CV Street - Military personnel - Tips on writing your CV
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Everyone's talking about "key words and key skills." I index these under a category of "Areas of Expertise." Conducting a job search is like marketing and selling a product -- with YOU as the product. The best way to market yourself is to go through this sales sequence.  

(1) In sales you have the "Features and Benefits" of the service or product provided. When selling yourself these can be communicated as your "Skills and Achievements".

Ex-military personnel can offer a great deal of experience and dedication to prospective commercial employers. Yet their abilities are often overlooked, because , they may not be able to understand the skill gained throughout your career, because recruiters feels that the language used or "buzz words" do not match. If the recruiter is forced to decipher too much information or jargon, he or she may be unable to see the experience they seek. With analysis and innovation, people can easily make the transition from military to civilian careers and effectively position themselves as worthy candidates.

The first step for the transition is for the applicant to understand his or her skills and abilities, and how those abilities relate to their intended job target / business or industry. These can be indexed on the front page of the CV for IMPACT anything from Leadership, Human Resources, to Policy-making and Strategic Planning, Financial Planning, Operations Management, Purchasing, Systems Administration and Support.

Survival of the Fittest.
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Creating the "Civilian" CV. As with any other specialized field, military applicants need not only to prepare their CV and cover letter in "lay terms" but also to strategize how they will "fit in", marketing themselves throughout the hiring process with the focus on the professional capabilities the benefits the applicant will bring to the company or organization.

CV Presentation:
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Your CV's visual presentation is as critical as the content. Readers should be immediately impressed with the appearance, content and targeting.  The applicant should use the language and industry terms specific to the chosen industry and profession. This MUST be your self-marketing tool.