Armed Forces Day: The return to "Civvy Street"

Where it all began

Having joined the Army at 16 and completed over 25 years, I was ready for a new challenge. The military had afforded me many opportunities for travel, as well as professional and personal development, but I was curious about what else was out there.

Like everyone who decides to leave the military, that moment of handing in your notice of termination fills you with endless possibilities and utter apprehension. Having commissioned three years earlier, I knew I was giving up the security of a job I knew well and was reasonably good at. The imposter syndrome-type questions such as “am I good enough to get a job outside the Army?” were consistent with me during the early days.

Resettlement

I was fortunate that I had cultivated a good network of people on sites such as Linkedin, where I was able to ask questions while I narrowed my search on what type of roles I was after down. This helped during my resettlement period as it allowed me to focus on courses that helped tease out the transferrable skills and put them on my CV, and answer questions during interviews.

A new start

When the opportunity to apply for a role as a Project Manager at Forfusion came along, I knew I had to go for it. Forfusion provides professional services and IT consultancies across the full spectrum of businesses within the UK and abroad. With a healthy blend of ex-military people who know the issues and uncertainties that come with leaving the forces, I have been made to feel welcome by everyone. It could not have been smoother through the onboarding process and into my first few weeks in the role.

Civilian Work Attachment scheme

Looking back at my resettlement period, if I could have done one thing differently, I would have taken up the Civilian Work Attachment opportunity here at Forfusion. The tailored approach to the attachment allows you to spend time with each department learning roles with real-life examples and then focus on the areas that interest you. Listening to the experts within their fields can help overcome any uncertainties you may have regarding the required experience or qualifications. You may be surprised at what career path you end up taking.

If you are beginning your resettlement journey, I would thoroughly recommend spending some of your Graduated Resettlement Time (GRT) here at Forfusion. The people here genuinely care and are interested in what you want to do.