One of the most daunting experiences for you right now is making the transition from military to civilian life. Not only will it seem like an uphill battle trying to fit back into this daily life but trying to find a new career can further complicate the situation. We have put together a few words of advice when faced with the task of putting together a CV.
What career?
If you know what kind of job you are going to go for, then you are half way there. Trying to decide what kind of job you want to do is difficult and it may be that you do not just decide on one job but several options. To get to this point, you need to sit down and list ALL of the skills you have developed pre-military and whilst within the military and cross-check this list with the skills required in an array of careers. This is the time to research all kinds of job opportunities, speak to your network of friends, family and acquaintances and get some first-hand feedback to work out if it is something you may be interested in doing. It is important to invest time in reading around all kinds of careers to see if something interests you! The internet is a great place to start and there are many sites out there with great explanations of what is involved in different job roles.
More than one CV?
It is highly likely that you may be interested in several kinds of jobs so it is very common to have more than one CV. We allow up to 5 CV’s to be saved into a jobseekers account on TipTopJob so that they can be used to apply to different kinds of jobs and this is the same for other job boards. Each can include different skills and experiences that relate to the role you are applying to. Each CV needs to be kept to under 2 pages.
Skills and achievements
As someone who has no direct experience in the role you are going to be applying for, it is important to pick out the “transferable” skills that you have picked up in the military and that can be used in civilian life. Some of these skills may include team work, decision making, leadership, IT and communication. You are likely to have some good quality and varied achievements that you can use to your advantage so try to pick out those most relevant to the role you are going to be applying for.
Language
Try to minimise any military jargon, acronyms, slang etc from your CV as this can be confusing for a recruiter. If you are describing specific military terms, try to explain and elaborate. You can always ask a friend to read over your CV to make sure they understand it before applying to a job.
Personal Development Record
This is something that civilians will not have so it is a good idea to use this to your advantage. You can quantify each of the areas and be specific with what you have done, who you have managed, what you achieved, what equipment you used etc For example, say that you managed over 20 soldiers, explain that you managed a budget of over £1 million and describe a situation that resulted in saving your department over £50K.
To finish
When putting your CV together, remember to keep it simple, not too wordy and relevant. There are companies that can help you to put a CV together or provide a review on what you already have. Invest some time in getting this right as it can help you to get your foot in the door. If you are rejected for a role, always ask for feedback as this can help you to tweak the content on your CV before applying for another job.
When you are searching for a new job on TipTopJob, there are several things to bear in mind. Here are 6 Top Tips to help you use the site in the best way to find the perfect role for you.
1. Register with TipTopJob as a jobseeker first. This will allow you to save jobs to your basket for a later date and easily attach the CV from your account when applying.
2. Always choose "all" of the relevant industries that the role you are interested in could fall into. If you are looking for a Marketing Manager job for a large Supermarket chain, you must select the "Advertising, Marketing & PR", "Management" and "Retail & Wholesale" industries. You do not want to miss out on any opportunity that may be on the site in an industry you have not looked in!
3. Boolean search is always the best and can result in more accurate results. Take the advice on the Job Search Tips link on the search page on how to use it in the best way.
4. If you are interested in working in more than 1 Country, start by searching in 1 Country and then move onto the next in a new search. You cannot search for jobs in multiple Countries.
5. If you are not able to find something that you want to apply for, make sure that you register an "Email Alert" which specifies the criteria of the role you want. This will allow the TipTopJob system to send you an email AS SOON AS a new job that is registered matches your criteria. You can then be the first to apply. You can register multiple "Email Alerts" so if you are interested in several types of jobs, register one for each.
6. Make sure that you attach your most up to date CV/Resume and one that is relevant to the job you are applying. You can save multiple CV/Resumes in your account so that you can tailor them accordingly.
Our latest press release has been issued today which is titled, "Majority take it upon themselves to make CV Tip Top". Here is the full press release......
Two thirds of people rely on themselves to update their CV, a recent study has found. This may involve an individual updating it on their own accord or using the Internet to research the necessary steps.
The study asked over 1,000 jobseekers what kind of help they have received in their most recent update of their CV.
A third of the respondents had paid to use a professional service. With many organisations around today who will charge a small amount to review and update a CV, it is quick, easy and affordable to use this option. Some even offer a free CV review which can used as a guide to improve what is already there. Only 9% turn to friends and family to seek similar help.
Corinne Hutchinson from TipTopJob, states, “Whether you are seeking help from someone else or not, it is important to take time to update your CV regularly and do it well. Updating your CV shows recruiters what your latest skills and experiences are and shows you are keen to find new employment….right now! The main advice here is to not leave your CV for too long without updating it. This also applies to Linkedin profiles. In fact, it is even more important to keep these details updated given they are so publicly available.”
Have you had help with putting your CV or Resume together recently? We are looking into what kind of help you may have had and want your input :)
Our question is asking you to choose between the following options...
- Professional Service
- Friend/Family
- Internet Research
- Myself
Take THIS LINK and make your selection to help us find out the most popular choice of help.