What does your rank mean to a civilian employer?
Rank carries enormous information inside Defence and almost none outside it. Pick your service and rank to see the civilian management level it maps to, and the job titles worth targeting.
What does your rank mean to a civilian employer?
Pick your service and rank to see the civilian seniority it maps to, and the job titles worth targeting.
Why rank alone doesn't translate
"Sergeant" tells a civilian recruiter that you were in the Army. It doesn't tell them you supervised twelve people, held a six figure budget, or reported to someone two levels above you. A civilian reader has no way to know that, unless the CV translates it into the seniority language they already understand.
Common questions
How do I translate my ADF rank onto a civilian resume?
Lead with the civilian job title your role maps to, and keep your rank in brackets, for example "Maintenance Manager (Sergeant, RAEME)". Never drop the rank entirely; it's true, and veterans hiring veterans will look for it. The full worked example, with a before and after, is linked below.
Is this an official ADF or DVA tool?
No. CVelo is an independent tool and is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the Department of Veterans' Affairs or the Australian Defence Force. Rank information is drawn from publicly available Defence sources and contains no classified content. Civilian equivalents are indicative guidance, not an official mapping.
What civilian job titles should I target?
This tool suggests a starting shortlist based on your rank's seniority tier, but the right target also depends on your specific trade or corps. See the guide on what jobs ADF members can get after leaving for a fuller method.
Does this translate my whole CV, not just my rank?
This free tool maps rank to civilian seniority only. Translating a full CV, including jargon, trade terms and the specific achievements underneath your rank, is part of CVelo's veteran tools, which also score the result against a real job ad.
Guides that go with this
ADF resume example
A full before and after, translating rank, trade and jargon.
What jobs can ADF members get after leaving?
A method for choosing a civilian direction, not just a title.
Veteran job interviews
Answering 'aren't you overqualified' and other civilian panel questions.
CVelo for veterans
Full CV translation, interview coaching and company research.