CVs, Applications & Career Gaps
Your experience matters. Even the bits that don't fit neatly onto a CV
Your CV should open doors, not explain why some closed.
Perhaps you've moved house more times than you've changed jobs. Maybe you've left a career you loved because of a posting, taken time away from work to raise a family, or found yourself starting again in a place where you don't know a soul.
Perhaps you've worked in five completely different industries because those were the opportunities available wherever military life took you. Or maybe you've been out of work for so long that opening a blank CV document feels completely overwhelming.
First things first. You have nothing to apologise for.
Military life doesn't always allow for a neat, uninterrupted career history. That doesn't mean you lack ambition, commitment or ability.
It means your journey has been different. And different doesn't mean less valuable.
Here, we'll help you recognise the skills and experience you've gained, explain career gaps confidently, write applications that reflect who you are and approach employers without feeling you have to justify your entire life story.
Where Do I Even Start?
First things first, put the kettle on. ☕
If you haven't written a CV for years, or you've had so many different jobs that you don't know where to begin, you're certainly not alone.
Military life doesn't always give us the luxury of a straightforward career path. You might have worked in an office in one posting, a school in another, volunteered somewhere in between and then taken a few years away from employment altogether.
That doesn't mean you're starting from nothing.
Before worrying about CV templates, formatting or how to explain those gaps, let's start with something much simpler.
You don't need to include every single thing you've ever done. Your CV should highlight the experience, achievements and skills most relevant to the opportunity you're applying for.
And remember, your first draft doesn't need to be perfect. It just needs to exist.
Step 1: Write down everything you've done
And we mean everything. Not just paid work.
Think about previous jobs, volunteering, qualifications, training, community involvement and responsibilities you've taken on.
Don't worry about dates or putting things in order just yet. We're simply getting everything onto paper.
Step 2: Think about what you're good at
What did people rely on you for? What tasks came naturally? What did you enjoy?
Perhaps you're brilliant at organising things, dealing with people, solving problems or learning new systems.
And don't dismiss something simply because it wasn't part of a paid job.
Skills don't suddenly become worthless because nobody paid you to use them.
Step 3: Think about what you actually want
This is an important one.
Not what job is available at your current posting.
Not what fits around everyone else's timetable.
Not what you think an employer might accept.
What would you like to do?
You might not have the answer yet, and that's absolutely fine. But your own interests and ambitions deserve a place in the conversation.
Step 4: Look for the connections
You might have worked in several completely different industries, but chances are you've used some of the same skills in each.
Customer service, communication, administration, organisation, problem-solving and teamwork can transfer between all sorts of roles.
Your career might look like a collection of unrelated jobs, but there may be a common thread running through them.
Step 5: Start putting your CV together
Now you've got something to work with.
You don't need to include every single thing you've ever done. Your CV should highlight the experience, achievements and skills most relevant to the opportunity you're applying for.
And remember, your first draft doesn't need to be perfect.
It just needs to exist.
One last thing before you start..
Please don't look at somebody else's career history and decide yours isn't good enough. They haven't lived your postings, your deployments, your family circumstances or your experiences.
You're not behind. You're starting from where you are. And that's a perfectly good place to begin.
A Little Help Getting Started
Not quite ready to tackle a blank CV?
We've created a free, simple workbook to help you recognise your skills, gather your experience and start thinking about what you'd like to do next. No complicated exercises. No pressure to have everything figured out. Just a little space to put your thoughts on paper.