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THE ARMED FORCES RESETTLEMENT MAGAZINE

thought I was good at multitasking, but Rory Underwood could show me a thing or two. “The best way to describe it is that I was a pilot in the air force and that was my job. My rugby was a hobby.” That’s how the rugby legend looks back on his two coinciding careers. In his 85 appearances for England, he scored a record 49 tries. Read about his fascinating story and his tips for transition in our exclusive interview. You’ll notice the theme of volunteering throughout this issue. Alex Cooper tells you of his own experiences and how volunteering can make the most of your hard-earned skills from military life. We feature the organisation Serve On where volunteers from the services are highly sought-after. Our personal development column this month talks about focusing on others and how it can give you a break from your own stress. We explore exciting career paths this month, including close protection. It’s a field that favours the ex-military so don’t miss this article! We also look at the utilities sector, a growing and changing industry with a huge variety of jobs. We have lots of useful advice in this issue including interview tips and franchising insights. We also cover the challenging topic of how to talk to your partner about finances, courtesy of the British Legion’s MoneyForce.

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THE RUGBY LEGEND AND EX-RAF PILOT ON GETTING YOUR CIVILIAN CAREER OFF THE GROUND July 15 cover.indd 1

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3 MUST READS

1 RORY UNDERWOOD The rugby legend’s advice on scoring big for your future. P28

2 MONEY TALKS How to discuss finances with your partner. P22

3 ACE THAT INTERVIEW 10 tricky interview questions you need to know. P16

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» JULY 2015

CONTENTS 28

JOBS AVAILABLE WITH...

KETTERING NHS PAGE 15 WEST SUSSEX NHS PAGE 31 CRANLEIGH PAGE 31 Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

Inside

This issue 6 BIG PIC

On the range

8 NEWS

Latest updates

12 LOST IN TRANSITION The power of volunteering

14 PERSONAL

DEVELOPMENT Help others, help yourself 16 CV 10 interview questions you can ace 18 CHARITY Serve On 22 FAMILY Talk to your partner about money 24 BFRS Transition support 26 NUCO International first aid 28 COVER: RORY UNDERWOOD Exclusive interview 32 UTILITIES JOBS Get switched on 34 FRANCHISING Take your pick 38 CLOSE PROTECTION Be a bodyguard 40 ELC Your guide 42 MOTORING Fiat 500X, Tesla Model S 50 CAREER EVENTS Employment and training fairs 52 CTP FACTFILE Vacancies 54 LETTERS Get in touch

ON THE COVER

SHUTTERSTOCK

CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE SIAN RICHARDSON Former military spouse and career transition expert Sian founded Career Master 4 Military Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

SUZIE MCCAFFERTY Suzie is managing director of BFA accredited franchise consultancy Platinum Wave

ALEX COOPER Alex was the lead researcher and co-writer of the Veterans Transition Review July 2015 | EQUIPPED | 5

»Bulletin

» RESERVIST NEWS » BASTION MEMORIAL » ISIL » WATERLOO REMEMBERED » NAVAL WRECKS » ROYAL BIRTHDAY » INTER SERVICES CRICKET

On the range Juliet Company of Plymouth based 42 Commando have been on training at the Northumbria Police Firearms Training Unit, utilising their indoor range facilities as part of Exercise Urban Strike, a Close Quarters Battle (CQB) exercise. The training is being delivered to

prepare 42 Commando for their forthcoming headline exercise, Black Alligator which all form the process to become the Lead Commando Group in 2016. The police unit has the most up to date indoor range of any police force in the UK.

6 | EQUIPPED | July 2015

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July 2015 | EQUIPPED | 7

Reservists take flight

ith its low rotor downwash and twin cargo doors the RAF’s new PUMA 2 helicopter proved the ideal asset to provide lift for members of the Central Reserve Headquarters of the Adjutant General’s Corps (CRHQ AGC) on their annual training camp at Barton Stacey, Hampshire in early June. The specialist soldiers, some of whom are lawyers, financiers and linguists in civilian life, work in the four branches of the AGC in a National Reserve unit. They are the first reservists to fly in the new aircraft, giving the RAF aircrew the opportunity to practice lifting troops in and out of the field. Officer Commanding CRHQ Major Gordon Fraser was

FACTOID

250

warships clashed at the Battle of Jutland, 1916

delighted to have RAF support to deliver military training to the group. “This is the first time any of the Reserves have seen a Puma 2 aircraft. It is an impres-

sive machine,” he said. “And, the aircrew were extremely informative and professional.” As part of a £340m Life Extension Programme (LEP)

24 of the RAF’s Puma Force aircraft, based at RAF Benson, have been upgraded with improved ballistic protection and new engines offering greater on-board fuel efficiency. The new helicopter can carry twice as many troops and kit over three times the range of its predecessor in the most demanding of environmental conditions making it ideal for combat and humanitarian missions. Puma 2’s low rotor downwash and twin cargo doors make it easier for transporting troops in and out of confined urban environments. It can also be used for casualty evacuation and to move essential kit around with ease. The Puma Force Commander, Group Captain Simon Paterson RAF, explained: “The Puma is the ideal helicopter for urban operations, as the air security for the London 2012 Olympics highlighted. The recent upgrades to the aircraft have proven invaluable as it has a greater range, endurance and payload and it is already playing a key role in overseas operations in Afghanistan.

New home for Bastion Memorial Prince Harry joined families and members of the Armed Forces at the Bastion Memorial Service of Rededication at the National Memorial Arboretum, Staffordshire, to remember those who gave their lives during Combat Operations in Afghanistan, 2001-2014. A congregation of nearly 2,000 people, including the Prime Minister David Cameron, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon, bereaved families, veterans and current Servicemen and women attended the service to rededicate the memorial in its new home. The reconstructed Bastion Memorial is based on the same design as the former Bastion Memorial Wall built in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, which

8 | EQUIPPED | July 2015

was deconstructed in late 2014 following the end of combat operations. The Memorial contains elements of the original structure, such as the cross made of shell cases which has

been placed on top of the Memorial’s cairn, the original memorial plaques that have been placed inside the structure and material from the original wall which has been inserted into the foundations.

An engraved map of Afghanistan has been mounted on the rear of the Memorial, marking the locations where the UK Forces served over the 13-year campaign.

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»News NEWS IN BRIEF

Kiel week

British forces keep pressure on ISIL

hether training in Kurdistan, supporting Iraqi ground forces from the air or preparing the Syrian moderate opposition to lead the fight in Syria – the UK continues to play a leading role in international coalition efforts to tackle the threat posed by the ISIL terrorist organisation. On Wednesday 10 June, an RAF Reaper remotely piloted aircraft patrolling near Iraq’s border with Syria destroyed an ISIL vehicle. On Thursday 11 June, two Tornado GR4s provided close air support to advancing peshmerga near Sinjar who had come under fire from an ISIL sniper team located in an isolated building; this was demolished by a direct hit from a Paveway. The GR4s then flew south to assist the Iraqi army near Ar Rutbah, where they used a Brimstone missile to destroy a terrorist armoured personnel carrier. Military instructors continue to work with coalition partners in delivering training to the Iraqi and Kurdish forces; British trainers have played a prominent role to date in assisting the Kurdish peshmerga in northern Iraq, and the UK is taking the lead in designing a country-wide programme for the coalition to provide training and equipment to help reduce the threat from the improvised explosive devices (IED) which are increasingly favoured by the terrorists as they are forced onto the defensive. The training also now includes a Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

Protection of Civilians element to counter the sexual violence used by ISIL as a weapon. The Kurdish peshmerga have liberated significant swathes of territory in northern Iraq from ISIL control, including key towns such as Rabiyah and Zumar, and rescued the Yazidi refugees who were besieged on Mount Sinjar. A recent offensive, which RAF and other coalition aircraft supported, succeeded in driving back the terrorists to the west of Kirkuk. In this area are a number of villages from which ISIL have driven out the civilian population and the deserted villages have then been transformed into large fortified strongholds and terrorist training camps. Several of these have already been targeted by coalition aircraft and overrun by the peshmerga. A large coordinated operation on Friday 12 June focused on a location behind the current front line, west of Kirkuk and north of Bayji. Extensive reconnaissance allowed a large number of terrorist targets to be identified inside the perimeter of the complex. Careful planning allowed a number of coalition aircraft, including RAF Tornado GR4s which dropped ten Paveway IV precision guided bombs, to conduct a coordinated air strike on these key targets and disrupt ISIL efforts to recover from the successful peshmerga offensives to the north, and Iraqi army operations around Bayji and Tikrit to the south.

EVEN KIEL Six Royal Navy vessels will be involved in the world’s largest sailing event – Kiel Week. This year sees one of the Royal Navy’s largest ever deployments to the annual extravaganza, held in Germany with more than three million people participating. Kiel Week is currently in its 133rd year – the largest sailing event in the world. NEW NETWORK The newly launched Army Servicewoman’s Network (ASN) held its inaugural conference in June. The group is for women in the Army and

Army Reserve to establish and promote an inclusive culture, improve retention and encourage individuals to achieve their potential within the British Army. HINDU FAITH CONFERENCE Members of the Hindu faith in the Armed Forces gathered at the end of May to discuss various topics within their religion such as the psychological and spiritual meaning of being a soldier or service person within Hinduism. The event included two days of lectures, workshops and yoga sessions. ASN conference

July 2015 | EQUIPPED | 9

Waterloo remembered

00 years since the eve of the Battle of Waterloo, Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall attended a special ceremony at the Belgian Farm Wellington claimed was instrumental in his victory. Descendants of those who fought on both sides of history’s bloodiest Battle: The present day Duke of Wellington, Prince Nikolaus von Blücher of Prussia and Prince Charles Bonaparte, came together for the Opening Ceremony of the restored Hougoumont Farm which was a focal point for the Battle’s fiercest and most sustained fighting. They were joined today by Her Royal

cans of ships destroyed in the Battle of Jutland 99 years ago have been made for the first time using 21st Cetntury technology. The colourful three-dimensional images made by Royal Navy survey ship HMS Echo belie the horrors played out off the coast of Denmark one Wednesday afternoon during the First World War. They show the twisted and battered wreck of HMS Invincible, one of 25 warships – 14 of them British – that were blown up on May 31, 2016. Ahead of the battle’s centenary next spring – which will form the focal point of the Royal Navy’s Great War commemorations – survey ship HMS Echo spent a week scouring the floor of the North Sea with her stateof-the-art sonar suite. Nick Hewitt, a historian with the National Museum of the Royal Navy who was on board HMS Echo for the work at Jutland, said the week surveying the battlefield of 1916 had helped to “build a picture of one of the greatest naval battles in history”. “The condition of the wrecks varies enormously. Some have

10 | EQUIPPED | July 2015

Highness Princess Astrid of Belgium. The Prince of Wales and The Duke of Wellington also unveiled a new monument to commemorate all the British soldiers who fought at Waterloo. Hougoumont Farm played a critical role in the outcome of the Battle of Waterloo. Hougoumont was a grand 17th century Manor House with a walled garden, orchard and a working farm attached. The Battle of Waterloo began here as Napoleon’s brother, Prince Jerome, attacked through the woods to the south confronting British and Hanovarian troops in the garden and orchard, and British Coldstream and Scots Guards in the farm and chateau.

