Your CV is your first impression. Translating a military service record into a compelling civilian CV requires a different approach — here is how to do it.
Your First Impression
A civilian CV is very different from a military service record or appraisal. Civilian recruiters spend an average of six seconds scanning a CV — your goal is to make those seconds count by clearly communicating the value you bring.
The biggest challenge for veterans is avoiding military jargon and framing achievements in terms that resonate with civilian employers. Focus on outcomes, numbers and impact rather than processes and rank structures.
A civilian CV should be no more than two pages. Be ruthless — only include experience relevant to the role you are applying for.
Open with three to four sentences summarising who you are, what you offer and what you are looking for. Tailor this to every application.
Use numbers wherever possible — "managed a team of 12", "reduced stock discrepancies by 30%", "delivered a £2m logistics operation on time and on budget".
Translate every military term. "Platoon Sergeant" becomes "Team Leader managing 30 personnel". "G4 Officer" becomes "Supply Chain Manager".
CV Structure
Full name, phone number, email, LinkedIn URL and location (town/city is sufficient — no need for full address).
A brief, tailored summary of your background, key strengths and career objective. Three to four sentences maximum.
A bullet-pointed list of six to eight core skills relevant to the role — use keywords from the job description.
List roles in reverse chronological order. For each, include your title, the organisation (e.g. "British Army"), dates and three to five achievement-focused bullet points.
Include your IoSCM qualification, any academic qualifications and relevant professional certifications.
Our team can review your CV and give you practical feedback to help it stand out to civilian employers.
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