Resume help?

[hoopercj]

I used other peoples resume to get ideas for wording and descriptions. I didn't copy anything, however it did help.

absolutely this is what was meant! As I said in the original post, and "I guess I have to repeat myself", my biggest issue is translating my job experience to a workable format / description for a resume. Believe it or not, someone who was an LPO in the navy, an RO, PPWS, etc essentially will have done a similar job with a similar description to what I would want to use. Certainly the details would be different, as our experiences would be different. However, it would give me a firm idea of what to say.

I know we all want to think we're a unique and special flower Already Gone, but the fact of the matter is that one navy nuke is pretty similar to another. The details are different but overall the experience is pretty much the same. Thanks for the advice, I've given what you said a shot and now i'd like to see how it compares to a resume that successfully got someone an interview / offer, and see what others think about my attempt before I hedge my future on it.

[Already Gone]

Listen up cupcake.  You aren't seeming to grasp the concept.

You WILL NOT KNOW what about that other guy's resume was successful and what part was not.  You may make the same mistake that he made - except that they overlooked it in his case.  And, even if he scored a 100%, if you submit something that looks too much like his, YOURS will be the one tagged as unoriginal.

If you were a Leading Petty Officer, there is no need whatsoever to "translate" that.  Is is what it is.  If you try to call it something else, you will be guilty of Bullshitting in the First Degree.  This is an un-pardonable offense.

All you need to do to translate LPO, PPWS, RPPO, etc. is to spell out the words instead of the acronym.  There is a very high probability that the hiring manager will know exactly what those things mean - because the nuclear industry is saturated with ex-Navy nukes.  You try saying that they mean something other than what they really do mean, and your resume will be shredded for it.

My point is that if YOU cannot describe your experience in YOUR own words, you probably cannot tell the difference between someone else's good description of it or a bad one.  But the worst part is that if you give me the same stock phrases and buzzwords that I have already seen, it isn't going to help you a single tiny bit.

This isn't some kind of cleverness competition - and clever is only clever the FIRST time you hear it anyway.  Just say what you did.  Leave out the gimmicks, the cuteness, the BS, and the irrelevant -- and somebody just might read it.
If you want an edge, consider this:
Let's say that you and a Nuke School classmate have simultaneously held exactly the same qualifications, collateral duties, and training at identical commands throughout your entire careers.  You are getting out on the same day.  You both submit a resume to the same site for the same job.  You keep it to one page, leave out the garbage, and write in plain English exactly what you did.  He tried to "translate" RPPO into "provided logistics support for the operation and maintenance of a nuclear power plant for a 130 person mobile facility"

You get the job.

[GLW]

 
.....He tried to "translate" RPPO into "provided logistics support for the operation and maintenance of a nuclear power plant for a 130 person mobile facility"....

I just want to know who came up with that because I have seen that or similar tripe pop up on better than a dozen or so resumes beginning about ten years ago,...

Every time I see it I'm thinking, "Oh gawd!!!....you have got to be kidding me",....

My best friend in the Navy was a TM3 and he was a RPPO too,...

I can guarantee he has never described a submarine as a "130 person mobile facility",...

frickin' nukes,.....

sic

[Marlin]

I just want to know who came up with that because I have seen that or similar tripe pop up on better than a dozen or so resumes beginning about ten years ago,...

Every time I see it I'm thinking, "Oh gawd!!!....you have got to be kidding me",....

My best friend in the Navy was a TM3 and he was a RPPO too,...

I can guarantee he has never described a submarine as a "130 person mobile facility",...

frickin' nukes,.....

sic

   My resume has been submitted in a number of bids for contracts. There are some very creative people in proposal groups and in some of body shops that place people. I have used the formats for these resumes for my own submittals but have been too embarrassed to include some of the verbage.

[drayer54]

I just want to know who came up with that because I have seen that or similar tripe pop up on better than a dozen or so resumes beginning about ten years ago,...

Every time I see it I'm thinking, "Oh gawd!!!....you have got to be kidding me",....

My best friend in the Navy was a TM3 and he was a RPPO too,...

I've never trusted a nukes ability to accurately self-assess their skills. I’ve seen so many “cupcakes” that weren’t worth the 72” x 30” of living space provided to them who also claimed they were the cream of the crop with ship saving abilities.

I assumed that the people who were doing the hiring would think in a similar way. I used my resume to let the companies know that I was a naval nuclear operator with a college education. I listed some jobs to show that I was trusted with some responsibility, but didn’t go overboard. That’s it…..

I figured my interview would indicate what kind of worker and problem solver I am. The resume was just the key to getting a plane ticket out to get that interview.  Don’t pretend to be the QAO, RMA, RO, and CO all wrapped into one bundle of digi-cam joy.

I used other nukes resumes to get ideas for a format and things to include. The actual job description should have the wording that you want. I did reference other people’s resumes without knowing what made them successful… then I got an offer for every job I tested with.

Several people here are more than willing to help...myself included.
Good luck!

[HeavyD]

Just to throw something into the mix here. 

Many, MANY Nukes in the Navy have this overwhelming idea that as soon as they get hired on at a utility, their paycheck will skyrocket.  To use an expression from many a infomercial, “Individual results may vary.”.
For comparison, I retired as an E-6 at 20 years.  My “take home” pay was around $2700 every 2 weeks, so ~ $5400 per month.  Included in that sum was $325 for BAS (my ship was in yards, galley not available) and $1752 for BAH.  I point that out because those items are untaxed income.
 
ALL of my income is now taxed.    Plus, many sailors are shielded from paying state taxes by not being stationed in their home states or by being from states that don’t have a state income tax.  Since I moved to SC, which DOES have a state income tax, that is an extra deduction I did not have before.

Everything settled out and I am comfortable now, after 3 months, with what I make.  No deployments, seeing my family ever day, choosing what I wear to work (laugh if you want to, many people know what I’m talking about), not sleeping in a rack, etc.  All of these things contribute to “the decision”.

Describe what you do in plain English.  Focus on what you do, operating equipment, oversight of maintenance, day-to-day leadership, etc.  Don’t try to reinvent the wheel.

Hopefully this isn’t just rambling and that something helps.  Thanks for your service and best of luck

[Higgs]

Individual results will vary is right. For many, they aren't getting out at retirement, like me, and our paychecks did sky rocket.