Naval wrecks revealed

suffered badly from post-war attempts to salvage them, but others are astonishingly intact. HMS Defence in particular was ‘reduced to atoms’ according to one contemporary account, but

the wreck was complete, upright and immediately recognisable by the distinctive profile of her secondary armament, still trained outboard towards her foes a century after the battle.”

During the Battle of Jutland 250 warships from the two navies clashed from the afternoon of May 31 1916 until the small hours of the following morning. When it was over, 25 ships were at the bottom of the North Sea and more than 8,500 men were dead, three quarters of them Britons. More than 1,000 of those Royal Navy dead were killed when battle-cruiser Invincible was torn apart when a German shell plunged through the roof of Q turret. The resulting fire detonated her magazines. A dozen miles from the wreck of the Invincible HMS Echo also surveyed the remains of cruiser HMS Defence – her bow separate from her hull, and the wreck of HMS Queen Mary which suffered the same fate as Invincible. Echo visited the 21 of the 25 sites where Jutland wrecks are believed to be - based on previous expeditions, eyewitness accounts and contemporary charts – and found nine hulls positively identified as vessels lost in the battle. They also located the wreck of an oil rig support boat which sank following a fire in the 1980s. Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

»News

Majestic display marks birthday

n awesome disaplay of 31 aircraft roared over Buckingham Palace on Saturday, 13 June as the RAF marked Her Majesty The Queen’s official birthday with a traditional flypast. In an impressive finale to Trooping the Colour, 15 types of RAF aircraft flew over the Palace at 13:00BST, including helicopters, fast jets, World War II aircraft, the immense

Voyager and C-17 transporters and the famous Red Arrows. The aircraft flew in eight ‘elements’, each 30 seconds apart and representing the RAF’s varied roles and history. The yellow Sea King led the formation, making its final appearance in the Queen’s Birthday Flypast as the Search and Rescue role transfers to the Department

for Transport next year, along with Chinook and Puma 2 helicopters. They were followed by the Dakota, a World War II tactical transport aircraft, and a special nod to the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain by the

aircraft used to secure UK skies both yesterday and today – Spitfires, Hurricanes and Typhoon jets. Next followed the C-130 Hercules and two King Airs, which operate in the multiengine pilot training role. Hercules have been deployed all over the world this year, most recently providing humanitarian relief in Nepal after the devastating earthquakes.

Cricket matchmakers

he Inter Services Cricket 20 match was held at Lord’s cricket ground on 11th June 2015. The RAF beat the the Royal Navy but then lost to the Army in the final match. Beautiful sunshine throughout the 3 matches saw the Army, Navy and Royal Air Force fighting for the title of inter-Service Champions. The Army was desperate to hang on to the title for the third year in a row. First up was the Army vs the Navy. In to bat first were the Navy who kept going until the last ball and finished on 104 all out.The Army were up next and despite losing Storm Green early on the outcome was never in doubt: the Army left victorious with 5 overs to spare. Second match was the Royal Air Force vs the Navy with all to play for. The RAF were in to bat first and with Cessford

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making a half-century on 59, they went on finish on a formidable 212 for 8. With a tough act to follow the Navy were not up to the task, under pressure from a slick performance in the field from the Royal Air Force, they finished on 148 for 8.

Playing the Army for the title in the final match, The Royal Air Force was in to bat first. The RAF finished on 119 for 7. The Army stepped up to bat and after a nail-biting few overs where it looked like the RAF might be able to hold them in

check, they went on to win the match and the inter-Services title with an over to spare. The wining trophy was presented to Army team captain Lance Corporal Jacques Prinsloo by MCC President David Morgan OBE. July 2015 | EQUIPPED | 11

»Lost in transition

ALEX COOPER

hose who have deployed to the world’s trouble spots know that life can be short and brutal and we are only a few missed meals/zombie attacks from behaving like our more primitive and hairy ancestors. I think this is why military service is popular; there is something quite primal about what the forces do, and that resonates with our inner caveman. Adversity, physical challenges, the potential for danger and the need for selfreliance - these things cut through the comfortable and sedentary norms of modern western society and satisfy a deep-seated need for fulfilment - what Abraham Maslow might label ‘self-actualisation’. Life outside the military may well gratify your physical requirements (house, car, salary), but those who have lived through more ‘peak experiences’ during their military service than most citizens will ever do may find that the grass is not necessarily greener on the other side. Yes, you might have a more stable home life and no requirement to shave every day, but unless you are lucky enough to have a job, relationship and interests that fully meet your needs then you may be left feeling a bit unsatisfied. So how do you recapture the things that satisfied you most in the military? I believe that those who give freely of their time, efforts and emotions to support the needs of others tend to be happier and more fulfilled than those who do not, regardless of the size of their pay cheque. A year and a half ago I put my money where my mouth is and joined a volunteer resilience/ emergency response group, called Serve On (www.serveon. org). The group, which has many ex-forces members, has an internationally deployable urban search and rescue (USAR) team with 20 years of

12 | EQUIPPED | July 2015

The Power of Volunteering

It’s good for your mind, body - and CV! operational experience and a growing network of UK-based community resilience teams (CRTs) supporting the emergency services and local authorities/ communities in the event of natural or manmade disasters. In the immediate aftermath of the recent devastating earthquake in Nepal many people deployed to support the relief effort, and eight of these were highly trained USAR volunteers from Serve On. The team were fast-tracked through immigration and were the first UK team on the ground. They set to work immediately in remote outlying villages to provide recce, USAR and initial needs assessment for UN/ Nepali Military and international efforts. After a week of exhausting and sometimes hazardous work, when the response moved from rescue to recovery, they

returned home - handing over vital equipment to the local authorities and British Gurkhas Nepal (BGN) to enable the

“THOSE WHO GIVE FREELY OF THEIR TIME, EFFORTS AND EMOTIONS TO SUPPORT OTHERS TEND TO BE HAPPIER AND MORE FULFILLED” continued efforts of others. Each of those men and women, including four former military personnel, have invested more than two years, training hard to become fully proficient in a raft of skills. Evenings and long weekends have been spent putting themselves through hardship and discomfort, developing specialist skills in order that they could drop everything at short notice and deploy for days at a time into uncertainty and danger; but why?

In most cases volunteers have a desire to give something back to the society that has formed them; many have former or current uniformed service and they recognise that they have skills that are in demand at the sharp end of volunteering. Providing support to communities in crisis is also enormously satisfying, while being part of a dedicated team of people who won’t ‘jack’ and let you down provides a strong sense of belonging - and can go a long way towards repairing those who have been emotionally damaged by traumatic experiences. Not everyone has the time, inclination or physical capacity to fulfil the more demanding roles. Age and infirmity are not barriers to playing an active role, and Serve On has several volunteers with injuries/ disabilities/ old bones employed in less physically demanding roles (except for Pete who, despite having left both legs in Afghanistan, puts most of the rest of us to shame). Likewise those with less time to give do what they can, be that staffing the ops room, driving vehicles, making brews or just networking and fund raising – all are part of the volunteer family. This is a plea for action: your society needs people like you to put your hard won skills at the disposal of the community once you are out of uniform – a second bite of the cherry if you like. There are never enough police, fire and ambulance resources when the brown stuff hits the fan, and being part of something that has the remit and resources to do something positive is immensely rewarding. On a selfish note, your newly minted cv will need a bit of non-military padding, and volunteering shows a prospective employer that you are a dedicated, wellrounded individual with a social conscience, so all round a win-win result. Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

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»Personal development

MAXIMISE YOUR POTENTIAL is literally true that you can succeed best and quickest by helping others to succeed.” Kind of funny, isn’t it? Not only is it a good thing to be nice to others, YOU will actually win out of it. Yet it’s not a concept we are taught in school or that you’ll find in today’s culture. But you have an advantage. You chose a career in service. You already understand something about sacrificing a degree personal comfort and freedom to be part of a bigger picture, contributing to a greater good. You’re on the journey already! So where can you start? Here are three easy ways to get outside of yourself: 1

Volunteer!

Talk nice

If you have the time and resources to volunteer, it’s the ultimate way to get outside of yourself. Check out our feature piece on Serve On, the volunteer based organisation that seeks out ex-military to do amazing work.

Help others, help yourself

Get more than a feel-good factor by focusing on others areer transition out of the military is like going through adolescence all over again. Your identity is up in the air. Your sense of self is pretty cloudy. You are looking for a new group to fit into. You’re not quite sure how life is going to turn out. It’s easy to get caught up in all the negative elements of this process, but it’s not productive.

14 | EQUIPPED | July 2015

One way to give yourself a break from the stress is to take some focus off of yourself. One of the most popular personal development authors of all time, Napoleon Hill, interviewed the movers and shakers of his day including John D. Rockefeller, Thomas Edison, Teddy Roosevelt and F.W. Woolworth. His goal was to learn the keys to their success by studying their

habits and attitudes. Hill came up with loads of interesting ideas through his research and his books are still bestsellers. You’ve probably heard the phrase “what the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve” which comes from Hill. Hill noticed that a habit of successful people was that they were driven to serve others, often without any motivation for payback. He once wrote “it

It costs nothing, but a few kind words to boost a friend or relative who needs a little support can make a big difference. Being a postive presence for other people will generate more positive energy in your own life. 3

Focus on your family

Family is one of the most rewarding places to invest more time and positivity. It might mean taking time to totally focus on your children for a while in the evening when you really want to spend some well-deserved relaxation time with your TV remote or tablet, but it’s worth it when you feel closer to the kids. Before you know it you’ll enjoy all kinds of benefits like increased confidence and optimism about your own situation. To quote Toby Mac: “raise your thoughts a little higher, use your words to inspire.” In helping others, you help yourself. Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

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Ace that interview > 10 tricky interview questions you can master

Sian Richardson

Founder & Career Transition Expert, Career Master 4 Military Sian is a former military spouse with firsthand experience of military-tocivilian career transition.

