do being a squad leader for an infantry unit look good on a job resume or does it make you look.........?

Question

simple-minded because you are not in a technical field? i would love to also hear from employers in response to this question

Answer 1

Infantry in the civilian work correlates to nothing. Sorry but your experience and 99 cents will get you a cup of coffee at McDonalds. Few employers recognize it as any transferable skills...
It's a shame.

Answer 2

You would be surprised at how many skills you posses as a squad leader that you don't even realize.

Let's assume that you don't know anything about the job that you are going into. You probably didn't know that much about being a grunt when you first signed up, either. But, as a squad leader, you have a good idea of

a) how to manage the resources you have (time, people and equipment)
b) you know how to get those things that are lacking to accomplish your mission/task
c) you have a great deal more determination, pride and discipline than the average civilian, and this is very important. It is important because these three things are most often what gets things done, not skill.
d) you know how to train people, and you have learned to listen to and trust what they tell you.

While you may not go straight into a supervisory role, these things that I have mentioned will help you to stand out to your employer, and while you will probably have to start at the bottom, your promotions will probably come quicker than your contemporaries, especially if your employer, or someone there has been in the military. Because, while they may not have seen the same things you did, they know where you are coming from.


This helped me to get my current job. Although I didn't meet any of the requirements on paper, my supervisor was an electronics technician in the USAF, and I in the Marine Corps, so we had a somewhat similar background. He knew of the decdication of the Marines that he had met in his experiences, and I was given a job that had nothing to recommend me for it, although we both knew I could do it.

Good Luck, Semper Fi

Answer 3

Alright, I'm not an employer (at least not outside of the military I'm not), but I'll tell you this. When a prospective employer looks at your resume and sees that you were a squad leader, if he's intelligent at all, he'll realize that you're a *leader*. You're probably a go-getter who's physically and mentally hard and you're not afraid to take care of your people--whether that means kicking some a*ss or lending a hand. Bottom line, you get the job done.

Believe it or not, that kind of quality isn't always in great supply in the civilian job market. I'd say definitely put it on there--if it somehow hurts your chances, you most likely didn't want to work for an anti-military employer anyway.

Answer 4

I would put it in but maybe not say squad leader just something to the effect of leader of x # of men/women. Sure it is not technical but business's like leaders and the people with that ablilty are become less comon. The technical stuff you can pick up other places (school and on the job) use your experience in the service any way you can. Good luck

Answer 5

Heck no...being a squad leader is one of the most difficult jobs in the military. You're ultimately responsible for the lives of your troops as well a ascertaining that international laws are complied with.

You've virtually had the power of life and death over your troops, enemies, and civilians and have almost single-handedly been responsible for the prestige and honor of your country.

Very few CEO's could ever claim that much responsibility

Answer 6

It means you are good at following instruction. taking orders. You are a good bet on being a responsible employee that the company would like to have. You are probably not a dope head idiot. Like so many are in the labor pool these days.

Not being in a technical field is immaterial since most prospective employees have technical experience in the job for which they are applying.

Answer 7

well. .
"squad leader . . .infantry unit" looks okay
But restate it in business terms, using objectives
try "lead 12 man team through 6 months of training, including live competition, for international tasks"
give numbers if you can: 12 men, 6 months, 4 different languages
also insert any technical skills that can be used in the civilian world: satellite communication, GPS

Answer 8

Smaller companies will probably look at it as a "plus" but larger companies may not.

Technical training is meaninless if your going for a management job. Sadly the infantry doesn't give as much career knowledge as some of the more tech type M.O.S.s

Answer 9

Being a squad leader should be pretty good. It shows that you have leadership skills, which employers look for.

Answer 10

Being a squad leader means that you served your country and it may prove that you have some leadership skills which may be beneficial to the company.
Thank you for your service !
Semper Fi