How Recruiters Can Help Veterans Communicate their Military Skills

Transitioning military veterans often struggle with creating a civilian resume, finding it difficult to translate what they did in the military ([their MOS](https://recruitmilitary.com/employers/resource/389-understanding-military-skillsets-part-ii)) into terms a civilian employer would understand. In fact, in some cases, a veteran’s MOS may limit his thinking about what he is qualified to do.

As a recruiter, you can help. By asking questions about what a veteran actually did to succeed in their day-to-day duties, you can uncover intangible skills that have a direct correlation to the civilian world.

For example, ask a veteran who was responsible for computing artillery firing data what that job required, you will learn that it requires someone who can work with numbers, is a good team player, and can meet very tight deadlines under pressure. Those are skills that fit well into the civilian workplace.

The bottom line is this: if you’re struggling to understand a veteran’s skills during an interview, just ask. You might want to say something like this: “I think you may be a good fit for this position, but I am struggling a bit in making the match from a skill-point standpoint. Here is what the position requires … please tell me how your experience and skills would enable you to do that job.”

Veterans have a wide variety of skillsets that add value in the civilian world. The time you invest in helping veterans articulate those skills will pay off through bringing high-quality talent to your workplace.

For more information, reference: [How to Assess and Hire a Veteran Job Candidate](https://www.recruitmilitary.com/employers/resource/336-how-to-assess-and-hire-a-veteran-job-candidate)