16 | EQUIPPED | July 2015

Before establishing Career Master 4 Military, Sian spent 20 years with a FTSE 100 company and left after being headhunted by the chairman of a national financial services organisation to manage his UK operation. Having managed HR and trained as a specialist recruiter, Sian has hired personnel at all levels. Email: MyCV@ careermaster-cvs.co.uk

Tell me about yourself

Interviewers often open with this one to break the ice and get to know you a little better. But don’t be tempted to launch into your life story! Confine your answers to work related stuff. Think about the Profile section on your CV. What experience, skills and qualifications do you have which match the requirements of the role – briefly! Never go into personal details unless the interview specifically asks you to. 2

What are your strengths?

This is your chance to market yourself, what you can do to add value to the company and set yourself apart from other candidates. Be prepared by listing your top 3 key strengths alongside clear examples of how you’ve demonstrated them in the past. What are you really good at? Is it your ability to lead and motivate a team? Manage multiple projects within strict

budgets and timescales? Or something else relevant to the job you are applying for?

What are your weaknesses or development areas? 3

Don’t list your personality disorders and everything you’ve found difficult or challenging throughout your career. Stay composed and give examples you’ve prepared beforehand which show how you can turn negatives into positives. If you’ve met challenges in past roles, explain how you overcame them. Maybe you take ages to get ready for the office so your alarm clock goes off 2 hours early!

Why have you been unemployed for such a long time? 4

If you have a gap in your CV, don’t be defensive about it. Be positive by telling them about all the productive activity you’ve been doing such as Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

»CV assistance

THE KILLER QUESTION

freelancing, attending vocational training courses to gain qualifications and develop skills and knowledge or maybe voluntary work. Many of you going through resettlement would probably have had to relocate, move house and family, settle children into new schools and then start job-hunting. These things take time - and employers will understand that if you expain it.

Describe your management style 5

If they know of your military background, they may perceive that you’ll be strict and all shouty, shouty. Make the interviewer understand that you lead by engaging the team through two-way communication rather than a tell-do approach. Give a clear example of how you’ve coached and guided teams you’ve managed in the past so that they are confident and Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

comfortable with the work they do, whilst being aware of their goals and achieving high standards.

How will you compensate for your lack of experience?

Is there any reason you can see that I wouldn’t be suitable for the role? This gives you a chance to overcome any objections/ concerns face to face before the interview is over.

Highlight your skills set and achievements to create a sense of confidence. Mention similar roles you’ve had and how well you performed or overcame challenges.

the best way to improve, you never take criticism personally but always constructively in order to develop. Give an example of when you have accepted criticism, developed skills or changed how you do things and what the results were.

Why do you think 7 you can succeed in this job?

Tell me about 9 your previous company

Talk about the similarities between the requirements of this job and your past roles. Be positive and confirm that you possess the skills, knowledge, experience and qualifications to do a great job and add value to the Company.

How do you 8 handle criticism?

Respond that criticism is often

Showcase your time there as a great platform for growth. Avoid negativity or criticism and, if the work was confidential, keep it that way. 10

Do you have any questions for me?

Now is not the time to discuss salary, holidays or any other terms. An interview is really a two-way conversation for both

parties to see if they are suitable. Prepare 3 questions to ask if given the opportunity. Examples could include:

■■ Could you tell me about the training and development opportunities available to me as the successful candidate? ■■ Can you tell me about the experience levels of the team I’d be working with? ■■ What is your management style? (If the Manager is present) For further help in nailing interviews, contact us today to arrange your coaching session.

“NEVER GO INTO PERSON A DETAILS L UNLESS THE INTERVIEW SPECIFICALLY ASKS YOU TO ”

July 2015 | EQUIPPED | 17

Serve

On > If you’ve served in the forces, Serve On wants to hear from you

on’t let your leadership, skills and desire to help others go to waste when you leave the forces. Serve On wants you to keep serving with your hard-earned skills... if you are up for the challenge! Elsewhere in this issue Equipped columnist Alex Cooper talks about the power of volunteering, and how it benefits both society and the individual volunteer. Alex is a member of Serve On, a volunteer resilience/ emergency response organisation that deployed a search and rescue (SAR) team to Nepal in the immediate aftermath of the recent devastating earthquake.

18 | EQUIPPED | July 2015

24,000 people leave the armed services every year, and most ex-service personnel have a raft of relevant skills and traits that fit very well into International the needs of the emergency missions services and related volunteer completed groups. Serve On was born out of the knowledge that there is never enough statutory support for growing resilience among communities and for providing help in times of crisis, so building a band of likeminded people with skills and a desire to do something makes a significant difference to those in need and the wider community. Some veterans want to translate their abilities into a civilian context while further developing themselves. There are individual benefits of belonging to a team that embodies the best elements of the military (integrity, loyalty, respect, selfdiscipline – and fun!), but the bigger picture is the huge benefit to society of having these resources in an organisation that has the structure, capability and remit to act when needed most. Serve On is structured “SERVICE with an International LEAVERS HAV Response Team (IRT), THE MINDSETE comprising a highly AND TRAITS trained team of SAR THAT ARE A technicians available GREAT FIT FO 24 hours a day to save OUR WORK”R lives by responding to disasters anywhere in the

world. The IRT has over 20 years’ experience and 22 international missions in its history. Deployments to disaster areas have included: India (2001); Pakistan (2005); Haiti (2010) and, most recently, Nepal. On each occasion SAR teams deployed within hours of the disaster and were able to start their rescue work immediately on arrival. Within the UK, Serve On is developing a national network of Community Resilience Teams (CRTs) to support the Emergency Services and Local Authorities in their response to emergencies and major incidents. Volunteers can respond to a range of scenarios such as flooding, severe weather, missing persons, supporting vulnerable people and many other types of incident. Volunteers are trained in and have access to a full suite of relevant equipment, including vehicles, protective equipment, power boats, search dogs (K9 SAR), UAVs and communications equipment. When not conducting operations or specialist training, the CRTs (and IRT) are involved in a variety of community activities, including supporting marginalised and vulnerable members of the community, event organisation, marshalling and safety, personal development and – let’s not forget the fun element – regular social events. Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

»Charity A Serve On quadcopter

The training required to be useful and deployable depends on the commitment of the individual volunteer, from one or two evenings a month for those seeking to become boat crew members to multiple weekends over an extended period for those training to be internationally deployable SAR technicians. Supporting the training and deployments are a wide range of volunteers who, through time constraints or physical limitations, are less able to play a technically or physically specialist role. These members are just as vital to the continued function of Serve On and fulfil a wide range of administrative, logistic, training or ops support roles. Serve On is at pains not to tread on the toes of existing organisations, volunteer or oth-

erwise, and works collaboratively with local structures to identify where needs exist and build an appropriate capability to bridge any gaps. While membership is open to everyone, Serve On particularly welcomes veterans from the Armed Forces and Emergency Services with their proven commitment and team skills. As Alex Cooper says, “service leavers have the mindset and traits that are a great fit for our work. CRTs exist now in Salisbury and Portsmouth and we are in the process of expanding across the UK and abroad in partner nations”. In addition to the outwardfacing resilience activities carried out by Serve On, there is a recognition that some exservice personnel may experience difficulties during or after transition. The Pathfinder Experience (PFE), in partnership with Help for Heroes, can help individuals to come to terms with past events, recognise their skills and value to the outside world, and plan and prepare for the future. The PFE provides advice, support and a sense of not having to cope on your own. Mentors are generally exforces, but specialist help can be called upon if needed. Several of those who have completed the PFE have gone on to join Serve On, where they have found continued support, purpose and meaning among a true volunteer community.

Teamwork is crucial

Serve On supports local emergency services

volunteers can respond to a range of scenarios

CONTACT SERVE ON TO SEE IF YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE TO GROWING RESILIENCE IN THE UK AND ABROAD.

www.serveon.org info@serveon.org.uk https://www.facebook.com/ serveonIRT?fref=ts https://twitter.com/serve_on

July 2015 | EQUIPPED | 19

Tel: +44 (0)1432 850223 Email: specialisttraining@uk.g4s.com www.g4sspecialisttraining.com

20 | EQUIPPED | July 2015

Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

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Money talks > How to talk about money with your partner By The Royal British Legionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s MoneyForce

22 | EQUIPPED | July 2015

Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

»Family Focus ’ve no idea where all the money goes.” If you find yourself saying that more and more, especially if your circumstances have changed, it’s probably time to draw up a household budget and start planning your spending. This is even more important if you’re deployed abroad and your partner has to manage the household finances. Stay MoneyFit together and plan ahead before you go. Talk about money with your partner. In a survey, more than half of single people said money had played some part in the breakdown of their last relationship. Don’t be one of these people. Here are our top tips on how to talk money with your partner.

Talking about money – the Dos

It’s good to talk. And never is it more important than when it comes to your finances. Here’s how to keep talking to help deal with any issues that might arise. DO set aside time to talk about money:

Weekly, fortnightly, monthly... it’s up to you. Just don’t do it over breakfast, when you’re rushing out to work. And don’t do it late at night when you’re both tired. It’s important that both of you have a general idea of the family’s finances. Are there any big expenses coming up? How much is in your bank account? Talking helps. DO remember that two people rarely see eye to eye on money:

Just because you might argue over money (most couples do), it doesn’t mean that your relationship is heading for the rocks. Some people are spenders; some are savers. But just because you have completely different attitudes to money, it doesn’t mean you can’t work to find some middle ground. DO view money as a means to an end:

Managing your money isn’t about spending as little as possible, or never being overdrawn, or building up a nest egg that you’re not allowed to touch. It’s about Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

using your hard-earned cash to bring your family closer together – and setting and respecting financial goals for the things you both feel strongly about.

