A book series by H.C. Morgan
Practical guides for service members, veterans and military families. Learn to translate your skills, strengthen your résumé and plan your move into civilian life.
Say it so a hiring
manager hears it
The series
Start with the big picture of leaving the service, then build the résumé that gets you hired.
Book one
Military to Civilian Life Blueprint
A practical guide for service members and veterans preparing for civilian life and work. It breaks the transition into manageable steps, so you can recognize the value of your experience, describe it in terms employers understand, and move forward with a clear plan.
Book two
Twenty military and federal career paths, each translated into a civilian career. Every chapter covers transferable skills, industries that hire, recommended certifications and a résumé example you can customize. Part II adds a military acronym translation guide, a résumé customization checklist and a 30-day job search action plan.
Who it's for
Approaching separation or retirement and want a plan before the last day in uniform.
Exploring a new career, or already applying and not getting the callbacks your experience deserves.
Spouses and kids face new schools, jobs and healthcare too. The books help the whole household understand what's ahead.
Plan ahead
A general guide to what to work on and when. Your branch, your Transition Assistance Program (TAP) counselor and your unit will have the requirements that apply to you.
Transition help center
Practical advice for your résumé, interviews, networking, training, family and well-being. It's general guidance, so check the details with your TAP counselor or the program you're applying to.
Résumé
Hiring managers often spend less than a minute on a first look. Put your strongest, clearest information at the top and write it in their language.
Served as NCOIC of supply section responsible for property accountability.
Supervised a 6-person supply team and kept 100% accountability of $4.2M in equipment through 3 inspections.
Conducted PMCS on unit vehicles.
Led preventive maintenance on a 30-vehicle fleet and raised readiness from 82% to 96%.
Examples only. Use your own real numbers.
| Military | Civilian |
|---|---|
| NCOIC / OIC | Supervisor / manager |
| PCS | Relocation |
| OPORD | Project or operations plan |
| Mission-capable rate | Equipment uptime |
| Collateral duty | Additional responsibility |
| TDY | Business travel |
| Counseling statements | Performance reviews |
| Billet | Position |
Applying for a federal job on USAJOBS? Federal résumés have their own rules. Follow the "How to apply" section of each job announcement.
Interviews
Most interviewers ask about times you handled a challenge. Answer in four parts so your example is clear and ends with a result.
Networking & LinkedIn
A referral from someone inside a company can move your résumé to the top of the pile. Start building connections long before your last day.
Message you can send
"Hi Jordan, I'm separating from the Air Force in March after 8 years in logistics and I'm interested in supply chain roles at your company. I saw you served too. Would you have 15 minutes in the next few weeks to tell me about your transition? Thank you for your time."
Training & school
Family
Well-being
Leaving the service can mean losing a routine, a mission and a community all at once. It's normal for that to feel hard, even when the move is the right one.
If you're in crisis or worried about someone, the Veterans Crisis Line is free, confidential and open 24/7. You don't need to be enrolled in VA benefits to call.
Call 988, then press 1Text 838255Chat VeteransCrisisLine.net
FAQ
One to two pages for most private-sector jobs. Federal résumés on USAJOBS follow their own rules, so check each job announcement.
Use a civilian job title that describes what you did, like "Operations Manager." You can mention your rank in parentheses or in your summary, but the civilian title is what a hiring manager will recognize.
List what you accomplished during them rather than the deployment itself. For example, "Managed logistics for 400 personnel at a remote site" says more than a location and dates.
Many employers hire within a few months of a start date, so most applications happen in your last 3–6 months. Networking, your résumé and your LinkedIn profile should start much earlier.
Briefly and honestly. Time spent relocating, in school, earning a certification or caring for family is easy to explain. Focus the conversation on what you're ready to do next.
Start with Beyond Your Uniform: Military to Civilian Life Blueprint for the full transition. If you're ready to write your résumé now, start with Military to Civilian Resume Blueprints.
