PCS, TDY, OPSEC, COP, SECCLER -- the military is chock full of acronyms that make sense to people in uniform but leave civilians scratching their heads. Much like British vs. American English, it can sometimes feel like you're separated from the rest of the nation by a common language.
For a transitioning service member ready to launch a second career in the private sector, you've got to speak the language to get hired.
"You have to start thinking and speaking like a civilian if you want to be hired by one," said Janet Farley, military spouse and career coach. Farley is author of "Quick Military Transition Guide: Seven Steps to Landing a Civilian Job" as well as other career guides for service members and spouses.
For Thom Besch, an Army colonel who recently transitioned to the energy sector, being aware of subtle conversation cues was key.
"You've got to be conscious of those acronyms," he said. "You need to read people you're communicating with. If they're giving you a bewildered look, rephrase it."
Part of effective communication in the civilian world includes adding context to conversations so you forge solid connections, Besch said.
"(Veterans) have a tendency to downplay their skills," he said. "Just saying, 'I was in logistics,' doesn't tell the story. They need to be prepared to share a story or an explanation or description that anyone can relate to."
Choice of words is critical, said Michele Gorun, global recruitment programs supervisor for Chevron. Be sure you're familiar with phrases and terms that a potential employer used in job descriptions, then use those terms in resumes and interviews. If you're unsure how your military experience translates, Chevron offers a military skills translator as part of the section of their website that's dedicated to veterans."That helps candidates translate what they did and decide if a position potentially could be something they're interested in," she said.
Besch says jargon wasn't a significant hurdle in his job search process, thanks in part to the support he received from DoD's Transition Assistance Program (TAP). TAP offers classes and counseling on a wide range of transition issues that helped Besch make the move to the private sector.
Farley acknowledges it can be a challenge to revert back to pre-military speech patterns after a lengthy career in uniform.
"It can be even more problematic switching to business English, a strange new world where 'missions' are 'projects' and 'subordinates' are your 'colleagues'," she said. "Still, if you're going to succeed in your career post-uniform, you've got to adapt and overcome or learn new skills, as you might say in non-military parlance."
To do that, Farley recommends a step that will serve you well throughout your career change: find a successfully transitioned veteran in the field you're pursuing who's willing to mentor you. This is someone who can review your speech patterns and search your resume for jargon as well as give personal perspective on what it takes to make the change to the private sector.
"There's lots of opportunities to do that (find a mentor and network)," Besch said. "There are military organizations and church organizations and people who are motivated to help vets. But you've got to let them know you're looking."
Besch made sure his parents' friends, other transitioned military members and other connections in his hometown knew he was looking for work in the private sector. The more people who know you're searching for work, the more likely you are to find an opportunity or a personal connection to mentor you through the process, he said.
"They have to put it out on the street (that they're looking for a job)," Besch said.
Such connections can open all kinds of professional doors for you, point you to tools, organizations and resources specific to your area of expertise and give you candid feedback to improve your chances of landing a job.
"You get bonus points doing this because not only are you giving a fellow veteran the opportunity to mentor an up-and-coming civilian, but this is also subtle networking in action," Farley said.
You can also hit the internet to find sites that help you translate job skills and other transition issues. CareerOneStop, a website from the U.S. Department of Labor, offers a military-to-civilian occupation translator. Stars and Stripes' Veteran Job Center also hosts a MOS to civilian occupations translator. O*Net Online also has a MOS crosswalk search.
Farley and Gorun recommend you spend some time on LinkedIn reading the profiles of people who hold jobs you're interested in or work for companies you think you'd like to join. Check those profiles for military ties and send invitations to connect, Gorun said.
You can learn words and phrases from job ads on major employment boards like Glassdoor, Monster, CareerBuilder and Indeed.com.
"Read their skill set line by line and see if it doesn't sound familiar in meaning if not semantically to you," she said. "This can be a painful drill for you, literally word by word, but it's an important one for you to do. Make flashcards if you must."
Really understanding the position you're applying for is critical, Gorun said. If you understand what that job entails, you can explain in civilian terms how and why you fit the position.
"Just being able to demonstrate that you understand that job – '... I did that in military and I did it out on a platform in the middle of the Gulf,'" she said. "It may be a military title, and that's fine, but you want to talk in terms of what you did relating to the role itself you're applying for."
For more on making the transition, read this commentary and Farley's article, Military to Civilian Translations.
Photo Credits: Digital Vision, Getty Images
This story is presented by our sponsor Chevron. For more information, visit chevron.com.
©2015 Chevron Corporation. No U.S. military endorsement is implied.