Talking about money – the Don’ts DON’T avoid talking about money until it’s too late:

If you think it’s going to end in an argument, it’s tempting to bite your tongue. But leave it too long and the molehill may turn into a mountain. Find time to talk about money issues when you’re both relaxed and don’t spring a big money talk on your partner by surprise. DON’T talk about money issues when you’re angry:

You won’t solve any of your money issues by fighting or shouting. Apart from anything else, it’s going to be unsettling any children in the house. If the bank statement doesn’t make pleasant reading, take a deep breath until you can raise your concerns calmly and rationally. DON’T talk about money all

the time:

Even if you’re determined to take control of your finances, it’s not good to go on about it all the time. Put your family first – only talk about money during the times you’ve set aside.

Set yourselves some financial goals

We’re all better at doing things when we have something to aim for. When it comes to money, what bigger incentive do you need than to secure your family’s future? Whether it’s balancing your budget, using spare cash to start an emergency fund, saving for a deposit on a house, or putting money into a pension plan or a Junior ISA, sit down with your partner and plan for the things that are important to your family.

What if you still can’t talk about money without arguing?

If it always ends in tears, it might be time to get some help. Make an appointment to get some expert money help -

you can start by talking to The Royal British Legion. This might include advice on debt or budgeting issues. You might also require financial advice on investments, insurances or pensions - see Choosing a financial adviser. If you’re still having problems, consider seeing a relationship counsellor. You’ll find lots of free relationship advice on the Relate website, or call 0300 100 1234. Be aware that you will probably have to pay for sessions with a counsellor, although serving personnel in the RAF may get help from the RAF Benevolent Fund. Moneyforce is the home of money guidance for UK Service personnel and their families. For more useful information and advice visit www.moneyforce.org.uk Other useful information for members of the Armed Forces community can be found at www.britishlegion.org.uk

July 2015 | EQUIPPED | 23

Stop giving your transition ‘lip service’

Tips for being proactive in your career search f you are coming up to the last phase of your transition from the military, or seeking a new role on civvy street, spare five minutes to read this. It may transform how you conduct your job search, rather than paying lip service to one of the most important times in your life. Let’s start with an example. Recently a job candidate and profile holder on the BFRS system applied for a job vacancy. A consultant attempted to call them from the details on their CV, but the number was not in service. After checking the online profile, a different number was visible, but although called, a message could not be left. Three days later, the candidate called the office complaining they had not been contacted for the role they made an application for! At BFRS we have a great platform for those seeking work to create a professional job seekers profile - but as a member, have you? Do you know that you can sign up to the BFRS website totally free of charge, and construct a great profile? Take on board the following tips and

“ONLY A LUCKY FEW WILL HAVE EVERYTHING SERVED ON A SILVER PLATTER, THE REST OF US HAVE TO TAKE CONTROL OF OUR FUTURE!” transform how you manage your profiles, not only at BFRS but across all your online accounts. BFRS profiles have an option to upload a photo, and it is important that you keep this photo updated. Upload a quality head shot, don’t make it your last night out in Medicine Hat! Your profile has the function to choose 3 Career Preferences geared towards the industry sectors you are seeking work in and that your profile / keywords best represent. As with all great profiles – the summary 24 | EQUIPPED | July 2015

is about YOU and unless you are searching something very specific, ensure this is as generic and informative as possible. Provide recruiters with a “Location Preference”, although it may be beneficial to mention that you are willing to relocate if you are. A great tip is to generate a list of keywords, the type people could use if they wanted to search you. If you’re an IT consultant, maybe those words are “IT,” “consultant” and “technology consultant.” Then revisit each field in your profile and restructure it so you are frequently using keywords or phrases that best relate to your main skills and are comparable to the type of role you would like. Be sure to complete all parts of your profile as thoroughly as possible, especially your summary and your work experience. As a member of BFRS you can actually generate your own personal QR code. Use your generated QR code to advertise your profile; you can use it on business cards or your CV as well. Remember we are trying to help you market you to

potential employers! We understand that you often need more than one CV, which is why here at BFRS you can actually upload 3 CVs, i.e. a management CV, a technical CV (trade) and a generic CV. Should you be unsure, start with uploading your generic CV and this can be tailored for each different application where necessary. Whenever you speak to a career consultant or a recruiter, they always stress how important it is to track your applications, and to help you do that at BFRS, your profile automatically does that for you.This will help you prepare for a successful selection and maybe initial phone interview when contacted. You have read this through, which means you understand the importance of your transition or job seeking activities. Just remember, only a lucky few will have everything served on a silver platter, the rest of us have to take control of our future! Visit BFRS now at www.bfrss.org.uk to sign up if you haven’t already! Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

ÂťOur partners

BFRS Partner Focus: Oak Tree

Transitional Qualifications for YOUR new Career ooking to maximise your funding opportunities for training and secure yourself the best opportunities for your future career? Look no further. Our dedicated team at Oak Tree can prepare you for success. As an Approved Learning Provider for the ELC and CTP Schemes, with our international reputation for our learning solutions, we provide the highest quality resettlement blended, classroom and e-learning training packages, to ensure that you make the most effective and efficient transition to your new career. We have created accredited training course packages enabling you to gain both internationally and nationally recognised training qualifications, including ILM (Institute of Leadership & Management), NEBOSH, IOSH and IRCA. Why Choose Oak Tree as your resettlement training provider? We are one of the largest and few training companies that offer you approved ELC 4687 and CTP course packages. This means that

Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

we offer you more than one course for your current allocation of Enhanced Learning Credits, providing you with the opportunity to maximise your allowance in any one financial year. We have over 30 discounted course Packages including: NEBOSH National General Certificate, Fire and Risk, Environment Management, Construction, IOSH, IRCA-Auditor, Leadership & Management-ILM, Project Management , CTP Personal and MS IT courses. Our team at Oak Tree has the experience and professionalism to help you gain internationally recognised qualifications, giving you invaluable practical guidance and real work-life experiences. These qualifications are relevant to the current employment market place and will enable you to compete from day one of your completion. The courses are learner-centred, challenging and enjoyable. They offer flexibility as they are offered at a range of UK locations on a regular basis. A creative environment exists with our trainers utilising delegateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pre-course forms to identify specific areas of

development and learning styles. For more information call Steve our dedicated Resettlement Team leader on 01284 763040 or visit our resettlement homepage at www.oaktree-training.co.uk/MOD

Events diary 2nd Jul 2015

Gloucestershire Military Community Career Fair

10th Sep 2015

Tidworth Military Community Career Fair

15th Oct 2015

North yorkshire Military Community Career fair February July 2015 || EQUIPPED | 25

»Our partners

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After 20 years in the Army, NUCO trained Robert McEwan to deliver first aid training and qualifications at home and abroad ack in January 2013 I was on tranche 3 of the redundancy list of the army cuts. It was a shock: the army was all I had known for 20 years and I’d joined at18. In my final year I was posted to RAF St Mawgan Defence Sere Training organization (DSTO) as a survival instructor in Cornwall. I had two options; wait until June to find out if I was selected for compulsory redundancy and be out the following year, or volunteer for redundancy and get just 6 months to find a new career path. I chose the latter, to just take the bull by the horns! There was only one problem: what was I going to do?! I connected with old pals who had gotten out previously and got the lay of the civilian land. There was a lot of confusing advice. Some guys had just decided for the easy life doing mundane jobs, while another extreme was guys who had emigrated abroad for big opportunties. I certainly was not ready for the mundane easy low pay jobs (not yet anyway) but I wasn’t sure about moving abroad either. I attended a C.T.W. where someone said

26 | EQUIPPED | July 2015

to me ”First aid and Health & Safety is where the money is and it’s only going to get bigger.” It was a eureka moment. I decided to go down that path and get myself qualified before my discharge. I found NUCO Training after they were recommended by other guys within DSTO who had qualified. I gave them a ring and booked on their First Aid at Work instructor course in Portsmouth. The more I spoke about my resettlement plans the more people I found who had done training with NUCO which gave me confidence. NUCO made the process of using my ELC painless, as at the time I didn’t really know the procedure. NUCO’s Head Office turned out to be in St Austell, only 10 minutes from me. As a newly qualified instructor I was invited to pop round for a coffee and have chat about how we could support each other in running future courses. Before I knew it, I had an offer to work as a lead trainer for NUCO - running the exact same instructor courses that I attended. They trained me to their standard and before I knew it I was up and down the country delivering five day instructor courses back to back. I was so

busy I had to turn other work away! This led to a fantastic job abroad in the security industry for me. I have been running courses out in Libya and Iraq, training and certifying local national staff and oil & gas workers alike in the First Aid at Work syllabus in order for them to be compliant for their respective companies. It is big business. Not only am I working in the security industry, I am certifying people within it, and with NUCO’s ongoing support I can confidently deliver training anywhere. which makes me valuable to my employers and helps me stand out compared to the next man. NUCO has been outstanding with support, assisting me when out in these countries, giving me everything from certification, online support, company logos on certificates- the list goes on. Undecided on what to do and what colours to nail to the mast? I would seriously consider giving NUCO a call and do what I did, as First Aid and Health & Safety training is always going to be in demand. Having the ability to run courses, the ability to certify your training is like gold dust! For me it was even covered with an ELC claim. Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

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Rory Underwood

> The Rugby legend and ex-RAF pilot on getting your civilian career off to a flying start By Laura Joint

ngland’s record try scorer Rory Underwood MBE is a perfect example of how it’s possible to achieve success at the highest level in completely different environments. The former Leicester, Bedford, England and British & Irish Lions winger was an RAF pilot throughout his rugby years and successfully adapted his skills – such as teamwork and decision-making – so that they were equally effective whether on a rugby field or in an RAF jet. Rory has now transferred his skills to business, as boss of his performance consultancy firm, Wingman, based in Grantham. So he’s well placed when it comes to offering guidance on how to use and build your skillset, whatever the arena. The arena most of us associate Rory with, of course, is Twickenham. His 85 England caps spanned 12 years from 1984-1996. His

