Realities of civilian careers

Generally speaking – and readers are asked to forgive the sweeping statements that are required to fit these ideas into the space available – Service people are dedicated to the job, to the unit and to their comrades-in-arms. They endure hardship, danger, discomfort, separation and an occasional battering in the press, as well as disruption to family life and out-of-hours activities. Opinions vary about pay and reward levels, but it is difficult to compensate adequately for the possibility of receiving a bullet in the head, and many civilians find hard to understand why anyone should volunteer for the sort of life in which this is a possibility.

While there are plenty of dedicated people out of uniform – and the not-for-profit sector is full of them – the Service leaver needs to understand that there are some different motivations for work, and few civilians have anything like the same loyalty to their company as Service people have for their cap badge. There is seldom the same level of team spirit, and the sacrifice of self for the greater good can be a somewhat alien concept.

Some of this is very easy to understand. In contrast to the Services, and despite a raft of employment directives and regulations, someone who is not up to their job is sacked, and someone who does not merit further promotion may also find themselves out of a job. Being shunted sideways into a back alley in which they can do no harm has never been an option in the commercial sector, is fast disappearing from the charity scene, and even central and local government employees are now starting to live with a less certain future.

Without this safety net, people have to be cold-blooded about planning their working lives – for their own sake and for that of their families. This is not selfish; it is both sensible and necessary. Indeed, the current pensions crisis, ignored by successive governments for many years and exacerbated by the Chancellor’s stealthy raid on pension funds, makes it all the more necessary for people’s attitudes towards employment to be one that safeguards their own future. So do not expect the same level of selfless service – you are unlikely to find it.

Civilians go where the opportunities are; they are not sent to where the government wants them to be. There are, of course, occasions where an organisation wants to send an employee to Kilmarnock, Kosovo or Kentucky, but this will usually be by consent rather than coercion. Individuals, however, take their labour to the best employer by salary, job interest, location, self-development, career future or even to stay in a comfort zone. Long-term loyalty only exists in so far as it is reciprocated; the organisation has to give individuals as much of what they want as is necessary to retain their services. So from the minute they join an organisation, ambitious individuals are planning their exit strategy to continue to move onwards and upwards.

Job volatility is a fact of life. Acquisition, merger, legislation, closure, opening, new boss, downsizing, upsizing, de-layering, war, terrorism ... you name it. The life expectancy of a job is two to three years or so – anything longer is a bonus and, in some industries (like IT), 18 months can be a long time in one appointment. So be ready to look for a social life outside your job because the work scene changes so rapidly. Be prepared, too, to enter a world in which you need to be ready to move at the right moments; and one in which you may be sacked at the drop of a hat for something that is completely outside your control.

Not surprisingly, employers are reluctant to spend much money on training employees who may be gone tomorrow. The personal development schemes run in the Armed Forces continue to be among the best available anywhere in terms of both cash and support. Once you leave, your personal development will largely depend on your own efforts to find programmes, pay for them and make the time available for the necessary studying.

Service humour and banter can seem heavy, sexist, racist (and all the other ‘-ists’) to civilians. Gays are not queer, people with learning difficulties are not mongs, and those of Middle Eastern descent are not ragheads. Heavy drinking and smoking may be expected in the young but is a surprise in adults, while recreational drug use is common-place. There is no judgement being expressed here – simply a contrast of cultures for which you should be prepared.

Some Service leavers may also be surprised at how hard many civilians work. Sport and personal fitness take place outside working hours, holiday entitlements are generally less generous, and the Working Time Directive may not always be strictly observed. Commuting may be a new and unpleasant experience and expense, while wearing your own clothes to work also costs money.

It is not all bad, but it is different, and Service leavers should understand what they are doing when they exchange one life for another.