Advice to service leavers…
Andrew Kennett, Airborne senior officer – second career: entrepreneur consulting in overseas Defence and security markets including capability development and procurement; the development and sale of secure command and control facilities; NED.
Advice:
- Network, it is a skill for life and business works this way – get used to it
- Be brief, honest and appreciative
- Keep building contacts and always revisit them
- Answer every enquiry for, or offer of, help immediately
- Always keep a record
- Always stay in touch
- Always accept every contact including requests for help from others
- Personalise every contact
- Start early (from the day you join the army and never stop)
- Have a (simple, clear) business card
- Identify your transferrable, professional skills
- Hone in on the one(s) you want to use in your next career
- Make sure they feature prominently in your brief CV
- Focus on this aspect of your ‘offer’
- Be a specialist in a field, you will find employment comes more quickly
- Once employed, then diversify
- Be true to your core values but be prepared to sell your attributes
- You must know what your attributes are – work it out!
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