28 | EQUIPPED | July 2015

debut, as a 20-year-old against Ireland, came only a year after his first game for Leicester – a club he was to play for until 1997. His international career also included all six British & Irish Lions Tests in the two tours to Australia and New Zealand in 1989 and 1993. In his 85 appearances for England he scored 49 tries – an England record that’s unlikely to be broken soon, if ever: “I can’t see it being broken in the near future,” Rory told Equipped. “There’s nobody currently playing who is anywhere near even second place in the list (Will Greenwood and Ben Cohen share second spot with 31 tries). “From an England point of view, we’re playing the big teams all the time so it’s much harder to score tries. So no, I can’t see it being broken. You’ve also got to be lucky with injuries. I was very lucky and only missed one England game in the whole time. Plus I was playing in a very successful side for two-thirds of my time with

England. That helped too.” Rory’s being modest. The fact is that his rugby achievements ran alongside a successful career as an RAF Flight Lieutenant, which meant training had to fit in with his job: “That’s how it was then. Rugby was an amateur sport and you had a job. For me, I was a pilot in the air force, flying jets, and playing rugby in my spare time. I joined the air force in 1983 and I started playing rugby for England in 1984. I finished playing rugby in 1996 and I left the air force in 2001. The best way to describe it is that I was a pilot in the air force and that was my job. My rugby was a hobby. It’s all changed now because rugby has become a professional sport.” Joining the RAF was the only career Rory had in his sights when he was growing up in the north-east of England: “I loved flying. I just wanted to fly. Times were very different then. In the first part of my RAF career we were still in the Cold War.” Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

»On the cover In his 85 appearances for England he scored 49 tries

“BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN IN THE MILITARY, YOU HAVE A FANTASTIC SKILLSET. DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THIS”

Rory went through the fast jet system, getting as far as the Tornado. He then spent six years on 360 Squadron – an electronic countermeasures squadron – where he flew the Canberra T17. That was followed by fourand-a-half “fantastic years” flying the Hawk on 100 Squadron at RAF Finningley. Finally, Rory spent three years on the ground before finishing his RAF career with three years at Cranwell, flying the training aircraft, HS125 Dominie. He entered Civvy Street in 2001, after 18 years in the RAF. “I don’t fly at all now,” said Rory. “I miss it big time. I don’t get the time because my weekends are taken up with rugby. I’ve been on the board at Leicester Tigers as a nonexecutive director for the last seven or eight years and it’s something I really enjoy. It’s great to still be involved in the rugby set up and it’s a different point of view, being in the boardroom as opposed to on the training pitch or playing.” Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

Rory, 51, now runs Wingman – working with businesses to help them improve performance, effectiveness and efficiency at every level: individuals, teams and the overall business. He also does talks for Deloitte at events attended by servicemen and women who are going through the transition process. And he has some tips for Equipped readers: “The one thing I would say is: Recognise that because you have been in the military, you have a fantastic skillset. Do not under-estimate this. Know how much it is a benefit to you. So be confident that you have the skillset, but then understand how to use that in a civilian environment. This is the challenge. The worst thing you can do is to pile-drive into the civilian world and try to be a military type of person because it won’t necessarily work. “I do challenge civilian organisations as well to recognise how to get the best out of military people. For some people, when they first come out of the military it can be a very different environment, the culture is going to be massively different. So if you are an employer and you have someone from the military, if you better understand how to get the best out of them, you’ll get a fantastic product – because the military is a fantastic training environment for developing people. “It provides you with personal development, leadership and management skills. You learn problem solving. These are just a few of the assets that you have.” Another tip is to be open to guidance and to perhaps consider some coaching: “Any sort of information, mentoring, advice, experiential, pointers – it will all help anyone who’s leaving the military because you’re going from a totally different world into civilian life. If there’s any advice going, then grab it.” Talking of tips … it’s the Rugby World

Cup this Autumn, so who does Rory think will be lifting the trophy in October? “The favourites have got to be New Zealand. However, I think we’re coming up on the rails. We had a good Six Nations apart from that final few minutes against France. If our players are fit I think we can make the semifinals, no problem. And if we get through that and make it to the final you never know what might happen.” We asked Rory if he had a favourite England try, so we could include a link to it on our online edition. His reply? “Yeah, all 49!” He explained: “It’s so hard to pick one. It could be my first one (against France in only his second game, 1984), my fifth try in one game (against Fiji, 1989), it could be a try that won us the Grand Slam, it could be one that I scored that my brother helped to set up (Tony, also a winger, played alongside Rory for England). There are so many elements as to why a try is important to me.” “But I think if I was going to choose one favourite try, it would be the only one I scored for the Lions.” Rory’s try came in the 20-7 win against New Zealand in Wellington in 1993.

Juy 2015 | EQUIPPED | 29

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Logistics

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Are you looking to make Emergency Medicine your future? Are you changing from another specialty? Do you need help starting your Emergency Medicine career or do you want a better work/life balance? If so, we suggest you apply for the post of Specialty Doctor in Emergency Medicine at Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. These vacancies are available immediately following the postholders obtaining training posts and are permanent posts. Western Sussex is proud to be one of the top 10 best performing Trusts in the country with regard to the 4 hour target. We pride ourselves on being a friendly, supportive department. We receive excellent feedback from trainees and students. We want to continue to build this reputation, along with our reputation for providing high quality clinical care at the cutting edge of our speciality. The successful candidate will be allocated with a departmental supervisor who will provide support and mentorship. All newly appointed Specialty Doctors are also mentored, via the “WSHFT Mentorship scheme for senior medical staff”.

Western Sussex Hospitals Foundation NHS Trust is based at Chichester and Worthing on the South Coast of England providing excellent healthcare for nearly 500,000 people. We are a forward looking and innovative trust, whose purpose is to provide high quality emergency and elective care for the people of West Sussex. West Sussex is an area of outstanding natural beauty, boasting blue flag beaches, marinas and the newly formed South Down National Park. Major sporting events and festivals take place annually including Glorious Goodwood and the Festival of Speed. Chichester is home to the world renowned Festival Theatre and has excellent shopping and culinary opportunities. Enhanced salary package, negotiable terms and a strong development programme are being developed. We have a number of roles available across all staff categories which are available to view by clicking on the following link: http://www.westernsussexhospitals.nhs.uk/your-trust/careers/

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Get switched on Could a job in the expanding and evolving utilities sector be for you?

he domestic energy sector is going through a major shake up. With the biggest innovations in over 100 years being introduced in the form of smart technology, companies need new employees to help roll out new ways of doing business. The first generation of SMART technology is already making its way into homes and businesses. A government led initiative calls for up to 60 million homes to receive SMART meters by 2020. With further meter innovations planned as well as SMART Grid and other environmentally conscious innovations, these are exciting times for those looking for a new career. Dual fuel is also an area of growth, with companies recruiting people to train to become capable of both gas and electrical installations. Some companies are offering to put qualified new employees through 14 week training courses which normally cost over £7000.

Why is this sector ideal for ex-military?

Coming from a military background, utitlities will probably be a comfortable fit. Utility companies tend to be large, wellestablished organisations which provide a

corporate environment, good job security and a strong orientation towards company guidelines and procedures. Utility companies are looking for reliable, committed people who understand and respect company guidelines; something which has echoes of a military career. In the cases of installers, meter readers and others who are entering customers homes, it is crucial that the individuals doing these jobs represent the company well. Companies put a lot of trust in these employees to carry out the job to their standards.

What kinds of careers are there?

Many and varied career opportunities exist with utility companies. If you have specific skills or qualifications in areas such as accountancy, project management or human resources, such positions in these organisations often include good remuneration packages including benefits. If you are looking for something new and like to be out and about, you may be in luck: companies are recruiting for positions in installation and equipment reading in droves. With no two days exactly the same and the opportunity to get away from a desk, this is a great time to look at these jobs. With competitive pay packages, now is the time to look into jobs in utilities.

Have you heard of these utility careers? Business Readiness Manager £50,000 - £55,000 Electric Meter Installation Engineer £28,000 - £35,000 Utilities Pipe Repair and Maintenance Fitter £18,000 SMART dual fuel meter engineer £30,000 - £35,000 HV / Multi Utility Design Engineer £30,000 - £40,000 Project Manager £38,000 - £50,000 Area Development Manager £35,000 - £45,000 Dual Fuel Engineer

32 | EQUIPPED | July 2015

£28,000 +Bonus + Overtime Gas Inspection Engineer £30,000 - £35,000 Implementation Manager £48,000 - £53,000 Technical Analyst £35,000 - £42,000 Carbon Consultant £35,000 Sales Team Manager £32,000 - £36,000 SMART Dual Fuel Installer £24,180 - £32,000 Contracting Electrical Estimator £29,365 - £38,781

Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

ÂťUtilities

Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

July 2015 | EQUIPPED | 33

TAKE YOUR PICK By Su zie

Discovering your ideal franchise

34 | EQUIPPED | July 2015

rty affe C c

Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

ÂťFranchising

Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

July 2015 | EQUIPPED | 35

hen it comes to buying a franchise you can never do too much research. One of the most important stages, once you have narrowed down your search, is to attend a franchise discovery day. Discovery days are held on a regular basis, sometimes as frequently as twice a month, so ask your target franchisor for a list of dates and venues to see what might suit you. The event can vary enormously in scope from meeting a franchisor and franchisee in a local hotel to a full blown event at the company’s headquarters complete with presentations from the franchisor, franchisees, a supportive bank, a tour of head office and introductions to staff. everything you need to know to operate Of course, a bells and whistles red carpet your franchise? discovery day doesn’t make a franchise any ■■ On-going training and support more suitable for you than a one to one over programme – how much on-going support coffee. Every franchise is at a different stage and training will you receive to help you to in its own development and the scale of the grow your business? discovery day is likely to reflect that. ■■ Financial investment – what level of Attending a discovery day should always investment do you require to not only be a key part of your due diligence process. purchase the franchise, but to launch and It represents a great opportunity to meet the develop your business in the early stages? franchisor, the management team and often In other words how much working capital existing franchisees as well as gaining a more will you realistically need to support the thorough understanding of the franchise business until revenues start to flow? opportunity and the culture of the business. ■■ Business planning – will the franchisor Discovery days are about building mutual help you prepare your business plan? trust. You are entering into a business part■■ Territory selection – how does the nership, which is expected to last a franchisor select territories; does the minimum period of five years. It is therefore territory offer enough potential business important that you like, respect and trust and is there room to expand? the franchisor and they will be looking for ■■ Bank finance – what relationships does those qualities in you. the franchisor have with banks and Those discovery days that are financial institutions to help fund most successful are those that do your franchise? More than not give you the ‘hard sell’. If Do not be afraid to ask 80% of you feel pressurised you searching questions – the franchises should question if the franchisor should be able to report franchise has the integrity you answer them unless there are profitability valid reasons such as company are looking for or perhaps you are seeing an element of confidentiality, which would desperation to sign up the next preclude disclosure of the franchisee. Instead it should be an information. Speaking informally to opportunity for an open, frank and existing franchisees about their experiences informal discussion (without any is invaluable. One would not expect expectation of obligation on either side) everything to be 100% perfect but if about what the opportunity might offer you anything negative raises concerns it may be and what you might bring to the business. worthwhile further investigation. A franchise should be win-win; a franchisor Here are some possible questions you does not want an unhappy franchisee and should ask at the discovery day: vice-versa. ■■ How long had the business been A discovery day should have the following operating before it became a franchise; was elements as a bare minimum: it operating profitably?

