Accountability in Your Job Search: Tools to Take Control of Your Career Transition
In the military, accountability is built into everything. You’re accountable to your commanding officer, your team, your unit, even your kit.
Someone’s always checking. And you’re always reporting.
But as you approach the end of your Armed Forces career and begin that all-important transition to civvy street, things start to feel different.
You enter the job search phase and suddenly
No reporting. No daily expectations. No orders. Just you.
So, who are you accountable to now?
It’s a question I’ve asked myself many times since leaving the Army and starting my own business.
From the outside, you could argue I’m accountable to no one. I’m the boss. I make the decisions. I don’t have to justify anything to anyone if I choose not to.
But that’s not how I see it.
When I stop and reflect, I realise I’m accountable to a whole lot of people:
- The team who work with me.
- The employers who trust us to find the right talent.
- The ex-military job seekers who put their future in our hands.
- And to the business itself, Demob Job, because to me, it’s a living, breathing thing.
So yes, I may not report to anyone directly, but I am absolutely accountable.
Now, let’s talk about you.
If you’re transitioning from the military and looking for your next opportunity, who are you accountable to?
- Yourself?
- Your family?
- Your future?
- That version of you who once led others and never gave up?
When you’re job hunting without a formal structure or chain of command, it’s easy to drift. It’s easy to wait for something to happen.
But if you want to move forward, you’ve got to own it. You’ve got to show up, consistently.
And yes, some days that’s tough.
Here are some tools that can help.
- Work to a written plan. I’m a firm believer in having a clear plan. It brings structure and momentum to your job search. Allocate time each week to specific actions, applications, networking, research and stick to it.
- Track your activity. Keep a simple record of applications sent, companies contacted, and follow-ups due. Seeing progress written down helps maintain focus and highlights what’s working.
- Find an accountability partner. Pair up with another job seeker, veteran, or trusted friend. Set weekly goals, check in regularly, and keep each other moving forward.
- Speak to a mentor or coach. I know first-hand the impact a coach can have. The moment you say out loud what you’re going to do, accountability kicks in. Their experience and guidance can make a real difference.
- Write down your ‘why’. Who are you doing this for? Write it down and put it somewhere visible. When motivation dips, your ‘why’ will remind you why this matters. Print it, and display it!
You may no longer have a chain of command, but that doesn’t mean you’re on your own. Create your own structure. Hold yourself to a standard.
Because your next role is unlikely to come looking for you, you’ve got to go out and earn it.
Keep moving forward,
Adrian Cheesman
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