Boots 2 Suits: An Ex-Forces Recruitment Agency with a Twist
As one year closes and a new one is on the horizon, now is the time for service leavers and their families to assess their current situation, goals and objectives and start the planning process laying the foundation for the future.
As families prepare to begin new journeys in the new year, some individuals and families may face some major changes, some of these changes may require making drastic changes. As military members tend to concentrate on career progression and performing as an effective member of the team, section, squad, platoon, and company. Oftentimes we put the needs of ourselves and families second. As a service member we should always have contingency plans in place for unforeseen circumstances. One of those contingency plans should include putting together an “I Love Me” book, a book reflecting all our positions, job duties and descriptions, awards and decorations, accomplishments, letters of commendation and courses attended and successfully completed. We should do this as when the time comes and we are preparing to leave the military, all of this will play a very important role as we develop our Curriculum Vitae (CV) and covering letter.
Joseph Paul Jr left the US Army after 22 years of service in May 2014 and truly understands the importance of preparing for life after the military. Joseph is in the process of establishing Boots 2 Suits, a recruitment agency geared towards ex-forces and their families. Boots 2 Suits also specialises in CV writing and evaluation services, Interviewing Techniques and Preparation, Training Needs Analysis, Business Improvement Consulting, Business Performance Review, Career Pathways, LinkedIn Page Development for Success, Business Consulting Services, Business Plan Consultation, Strategic Planning, Risk Management Analysis, Operational Management, Process Development and Evaluation, Team-Building, Leadership/Management Training, Human Resource Services, Bookkeeping, Performance Evaluation Training and Coaching and Mentoring Services.
Many recruitment agencies and employers are concerned with finding the ‘perfect candidate’, the one who meets all the qualifications, job descriptions and knowledge, skills and abilities. By concentrating on these requirements, many employees are being passed over for not having enough experience in a specific position, even though many of these potential employees will have many different skillsets that are much more valuable to the role and organisation.
As a veteran many of the skillsets that you have gained over your period of service are in fact transferable to the corporate world. These are the things that you need to make stand out on your CV and covering letter, each of which should be tailored to the job description and requirements. As service leavers we need to identify the transferable skills that we have gained in service and stress those skills. Some of the most transferable skills a veteran brings to an organisation are as follows: Leadership, Integrity, Motivation, Resilience, Commitment and Teamwork.
As one prepares to leave the military or prepares to move to another area as a result of a duty station change, questions should be considered by the service leaver and family members. The following are an example of somethings that should be considered:
- What is your objective when leaving the military?
- What are you good at and what do you see yourself being happy doing?
- What skills and courses from the military will transfer into civilian qualifications?
- Do you need additional courses, skills or qualifications? If so, how can you obtain these?
- Where do you want to live and how far are you willing to travel for work?
- How much do you want to earn? How much must you earn to maintain your current standard of living?
- Will the family be relocating with the service member? What are the job prospects of the new area?
Many service leavers fail in setting priorities when leaving the military, a service leaver and their family must conduct a needs analysis and determine what they are seeking post military life. Preparation is key to establishing a smooth transition from military life to civilian life. As one draws near to leaving the service, approximately 12 months out from leave date, one should start researching potential career choices, qualifications/skills required, average pay, normal working patterns and schedule and best geographical locations to find employment in these career fields.
Service leavers and their family members should treat leaving the military like any military operation, where planning is key and essential to success. Primary, Alternate and Contingency plans must be developed, goals and objectives must be set and finally a realistic tracking method must be created. The best made plans will run into obstacles and chokepoints along the way, that is why we must document our plans and continue to revisit and refine them as necessary.
Remember to gather as many sources as possible to use as referees when submitting CV’s, job applications and conducting interviews. It is best to ensure you have and maintain current contact information for these sources and then provide them notice if you use them as a referee.
Building a solid network both during the process of leaving the military and once the process is complete is key, the more people that you have in your network the more opportunities you may have presented to you.
When the day comes and you are about to leave the military and begin the search for employment in the civilian world, remember that many civilian employers are a completely different world to the one you were accustomed to in the forces. The skillset, attributes, knowledge and experience that you have gained from your time in the military is considered desirable and is highly sought after in the civilian world. Prior to jumping right into the deep end, make sure you evaluate, investigate and perform as much intelligence gathering as you can into potential jobs, employers and organisations. As a service leaver you must make sure that the employer will be a good fit for yourself and your desired objectives identified in your plan.
Regardless of where we are in our career, we must begin to prepare for life post military. We must revisit our plan on a regular basis and make the necessary changes or adjustments that we may identify. It is never too early to begin a roadmap for the future, however preparing that roadmap can be too late. As the time draws near for our departure from the military things will inevitably speed up and we will find ourselves playing catch-up.
About the Author
Joseph C Paul Jr retired from the US Army in June of 2014 after 22 years of service. He has numerous awards, decorations and letters of commendation. He is a graduate of the Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle Master Gunner Course, Senior Leaders Development Course, Combatives Instructor Level IV Course, Airborne Course, Air Assault Course, Jungle Expert Course, Recruiter Training Course, Career Advisor Course, Joint Fires Observer Course and Naval Gunfire Course. He has completed many overseas assignments including Korea, Japan and Germany. He has served in numerous combat operations in Kosovo, Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan. Since retiring from the US Army, he has served as a contractor/consultant for the US Department of Defense in various positions to include spending time in Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan. He has recently completed his MSc in Business and Management (Merit) at the University of Suffolk, where he was recognised for having the best dissertation on the course. He has just completed the first year of his PhD in Business at the University of East Anglia.
Top image Crown Copyright 2019.