■■ Overview of the franchise opportunity ■■ Start-up package – what does it include/ exclude? ■■ Induction training – will you be taught

36 | EQUIPPED | July 2015

■■ How many franchisees do you have? ■■ How many support staff do you have? ■■ How many franchisees have left the network and how many of those

were terminated? ■■ Can I meet some existing franchisees? ■■ What type of people make the best franchisees in your network?

Prior to the discovery day, here is a quick checklist to prepare yourself: ■■ Am I prepared: Have I read and understood everything they have sent me and completed all necessary paperwork? ■■ Have I written a list of questions to ask? ■■ Have I written down my objectives for attending? ■■ How am I going to present myself? ■■ Can I afford this? ■■ Does this feel right?

Regardless of format or level of sophistica-

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ÂťFranchising

tion, discovery days are all about building trust between a potential franchise owner and the franchisor. During my 14 years in franchising I have seen the concept evolve and I believe it is now an essential element in choosing a suitable franchise.

Discovery Days

Suzie McCafferty

Suzie is managing director of Platinum Wave, an independent BFA accredited franchise consultancy. www.platinumwave.co.uk email suzie@platinumwave.co.uk +44(0) 131 664 1218

Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

July 2015 | EQUIPPED | 37

The bodyguard Are you observant, driven to help others and excellent under pressure? A career in close protection might be your calling. A military background is a major advantage in this growing industry, making it a natural fit for those leaving the forces.

“MILITARY AND POLICE BACKGROUND ARE A MAJORS ADVANTAGE IN THIS INDUSTRY”

38 | EQUIPPED | July 2015

Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

»Close Protection

ll over the world, a select number of people are at high risk of harassment or harm from others. These people need extra protection from brave, alert and vigilant close protection officers. Many CPOs have a background in the armed forces or the police. This is not essential, although some employers may prefer you to have a military background for work in high risk areas. A close protection officer (CPO) or “bodyguard” works for a client or ‘principal.’ This could be a public figure, head of industry, celebrity, member of the royal family or a wealthy/ highprofile family. In every case, the principal requires protection from any threat or harrassment that they are likely to face from members of the public, over-enthusiastic fans etc. Depending on the client, a CPO may work as a one individual, or may work within a close protection team with other CPOs and professionals such as a driver. Your work would typically include:

■■ Protecting clients from a variety of threats ■■ Security-clearing venues and premises before clients arrive ■■ Accompanying clients to venues and ensuring safe passage ■■ Identification and prevention of potential threats ■■ Remaining constantly alert and reacting quickly if problems do arise

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Personal qualities

To be a close protection officer, you will need to have:

High risk jobs can pay around £500 per day

■■ Fast reactions, with the ability to stay calm under pressure and adapt/ improvise as needed ■■ Bravery in situations where you feel at risk yourself ■■ Good observational skills, particularly for spotting potentially dangerous situations ■■ Good skills of analysis, risk-assessment and decision making ■■ Good communication skills, both written and spoken ■■ Discretion and respect for client confidentiality ■■ Good physical fitness and overall health, including good hearing and eyesight

Skills and qualifications

CPOs must be over 18. A driving license is required. A close protection licence is required which is issued by the Security Industry Authority (SIA) - see the contact box at the end of this article for details. The SIA will want you to have completed an approved training course in close protection as well as first aid training. The SIA will also perform identity checks and criminal record searches as part of considering your eligibility for the license. The license must be renewed every three years. The SIA has approved a number of bodies to award recognised qualifications. The SIA website has more information about the licensing process and a course search for training providers so you can

be sure that you take a course that is approved.

Hours and employment

This is a job with a lot of variety in terms of the location and principal, so a wide range of working conditions exist. You could work as part of a round-the-clock team which might mean long shifts in the day, evening or over the weekend. Travel is often required as part of the job. Most close protection officers are selfemployed and rates for low risk positions can be £100-150 per day, with higher risk positions going up to rates like £500 per day. Many close protection and security companies are members of the British Security Industry Association. Member organisations are listed on their website. Military and police backgrounds are a major advantage in this industry so be confident and put yourself out there for any opportunities you think are appealing.

Key contacts:

Security Industry Authority (SIA) PO Box 1293 Liverpool, L69 1AX Tel: 0844 892 1025 www.sia.homeoffice.gov.uk British Security Industry Association (BSIA) Kirkham House John Comyn Drive Worcester WR3 7NS Tel: 0845 389 3889 www.bsia.co.uk

July 2015 | EQUIPPED | 39

Claiming ELC Funding Required reading for anyone wishing to claim ELCs nhanced learning credits (ELCs) can be your golden ticket to more opportunities for your transition, providing you with an upfront cash contribution towards higher learning. However, there are rules you must follow carefully if your claim is to be successful. Before registering for any learning activity, serving personnel must get authorisation from their Line Manager (part 4 of the claim form) and Education Staff (part 5) to ensure that their chosen course meets the MoD requirements for ELC funding. Ex-Service personnel must get authorisation at part 5 of the claim form from their Single Service Representative (full contact details can be found at www.goo.gl/nJ8rB4). There are then several factors to consider:

Plan your transition in advance

Do your research!

You must fully research both the Provider that you choose and the course that you wish to study.

TOP TIP: Providers may move on and off the approved list, so it is advisable to check your Provider is approved before you undertake any claim. 2

Does your course qualify?

ELCs are only available for courses that result in a nationally-recognised qualification at level 3 or above on the National Qualification Framework (www.goo.gl/rTCzTm) or level 6 or above on the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (www.goo.gl/vN3Rdd). Just because an organisation is listed as an Approved Provider does not mean that all of their courses are of the required level. TOP TIP: A list of the references to help with course level research may be found here: www.goo.gl/kulBBf. You must refer to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Joint Service Publications 898 Part 4, Chapter 3â&#x20AC;&#x2122; for guidance with regard to eligible activities.

40 | EQUIPPED | July 2015

Get authorisation before the course starts

You must present your Claim Authorisation Note (CAN) to your chosen Provider in advance of your course start date. Sometimes circumstances change or you may change your mind about a course. If for any reason you can not undertake the course, you can submit a request to cancel/ reinstate the claim. Failure to do so may result in the loss of Scheme Membership, which will prevent any future claims.

TOP TIP: Keep a copy of your CAN as you will need the reference numbers for completing your Evaluation Form.

Think before you cancel or withdraw

You need to be aware of the implications of cancelling or withdrawing from a course of study funded by ELC. Always consult Education Staff before doing either, as it can have a serious effect on future ELC eligibility. 5

Still in the Service?

Then the proposed learning activity must be of benefit to the Service. You are required to demonstrate that your proposed course of study is as a result of careful planning (use Personal Development Records). If you have left the Service, this does not apply to you! Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

ÂťELC 6

ELCs only cover 80% of each course

You must contribute from your own resources at least 20% towards the total course cost. You must also cover costs for food, accommodation, course books, material, travel and subsistence.

BE AWARE: MoD rules strictly forbid the acceptance of inducements from Providers including subsidies, free accommodation, travel and equipment. Learners who breach these rules risk forfeiting their ELC membership!

strate that you have completed previous courses to your Education Staff / Single Service Representative. 8

You must first ensure that you have completed the Evaluation Form (www.goo.gl/k8Br5B) for all previous courses funded using ELC. You must also provide documentary evidence to demon-

Taking courses in quick succession?

It may be necessary to submit a claim for a second or third course before the previous course has ended. In these cases the Evaluation Form can be submitted when you have completed enough study to effectively evaluate the Provider. 9

For second or third 7 claims

towards a continuous and recognised block of study which may extend into or start in the next financial year.

List your modules correctly

If your course is split into modules, list each module you are claiming for. However, for longer courses of study such as degree level, where the academic year is out of sync with the financial year, it is permissible to use one claim for several modules which count

Retrospective ELC claims are not permitted!

Claim forms must be received by ELCAS at least 15 clear working days prior to the course start date. Ensure that you have enough time to receive the Claim Authorisation Note to present to your chosen Provider before the course starts. (Please note that for courses with Open University the CAN must be presented to them by the final course registration date). You should not set up a loan/credit agreement for the full cost of the course under any circumstances. The original text for this guide can be found on the ELC website at: www.goo.gl/9JVWOa

Claim timeline - your ELC guide Minimum of 25-30 working days before course registration deadline or course start date

Minimum 25 working days before course start/registration date

Read and understand JSP898-P4C3 and/or DIN 2009DIN07-042

Complete Calim Form

research course and Learning Provider including level method, precourse reading requirments

Education staff signs claim form and posts to ELCAS for processing or Education staff/ SSR processes claim form via online system

Send claim form to education staff/SSR for authorisation Do NOT send to ELCAS

ELCAS must receive claim minimum of 15 working days before course start date

Course start/ registration date

If claim is processed by ELCAS it may take up to 10 working days to process the claim once received

Education Officer/ Single Service Representitive post/fax CAN to learner or Learning Provider

ELCAS check claim

Claim correct?

Refer to Learning Centre staff/ SSR if necessary

Contact learning Provider to secure place on course

Minimum 20 working days before course start/registration date

Claim correct?

