别再简历上撒谎了！这对自己没好处，还会害了别人。

"So be honest. That's going to go a long way with hiring managers these days."


You'd think.

The civilian business world literally BREEDS people who shovel shit like this. I can't tell you how many times I've looked up people I knew and worked with on linkedin who post their resume there for the entire world to see. And 99% of them will use three paragraphs of shit to describe something that could be covered in one sentence. They do that for the obvious reason of course - to fluff themselves up. But the pisser is the HR people who review their resumes don't seem to care.

And more to the point get off on the applicants who use three paragraphs instead of one sentence. I'm in telecom and flushed a turd a while back who was a dumbass that didn't have even the most basic skills for the job.. I didn't hire him, but I was stuck with him... And HR said "Well he has an Electrical Engineering background." I said I know the truth on this because he told me.. he was an Engineering major and dropped out.

Anyway.. point is it's great you're sifting through the bullshit, but the corporate culture just begs people for more of it.

When I first retired, before my VA and CRSC kicked in, I was going through the computer bots trying to get interviews. But I'm the honest sort, as a 21Z5, Combat Engineer, with an 88Z5 secondary. It doesn't really relate to too many entry-level positions that would keep me away from the general public.
I got 1 in person interview with Sears. When the dreaded question of, "Why do you want to work for Sears?" was asked. I was honest. Mostly for the employee discount. I saw the change in the interviewers eyes and knew the interview was over at that point. But he was polite about it.

I've got a buddy who works for a cannabis company. He's one of those guys who likes to read all the regulations and policies and make sure they're being followed. He has been with this company for a couple of years now. He gets sent out to help open other locations because he knows all the regulations, rules, and policies.

But now that he's looking for another job, he has been turned down for interviews because his resume isn't 'fluffy' enough.
He has finally found Warriors to Work with the WWP. They have an AI that helps tailor resume's to the job requirements.

Ive shared this story many times on here but ill say it again. When I worked at Amazon as a trainer manager I worked very closely with HR and dealt with many interviews and applicants trying to get into a corporate/management position.

The number of vets that would apply and would have AWFUL resumes or horrendous interview skills was astonishing. They would go on and on about their military careers, deployments, “combat”, use military jargon where they would constantly have to explain it because the others on the panel were not military.

Then when they would be asked simple interview questions about leadership or how would you do xyz. It would always start with “Well when I was in Jordan” Or “When I was active duty”. Its like no bro thats not the question ANSWER the simple question they are lobbing it for a homerun for you.

Needless to say, anytime we would get vet resumes it was sadly a red flag. I found it was always the E-6-7s that would lie the most. Especially the SFC, MSGS were pretty solid and professional. And funnily enough the E4 SPC that never promoted but focused on their college/civilian skills always seemed to land the gig.

Those are some wild tall tales. I suspect that a lot of vets are counting on the general public being pretty divorced from the military now with the drawdown in the 20 year long central Asian land wars.

They likely don't realize said wars generated millions of us vets who are now in the civilian world.

It's a tough line to walk for sure (I agree with you overall), since you have educated, hard working, experienced talent coming out of the military and feeling completely lost. And getting all sort of advice about "translate what you did in the military to an equivalent (exaggerated) civilian side title & experience.

Buddy of mine got out as an engineering officer about a decade ago, transferred from active to the reserves. Combat deployed, purple heart from an IED, the whole package. Basically lied and said he was doing engineering project management work instead of running convoys, PMI took it as relevant experience towards the PMP, he got a civilian project manager job making mid 6 figures, and moved up to Breckenridge.

Yes he "lied" to get the job, but ended up doing great, getting promoted there, and wasn't remotely worried about getting fired for being unable to do the job. I'd say that's a justifiable scenario to lie, since so many white collar middle class jobs now require 5 years of experience doing said job, a technical certification that requires 5 years, or both.

To wit, there are orgs out there who help transitioning vets with the brutal job search, you should definitely exhaust all "honest" options before stretching your resume. But civilians do the same shit too. Buddy of mine (former 68W) bullshitted his way into a couple of Field CISO roles, and now his career trajectory is set for life. But that's not a vet issue, many many civilians who've never served do the same shit.

Concur with OP.

BLUF: Read the job description. Speak to the reader in their language about what you can do for them, demonstrated by your experience & accomplishments.

(Bit of a rant follows)

Worst ever resume I ever read consisted of the applicant contact information and the statement “Command Master Chief Petty Officer, United States Navy, thirty-one years.”

(Mind you I’m Army, even after this year’s game).

When I asked him if he thought this was sufficient, his response was “Any employer that I would work for will know what that means”.

My response was to give him my business card and say “I’ll see you in a few months chief” as he went back to his newspaper. It took four months following retirement and facing a missed mortgage payment before he set pride aside and called for assistance.


Tell me what you did in civilian (read the job description) terms, and what was the impact. Give me the numbers and use the employers jargon, so they can see you in their context.
I don’t care about your (inflated) job title, I care about what you can do for me with minimal flash to bang time before I see a ROI. This is also the place to whip out your awards and commendations. “Awarded * Medal for($,%,#), not in a love me wall with no context.


Employers don’t know the difference between an impact award vs a tour award, but they know you had to do something ($$) to earn it.


Go back to the Resume section of your TAP manual and reread the section on Word Smithing that you didn’t listen to in class when you thought everyone was waiting to hire you for more than you are making now.


They are not. They are looking to interview and hire the best qualified applicants, Veteran or not. That goes for Federal, State, and private employment, disability rating or not.


Any whiff of blue smoke trash cans your application. I am looking to screen out as many applicants as possible before I get to your resume. Answer every question as if your resume doesn’t exist. My ATS is designed to screen out all but my best fits based on my criteria and jargon. Use my language to describe your experience as it relates to me (I’m all about me).
Your best (free) friends are the DVOPs (look it up) where you are going to and looking for employment. They know the local market and can help you before you separate or retire. DOL pays them to help you.
If you are separating, file for unemployment benefits as soon as you are a civilian. DoD pays into the UCX program on your behalf the whole time you are on active duty. The longer you wait, the less you get.


They will need a copy of your DD 214, but file every week even if you are waiting for it.

It’s insurance not a handout to help you during the start of your separation. Set aside your pride on this one. I wasn’t eligible and had to scramble for a job when my “plan” fell through.

If you retired, check with your state, because some states have different rules for UCX eligibility.


Every State has a network of programs that will help you at no charge to get where you want to get to. Look up your state and reach out.


They are almost all Veterans that have been where you are, and know what the ground truth is locally.


Don’t pay for a resume service out the door. I once had an E-5 and an O-3 in the same TAP class with the same career field.


The O-3 paid three times the amount as the E-5 for the same resume. You are the best person to tell your story.


Resumes are hard, that’s why people make money off them. What’s to much, what’s not enough? Get a DVOP to help you.
“Thank you for your service” does nothing for a business’s bottom line. “What can you do for me today” is the BLUF.