In today’s competitive hiring environment, recruiters who want to attract veteran talent must do more than simply say “veteran-inclusive.” They must speak a language that veterans understand and that hiring managers recognize. That means moving away from military-specific titles and acronyms—and instead writing job descriptions that emphasize competencies, transferable skills and real-world outcomes.
Veterans bring strong skills in management, teamwork, adaptability and mission focus. But when recruiters post jobs using civilian wording like “team player,” “fast-paced” or “manage people,” the connection to what service members actually did can get lost. By contrast, when job descriptions emphasize measurable competencies—for example, “lead a team of up to 10 personnel in high-pressure, deadline-driven operations”—the value of veteran experience is clear.
One powerful resource to help recruiters decode military experience is the O*NET Military Crosswalk. Hosted on the National Center for O*NET Development platform, it allows users to enter a Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) or Military Occupational Classification (MOC) code and find corresponding civilian occupations and skills. In addition, the Hiring Our Heroes initiative offers employer toolkits and resources for translating military experience into civilian roles.
Language Shift
When a job description reads, “We’re seeking a Gunnery Sergeant with experience in NBC (nuclear, biological, chemical) operations,” many civilian candidates—and even hiring managers—may struggle to grasp the relevance. Instead, consider rewriting that as: “Lead a team of technicians managing hazardous-material containment protocols in compliance with federal safety standards, under high-pressure conditions.” This emphasizes the functions, responsibilities and transferable skills.
By shifting to competency-based language, recruiters can help hiring managers recognize veteran candidates as fully-qualified professionals. Examples of competencies to highlight include:
- Leadership of cross-functional teams under tight deadlines
- Planning and executing logistics operations in distributed environments
- Quality assurance and regulatory compliance in fast-moving settings
- Training and mentoring junior personnel to meet performance metrics
Unconscious Bias
Another key focus is removing unintentional bias from job descriptions. Drill into expectations like “must have commercial aviation experience” or “must have previous corporate administration background” if you are open to veteran talent with analogous military experience. Use broader, inclusive language that invites rather than excludes. Attractive, veteran-inclusive postings also avoid over-emphasizing corporate culture buzzwords like “synergy” or “rock star,” which can deter experienced service members who value clear tasks, structure and outcome-orientation.
Also, ensure descriptions clearly define responsibilities, performance metrics and growth paths. Veterans often look for roles that build on their experience and offer steady advancement; vague descriptors like “rapid-growth environment” may not resonate.
Tools for Recruiters
Here’s a short roadmap recruiters can follow:
- Map MOS/MOC codes: Use the O*NET Military Crosswalk to convert military job codes into civilian job equivalents. For example, the crosswalk data shows how military classification maps to civilian occupations.
- Identify transferable skills: From the mapping, extract core knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) and determine how they show up in your job opening. For example: supervision, logistics planning, safety compliance and mission execution.
- Rewrite job postings: Replace military jargon with civilian equivalents. Focus on outcomes and competencies, not just job titles and company culture.
- Review for bias: Use inclusive language, remove unnecessary experience filters, emphasize training and mentoring, and make veteran-focused characteristics explicit (e.g., “welcomes applicants with demonstrated military leadership experience”).
- Leverage veteran resources: Ensure your recruitment teams are aware of programs such as Hiring Our Heroes, which offer employer checklists and transition-support tools.
The Reward
By investing time in this language shift, recruiters unlock access to an under-utilized talent pool rich in discipline, leadership and adaptability. Organizations can gain candidates whose experience may not show up on conventional resumes but who excel in structured, high-stakes environments. A job posting that speaks veteran language—not just military titles—signals respect and relevance, increasing your chances of attracting strong veteran applicants.
Updating the hiring language is more than a cosmetic change. It’s a strategic move that widens the candidate pool, reduces barriers to entry for veterans and aligns hiring teams around skills rather than credentials. For recruiters committed to building veteran-inclusive talent pipelines, this approach transforms service experience into a career opportunity—and ensures that the next veteran hire is truly a “fit” from day one.
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