings a lot of great skill sets to various positions in the civilian sector,” says New York University career counselor Lauren Lipsky, who has advised veterans and active duty service members across the country on how to land a job. “Anyone that served in the military has leadership. You are innately a leader or develop into a leader.”
But having a military record also carries the stigma of a having an aggressive personality, she admits. To combat those stereotypes, follow her tips on how to emphasize your military experience in a job interview — and how to avoid common missteps:
Do your homework. Very few people research the company or their interviewer beforehand, says Lipsky. You should be able to answer basic questions such as, “What do you know about the department?” and “What do you know about the company?” Before the interview, figure out the company’s dress code, and wear an outfit one step more formal.
Watch your mouth. “The way you speak in the military may not resonate in the civilian sector,” cautions Lipsky. “If you talk to active service members, they speak in code. Reprogram yourself not to use as many acronyms.” Practice by doing a mock interview with a friend who’s not in the military, and have them stop you if you slip into jargon. But if you default to military speak in the real interview, it’s fine to go back and clarify what you meant.
Play to your strengths. Practice explaining how the skills you learned during your service directly relate to the position you’re interviewing for. Military service instills someone with desirable traits, like a strong work ethic, leadership and responsibility — after all, you likely had people report to you, giving you built-in management training. Plus, the monetary cost of expensive equipment you probably oversaw is likely huge — and speaks volumes about your accountability. When you’re sharing an anecdote, tell it using the STAR method — situation, task, action, result — it’s especially helpful when you’re thrown a behavioral question.
Avoid over-prepping. Practice and research as much as you can, but stop 10 to 12 hours before the interview — cramming more will just make you flustered. Try to get into a relaxed mindset before your interview.
Follow through with a follow-up. You already know how to do an after-action review from your military training. Apply the same process to your interviews: After each meeting, reflect on what portions you nailed and what parts you can improve upon, says Lipsky. Then, e-mail a quick thank you to the interviewer — and mail a handwritten note to cover all your bases.