Career Resources
Everything you need to navigate the military-to-civilian transition. Guides, tools, and honest advice from a team that has been through it.
Military Resume Tips
Salary Negotiation
Clearance Jobs
Interview Prep
MOS Translation
Career Planning
The Transition Playbook
Transitioning from military to civilian is a process, not an event. Here's a structured approach to the key decisions you'll need to make.
Define Your Target
Before updating your resume, clarify what you actually want — not just what you're qualified for.
Translate Your Experience
Military titles and acronyms are invisible to civilian employers. Your experience needs translation, not just listing.
Build Your Network
Most civilian jobs are filled through connections before they're ever posted. Start building relationships now.
Interview Preparation
Civilian interviews are different from military performance reviews. Structure your answers differently.
Evaluate Offers
The base salary is just the starting point. Evaluate total compensation and culture fit.
Set Up for Success
The first 90 days in a civilian role are critical. Be intentional about your integration.
Writing a Military-to-Civilian Resume
Your military resume is invisible to civilian employers. Here's how to translate it into something that gets you interviews.
❌ WHAT NOT TO DO
- "Served as S4 NCOIC responsible for property accountability of $14M in equipment" — no civilian will understand S4, NCOIC, or why $14M matters
- "Completed numerous training courses and certifications including PLDC, BNCOC, and ALC" — meaningless to civilian HR
- "Responsible for the welfare and training of 22 Soldiers" — "Soldiers" signals military; the word choice matters
- "Successfully completed two combat deployments to OIF/OEF" — deployment history isn't a job skill unless you translate it
- Listing your military rank prominently without context — rank alone means nothing to a civilian hiring manager
✓ WHAT TO DO INSTEAD
- "Led inventory control and logistics operations for $14M in capital equipment across 3 facilities — zero losses in 4-year period" — translated and quantified
- "Completed progressive leadership training equivalent to a Supervision and Management Certificate program" — translated
- "Managed the professional development, performance reviews, and day-to-day operations of a 22-person team" — civilian language
- "Led a 12-person team deployed to high-risk international operations — managed safety, logistics, and mission execution under pressure for 18 months"
- Use your rank to contextualize scope: "As a mid-level manager (equivalent to Staff Sergeant/Lieutenant) responsible for..."
Your MOS Maps to These Civilian Roles
Every military job translates to civilian careers. Here are the most common military occupational specialties and the civilian roles they map to most directly.
| MOS | Military Title | Civilian Roles |
|---|---|---|
| 11B / 0311 | Infantry / Rifleman | Operations Supervisor, Plant Security, Law Enforcement, Field Operations Manager |
| 25U / 25B | Signal Support / IT Specialist | Network Administrator, IT Support, Systems Administrator, Telecommunications |
| 35F / 0231 | Intelligence Analyst | Data Analyst, Research Analyst, Security Analyst, Business Intelligence |
| 68W / HM | Combat Medic / Corpsman | Healthcare Administrator, EMT, Pharmaceutical Sales, Medical Device |
| 88M / 3531 | Motor Transport Operator | Logistics Coordinator, Fleet Manager, Supply Chain, Transportation Operations |
| 92A / 3043 | Automated Logistical Specialist | Inventory Manager, Supply Chain Analyst, Warehouse Operations, Procurement |
| 25A / 0602 | Signal Officer | IT Manager, Network Engineer, Telecommunications Director, CTO |
| 79S / Career Counselor | Career Counselor / Retention NCO | HR Manager, Talent Acquisition, Recruiter, Training & Development |
| 51C / 1102 | Contracting NCO | Contract Specialist, Procurement Manager, Acquisitions, Vendor Management |
| 91 Series / 2100 | Maintenance / Ordnance | Maintenance Manager, Facilities Engineer, Equipment Technician, MRO Supervisor |
Note: This is a partial list. Every MOS has civilian equivalents — contact LockLeed and we'll translate your specific background for you.
Helpful Links & Tools
Trusted external resources for transitioning veterans. We don't endorse any specific organization but have found these consistently valuable.
VA eBenefits & VA.gov
Benefits & TransitionOfficial source for all VA benefits, healthcare, education (GI Bill), and disability claims. Start here before anything else.
DoD Transition Assistance Program (TAP)
Career TransitionMandatory pre-separation program. The most useful parts: career exploration, resume workshops, and industry days.
USAJobs.gov
Job SearchOfficial federal government job listings. Veterans' preference applies here — use it. Sort by "open to the public" and filter for Veterans' preference.
LinkedIn — Military Veteran Groups
NetworkingSearch "military veterans" in LinkedIn Groups. Active communities for every branch and specialty. Where most civilian networking starts.
Glassdoor / Levels.fyi / Payscale
Salary ResearchResearch civilian compensation before you negotiate. Know the market range for your target role before any offer conversation.
MyCAA / GI Bill / SkillBridge
EducationMyCAA for military spouses. GI Bill for degrees. SkillBridge for internships during your last 180 days of service — highly underused.
Ready to Find Your Next Career?
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