# Civilian Resume Bullets

Converts specific military duties and accomplishments into honest civilian resume bullets aimed at a target role. Use it when you have a job description and your own duty list and need language that a civilian hiring manager will recognize without overstating what you did.

## Prompt

## Context
You are helping [YOUR NAME], a [BRANCH OF SERVICE] veteran with [YEARS OF SERVICE] years of service and a background in [MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY OR RATING], translate military duties into civilian resume bullets for a [TARGET ROLE] position. The target industry is [TARGET INDUSTRY]. The specific duty or accomplishment to convert is: [MILITARY DUTY OR ACCOMPLISHMENT AS YOU WOULD DESCRIBE IT IN YOUR OWN WORDS].

## Task
Write two or three resume bullets that reframe [MILITARY DUTY OR ACCOMPLISHMENT] for a [TARGET ROLE] audience in [TARGET INDUSTRY]. Each bullet should:
- Lead with a strong action verb that appears in [TARGET INDUSTRY] job postings.
- Describe what you actually did, using civilian vocabulary where an honest translation exists.
- Include a concrete scope detail such as number of personnel supervised, dollar value of equipment or contracts managed, geographic scope, or frequency, drawn only from what I provide.
- Avoid claiming a skill or outcome I did not describe.

## Standards
- Each bullet is one or two lines, under 25 words.
- Use past tense for roles you have left; use present tense if still serving.
- Do not invent metrics, headcounts, dollar values, or other numbers I did not supply.
- Do not claim tools, software, certifications, or civilian credentials unless I name them.
- Do not fabricate accomplishments, job duties, clearances, or qualifications the person does not actually have. Every bullet must be something the person can defend in a behavioral interview.
- Do not invent experience, dates, benefit amounts, eligibility, or outcomes not stated in the inputs.
- If the duty I gave you is too vague to write an honest, specific bullet, ask me one clarifying question before drafting.

## Variables

- YOUR NAME
- BRANCH OF SERVICE
- YEARS OF SERVICE
- MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY OR RATING
- TARGET ROLE
- TARGET INDUSTRY
- MILITARY DUTY OR ACCOMPLISHMENT AS YOU WOULD DESCRIBE IT IN YOUR OWN WORDS

## Input checklist

- [ ] Write out the duty in your own words and include any concrete details you remember: how many people, how much equipment or money, how often, and what the output was.
- [ ] Name the specific target role and industry so the bullets use the right vocabulary.
- [ ] Gather real numbers you can defend: team size, budget figures from unclassified sources, mission count, or equipment value listed on open records.
- [ ] Remove your Social Security number and personal data before pasting any record, and never paste classified or operationally sensitive details.
- [ ] Note any civilian tools, software, or credentials you actually hold so they can appear accurately.
- [ ] List the duty one at a time rather than pasting your entire separation paperwork; focused input produces tighter bullets.

## Verification checklist

- [ ] Read each bullet and ask: can I back this up in a five-minute behavioral interview? If not, cut or soften it.
- [ ] Check every number: did you supply that figure, or did the AI invent it? Remove any invented metric.
- [ ] Confirm no tool, software, or certification appears that you have not actually used or earned.
- [ ] Check that action verbs reflect what you genuinely did. 'Advised' should not become 'directed' unless you held directive authority.
- [ ] Confirm no classified information or operationally sensitive detail made it into the bullet.
- [ ] Read for military acronyms that a civilian reader would not recognize and replace them with plain language.
- [ ] Check that the scope detail is from an unclassified source you can cite if asked.

## Sample output

Sample output. Generated by AI from sample inputs:

Duty provided: Led a 12-person logistics team at a forward operating base, responsible for receiving, tracking, and distributing repair parts and supplies for about 400 personnel and 80 vehicles. Used a military supply system called GCSS-Army. Had to coordinate with the unit S4 and higher headquarters when items were on back-order.

Target role: Supply chain coordinator at a distribution company.

Draft bullets:

- Managed end-to-end inventory tracking and distribution for a 400-person operating unit, maintaining accountability for parts and supplies supporting 80 vehicles.
- Coordinated parts sourcing and back-order resolution across multiple supply channels, reducing mission-critical downtime through proactive follow-up with upstream stakeholders.
- Supervised a 12-person supply team, assigning daily workload, tracking task completion, and maintaining inventory records in an enterprise resource planning system.

## Customization notes

Run this prompt once per duty rather than pasting your entire DD-214 or performance report; focused input produces tighter bullets. If you are targeting project management roles, include any timeline, budget, or deliverable detail you can defend. For leadership roles, scope the supervision number precisely. If you held a security clearance relevant to the role, that detail belongs in a separate bullet using the Clearance as a Civilian Asset prompt.

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From The Military Transition & SkillBridge Library at vetslearn.com/libraries/transition