Marisol Maloney’s Post

🚨 Transitioning service members, STOP Using Fluff Words in Your Resume! 🚨 If I see "detail-oriented" or "successful, proven servant leader" on one more resume, I might just roll my eyes so hard they get stuck. 🙄 Recruiters want to know what you've actually done, not how many vague adjectives you can jam into two pages. Nobody cares that you’re a "hard-working team player" unless you back it up with real results. What did you accomplish? How did you improve something? Let your work speak for itself! Always use metrics ($,#,%) whenever possible. Here are some of the worst offenders to delete right now: ❌ "Detail-oriented" – Really? Tell me how you caught a $50k error instead. ❌ "Successful proven leader" – Cool story bruh, but how about "Led a team of 20, improving operational efficiency by 30%" instead? ❌ "Results-driven" – Everyone is! What were your actual results? ❌ "Motivated self-starter" – So, you show up to work on time? Bravo Zulu. 👏 ❌ "Servant Leader" - Did you lead a team of servers at Denny's? 🫤 ❌ "Dynamic professional" – No one knows what this means, and neither do you. If your resume reads like a bad BuzzFeed listicle, it’s time to trim the fat. As a recruiter I want to see numbers, impact, and results, not fluffy buzzwords that say absolutely nothing. Pro Tip: Swap out the fluff for hard-hitting accomplishments. If you don’t have them, well… that’s another conversation. 😅 Maloney out! ✌ PS I'm currently on travel and I’ll be back after 21 OCT, so in the meantime feel free to check out my previous posts regarding no-nonsense resume advice. If you DM me, I'll reply when I can while I'm traveling, but will most likely respond after 21 OCT so don't think I'm ghosting you. #transitioningmilitary #resumewritingtips #veteranshelpingveterans

Resume Tip for Transitioning Military Members: Stop stuffing your resume with acronyms that only make sense inside the base gates! Your future employer doesn’t care that you were the OIC or the XO while TDY to the CENTCOM AOR. 🤨 They want to know what you actually did and how it translates to the civilian world. 🔑 Pro Tip: Spell it out in "civilianese." Some of you like to list that you were a Squad Leader but don't explain how many you led. Instead of just saying "Squad Leader," try "Team Manager overseeing 15+ personnel." Make sure they understand the impact of your leadership, not just your title. Remember: if civilian employers can't understand what you did in the military and how you can bring value to their organization, they won't hire you. Maloney out! ✌ P.S. I’m out of the office until 21 OCT, so I won’t be available for resume and LinkedIn glow-ups until after I return. Stay tuned for more tips in the meantime! #resumewriting #militarytransition #civilianese

Day 2 of the The National Résumé Writers' Association Conference is in the books! As the only military-to-civilian resume writer here, I’ve definitely felt like a unicorn in the room 🦄, but wow—I’ve learned so much from my fellow writers! In the military, we have quiet professionals—those who put the mission and collective success before individual goals or recognition. Similarly, I think of my fellow resume writers as the civilian version of quiet professionals; they're the ghostwriters behind the scenes helping job seekers land interviews and change their lives. It was pretty cool to be around these professionals who share the same goal: empowering job seekers to reach their full potential. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to network some more. Maloney out! ✌ #NRWA #Resumewriting #Transitiongmilitary

Day 1 at the The National Resume Writers Association conference, and my mind is already buzzing from all the thought-provoking insights from their key note speakers! 💡 It’s incredible to be surrounded by so many passionate resume writing professionals who are quietly changing lives and helping job seekers land their dream jobs; the level of compassion and expertise in this room is unmatched! I’m beyond excited for the rest of the week, eager to soak in more wisdom from the amazing speakers, and connect with fellow professionals who are dedicated to making a real impact. Together, we’re shaping futures and driving career success for those who need it most. Maloney out! ✌ #Resumewriting #Careergrowth #NRWA #Networking #transitioningmilitary P.S. I’m out galavanting, doing what I do best… networking with my military, recruiting, and now resume writing, and career coaching communities. So, I won’t be taking on any new resume clients until after 21 OCT. But don’t be sad—I’ll still be dropping scheduled LinkedIn posts with plenty of resume tips to keep you ahead of the game! 

