“I’m confused!”
Once you’ve decided it’s time to leave active duty, whether that’s via a separation or retirement, the next step is often the hardest – what do I do now? Where do I get started?
The answer is, there really isn’t a right answer. One thing you’re going to need, regardless of what you do next, is a resume. Even if you’re applying to college, especially graduate school, they are likely going to want a resume. Building your resume will allow you to put pen to paper and start mentally going through the process of collecting everything you did on active duty into one document. This mental exercise will help you realize all you’ve accomplished, but can also help you in determining what you want to do next.
We’re all used writing in the typical performance report format. But, when writing your resume, there is no required format – it’s completely up to you. You can use any format you want, but to help get you started, we’re going to use my format. Why? Because I’ve rewritten my resume hundreds of times and found that this format is used by top professionals who have donated their time and expertise to help get my resume to where it is today.
Your resume is important because it is the only version of you a recruiter or hiring manager will know of you before they meet you. And that resume needs to be so impressive to make them want to meet you for an interview. It needs to stand out, in a professional way.
Stay tuned for my next post where we breakdown the format of the resume and get started on how to fill out each section. Don’t worry, this isn’t something you’re going to accomplish in one sitting or even one day. We’ll break it down step by step so you can check off each task as it’s completed. Hear about coming up with a plan in our first transition tip. If you want to stay up to date with all of our latest content, don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter!
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