FAQs

• Translate Occupational Code: Convert your Occupation Code (OC) into civilian terms (e.g., Security Forces to relevant skills).
• Professional Experience: Include military experience in this section, listing years of service under the branch.
• Chronological Format: Use a chronological format with a skills summary at the top.
• Military-Friendly Descriptions: Break down military job titles into civilian-friendly descriptions.
• AI Assistance: Use AI tools to translate job duties into common language terms.
• Resources: Find your Occupational Code on military.com or va.gov, but do not list the Occupational Code itself on your resume.

• Job History: Focus on including relevant experience and industry-specific experience that aligns with the role you’re applying for. Generally, you should include job history from the past 10+ years if it is pertinent to the position.
• Graduation Years: It is advisable to remove graduation dates to avoid any potential age bias. However, if you have obtained higher education beyond your undergraduate degree and it is relevant to your career, you can list the year of completion.

• CareerCircle recommends a chronological resume format. Functional resumes can often lead to rejection from ATS.

• One to two pages is the standard length. If you have extensive experience, aim for two pages but keep the most crucial information on the first page. Ensure your pages are as complete as possible with little to no blank space at the bottom.

• Formatting: Use standard fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman. Avoid photos, wild fonts, colors, and complex formatting such as tables and graphics.
• Content: Incorporate keywords from the job description and label your first and last name clearly.
• Submission: Submit your resume as a PDF.
• Links: Hyperlink your LinkedIn or portfolio to showcase creativity, ensuring the document remains ATS-friendly.
• AI Assistance: Use AI tools like Resume Worded to help optimize your resume.

• PDF is generally preferred for maintaining formatting. However, some ATS systems process Word documents (.docx) more accurately.

• If relevant to your career, include them in a separate section titled “Volunteer Experience” or “Projects.” If they align with your professional skills, they can also be integrated into your work experience.

• Lead with a strong summary highlighting key skills and accomplishments.
• Use bold or bullet points to emphasize important achievements, ensuring to use quantifiable data.
• Tailor the resume to the job description to ensure relevance.
• Keep formatting clean and scannable—avoid dense paragraphs.

• Resume Guide
• Resume Templates (Google)
• AI Resume and Cover Letter Prompts
• Blog: Crafting Your Story: A Guide to Effective Resume Writing
• Blog: The 5 Resume Tips Recruiters Want You To Know
• Blog: How to Create a Skills-First Resume That Stands Out
• Blog: The Role of Digital Portfolios in Skills-Based Hiring

• CareerCircle has an AI Resume and Cover Letter Prompts Guide as well as a webinar on tips/tricks on AI implementation for resumes and cover letters.

• While a “career highlights” section can help organize your experience, feel free to remove it from your resume if you need extra space.

• Translate Occupational Codes: Use Occupation Codes (OCs) to find civilian equivalents.
• Civilian-Friendly Language: Avoid military-specific acronyms and jargon.
• Highlight Transferable Skills: Emphasize leadership, teamwork, discipline, and problem-solving.
• Convert Roles: Translate military roles to civilian positions (e.g., logistics to supply chain management, operations to project management).

• A career map helps you identify your career goals and helps you determine how to leverage your skills. Your career map should be revisited at least once a year, or whenever a major life or career change occurs (e.g., new skills acquired, industry shifts, job transitions). Keeping it updated ensures you remain aligned with your evolving goals.

• Define your end goal (e.g., a specific job, industry, or skill mastery).
• Assess your current skills and experiences to identify gaps.
• Research career paths that align with your interests and strengths.
• Set short-term and long-term milestones (e.g., certifications, networking, skill-building).
• Adjust as needed based on job market trends and personal growth.
• Use the Career Mapping Worksheet for extra assistance! 

• Review past experiences (jobs, volunteering, education).
• Look for recurring themes—such as communication, problem-solving, leadership, or technical skills.
• Use job descriptions in your target field to match relevant skills.
• Seek feedback from mentors, colleagues, or career advisors.

• Understand the Market: Research the market and career trajectory aligned with your goals. Networking within the industry can be crucial.
• Quantify Projects: Highlight and quantify any projects you have worked on to demonstrate your impact.
• Leverage Transferable Skills: Showcase relevant expertise by emphasizing transferable skills.
• Gain Experience: Build experience through freelance work, volunteering, or internships.
• Strategic Networking: Connect with industry professionals via LinkedIn, events, or mentorship programs.
• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight alternative qualifications like certifications, boot camps, and independent projects.
• Start Small: Consider starting with contract or part-time roles to quickly build experience.

• Practice explaining your experience in non-military terms.
• Be ready to discuss how your military background aligns with the company’s needs.
• Demonstrate adaptability and willingness to learn new workplace norms.

• Career Mapping Worksheet
• Career Mapping Guide
• Google Career Dreamer
• Webinar: Career Mapping in the Digital Age
• Blog: Your Return to Work: Three Ways to Address a Gap in Employment
• Blog: Career Breaks Aren’t a Red Flag—They’re Real Life

• Check out our Salesforce Career Guide, which outlines specific career path ideas for the different Salesforce Certificates. 

