Anyone ex-military? What career have you gone on to do?

[Bengaboy]

Im in the Navy and as it stands will be looking at doing 6 years total (3.5 years to go) due to me wanting to do other things and focus on a career.

I am worried that I would not be a suitable candidate for a job due to lack of real world experience. I know the fact that I would have served in the forces for 6 years will give me some credit - but if I went for a job in marketing for example, I would have no way of having any experience or qualifications to do so. You could put that into any other type of job really. Unless of course it is a job that requires little to no knowledge and can jump straight in - but these jobs would be significantly lower paid than what I am getting in the Navy.

So I was just wondering what ex-military people have gone on to do after their time in the forces.

 

[kylew]

 

[Castiel]

I spent 18 years in the RM, I went on to work in management and subsequently upper management of a public transport company.

January sees me give that up (it's boring) and enter full time research/education after a lot of p/t study.

Exactly what do you do in the navy and what skills do you have?

 

[arknor]

goto libya as a mercenary and gaddafi will pay u in gold! or you could kill him and collect the bounty on his head

 

[Xcept1]

Currently in the Army with roughly 8 months left to serve. Fingers crossed I will be getting on the rigs as a medic.

 

[Zefan]

What's your trade?

 

[Bengaboy]

I am a Writer. In the RM I would be a clerk, and i the RAF the same Im guessing.

Aswell as the JPA stuff, I do other things onboard a ship - such as OPS Room narrative (which is as good as it sounds) and Incident Board Operator - for when the shiz hits the fan.

I probably have one of the best jobs in the Navy to prepare me for civvy street. I cant see there being a lot of jobs that involve shooting miniguns. But I am still worried that even though my job is primarily HR based - as it is not in a real world environment, I would be less attractive as an employee than the guy doing the same, but in civvy street.

 

[Zefan]

One of the best jobs to see you in civvy street? I think the technical trades are by far the best as they give you the foundation knowledge and experience working on wide range of equipment.

You'll be best of asking your colleagues I imagine?

:Edit: It's a hell of a lot better than all the warry stuff though, definitely

 

[Castiel]

I am a Writer. In the RM I would be a clerk, and i the RAF the same Im guessing.

Aswell as the JPA stuff, I do other things onboard a ship - such as OPS Room narrative (which is as good as it sounds) and Incident Board Operator - for when the shiz hits the fan.

I probably have one of the best jobs in the Navy to prepare me for civvy street. I cant see there being a lot of jobs that involve shooting miniguns. But I am still worried that even though my job is primarily HR based - as it is not in a real world environment, I would be less attractive as an employee than the guy doing the same, but in civvy street.

I wouldn't worry too much, having the Navy on your CV is a good thing and being as you got a desk job you should be just fine.

 

[Bengaboy]

Whilst I would agree, I am not interested in the slightest in engineering - so for me personally, would be a waste.

I should probably rephrase the above, and say probably the best jobs to see me personally in civvy street for what I am probably envisioning doing.

After saying that Wind Turbine technician sounds good and profitable!

 

[Reginald]

I'm not but I've met lots of ex forces who've gone into security advising for various companies eg oil, bodyguards, government... Possibilities are vast just list out the skills you feel are transferrable and what you're interested in in terms of both jobs and industries..I'm sure you can find something that matches.

 

[Bill101]

At one time the Navy offered job training for those about to leave the service, although it mainly consisted of getting them a HGV licence!

 

[Dark Sun]

I know lots of ex military who have gone on to work in industries such as IT, Engineering, Oil and Gas, Sales, Law etc... Just plan ahead would be my advice.

 

[Andr3w]

One of the best jobs to see you in civvy street? I think the technical trades are by far the best as they give you the foundation knowledge and experience working on wide range of equipment.

You'll be best of asking your colleagues I imagine?

:Edit: It's a hell of a lot better than all the warry stuff though, definitely

Trade group 4 for the win \o/

 

[Brian8bit]

I'm not but I've met lots of ex forces who've gone into security advising for various companies eg oil, bodyguards, government... Possibilities are vast just list out the skills you feel are transferrable and what you're interested in in terms of both jobs and industries..I'm sure you can find something that matches.

My uncle did that when he got out of the legion. Last I heard he was in Algiers working in oil.

 

[wordy]

I did 6 years in the Royal Navy (1993 to 1999), when I came out I got a job working as a lab tech in an opticians on crap money working for a crap boss. 4 1/2 years in the job and I had a chance encounter with one of the companies IT managers, I asked after any vacancies and after a few months went to work for the companies Hepldesk.

I did 1 ½ years there and after that got a job at a local authority working on their Service Desk. It was a bit of a pay cut and a step backwards in the quality of work but the travelling time was cut down from an hour ( or up to 3 hours if the motorway was busy) to 5 minutes.

2 years on and I got a job in the same departments Network team and I currently look after the authorities telephone network, which is a mixture of analogue, digital and currently migrating to a VOIP platform, the associated infrastructure and I’m also going to be taking on support for the authorities Contact Centre solution in the near future.

 

[Captain Chaos]

Im ex Army (Royal Signals), I went on to be a manager within a national communications supplier. Not a massive supprise with my background. Never had any issues finding a job after leaving.

 

[wordy]

How come you're leaving the mob?

 

[peetee]

Isn't it obvious, the Nafis ran out of biscuits so the UPO's dried up.