Site of the Month for August 2011 relates to Career and Employment. Work Dir is career guide and directory of jobs and careers with an extensive selection of links to career reference, advice, job search, employment and career planning and more.

You can be a top-ranking officer in the military, but that doesn’t mean you can automatically step out of your uniform and run a company. You will have a much better chance of getting that job, however, if you know how to translate the skills you learned and the experience you gained in the military into civilian terms.

How can you do it? If you approach it the right way, it’s easy to see how military skills can translate into a civilian’s everyday, on-the-job duties.

There are a basic set of skills that every employer wants every employee to have, such as: self confidence, responsibility, leadership skills, initiative, creative thinking, flexibility, a positive attitude and a sense of humor.

Keeping that in mind, you can turn a skill you gained or an experience you had in the military into a skill wanted by a civilian employer. For instance, if you served as an Admiral in the Navy, you can use the steps you took to gain that high-ranking position to demonstrate your leadership skills.

The type of job you’re applying for also can have a great impact on how your military skills are viewed. In example, a soldier who has been trained as an X-ray technician or nurse can use their knowledge to work in a hospital or healthcare facility, while a soldier who served in the military police would be well-equipped for a position in law enforcement.

If most civilian jobs don’t sound appealing, keep in mind that positions with the federal government are a great choice for veterans. Federal agencies often set aside jobs for ex military members, and you could find yourself in a high-paying, important position that you love.

How do you put those skills on your resume? Once you’ve figured out how to translate your military skills and experience into civilian skills and experience, there are some other points to keep in mind when writing your resume.

First and foremost, you should clearly define your civilian objective on your resume to prove that you are driven and have a set goal in mind. Next, make sure to emphasize the information that will speak to an employer’s needs.

While writing your resume, it’s important to always assume that the hiring manager you’re applying for a job with knows nothing about the military. Just as that may be the case, you should avoid using complex or uncommon military terms that the average civilian may not understand.

That being said, by no means should you try to downplay your military experience, as it’s a valuable asset that often places you above and beyond the average candidate. You should show off your military background and your track record of accomplishments. Even highlighting active combat experience can work to your advantage, just be sure to leave out the details.