• Reach out to them—confirm their willingness to serve as a reference and ensure their contact details are current.
• Use alternative references—consider mentors, former colleagues, or clients who can vouch for your skills and work ethic.
• Highlight LinkedIn recommendations—if past colleagues have endorsed your skills on LinkedIn, those can be valuable.
• Provide professional context—when listing a reference, include their former job title and where you worked together.

• Career Gap:
  • Use a summary statement to highlight skills and experience.
  • Include any freelance, volunteer, or contract work during the gap.
  • Add upskilling efforts like courses, certifications, or personal projects.
  • Optionally, provide a brief summary of the career break.
• Career Switching:
  • Prioritize transferable skills over job titles.
  • Include a career highlights section to establish relevance.
  • Use a summary statement to highlight skills and experience.
  • Include any freelance, volunteer, or contract work.
  • Add upskilling efforts like courses, certifications, or personal projects.

• List “Career Sabbatical” or “Personal Leave” in your work experience section.
• Highlight transferable skills gained through managing household responsibilities, volunteering, or leading community initiatives.
• Include upskilling efforts such as certifications, online courses, or freelance work.
• Focus on achievements and strengths rather than emphasizing the gap itself.

• Absolutely! Self-employment is valuable work experience. Be sure to list yourself as the owner or operator of your company when putting this on your resume.

• CareerCircle has a blog, The Ultimate Guide to Job Search Networking on LinkedIn, as well as a webinar, which focuses on networking best practices.

Based on the resume you have uploaded to your profile, the card will show you the skills required for each role and highlight which ones you already have. You will know at a glance how strong of a skills match you are before you ever click apply. All of our skills data is powered by Lightcast. 

STAR stands for Skilled Through Alternative Routes. It means you built your skills through experience, training, certifications, military service, or other non-degree pathways.

When you see this on a job card, it means that role has been identified as STARs-friendly using data from Opportunity@Work, an organization that researches and tracks which jobs are genuinely open to candidates skilled through alternative routes. Specifically, these are roles where at least 25% of people currently in that position are STARs, and roles that are either great entry points or strong next steps for advancing your career.

You will also see a tooltip on those cards that reads: "This role is STARs-friendly: open to candidates Skilled Through Alternative Routes, such as experience, training, or certifications, not just degrees."

For the best results, yes. Uploading your resume is the most important step. CareerCircle uses it to power the skills match on the job details card.

Promoted jobs are roles where an employer has chosen to increase their visibility on the platform.  It means an employer is actively and urgently looking to hire, and they want to make sure skilled candidates see their opening.

You will only see promoted jobs that are relevant to your search, except in an empty search state. The promoted label is simply a signal that the employer on the other side is hiring immediately for that role. 

A Virtual Career Fair and Networking Event is an online event where you have the opportunity to learn more about our employer partners and chat directly with recruiters in real time about current and future opportunities all from your computer or mobile device.

After logging in, you'll access an event lobby featuring employer booths. Each booth includes company information, available or upcoming roles, and chat options so you can speak with recruiters, ask questions, leave a message, and learn about opportunities at your own pace.

• Update your CareerCircle profile and resume.
• Test your internet connection, audio, and video.
• Log in a few minutes early to get comfortable with the platform.
• Review participating employers and prepare a short introduction.
• Prepare a few thoughtful questions to help start conversations.

A virtual networking event is an online event where you have the opportunity to meet employers or simply learn more about their company to expand your professional network.

• Update your CareerCircle profile and resume.
• Test your internet connection, audio, and video.
• Log in a few minutes early to get comfortable with the platform.
• Review participating employers and prepare a short introduction.
• Prepare a few thoughtful questions to help start conversations.

A webinar is an online presentation or event that allows a speaker, or group of speakers, to come together in a virtual environment while engaging with the audience. Webinars can be pre-recorded or live and are intended for educational purposes.

Prepare ahead of time by checking your technical setup and ensuring you will be able to join with video and/or audio. You can make the most of your webinar experience by actively engaging when possible. It is important to attend webinars that align with your goals or interests and are relevant to your career path. 

Depending on the type of webinar, yes! Some events allow participants to ask questions and interact with the speakers. However, some events are for educational purposes only and may not afford participants the opportunity to interact. 

After the conclusion of the webinar, there will be a recording located on our Events page.

No, there is no cost for CareerCircle members to attend Virtual Events.

• A Career Coaching call is a 30-minute call with someone from our Customer Success team. The Career Coaches can help you with reviewing your resume, interview prep, and assisting in your career journey.
• Please make sure your profile is up to date before scheduling an appointment, including uploading any certificates you have obtained.

• Book a New Appointment: To set up a new appointment, contact us through https://www.careercircle.com/contact, and someone from our team will reach out to assist in scheduling your call. 
• After Your Career Coaching Call: The Career Coach Advisor will reach out to you via email. Please ensure to respond to their communication promptly to maintain ongoing correspondence.
• I want to Schedule a Follow-Up Appointment with my Career Coach: Reach out directly to your Career Coach Advisor via email to schedule an additional call. 

