Service Leaver CV Guide / FAQs

This is a working document. I will continue to add more to it.

Please read this short guide with some recurring FAQs and CV points from engaging with significant numbers of veterans. This will improve your engagement and that of me and others and save everyone some time.?

General

• Size Matters! No more than 2 pages with normal margins and text size. I would also draft a 1-pager for organisations who prefer a shorter submission. If you have more content, throw it in a cover letter.

• Disclosure of Security Clearance. It is Cabinet Office/MOD policy that individuals should not make public the level of security clearance they hold; this includes staff disclosing their vetting status in order to secure employment opportunities. Instead, you can put “Cleared to a high Government standard”.

Do NOT put your security clearance on your CV, instead you can put "cleared to a high Government standard"

• LLMs are your friend. Use Gemini, ChatGPT, Claude, or whatever your favourite tool is to help you write your CVs. They can help you translate military experience and jargon to civilian speak. Note. It might get you 80% there, but make sure you check it and add your 20% flair.

• Take out all military terms. That includes rank and job roles (unless there is a civilian equivalent) e.g., Troop Commander becomes manager, Section Commander becomes team leader.

• Only include what is relevant to the job. You should tailor every CV to the job you are applying for. With the availability of LLMs (ChatGPT, Gemini) there is no excuse not to do it.

• Spell-Check. No excuse.

• Plain is better. Don’t be tempted to add loads of flashy colours, pictures, breaks, and sections. The ATS checkers struggle to read CVs like this, which means you are likely not to make the first cut. Simple is better. That means black, easy font, and no frills.

• Use impact verbs to start each bullet point – examples include: accomplished, achieved, advised, analysed, assessed, coached, communicated, compiled, completed, convinced, created, defined, demonstrated, developed, enhanced, evaluated, executed, expanded, focused, generated, identified, implemented, improved, increased, initiated, invested, mentored; motivated, negotiated, organised, participated, performed, persuaded, planned, presented, produced, proposed, raised, recommended, recruited, represented, researched, revised, shaped, solved, succeeded, transformed, won!

Structure

• Name and contact details: (email and Linkedin* as a minimum - if technical add your GitHub repository).

• Post-nominals - use your top ones, there is little need for 5-6 different post-noms. As a general rule, I would use your highest academic, institution, and honour e.g., don't use BSc AND MSc if you have both (just MSc).?

• Summary & Key Skills: This should be a brief overview of you showcasing the key value you bring to an employer. It should be role-specific, e.g., If you are applying for a Project Management (PM) role, I would expect in your summary to see in there why you are a great PM.

• Experience: No more than 10 years (ties into length). Ensure you have your employer, role, and dates. List the top 3-5 points for each role (less detail needed further back). I like using the syntax from the Google CV “Accomplished [X], by doing [Y], as measured by [Z]. Try and quantify everything.

• Education: Include your highest qualifications, i.e., if you have A-levels, don't include GCSEs; if you have a master's degree, don't include your A-levels.

• Extra-Curricular: If you are applying for an ‘experienced hire’ role then don’t include your personal hobbies/activities. You can include volunteering/charity/School governorships, etc. if it will add value to your application. However, adding that you like squash and walking your dog is not going to help, and if anything wastes space, you could be using it in your experience.?

* LinkedIn is your best friend, make sure it is current and tidy.

Google Specific

• There are many online resources for Google-specific resume help - https://youtu.be/BYUy1yvjHxE?si=ME_zqY0JyDgax6vP
• The interview process usually follows 3-4 interview categories, there are lots of resources on preparing for these - I would recommend J H Sipe (a former recruiter) - https://www.youtube.com/@jeffhsipepi
• Book recommendation - helps to understand how Google culture works. This is a little old, but most of it is still current. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Work-Rules-Insights-Inside-Transform/dp/1455554790

General FAQs:

How do I get a job at Google??

I would suggest finding people at Google (or any organisation that you want to work at) with whom you have a shared affinity e.g., veterans. Finding people to speak to in firms is easiest using LinkedIn. Search for the company name and then where they have previously worked. Example: I would search “Google British Army Royal Navy Royal Airforce Ministry of Defence” to find people at Google who are a veteran. Then message them.

Do I need a referral?

Generally (not Google-specific), Securing a referral for any job you are targeting is useful. It usually increases the odds of a human reading your CV. However, be aware that the referrer often will get a financial reward if you get the job (and pass probation?). Therefore, if someone is referring you, it is my view that they have an obligation to give you time/coaching through the process as at the end of the day, they will get a bonus if you get the job!! Whether you and the referrer share some of the bonus with you is between you and the referrer. I would suggest, as a minimum, that they take you out for a nice dinner.

How much will I get paid?

Quite often, a firm will not post a salary associated with the role. However, to enable you to research a baseline understanding, I would look at sites like Fishbowl or Levels.fyi. It is your responsibility to gain as much information to influence your negotiations.

It is worth re-framing your understanding of pay when leaving the public service. Many firms will offer compensation packages (aka comp, remuneration) that include a Base Salary, Bonus, and Equity (shares that vest over time). When discussing with recruiters about pay, refer to what you want for your full package as opposed to salary.

How do I negotiate?

There are some great online resources for negotiating salaries and packages (best practices, Negotiating a Package) and LinkedIn Learning (How to confidently negotiate your salary). Once you have an idea of what number you would be happy with accepting and you understand how to negotiate, you need to ensure that this is realistic for the company you are interviewing/negotiating with. There is little point asking for ￡80,000 for a role at 'Firm A' where no one in the role you are interviewing for earns above ￡70,000. Instead, look at 'Firm B' that many people at your role level ￡80,000. This video by Steven Bartlett explains this concept beautifully - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geesib25iUc