I made it to my next conference in Rhode Island with the The National Résumé Writers' Association (NRWA), and have already met some incredible peeps during tonight’s pre-conference mixer. I’m looking forward to the keynote speakers, break out sessions, and my favorite part….NETWORKING 😎 After this conference I’m going on a little vacay so I will not be available to take on any new resume clients until after 21 OCT. But as I continue to grow my resume writing network, I’ll be able to refer you to other reputable resume writers who do amazing work and help their clients land new roles in their niche industries. Maloney out! ✌️ #transitioningmilitary #resumewriting

💥 ChatGPT to Write Your Military-to-Civilian Resume? Let’s Break It Down 💥 Pros of using ChatGPT for your resume: ✅ Fast: You’ll have a “civilianized” resume in minutes. No more staring at the screen trying to figure out how to explain what an LPO is in civilian terms. ✅ Budget-Friendly: It’s cheaper than a professional resume writer, and let’s be real, some of those writers charge more than you made on deployment. ✅ Creative: Need a polished bullet for your time in Kandahar? ChatGPT can spit one out like it’s been in the sandbox with you. BUT… there’s a catch. Here are the Cons: 🚫 Lacks Personalization: ChatGPT doesn’t know your actual achievements. It’s great for generalizing, but it won’t understand that time you single-handedly saved an operation while keeping morale high. 🚫 Won’t Speak Secret Squirrel: Sure, it can reword “Top Secret clearance,” but it doesn’t get the nuances of classified work or the importance of ops security. 🚫 Zero Recruiter Insight: ChatGPT has no idea how recruiters think. It’ll hand you a cookie-cutter resume that might "look good" but miss key words or phrases that get you past the ATS bots (aka recruiter eagle eyes). 🤔 So, should you use ChatGPT? Sure...if you’re in a pinch or want some quick ideas. But if you want a resume that actually speaks recruiter, civilianese, secret squirrel, and is tailored to the roles you are seeking post military career, you’re going to need a real human (like me 😉). What’s your take? Would you trust AI with your military to civilian resume? Those who've already used ChatGPT to write your resume, how did it work out? Have you landed job interviews and job offers? Hold on, let me get my 🍿 and 🥤 Okay, now you can drop your thoughts below! 👇 Maloney out! ✌ #transitioningmilitary #resumewriting #secretsquirrel ------------------------ ✴️ I'm out and about until 21 OCT so I am not taking any new resume clients at this time. Please click on my Calendly link listed in my profile upon my return for availability and list of services.

Fellow transitioning Secret Squirrels, while your Intelligence work may be classified, your skills are not classified, so don't scrub your resume down so much that recruiters question your skills and can't tell if you're even an Intel analyst. Recruiters don't need to know the names, dates, and locations of your classified projects or special missions. 🧨 They want to know if you can create PowerPoint presentations, brief executives, manage programs, conduct all-source intelligence, use classified intelligence tools/databases, leverage the intelligence lifecycle, and conduct research and analysis. If you have the skills I just mentioned and they are not listed on your resume, make sure to add them to your resume and back them up with unclassified examples and metrics. Most of you like to call yourself program managers and project managers because you think that's how you civilianize a resume post military career, not realizing that "Intelligence Analyst" also transfers over into the civilian sector. You also talk way too much about your leadership and management skills for roles in which you will be an individual contributor, but fail to address the requirements listed in the job description. Now go clean up your resumes in order to increase your chances of getting a call from a recruiter. Oh, and I'm still out and about attending conferences and then going on a much needed vacay, so I'm not taking any new resume clients until after the 21st of October; I'll release new consultation slots on my Calendly upon my return (just go to my link on my profile to book a resume glow up with me when I get back). Maloney out! ✌ #transitioningmilitary #resumewritingtips #secretsquirrels

This! I wanted to share this video because Veterans are guilty of taking on more work with no compensation. Just because someone left the company and the employer doesn’t want to fill the role or “can’t afford to fill it” it is NOT your problem and you should NOT take on additional roles with no compensation. I could understand if it is a one-time ask and you want to be a team player, but to be expected to fill another role permanently with no compensation immediately in sight, is NOT okay. Remember, we’re all replaceable so when employers try to pull the “loyalty card” to guilt you into doing more with no additional compensation, remind them loyalty goes both ways. What have they done for your personal development lately? Maloney out! ✌️

Big shoutout to ACT Now Education for giving me the chance to give back to the military community today with free resume reviews. HOPE WHITE, Lori Norris, and Arica Urena, MBA were also on deck, bringing their A-game and helping folks crush their resumes. Teamwork at its finest! If you’re not already following these incredible ladies, you’re seriously missing out. They’re a goldmine of transition and resume knowledge; so get on it! Had an absolute blast at #MIC2024! 🙌 Maybe I’ll catch you next year! Maloney out! ✌️ #ResumeMagic #MilitaryTransition #Teamwork #Veteranshelpingveterans