What is a commissioned officer and how to become one

Key steps to become a commissioned officer

1. Explore commissioned officer education requirements

   Most common commissioned officer degrees

   Bachelor's

   68.8 %

   Master's

   15.3 %

   Associate

   7.5 %

   Show more

2. Start to develop specific commissioned officer skills

   Skills	Percentages
   Logistical Support	16.45%
   Combat	10.42%
   Law Enforcement	9.82%
   Emergency Situations	9.74%
   Platoon	8.93%

   Show more

3. Complete relevant commissioned officer training and internships

   Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New commissioned officers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a commissioned officer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real commissioned officer resumes.

4. Research commissioned officer duties and responsibilities

   • Lead and motivate soldiers to successfully accomplish missions worldwide during peacetime and combat operations.
   • Supervise sailors in responsible tasks relate to managing inventory, facilitating laundry operations, and maintaining secure watch detail.
   • Handle confidential information from individuals, officers, fire & medical staff, NCIC, and Montana's CJIN system.
   • Command combat support aircrew during numerous contingencies worldwide.

5. Prepare your commissioned officer resume

   When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your commissioned officer resume.

   You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a commissioned officer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

   Choose from 10+ customizable commissioned officer resume templates

   Build a professional commissioned officer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your commissioned officer resume.
   

   Use this template

   

   Use this template

   

   Use this template

   

   Use this template

   

   Use this template

   

   Use this template

   

   Use this template

   

   Use this template

   

   Use this template

6. Apply for commissioned officer jobs

   Now it's time to start searching for a commissioned officer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

   1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
   2. Consult your professional network
   3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
   4. Watch out for job scams