Make necessary corrections/ actions

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Claimant actions Education Staff/Single service Representitive (SSR) actions ELCAS actions

Yes Yes

ELCAS post CAN (2nd class) back to Learning Centre

Note: Claimants no longer in service must send their claim to their SSR - contact details on Ex-Service personnel page July 2015 | EQUIPPED | 41

Get cross

We’re mad for Fiat’s new 500X crossover

42 | EQUIPPED | July 2015

Go Goto towww.equippedmagazine.co.uk www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

ÂťMotoring

Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

July 2015 | EQUIPPED | 43

Fiat 500X Crossover From £14,595

iat’s latest addition to the 500 range is the curvy midsized crossover 500X, The Pop, Pop Star and Lounge trim levels aim to deliver cool Italian style for city streets, while the Cross and Cross Plus have a more rugged off-road vibe and the option of four-wheel drive. First impressions are good. The cheeky 500 exterior has been upgraded with a taut, athletic feel, making this an altogether more grown-up car. Step inside and you find an attractive interior with solid materials, stylish colour schemes and bright metal highlights. There’s a straightforward and multiadjustable driving position, with a left-foot rest. Head and knee room are reasonable and there’s plenty of oddment space, plus a deep boot with an adjustable floor on higher trim THE CHEEKY 5 levels. It all makes EXTERIOR HA00 the 500X a BEEN UPGRAD S stylish and WITH A TAUT,ED useful family car. ATHLETIC FEE The range of M AKING THIS AL, engine and N ALTOGETHER transmission MORE G ROWN-UP CAR options is broad, . with a 1.6-litre petrol, two 1.4-litre turbo petrol, 1.6-litre turbo diesel and 2.0-litre turbo diesel engines to choose from, with manual and automatic transmissions. Pick of the engines from a driver’s perspective is the sweet 1.4-litre turbo petrol unit, which we tried in 138bhp (140PS) form (a 168bhp/170PS version with part-time four-wheel drive arrives later this year). This handles tidily. In fact the four-cylinder MultiAir II petrol-powered 500X changes motor pulls happily from just direction more deftly than 1500rpm and revs smoothly the substantially heavier 2.0to 6500rpm, delivering litre diesel cars that have brisker performance than the similar straight-line urge. 9.8-second 0-62mph time The diesels can’t match the suggests. Accelerate hard out petrol cars for refinement, of a road junction and there’s either, though they do offer some steering fight as the slightly better fuel economy front tyres struggle to put the which would be attractive to power down, but otherwise it

44 | EQUIPPED | July 2015

higher-mileage drivers. The 2.0-litre diesel’s stronger lowspeed torque also makes it better suited to the gentle offroading the four-wheel drive 500X is capable of. Under the skin this car shares a lot with the Jeep Renegade, but don’t let that fool you: both the Jeep and the Fiat are designed for mild excursions off the pavement

rather than any serious offroad driving. Small crossovers are a proving more and more popular, so there are plenty of models to choose from. The 500X’s all-round ability, particularly when it’s fitted with the 1.4 turbo petrol engine, makes it one of the best. Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

ANDREW NOAKES

ÂťMotoring

Multiadjustable driving position

Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

July 2015 | EQUIPPED | 45

Electro-luxe

> Tesla’s Model S is one sexy planet-saver Tesla Model S From £55,380

lectric cars are fine if you want to save the planet, but they’re slow, dull to drive and don’t have enough range to replace a conventional car. Right? Well here’s the electric car that will change your mind: Tesla’s Model S. Understanding what the Model S has to offer begins with getting your head around a slightly odd model structure. The entry-level version is the 70D, where D denotes dual motor (one for each axle, giving four-wheel drive). For £4000 more you can get the single-

46 | EQUIPPED | July 2015

motor 85, which has more power and more range but is marginally slower from a standing start. Another £4200 upgrades the 85 to dual motors, giving four-wheel drive and extra power, reducing the 0-62mph to a rapid 4.4 seconds. Then for around £80,000 there’s the P85D with dual motors delivering a whopping 681bhp (691PS) and a 0-62mph time of just 3.1 seconds – quicker than a Lamborghini Huracan. Performance is not an issue. Range, then? On the industry-standard NEDC test all the Teslas return between 275 and 310 miles from a full charge. Tesla’s on-board

computer provides a range estimate which is more realistic, but even that says the 85 will generally exceed 240 miles on tank of, erm, electricity. Tesla has more than 400 of its super-fast Supercharger stations in Europe, which are free to use and can add about 170 miles of range in 30 minutes of charging. The Superchargers mean range is no longer a problem – though you do have to be a bit more organised in your planning a long journey. Teslas can also be recharged at other public charging points, which are more common, though those take a little longer. Tesla says a

typical driver can save around £800 a year in energy costs compared to running a conventional car. There’s no road tax or congestion charge, and a 40% tax payer can also save about £4000 a year in Benefit-in-Kind tax. Look beyond the raw numbers and the Tesla makes even more sense. It’s an attractive, comfortable, wellbuilt saloon car with plenty of space for five and the rare option of two extra rear-facing seats. Add that it’s also easy to drive, incredibly fast, and offers smooth progress no internal combustion car can match – and can save you a lot of money – and the case is compelling. Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

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Lose your head

> Fancy going roofless this summer? Here’s how to choose the right kind of open-top car for you.

espite our changeable weather, we buy more opentop cars than anyone else in Europe. There are plenty to choose from, with prices ranging from very affordable to downright extravagant, and there are several different types. So how do you pick the one that will work best for you? Budget might make the choice for you. At the affordable end of the spectrum the choice is limited to cabriolets and convertibles (see our guide to the terminology below) with fabric roofs. If you like the idea of a retractable metal roof you’ll probably have to pay a bit more, but don’t think of these soft-tops as the poor relation – some of most expensive open-top cars on the planet use them. Soft-top roofs are light and usually fold neatly away into a small space. They can be

48 | EQUIPPED | July 2015

manually-operated or electric, the powered versions usually operating only when the car is stationary or slow-moving. As well as costing more, retractable hardtops often steal some boot space when they are folded down. But they offer the best possible refinement and security when they are raised, giving you saloon-car comfort for the winter with the option of openair motoring in summer. Whatever type of folding roof you prefer, look out for convenience features such as

draught-blocking blinds and special heating systems designed to keep your head and neck warm when the top is down. They’ll make your drop-top driving as enjoyable as possible – whatever the weather.

Cabriolet

‘Cabrio’ is a term that tends to get used for any open-top car but strictly speaking this style should have fully-framed doors and fixed body sides, with a large fabric roof panel that can be folded back for fresh air.

Full convertible

A waterproof cloth covers a metal frame which can be unlatched from the top of the windscreen and folded down for al fresco motoring. Classic convertibles could be draughty even with the roof raised, but modern ones are snug.

Targa

Porsche’s take on convertible driving has changed over the years. First it had a removable roof panel, then a sliding glass roof panel. The latest Porsche Targas lift the rear window electrically to stow the rigid roof panel underneath.

Retractable hardtop

Metal or composite panels hinged together to form a very solid and secure saloon-like roof which can be folded away when the sun shines – though often at the expense of some boot space. Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

Small torque This month’s motoring news ■■ Honda’s eagerly-awaited Civic Type R hot hatch has a turbocharged 2.0-litre engine which delivers 306bhp (310PS) to the front wheels, with a limited slip differential helping to put the power down. The Type R sprints from rest to 62mph in 5.7 seconds and goes on to a top speed of 167mph. Honda claims it is the fastest front-wheel drive car ever around the 14.7-mile Nürburgring circuit in Germany, and early reports suggest it is a hugely entertaining drive. Yours for £31,195. ■■ Land Rover has launched the Heritage Driving Experience, based at a test track in Warwickshire. Passenger rides and driving experiences are available, in vehicles ranging from the 1948 Series 1,101 Forward Control military vehicle and original Range Rover to the latest Land Rovers and Range Rovers. Prices start from £40, and there’s also a range of Jaguar driving experiences at the same venue. See www. heritagedriving.co.uk ■■ Vauxhall has unveiled its seventh-generation Astra, which like the previous model will be built at the Ellesmere Port plant on Merseyside. The new car is fractionally smaller than the old one but up to 200kg lighter thanks to extensive use of lightweight materials. Inside, there’s more legroom than before. The Astra also introduces IntelliLux LED matrix headlamps, which use 16 individual LEDs to provide better illumination for the driver without dazzling oncoming traffic. The Astra will make its public debut at the Frankfurt motor show in September. ■■ British sports car brand TVR is to return with a new car designed by Gordon Murray and powered by a Cosworth engine. Murray was a successful Formula 1 technical director and was the brains behind the McLaren F1 supercar in the 1990s. The car will be V8-powered with a manual Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

The new Honda Civic Type R

Heritage Driving Experience

Seventh generation Astra

Skoda estate

transmission and rear-wheel drive and will go on sale in 2017. ■■ Vauxhall has unveiled its seventh-generation Astra, which like the previous model will be built at the Ellesmere Port plant on Merseyside. The new car is fractionally smaller than the old one but up to 200kg lighter thanks to extensive use of lightweight materials. Inside, there’s more legroom than before. The Astra also introduces IntelliLux LED matrix headlamps, which use 16 individual LEDs to provide better illumination for the driver without dazzling oncoming traffic. The Astra will make its public debut at the Frankfurt motor show in September. ■■ Skoda has revealed prices and details of its new Superb Estate models. Starting from £19,840 the range includes four petrol and three diesel engines, from 118bhp (120PS) to 276bhp (280PS), and there are five trim levels. The new Superb is lighter than before yet slightly larger, with more passenger space and a bigger boot. With the seats folded it can swallow a huge 1950 litres of cargo. Deliveries begin in September. Andrew has been writing about cars and motorsport for 20 years, during which time he has tested everything from Citroen 2CV-powered threewheelers to two-seat Formula 1 July 2015 | EQUIPPED | 49

»Career events

Forthcoming job & career fairs Don’t miss these events! All are open to the Armed Forces Community

2015 DATE 2nd Jul

EVENT AND VENUE BFRS National Gloucestershire Military Community Career Fair Gloucester, Hatherley Manor Hotel

CONTACT DETAILS 0116 2545477

10th Sep

BFRS National South West Military Community Career Fair Tidworth, Tidworth Leisure Centre

