So, you think you’re ready to leave?

Geoff O’Flanagan spent 10 years in the Army before leaving in 1998 aged 28 to work in recruitment. He has written a book entitled So, you think you’re ready to leave?, which he hopes will enable potential Service leavers to answer that question and avoid some of the career-change pratfalls that can trap the unwary.

Quest is well aware of the value that our readers gain from the very short accounts of career change that accompany our articles under the ‘Been there, done that …’ banner. So, as you would expect, we welcome any contribution to the body of knowledge and experience available to Service leavers as they prepare for what may turn out to be the biggest challenge of their lives.

Resettlement is, inevitably, a highly personal experience. It is one part of an individual’s journey through life, and everyone’s life is slightly different. This book, therefore, can only reflect the author’s views and experiences. However, he has done it. He has been there, done that, got the T-shirt, and been in the recruitment industry. His experiences have value to others, although every reader of the book will have to make their own judgement about which nuggets of information to squirrel away and which to discard. One cautionary note, however: very few people who have not themselves been through resettlement are in a position to discard anything. They do not know enough ... yet.

While not subscribing to some of the sentiments expressed by the author, there is no doubt that this book should be of value to the Service leaver. Much of it reinforces the official guidance from the Career Transition Partnership, although O’Flanagan’s personal resettlement path was clearly steeper and riddled with more potholes than he would have liked. Where he differs, he simply offers an alternative point of view in areas such as length of CV and his ‘Rubicon’ pathway.

However, the main thrust of the book is exactly in line with Quest’s philosophy. Career change is a serious business that has defined phases and needs to be undertaken in the same way as a military operation if it is likely to be successful. Very few people find their next career handed to them on a plate; most have to work hard for it.

O’Flanagan’s reality check and examination of the ‘great pension myth’ are most welcome. There are some very unreal views held about ‘civvy street’ in the Services, and the pension, while not to be undervalued, will not stretch very far for most people. For those who have never worked out a budget for living before, doing so can offer a stark lesson in just how far the British pound stretches in 2004. In addition, the stress that can be accumulated by the job-seeker who is not eagerly snapped up by the first available employer is covered positively, with some ideas about how to deal with it.

Personal grooming, clothing and other aspects of interview preparation are covered in some detail. This is a brave attempt to travel across the no-man’s-land of personal taste and wardrobe selection. Nevertheless, opting for conservative styles is clearly sensible because this will be acceptable to the greatest number of people. The multi-coloured, whirling tie that was such a success in the mess at Christmas may not be appreciated quite so much by a major charity. Quest can only congratulate the author on his nerve in offering advice on ladies’ wear!

Stark realities are dealt with under ‘Agencies and Benefits’. In addition to encouraging people to use employment agencies as a route into work as well as to access the information that they hold, this chapter looks at some of the realities of being out of work – ‘and out of pocket’. There should be no stigma attached to anyone drawing all the state benefits they can – after all, they paid for them when they were working. False pride or reluctance to take ‘handouts’ have no place in a job-seeker’s mental outlook. If someone needs a temporary helping hand, they should take whatever is available.

Chapters on the interview and the CV lead to one about the author’s aforementioned ‘Rubicon Pathway’, which is followed by a brief look forward to the future – whatever it might hold. Much of this section of the book is covered in the Career Transition Workshop, but repetition from a fresh viewpoint is of value and may offer some different thoughts that stimulate new ideas.

All in all, so much has been thought, spoken and written about career transition that a totally new approach is simply impossible. O’Flanagan writes of his own experiences with simplicity, honesty and balance, so this book has to be on the shopping list of every Service leaver – preferably about two years before their termination date.

To get a copy (£5.99 plus £2 p&p), contact The Sasquatch Consultancy, PO Box 420, Eastleigh SO53 4XU, Tel: 02380 253397, e-mail: enquiries@soyouthink.co.uk or visit the website at www.soyouthink.co.uk