Listing Military Training on your Resume

Ask Deb

May 30

Dear Deb:

Should I list all of my military training? I have about a half page of courses and training programs that I completed. I feel this training would compensate for my lack of a college degree. Most of my training is military readiness, combat conditioning, and radio operations. I have been out of the military for eight years and have been working in a tech help desk.

Thanks,

Curtis

Dear Curtis:

Excellent question! My advice is the same whether you obtained your training in the military or elsewhere. Only show the training that relates to your job goal. Also, delete any training that is for a very basic, expected job skill. For example, if you took a course, “Business Writing Basics” or “Time Management,” you would not include that because those skills are expected and not noteworthy. An example of a course that is not relevant may be “Combat Conditioning.” That is not relevant to your career as a technical help desk agent.

If a lack of degree is a concern, identify other aspects of your career history where you shine. In your case, you can create a technical skill inventory section showcasing your technical expertise. Also, be sure to identify your top accomplishments in each job. Include a measured result with each accomplishment whenever possible. Those experiences from your last years will demonstrate your qualifications.