Leaving the Military in the Next 2 Years? 7 Things to Start Doing Now

(Video transcript below)

If you’re leaving the Royal Navy, British Army or Royal Air Force in the next year or two, but you’re already thinking about your next career, this video is for you.

It’s actually a question I’m asked quite regularly here at Demob Job.

Someone will ring me and say:

“Adrian, I’ve still got 18 months, maybe two years, left to serve. I’m not looking for a job yet, but what should I be doing now?”

And I actually really enjoy those conversations.

Because if you’re thinking about your civilian career that far in advance, you’re giving yourself something incredibly valuable:

Time.

You’re probably too early to start applying for jobs.

But you’re definitely not too early to start preparing for them.

So, based on more than 20 years working in ex-military recruitment, here are seven things I’d be thinking about now.

1. START THINKING ABOUT WHERE YOU WANT TO GO

The first one sounds obvious, but start thinking about what you actually want to do.

And I don’t mean you need to have your entire civilian career mapped out two years before you leave.

You don’t.

But start exploring.

What industries interest you?

What civilian jobs could your military experience potentially lead into?

If you’re an engineer, for example, there are potentially dozens of different career paths available to you.

Don’t assume that the obvious civilian equivalent of what you’re doing in uniform is necessarily where you should end up.

Speak to people.

Research jobs.

Look at vacancies.

See what catches your attention.

You’ve got time on your side, so use it to explore.

2. DON’T COLLECT QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE SAKE OF IT

This is probably one of the biggest pieces of advice I’d give you.

You’ll potentially have access to resettlement funding and ELCAS credits, and naturally you’ll want to make good use of them.

But don’t simply think:

“I’ve got money available, so what course can I spend it on?”

Turn that question around.

Ask:

“What career am I interested in, and what qualifications will actually help me get there?”

There’s a big difference.

And please don’t just take the training provider’s word for it.

Speak to people who already work in that industry.

Use LinkedIn.

Speak to veterans who’ve made the same transition.

You could even ring a few potential employers and ask them:

“If you were recruiting someone for this position, which qualifications would you actually value?”

That’s real-world information.

I’d much rather see someone use their funding on one qualification that employers genuinely value than three or four courses that look good on paper but don’t improve their employability.

3. GET SERIOUS ABOUT LINKEDIN

If you’ve got 12 months, 18 months or two years before leaving, you’ve got a fantastic opportunity to build your LinkedIn presence gradually.

Don’t wait until you’re three months from discharge and suddenly think:

“I’d better set up LinkedIn.”

Get your profile looking professional now.

Make sure your photograph is appropriate.

Make sure your headline tells people something about you.

Start translating some of your military experience into language civilian employers understand.

And then start building your network.

Connect with people who work in industries you’re considering.

Follow companies you might eventually want to work for.

Connect with people who’ve previously served in the military and are now doing jobs that interest you.

Join relevant groups.

Engage with people’s content.

You don’t have to start posting every day.

You’re simply starting to become visible.

If you do that consistently for two years, imagine the network you could have by the time you actually start looking for employment.

4. START LEARNING THE CIVILIAN JOB MARKET

This is something I’d encourage you to do even though you’re nowhere near applying.

Start looking at vacancies.

Not because you’re going to apply for them.

You’re doing research.

Go onto job boards and search for positions you think might interest you.

What salaries are employers offering?

What qualifications keep appearing?

What experience do they ask for?

Where are the jobs located?

Is there lots of travel?

Are they working shifts?

Do they provide a company vehicle?

You’ll gradually start understanding what employers are actually looking for.

And that information can influence what you do during your remaining time in the military.

5. START RECORDING YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS

This is something people often leave far too late.

Imagine you’ve served for 15 or 20 years and, six weeks before leaving, somebody says:

“Right, tell me about your achievements because we need to write your CV.”

You’re trying to remember things that happened ten years ago.

Start keeping a record now.

Courses you’ve completed.

Projects you’ve been involved with.

Teams you’ve managed.

Equipment you’ve maintained.

Problems you’ve solved.

Improvements you’ve introduced.

Awards, promotions, responsibilities.

Anything that demonstrates what you’ve actually achieved.

You don’t necessarily need your finished civilian CV two years before leaving.

But when the time comes to write it, you’ll have the raw material sitting there waiting for you.

6. THINK ABOUT WHERE YOU’RE GOING TO LIVE

This can have a massive impact on your career options.

If you already know you’re going to settle in Newcastle, Portsmouth, Plymouth, Manchester or wherever it might be, start researching that local employment market.

Which companies operate there?

What industries are strong in that region?

What engineering businesses are within commuting distance?

Follow them on LinkedIn.

Look at their careers pages occasionally.

You can start building a picture of your local market long before you actually need a job.

And if you haven’t decided where you’re going to live yet, understanding the employment opportunities in different areas might even help you make that decision.

7. TALK TO PEOPLE WHO’VE ALREADY DONE IT

Finally, probably one of the most valuable things you can do:

Speak to people who were once exactly where you are now.

If you’re an RAF engineer considering becoming a Field Service Engineer, find former RAF engineers who are now Field Service Engineers.

If you’re leaving REME and considering engineering management, find people who’ve already made that transition.

Ask them what surprised them.

Ask what they wish they’d known.

Ask which qualifications helped them.

Ask which qualifications didn’t.

Ask what their first civilian job was like.

Most veterans I’ve encountered are incredibly willing to help someone coming behind them.

You’ve got access to thousands of years of combined transition experience through platforms like LinkedIn.

Use it.

CLOSING

So if you’ve got 12 months, 18 months or even two years before leaving the Armed Forces, my advice would be:

Don’t panic about finding a job. Prepare yourself to find the right job.

Use the time you’ve got.

Explore your options.

Research the market.

Build your network.

Choose your training carefully.

And start translating everything you’ve achieved during your military career into something civilian employers will understand and value.

You don’t need to have all the answers today.

But every sensible decision you make now can put you in a stronger position when that final day in uniform eventually arrives.

And when you do get closer to your exit date, that’s when organisations like Demob Job can really start helping you with the job search itself.

Until then, use the time wisely.

Your transition doesn’t start on the day you leave.

It starts with the preparation you do before it.