Career support after the military

Hays was the main headline sponsor at this year’s Officer’s Association Virtual Employment Forum event.
Hays provides advice on moving into civilian life and securing a new role, identifying your transferrable skills, and using these to your advantage, along with the support, training, and resources to make the transition from the military into a new industry smoother.
Our top three tips:
1. Leverage your network
Take every opportunity to network. This can be with specialist recruiters, professional associations, or people you might have met at events who are also ex-forces. It helps to have a visible online profile to do this. We recommend setting up a LinkedIn account if you don’t have one already and make sure that it matches your CV.
2. Make your language relatable
We see lots of CVs that are steeped in military language. This can hinder your application by making it hard for employers to understand and appreciate your experience. Make your language relatable to the average hiring manager by replacing military-specific terminology with more generic language.
3. Secure your leaving statements
Leaving statements from ex-commanding officers are hugely valuable when applying for a new job outside the military. Comments that reference your work ethic, attitude and transferable skills will help you stand out against other candidates.