Military Resume Writers - Military Resumes 101 -

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Why Veteran's Should Apply for a Federal Job

The federal government is hiring. With tens of thousands of jobs currently posted, in all levels of positions, and millions of employees, the federal government is the largest employer in the United States. In addition, during the next few years, over half of the current workforce will be eligible for retirement. This means there will be many openings to be filled in the future - and many opportunities to advance to more senior level positions as the workforce retires. In addition, governmental jobs offer job security not provided by positions in the private sector.

Currently, the government is seeking personnel with training and experience in virtually every discipline, with an emphasis on homeland security, including security, intelligence, IT, telecommunications, logistics and health care. In addition, many of the positions require security clearance. The skills gained in the military are directly transferable to many of the positions being sought to be filled by the federal government.

In the federal government, military experience is valued, with some of the jobs the similar to work performed by members of the military. With the current shortage of military personnel, some jobs previously performed by military personnel are now being performed by the civilian workforce. For these positions, along with others, including positions in the civilian military workforce, homeland security, FBI and CIA, military skills are directly transferable. Also, certifications gained in the military - including contracting certifications and top secret clearance, are sought after by federal agencies. The training received while in the military is recognized as important for these agencies - whereas it might not be recognized as important in the private sector.

In the civilian workforce, many middle and senior-level positions require candidates to have degrees. For the federal government, experience can often substitute for the degree. With experience in the military, a candidate without a degree can often obtain a higher level position in the federal government than in the private sector workforce.

In addition, candidates with active duty United States military service and separated under honorable conditions will likely be eligible for a Veteran's Preference when applying for federal jobs. This preference can help a veteran to be selected for a given position over non-veterans.