Also, please ensure your profile is completely updated prior to scheduling a call, to include your resume, skills, and any relevant certifications.

• Check out this blog on 4 Things To Do Before a Career Coaching Session!
  • Reflect on Your Experience and Consider Your Goals
  • Prepare Questions To Ask
  • Have Your Resume at the Ready
  • Mentally Prepare for Feedback

Please ensure your profile is completely updated prior to meeting with the Career Coach, including your resume, skills, and any relevant certifications.

Earning multiple certifications can boost your credibility, but it’s important to choose complementary ones based on your career goals. Some strong example pairings include:

• Project Management & Agile Methodologies (PMP + Scrum Master).
• Data Analysis & Visualization (Google Data Analytics + Tableau).
• Cybersecurity & IT Fundamentals (CompTIA Security+ + AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner).
• Marketing & Content Strategy (HubSpot Marketing + Google Analytics).
• Healthcare & Business (Medical Coding + Healthcare Administration).

• Interview Prep Guide
• Blog: 5 Ways You Can Make a Lasting Positive Impression at a Job Interview
• Webinar: From Nervous to Confident: Transforming Your Interview Skills
• Webinar: Stand Out in Interviews: Master STAR Method & Pitch Like a Pro
• Interview Warmup
• Big Interview

• We have specialized Google Career Certificate resume templates, which you can locate here. 

• Navigate to your Dashboard > Profile > Add certifications > navigate to your specific Certification Career Path (or add if needed), and then choose your file to upload.
• Check out this blog on how to verify your Google Career Certificate

You have the option to take a course through Coursera by applying for Coursera Financial Aid. Once approved, you can complete your course at reduced or no cost. You will need to apply for each course (course 1, 2, 3, etc until the certificate is complete). The approval process can take a couple of weeks.

If you are looking to continue a course you have already started, you would still use the same login that you used previously, as all of your old progress remains on that account. Once logged in, access the course you are looking to take, and there should be an option to apply for Financial Aid. 

You can look into more information in this link and below: 

1. Open the course description page on Coursera.org. 

2. Find the section with info about financial aid, then click Learn more and apply.

3. Fill out and submit your application. Make sure your application meets the minimum word count (150 words).

4. Wait up to 16 days for your application to be reviewed. Keep in mind that your financial aid application will be canceled if you start a free trial for a subscription.

When your application is reviewed, you'll get an email letting you know whether it's been approved or denied. You can also check your updates page to check the status of your application.

Once you've been certified, make sure to reach out to us! We'll get you in touch with one of our Career Coaches and help you with your resume, interview prep, etc. You've got this!

• Understand Your Rights: Employers must provide reasonable accommodations under the ADA.
• Make the Request: You can request accommodations orally or in writing.
• Be Clear: Explain how your disability affects your work and what accommodations you need.
• Document: Keep a record of your request and any agreements made.

• Members with disabilities who require a reasonable accommodation to use our website are encouraged to email accommodations@careercircle.com for further assistance.

• We understand that each situation is unique. Please email accommodations@careercircle.com, and someone will be happy to speak with you.

• Before an event, email accommodations@careercircle.com, and we will make sure we provide you with a reasonable accommodation for CareerCircle events.

• Navigate to your Dashboard > Profile > Add certifications > navigate to your specific Certification Career Path (or add if needed) and then choose your file to upload.
• Check out this blog on how to verify your Google Career Certificate

• Please email support@careercircle.com, and someone from our team will fulfill your request. 

• All job placements through CareerCircle must be legally authorized to work in the United States and not require sponsorship. 

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• CareerCircle goes beyond mere connections, offering interview preparation, career coaching, and essential job search tools. These resources empower you to not only seize opportunities with our employer partners but also to excel in your independent job searches.

• You can set up to five job alerts on your CareerCircle profile that can alert you either daily or weekly on job preferences that you set up. 
  • Setting up Job Alerts on your CareerCircle dashboard is the easiest way to get notified of jobs when a position becomes available.
  • Follow the prompts after selecting “Create Job Alert”.
  • Here is a guide on how to set up job alerts

• Go to https://www.careercircle.com/events and scroll down until you see “Past Job Seeker Events.” You can then choose between all past events to watch!

• Add: Navigate to your Dashboard > Profile > Role Preferences. Type in the skills search box to search for a skill. Click on the chosen skill and it will be added to your list.  You can add up to 50 skills.  
• Delete: Navigate to your Dashboard > Profile > Role Preferences. Click on the “X” on the skill you want to delete. 

In order to close your account, you will be asked to verify that you have an account in CareerCircle by logging in.

• Start closing/ deleting your account.

What happens when you close your account?

• Your profile will be permanently deleted from CareerCircle

• Your account will be closed and your information will be deleted

Have questions about your account? Try the following:

• Contact us via our form

• Chat with a team member by clicking on the word bubble at the bottom right of the screen.