How understanding military job titles helps you hire veterans and military talent

Military ranks and occupations don’t always transfer directly to roles in the civilian world. If you look at a list of military jobs, you might be unsure of how people in those positions could fit into your workplace structure.

Gaining a better understanding of how the military structures their roles and the military’s various duties and responsibilities can help you find military-experienced candidates who meet your needs. It can also help you develop interview questions for veterans that help you learn more about their skills and qualifications.

Common misconceptions about military job titles

Misconceptions surrounding military job titles can interfere with your military hiring efforts. You might miss out on candidates who meet your qualifications because you don’t fully understand how job titles in the Uniformed Services work. Debunking these military job title myths can help you improve your recruiting efforts:

• Myth #1: Military jobs don’t relate to the civilian world. The titles might not sound familiar to the civilian world, but many roles in the military are similar to civilian positions and provide military talent with valuable transferable skills.
• Myth #2: People in military roles don’t have college degrees. Military personnel often have access to a variety of educational opportunities. It’s possible for military-experienced applicants to have both on-the-job skills and a formal college education to meet your potential education requirements.
• Myth #3: All military roles are combat-related. Many military positions aren’t directly related to combat. The military needs people in all types of roles. There is a wide variety of non-combat roles, including HR positions, culinary specialists, financial management positions and more.
• Myth #4: Military jobs teach people to follow orders. While it’s true that military members follow orders, they also have many opportunities to lead and take ownership of their tasks.

The structure of military roles

The military rank structure and job classification system are two ways the military organizes positions. Understanding these systems can help you compare a candidate’s military experience to the roles at your company.

Military rank structure

Military rank indicates leadership and responsibilities within the Uniformed Services. Higher ranks typically oversee more people and have more challenging responsibilities.

While the ranking system is similar across all branches, some ranks are slightly different. For instance, the lowest level in the Army and Marine Corps is a Private. That same rank in other branches have other names, including Seaman Recruit in the Navy, Airman Basic in the Air Force, Specialist 1 in the Space Force and Seaman Recruit in the Coast Guard. Those names continue for several rankings. The first ranks in the Air Force are Airman Basic, Airman, Airman First Class and Senior Airman, for instance.

As an example, the Army uses this structure, from lowest to highest rank:

• Private
• Private First Class
• Specialist
• Corporal
• Sergeant
• Staff Sergeant
• Sergeant First Class
• Master Sergeant
• First Sergeant
• Sergeant Major
• Command Sergeant Major
• Sergeant Major of the Army

When you have a military applicant, looking at where the rank falls within the respective branch of the military can give you an idea of their leadership skills. For example, you might decide they qualify for a leadership role within your company based on that rank.It can also show motivation to move up through the ranks. When you’re looking to hire a motivated employee, military rank could be one way to assess that.

Military job classification systems

Each military branch has a military job classification system to define and organize the specialty options. Digging deeper into the codes can help you understand the experience a candidate has. For instance, one MOS for the Marines is Avionics (63/64), which relates to aviation weapons systems. Some MOS codes are similar to civilian jobs, while others are more military-specific (although these jobs likely have many transferable skills).

The Army and Marines use the Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) system. In the Air Force, the classification system is called the Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC). The Navy refers to its classification as Navy Enlisted Classification (NEC).

Mapping military experience to civilian jobs

Translating military roles into civilian positions can take some research. As you become more familiar with the military structure, the process should become easier. The following steps can help you determine how military experience might fit your hiring needs.

1. Understand your needs

Having a clear understanding of the skills and talent you need for a position is essential before you start looking at relevant military experience. It’s easier to find corresponding military duties when you’re clear on the role. Make sure the current job description is accurate and includes the key duties and skills to succeed in the role.

2. Use a military to civilian translator

These translator tools are often set up for military personnel who want to find civilian positions based on what they do. You can use it to check out different military roles you think could be similar to your needs. Another helpful option is to search for lists of military terms with translations to civilian terms. Browsing these lists can help you recognize words you might see on resumes that work for your open role.

3. Get help from your military-experienced employees

If you already have employees with military experience, they can serve as a reference for your search. They might offer insight into military roles and terminology that would relate to your position. You can also ask them to help with the resume review or interview process so they can provide a different perspective through the lens of their military background.

Examples of military to civilian job titles

Looking at a list of military jobs compared to similar civilian jobs can help you conceptualize how you can hire veterans and military talent for your open roles. Here are some examples of roles in the military and how they could translate into a civilian job:

• Commander to Program Manager
• Personnel Specialist to Personnel Records Clerk
• Team Leader to Trainer
• Master Fitness Trainer to Fitness Instructor
• Supply Sergeant to Logistics Manager
• Field Grade Officer to Manager
• Watch Captain to Supervisor
• Medic to Paramedic
• Infantry to Security
• Radio Operator to Communications Technician
• Seabee to Construction Worker

There are hundreds of military jobs, so you might not see roles that match your needs on this list. Using a military to civilian translator tool can help you compare positions and evaluate military experience on resumes.

FAQs about military to civilian job titles

What should I look for on resumes to find relevant military experience related to the civilian position?

Some veterans and former military members may use a military to civilian translator tool to list their experience on their resumes in terms used in the civilian world. If a resume uses a lot of military terminology, you can use a translator yourself to better understand their work experience. You can also look for relevant skills, such as supervisor responsibilities if you’re hiring for a management role.

What are the benefits of hiring veterans and military talent?

Veterans and military talent often have leadership experience and have worked in high-pressure situations. Learning on the job is common in the military, and military members often have to pick up new skills quickly to keep pace with rigorous training programs. Employees with a military background help expand your workplace diversity and bring new perspectives to the team.

How can understanding military job titles help you attract more military applicants?

If your goal is to create a veteran-friendly workplace, learning more about military experience is a good place to start. You might revise your job descriptions to reflect common experience military-experience job seekers might have on their resumes. When you review applications, you can accurately assess their qualifications based on their military experience.

During interviews, better understanding what military applicants are telling you about their experience can put them at ease. All of this can earn you a reputation as an organization that supports veterans, which could encourage more people with military experience to apply.