Translation guide for civilian want ads - Military Careers, Second Careers - Navy Times

Translation guide for civilian want ads

During the search for a new job, chances are you'll read enough job ads to be able to mumble them in your sleep. Key words and phrases that seem to turn up again and again in most advertisements may even begin to haunt you: "Able to multitask," "self-starter," "team player," "great communication skills a plus."

What do they all mean? How can you emphasize in your cover letter and resume which among this laundry list of skills you possess, and still hope to have any room left over to talk about your education, work experience and other abilities that make you unique? Why must the quest for a new job be so intimidating and confusing before it's barely begun?

Don't panic. In some cases, buzz words only make it into a job ad as filler, said Bryan Zawikowski, division director and general manager of the Lucas Group's Military Transition Division.

"Of course, you want someone who is a team player. Of course, you want someone who has good communication skills," he said. "Some of those are just so generic that it's ridiculous that they are even putting that in there."

Other times, said Wendy Enelow, a career expert and author of the book "Expert Resumes for Military-to-Civilian Transitions," employers are being genuine about their desire to find someone with those qualities. The trouble is, she said, many of these words and phrases are so overused that job seekers tend to take them a bit flippantly.

Both Zawikowski and Enelow agree that job seekers must use tools such as resumes, cover letters and interviews to show they have the attributes listed in the ads they answer.

"If an ad says something about taking initiative," said Enelow, "when you are writing a cover letter, integrate phrases such as 'Through my initiative, my team and I ...' so you are responding to what they want."

Deciphering popular job ad jargon can help eliminate the confusion and get you started on your way to a successful job search. So, let's get started. Here are translations of some often-seen phrases:

• "Must have ability to multitask." No, the employer is not interested in hearing that you can still get all of your work completed while simultaneously making personal phone calls, e-mailing friends and bidding on items on eBay. Emphasize your ability to work on multiple projects at the same time -- and provide examples of instances from your military career.

• "Must be a self-starter." The employer wants to ensure that a candidate does not need constant direction and hand-holding to get the work done. Highlight examples when you came up with ideas and carried out projects on your own. Show that you have initiative and motivation to spare.

• "Must be a team player." If you read this in an ad, be prepared for a job that requires regular interaction with a number of different people. Sure, that may seem a given in the working world, but, Zawikowski said, some jobs require more interaction than others. Be prepared to work well with others. Some people are better suited to solo positions. If you are the type of person who likes jobs where the only other person you have to talk to is when you're ordering lunch, you might want to steer away from ads asking for team players, Zawikowski said.

• "Great communication skills a plus." Do you know how to listen as well as talk? Are you polite, respectful and engaging? Do you know how to make intelligent points clearly and succinctly? How are you at dealing with the public? A lot of this will come across to potential employers in the interview. To help you make it to that stage, provide examples of your communication skills in your cover letter.

• "Must have effective time-management skills." By virtue of being in the military, most service members fulfill this requirement. Discuss your experiences working in a highly structured, scheduled environment, and illustrate instances when you were required to meet strict deadlines.

• "Four-year college degree required" or "Five years of experience required." This is the gray area in job ads. Sometimes employers need someone with a bachelor's degree, and some jobs require a minimum of five years of experience. But other times, employers are looking for skills represented by those qualifications. You can land the job even if you only have, for example, a two-year degree or four years of experience. Don't be put off from applying for a job because you lack the academic or on-the-job experience outlined in an ad. Be prepared to show you have more than enough skill and talent to make up for areas in which you may seem to fall short on paper.

Jessica Lawson can be reached at Jlawson@atpco.com.