What Transferable Skills Can You Take From Your Military Career?

A common question asked during job interviews by HR Managers or Directors is “What skills can you bring to this job role?”.

Often this question can be misunderstood, it’s no longer a competition of who matches the list of criteria best but more who can offer the most and bring that much-needed fresh outlook on the business.

You might feel you offer little by way of office experience, sales techniques and commercial or business know-how. However, the reality is the armed forces have supplied you with a long list of transferable skills that employers are crying out and desperate for.

All you need to do is recognise these skills and believe in yourself! In this blog, we’ll be delving into what transferable skills are (with examples) and how to establish your skills for the future.

What are transferable skills?

While some of your experiences, knowledge and qualifications are highly specific to military life, the majority will be relevant in a variety of situations - these are your transferable skills.

Many ex-forces personnel find translating their military experience into business terms tricky, however, being open about how your life experiences can significantly benefit you and your potential employer - even more so than other candidates!

Examples of transferable skills:

• Analytical skills for data analyst roles in tech, engineering, or life sciences
• Ability to handle stress and work under pressure for commercial positions
• Supervision and delegation for senior roles in healthcare
• Performance evaluation for managerial roles
• Negotiation and verbal communication for public-speaking or human resource roles

How to establish your skills?

Now we’ve got you thinking about your own military experiences and how they can have practical applications into “business skill terms.” Take the time to think about your roles and duties and start listing your skills and expertise...

• Highlight the skills you enjoy using the most, as these may be your motivation moving forward and a key decider when applying for job vacancies.
• Keep your skills in mind when looking for work, but don’t be turned off by a long list of desirable “business-related” skills when reading job advertisements and descriptions. Instead, think about how your skills can be relatable to the job role.
• Add your skills to your CV and make sure you translate your skills into ‘business terms’ so potential employers can understand.
• Finally, talk about them at your interview! Be proud of the skills you gained from your military career and explain why they make you the best candidate.

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