Get in Step: Finding Your Way to Civvy Street - Part 2

Two little letters. How hard can it be?!

I finished my last entry on something of an anti-climax. There were no ground-breaking tips to get you through those first few weeks after submitting your notice, and I make no apologies for it. Those early weeks – and those covered by this entry – are about acknowledging the magnitude of your decision.

That’s not to say you can’t start sharpening your focus a little. Just make sure its done in an appropriate way.

So lets establish what focus means to a service leaver. Your professional and personal challenges are going to be unique – civvies wont understand it. Fortunately, your experience and skills are equally unique.

So, for now, focus should be on how you showcase your skills. And that starts with a CV.

Getting your CV right is, in my opinion, the most important part of your resettlement period. A good CV is the difference between landing your dream role, or being forced to settle for any old job just to pay the bills.

A CV is more than a monotonous list of skills, it’s an opportunity to demonstrate a commitment to professional standards to a potential employer before you meet.

Have I made my point clearly? Your CV is important? Good.

For many soon-to-be veterans it’ll have been a while since they last needed a CV. So its best we first establish what a “good” CV looks like.

Well, for starters, it’s not been rushed. It takes time to get the feel of a CV right, and whats right will differ from person to person. I’ve spent a lot of time helping people write CV’s, I’ve yet to find a one-size-fits-all style to CV writing.

I have, however, come up with some golden rules that apply across the board, and help make your CV something to be proud of.

Lets use the rest of this entry to discuss them. Remember, this isn’t about technical detail (we’ll cover that next time) – this is about building a solid foundation.

Here we go…

Rule 1: ALWAYS send your CV as a PDF. And not all PDF’s are created equally.

There will be those laughing this rule, smugly satisfied with their Word documents all prepped. And sure, Word is ok. But should we be settling for “Ok”?

No. Of course we shouldn’t.

I’ve helped write at least 10 CV’s this year, and been sent a fair few by applicants. You know what separates the good from the “Ok” in the first few seconds when I’m reading them?

Quality PDFs that format perfectly on all my devices. They just look…right.

Can we be sure that all recruiters are sitting at a laptop these days? Are we certain they have Microsoft Office apps installed? And if they do, what happens if they accidentally hit return when scrolling through and throw your formatting out? Do you think they’ll spend time piecing it back together?

These may seem like trivial issues, but they matter. If there’s a 1% chance someone is looking at your CV on their phone on the train home, wouldn’t you prefer they do so confident its formatted as you intended? I know I would.

Which leads to my next point… the inequality of PDFs.

If you’re going to do it, do it right. Don’t use the Word “Print to PDF” function that inexplicably adds enormous margins to the documents. There’s a reason why Adobe charge a subscription fee - because it works.

If you can afford it, invest in Adobe Pro. You don’t have to keep it for long, but a small investment now could make all the difference. And if you don’t have the means, get out there and ask if someone will convert it for you. (See rule 4!)

Rule 2: Pick a style, make it uniform!

This should be a easy one to understand for veterans, so I’ll keep it short…

When you settle on a style (and settle you will, that’s an order) apply it consistently across your documents.

So what do I mean by this?

For now, lets focus on the header of your CV and, loathe as I am to sound like a fashion designer, there’s not better way to say this…it needs to “pop”.

The header isn’t just a box with a name and phone number. It’s your brand, the slick appetiser that draws a potential employer or recruiter in. Its both stylish and convenient.

“Dave, convenient? Come one mate, what does that even mean?”

I mean exactly that. It has convenient links to email you, one-click to your LinkedIn profile, even your phone number is in international format (+44 (0) 77…). Does it need to be? Probably not. But why not put this extra layer of polish on?

And when I say links, I don’t mean you copy-paste the random characters that LinkedIn provide to your page. I mean a properly formatted hyperlink that effortlessly assist an employer with their next task which, with this attention to detail, will be getting in contact with you with an interview date.

The cumulative value of these tiny details cannot be overstated. Every time you think “is this worth the effort?” remember – someone out there wants the same job, so take the time to separate yourself right from the start.

PS. I can hear it already “Not everyone knows how to format hyperlinks Dave…” – and that’s a fair point. Give me time, I’ll address this!

Rule 3: Covering Letters. A CV isn’t a CV without one. 

I want to be very clear about this – unless specifically told otherwise (which happens occasionally, I admit) – you should ALWAYS send a covering letter along with your CV.

And no, a few words in the email you attached your CV doesn’t count.

Its style needs to match your CV perfectly. Every detail needs to match – font size, links, colours. Even the margin sizes.

If you’re not sure, print them out and lay them next to each other – one should be a seamless extension of the other.

Rule 4: If you don’t know, ask.

The first three rules may seem over the top. They’re not. This attention to detail is the epitome of professionalism and sets the tone for what a potential employer can expect when they hire you.

I do, however, understand there will be those who lack the IT skills to follow my advice to the fullest, and this might feel a bit isolating.

They still want a polished CV, even if they’re not applying for a technical role? That’s fair enough, right?

Right.

If you’re one of those people, even if you ignore everything else I’ve said, please follow this one piece of advice – reach out and ask for help!

There’s no shame in asking for help. We are a community of veterans – it what we’re here for. Its what we’ve always done, and will always do.

I’ll put my money where my mouth is, if you need help then drop me a message. Send me your CV and I’ll offer some pointers. I’ll even convert it to a quality PDF for you!

You must just accept it. You’re going to miss it. Whether you’ve done 4 years or 40, denying that part of your life is unhealthy and its not easy leaving something that made you who you are today. 

We’ll talk more about CV’s in the next entry, and how to present the the skills and experience only a veteran can offer.

Until next time, 

Dave.