0116 2545477

15th Oct

BFRS National North yorkshire Military Community Career fair Catterick, Catterick Leisure Centre

0116 2545477

CTP EMPLOYMENT & TRAINING FAIRS DATE 16th Jul

EVENT AND VENUE CTP National Eastern Employment Fair Manchester Central

CONTACT DETAILS 02031 624410

10th Sep

CTP National North West & West Midlands Employment Fair Manchester Central

02031 624410

9th Oct

CTP National South Coast Employemtn Fair AGEAS Bowl, Southampton

02031 624410

CTP event notes: Although the above military events are primarily for Armed Forces personnel who have not yet left, any ex-service person regardless of rank, service or time since discharge is most welcome to attend with their partner if they wish 50 | EQUIPPED | July 2015

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»CTP FACT FILE

How to prepare for leaving the forces Making the transition

Even if you have a job to go to on leaving the armed forces, you are strongly advised to register for resettlement through the Career Transition Partnership (CTP) and not miss out on the wealth of guidance available to you. This includes the Career Transition Workshop (CTW), along with a range of other workshops such as Business Start-up, Interview Techniques or CV Writing. The purpose of these workshops is to help you to recognise and assess your options and learn skills in order to approach the civilian workplace and market yourself to a future employer. These are skills that are important to develop for life, and not just for your next job. If you don’t go – you won’t know.

hroughout our lives we are faced with choices or options and as you prepare to leave the services, you are potentially about to face some of your biggest ones yet. You can never start this preparation early enough so plan your resettlement carefully and thoroughly. In order to commence a successful self-marketing campaign one of the first things you should do is to decide what it is you wish to achieve.

What has changed since you joined the services?

Understand the world of work

■■ what has changed since you joined the services? ■■ how do those changes affect you? ■■ how do you effectively manage your own career? ■■ what are the different patterns of work? ■■ what do you want from a company? ■■ how do you negotiate a salary package?

What transferable skills do you have?

Identify your interests and skills ■■ what are your interests? ■■ what transferable skills do you have? ■■ what training or qualifications have you done? ■■ can you identify what you have achieved so far? ■■ does all this help you decide what to do next?

Proactive networking

■■ how do you establish a useful network? ■■ how do you use networks to help you research? ■■ how can networks help you into a job? ■■ how can networks help with career development?

Networking Advice

■■ start early ■■ create mutually supportive relationships ■■ use these at all stages of career development, not just at time of job change

52 | EQUIPPED | July 2015

Create mutually supportive relationships with social networking

■■ networks are useful information sources ■■ successful people develop networks ■■ use them to market yourself and your organisation The CTP can help you find the answers to these questions through attending workshops and one-to-one sessions with your Career Consultant. If you are not yet registered with the CTP, speak to your local Resettlement Officer or Service Resettlement Advisor for further advice.

Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

s route map A service leaver’ pleted at Ser vice leaver com e: least 4 years’ ser vic reer Registers with Ca rship (CTP) Transition Par tne

The self-marketing approach Based on the application of well established marketing concepts to the task of getting a new job. Marketing is about delivering products and services to meet customers’ needs. In this case, you are the product, the customer is your next employer. Your task is to persuade the customer that the range of benefits, which you bring, match his or her needs.

EMPLOYMENT SUPPORT PROGRAMME

Ser ved over 6 years?

Yes nsition Attends Career Tra uivalent eq or W) (CT p Worksho

Define the product

■■ identify as wide a range of your skills and experience as you can ■■ from these you can choose which ones match what the employer wants ■■ demonstrate your value to the employer ■■ list your successes ■■ focus on skills and attitudes rather than tasks ■■ identify transferable skills ■■ learn to think in terms of product (you) and customer (your next employer) ■■ remember, customers buy benefits ■■ define yourself in terms of unique selling propositions

Prepare self-marketing literature Your CV should include: ■■ a personal profile – your unique selling proposition ■■ major achievements – the benefits you brought to current and previous jobs ■■ a focus on your transferable skills Your CV should avoid mentioning: ■■ details of salary ■■ references ■■ any negative aspects of your career to date ■■ clichés, jargon, abbreviations and untruths

Research the market

■■ decide on sectors, geographical areas, etc ■■ use directories, databases, internet, etc ■■ ask for information ■■ use your personal network ■■ use industry associations, chambers of commerce, etc ■■ attend employment fairs and conferences

Implement a marketing campaign Use a variety of approaches including: ■■ responding to advertisements ■■ direct approaches by phone, email and letter ■■ networking ■■ employment agencies ■■ develop a system and keep records of all activities ■■ follow up approaches systematically ■■ learn from your mistakes Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

EMPLOYMENT CONSULTANT LE D

ettlement Prepare Personal Res eer Consultant Plan (PRP with Car

• • • • •

Attends hops further CTP works C training at RTC/RR achment Civilian training att External training briefings Financial/Housing ent Fairs and Attends Employm other CTP events

h • Prepares PRP wit Employment Consultant al • Receives region employment advice

or Receives advice on tched job notification of ma opportunities

EMPLOYMENT CONSULTANT LE D Develops, reviews and actions PRP: Further advice on: • career options • self-employment • job finding • training • attachments • research activities • civilian work attachments Consultant supports ss and monitors progre

tions Makes job applica

ent Secures employm

ued for up to CTP support contin rge 2 years after discha port is sup g din fin job A RFEA/O ent age irem ret til un le ilab ava

Available to those vice with 4-6 years’ ser

Sell yourself on a face-to-face basis

■■ research the employer ■■ think about what skills the job involves and how you could demonstrate these ■■ prepare interview responses ■■ dress appropriately ■■ arrive early; impress everybody you meet ■■ smile ■■ avoid crossing arms and legs when sitting ■■ maintain eye contact ■■ answer questions honestly, but focus on the positive ■■ manage the interview to match your benefits to the employer’s needs ■■ prepare questions that you can ask the interviewer ■■ seek feedback and learn from mistakes

For the most up to date information, please visit www.ctp.org.uk July 2015 | EQUIPPED | 53

»Letters

Letters to the editor we want to hear from you

ere at Equipped, we want to cover the issues that matter to you. We need your help to make sure we’re on the right track.

In following issues, this page will feature a selection of comments and opinions from our readers. Whether you have something good to say, or bad, don’t hesitate to drop us an email at editor@ equippedmedia.co.uk and share your thoughts on what we produce.

The contents of your messaging will of course vary, and can range from things like what kind of features you’d like to see covered, organisations you feel would be appropriate to discuss, or even what you may or may not have enjoyed in a recent issue.

Space is limited, so please remember to keep your messages punchy and to the point. Depending on the volume of submissions, we may not be able to acknowledge unpublished correspondence; but please be assured that we appreciate all feedback. Anything published may be edited and shortened for clarity or space purposes. If you haven’t already done so, please check out our Facebook and Twitter pages. These social media sites are another gateway for you to get in touch and share some of your thoughts. Don’t be shy! Our goal is to create content that is relevant to you and to make sure you are getting all you can from what we produce. We look forward to hearing from you.

facebook.com/ equippedmagazine

@equippedmag

Ask the experts

Introducing our Equipped panel of professionals, on hand to serve you

Harry Dean CEO and Founder, BFRS

BUSINESS Harry left the Army in 1998 after some 30 years of service and became an entrepreneur, setting up numerous successful businesses and holding several directorships. Harry has a wealth of knowledge in many areas including military transitions, resourcing solutions, business start-ups, and business coaching/ mentoring.

54 | EQUIPPED | July 2015

Now we’re taking things a step further by providing personal expert assistance and advice for your individuals issues from our panel of professionals. If you have a question about business, personal Melanie Pullan Organisational Psychologist and Executive Coach

development, careers advice and writing your CV, or transition from the UK or Commonwealth Armed Forces, we want to hear from you! Write to us at editor@ equippedmedia.co.uk and

Sian Richardson Career Master 4 Military

your question could be featured the next issue of Equipped. As above, we may not be able to print every question we receive, and some questions may be shortened due to space limitations.

Dominic Hamberg Operations Manager, BFRS

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

CAREERS ADVICE & CV WRITING

MILITARY TRANSITIONS

Melanie holds a Master’s Degree in Organisational Psychology and is a Member of the British Psychological Society. She has a particular interest in personal development with a focus on addressing issues such as performance management, stress management, developing communication and interpersonal skills, goalsetting, and building

Sian is a former military spouse who spent 20 years with a FTSE 100 company and has managed the HR department of a top national financial services organisation. With additional training as a specialist recruiter, Sian has hired and fired people at all levels. Sian is now a military transition expert at her own company Career Master 4 Military.

Dominic has a mixed military and civilian background. He has spent a number of years in a managerial roles in the hospitality industry and military transitions industry. His current role sees him deliver briefings, presentations and one to one sessions regarding transition and the civilian job market place, and he has a wealth of experience to share.

Go to www.equippedmagazine.co.uk

Equipped has always been about helping Forces people planning or executing their transition by providing you with the latest training, resettlement and recruitment news and opportunities.

FALL IN!

Are you transitioning from the military or looking to change career? BFRS can help

Who we are

BFRS is a not for proďŹ t organisation setup and run by ex military for the Armed Forces Community (AFC).

What we do We provide access to help, support, advice, employment opportunities, self employment opportunities.

How we do it

BFRS provides a focal point where the AFC and the commercial world can engage with each other on a variety of online and ofďŹ&#x201A;ine platforms.

Who it is for

The Armed Forces Community, which includes Service Leavers, Reserve Forces, Veterans, Partners and Families, Civilian Employees of the MOD

0116 254 5477 www.bfrss.org.uk

Ex-REgulaR? Join thE aRmy REsERvE and you could EaRn a £10,000 incEntivE If you’re missing the Army lifestyle, don’t miss out on the chance to earn £10,000. Join the Army Reserve and, provided you meet the full Reservist commitment, you could be eligible for a financial incentive of £10,000 over four payments*. Alternatively, you could forego the financial incentive and undertake a reduced commitment. BEnEFits • You’re paid to train and can earn an annual tax-free bounty • Continue to serve alongside like-minded individuals • Participate in sports and adventurous training • Entitled to paid leave • You’ll be paid travel expenses To find out more visit army.mod.uk/rejoiners *Terms and conditions apply.