Expert Resumes for Military-To-Civilian Transitions [Paperback]

Wendy S. Enelow (Author), Louise M. Kursmark (Author)

Book Description

Series: Expert Resumes | Publication Date: August 2005

A collection of superior professionally written resumes and career strategies for servicemembers leaving the military for a civilian job.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Jist Publishing (August 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 159357181X
• ISBN-13: 978-1593571818
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #145,539 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #45 in Books > Business & Investing > Job Hunting & Careers > Resumes

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The single most helpful guide for a transitioning senior military officer, December 7, 2007

By 

Joseph F. Paschall (Huntsville, AL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Expert Resumes for Military-To-Civilian Transitions (Paperback)

As a soon-to-be retiring senior military officer, I have read dozens of books on transitioning and most focus on theories and platitudes. Whereas many books are written at such a basic level describing how to prepare a resume and how to dress for an interview, this one simply skips the fluff and gets right down to the basics of sample resumes. This is THE book I would recommend for transitioning senior military officers. I could have saved myself a bit of time and money in skipping the other 20-or-so that I read before finding this one.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Getting out of the Military?, March 13, 2007

By 

Carmine - See all my reviews

This review is from: Expert Resumes for Military-To-Civilian Transitions (Paperback)

Another "must have" book for those of you separating or retiring from the military. This book will help you to easily convert those military job descriptions into civilian terminology. Also has some great examples and suggested resume formats.

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for any veterans, May 8, 2011

By 

Running (United States of America) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Expert Resumes for Military-To-Civilian Transitions (Paperback)

This book is excellent for any branch or any rank of veterans. The sample resumes include many years of experience and detailed information on accomplishments but that doesn't mean an enlisted Marine or a young Airman can't write a similar resume. You do not have to be an officer or have managerial experience to write a solid, attractive resume. It is the same as someone without a college degree, but can still market themselves as a valuable, difference maker candidate. (sigh) I wish I knew about this book earlier. The biggest mistake on my resume was that I "listed" my duties instead of "selling" my accomplishments. The HR manager isn't so interested in what you did but how you helped or made a difference in your work. This book is excellent for beginner resume writer.

The first chapter, "Resume Writing Strategies" is worth the price of this book already. Don't settle for less and apply for jobs at retail, grocery, or cell phone stores. If you have the military experience, shoot for jobs that help you excel. Don't sell yourself short just because you don't have the relevant experience to the one you're applying for. The work that you do in the military are transferable so if you have 5, 10, or 20 years of military experience, focus on your accomplishments in your resume. How you benefited your branch of service is more valuable to the HR than what you did. Look at it this way, would you want a basketball player who can run up and down the court, has the ability to shoot, pass and slam dunk with experience in shooting free throws? OR, would you want a 6'3, averages 21 points per game, with an average of 11 rebounds a game and has a 95% free-throw percentage? See the difference? Employers want to see results

Now of course, the big chunk still relies on your previous job title. 20 years of aircraft mechanic management isn't going to land you a job in nursing or accounting even if you were a 4-star General. However, your management role can open many doors in a wide variety of careers.

Again, this book is not for everyone, only those who are new to writing resumes. If you have read many resume-writing books, you might not find anything new here. With the cost of this book currently being under $1, (used) and gas price around $4, (CA) I say it's cheaper to buy a copy than drive to your local library and borrow/return it.

If you have no clue how to write a resume, you HAVE to get this book. I'm not saying this is the best military-to-civilian book, but it certainly has enough tools to help you write an appealing resume. (you can trust me on this, I've had no success in getting interviews before I reamped my resume).