Four Ways a Veteran Can Ace a Civilian Job Interview

Pro tip: What some might consider old-fashioned values are prized more than ever by employers.

3. Avoid military-speak

Civilian workplaces often operate in code through acronyms that only internal employees understand. Terminology for military jobs is similar as well.

You can learn that new lingo once you’ve got the job. Don’t worry about it in the interview. But you do need to avoid terms only a service member would understand.

Pro tip: Think of this process as Google Translate for military jargon. Speak the employer’s language rather than the military language you’re accustomed to.

4. Control your narrative

Managers are often busy and overstretched. Dorie Clark, who teaches at Duke University and is the author of The Long Game: How to Be a Long-Term Thinker in a Short-Term World, tells AARP Veteran Report, “You have to control the narrative by painting the picture for them, and explaining precisely how your past experience taught you valuable lessons you can apply in your new position.”

If a veteran who worked in the supply chain in the military wants to do the same in a civilian context, that’s relatively simple. But if you’re transitioning from flying helicopters to marketing consumer packaged goods, you have to think creatively. “Others won’t take the time to envision possibilities for you — so you need to make sure you’re doing it for them,” says Clark. Veterans should also highlight “soft skills” like empathy and collaboration. The military might not emphasize these, but civilian employers do.

Pro tip: Don’t assume employers will immediately grasp how a military situation applies to their company. You’ll need to explain it to them.

Veterans have so much that civilian employers need. Make sure you showcase what you can offer.

Vicki Salemi is a nationally recognized career expert, author and speaker who writes a nationally syndicated column, Vicki on Careers, for Tribune. She previously worked in corporate HR and recruiting. Her work has appeared in The Chicago Tribune, Forbes, BBC.com, and dozens of other publications.

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