We’re obsessed with network
There’s not a single person in the Redeployable team who hasn’t benefited from a network. It’s essentially how we all got together to build this mission. So, if we talk about community building, that’s why.
The new platform has function-specific collectives, which will funnel you into the right networking zone based on your aspirations. It means that you’ll be able to find the right people who will unlock the right opportunities for your career.
When you enter the new Redeployable (in less than two weeks), you can find the right spot for you. Whether you’re a Service Leaver looking to start your career or an SME ready to give back, it will serve you.
We’re spotlighting collectives and the skills you’ll need to leverage for a successful career.
Finding your collective:
We’ve created eight collectives, each representing a career perfect for a military skill set. So, welcome to our whistle-stop tour of the Redeployable collectives.
Service Leavers:
This is an easy one. If you’re transitioning from the military, if you’re thinking about it, or have recently landed on civvie street, then this is a collective for you.
It’s a weird time, and it can feel like you don’t know where to go next. As a service leaver, you’ve got many options, and it’s important to make the one that fits your life. This means your ambitions, priorities, and work style. Get stuck into a collective of people who can help guide you through it.
Headed up by Luke Paterson, this collective promises to be the go-to place for all service leavers.
Aside from resources and networking, we’ll also be hosting events and activations that are brilliant for service leavers looking to kick off a killer career. So don’t miss out, join now.
Sales:
This is the route taken by Ben, Founder of Redeployable. Maybe not the obvious choice, but one that a military skillset lends itself to perfectly.
Communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.
Military folk are used to chatting with people from all walks of life, in high-pressure situations. You can build a rapport, handle objections and persevere in the face of challenges, meaning veterans are extremely valuable assets for sales teams.
By drawing upon your experiences in leadership and strategic planning, managing relationships and driving revenue come naturally. If you’ve been an officer or SNCO, for example, you’ll be a strong leader; you’ll be able to guide, motivate and support your team to meet collective goals.
Plus, ex-military are competitive. The good news is that this trait will help you smash a career in sales, as you’ll often have targets and leaderboards with high financial incentives.
| “Sales was the single best career choice for me when I left the military. The ability to earn additional money based on my performance gave me the freedom to start my own business” Ben Read, Redeployable Founder & CEO
Plus, being cool when deals go south and thinking on your feet to find solutions to get them back on track will make you brilliant in this role.
If you join our sales collective, it’s headed up by Mat Crook and Andy Wright. Two veterans with exceptional careers at Splunk. They’re worth connecting with, so get onto the platform and get networking.
Project and Programme Management:
A route well-trodden, but for good reason. Military folk are problem solvers, so overseeing complex projects on civvie street isn’t going to be an issue. This also includes managing resources, mitigating risks and thinking fast when circumstances change. Budgets, stakeholders, and deadlines fluctuate all the time. So, being agile is vital.
If you’ve done your PRINCE2 or Agile training, you’ll be gold on civvie street as these methodologies are highly valued. Consider undertaking these, or similar courses, during your transition or before moving out of the military.
Often there’s a lot of money involved, too. So you need to be someone who’s able to thrive under pressure and deliver results even when the stakes are high: sounds like a veteran.
Leadership shouldn’t be forgotten either. Fostering collaboration means coordinating efforts across departments and stakeholders becomes easier, driving results and achieving objectives.
Could you be right for this collective? Wayne Smallman is the collective leader. With his own Project Management consultancy, he’s a brilliant person to be connected with. Join now.
Operations:
An organiser, strategic, logical and calm. Four qualities not uncommon in the military, that happen to align perfectly with an operations role in civilian settings.
The military machine wouldn’t run without efficiency, logistical planning and risk management. The need for personnel to execute tasks with precision, adapt to ever-changing environments and make critical decisions under pressure is super valuable in roles that demand day-to-day management and continuous improvement initiatives.
If you’re a service leaver, you can translate your experience in coordinating personnel, equipment and resources. You’ll have had experience in optimising operations and streamlining processes, so be sure to find examples that will showcase these competencies. The military gives you a lot of training in planning and management, not to mention risk assessment. So don’t sleep on these skills, they’ll get you a great operations role on Civvie Street.
The types of roles include operations manager or coordinator roles. If you’re keen on getting stuck in, then our collective leader Karen Gallantry is a great veteran to be in touch with. Join now.
Chief of Staff:
Possibly a role that you’re familiar with, a Chief of Staff is a role that translates brilliantly from the military.
Strong leaders, people-focused and collaborative. These are the skills that make for a great chief of staff. Veterans are well prepared for this transition, with experience in managing many operations, coordinating diverse teams, and providing strategic guidance to senior leadership as a result. The ability to talk to and help anyone is really important for this role. Fostering an inclusive culture is very much a part of the Chief of Staff's responsibilities.
Making sure that departments align, that problems are solved and impactful people strategies are put in place falls into this role. Having spoken with Elly Rushton, the Chief of Staff Collective leader, she was keen to stress how varied this role can be. From one company to another, it can look very different. That's one of the best parts of this position. It’s mouldable.
Do you think you’ve got the right attributes? Join the collective and meet other Chiefs of Staff.
Founders:
One thing that we’ve learnt from talking to a lot of veterans and service leavers is that finding a civvie career with a purpose is very important. It’s no surprise, then, that a significant number of veterans have gone on to found their own companies. (Example A: Redeployable)
| “Taking situations as they come, managing the highs and lows of founder life, being action-orientated and operating with a sense of humour have served me well since starting a business. I can safely say I developed all of these attributes growing up in the military” - Ben Read, Redeployable CEO & Founder
So mission-mindedness and a drive for success means military folk make great founders. Starting a business requires resilience; it can be a rocky, unpredictable road to success, and you never know what might happen along the way. Being comfortable with failure and picking back up to continue your journey is important, and pivoting strategy can be the difference between your company thriving or failing.
Other military attributes include leadership and resourcefulness. Most founders move into a CEO position, meaning they’ll have to lead teams to level up and grow their company. Being resourceful is key, too, as start-ups need to work with small (sometimes non-existent) budgets.
Essentially, a founder needs to be comfortable in ever-changing, challenging environments and overcome obstacles to fulfil a mission.
It’s a big choice to go out on your own. If you’ve founded your own company, then join our Founder’s collective leader, Jen Lothian. You can network with like-minded veterans and connect. This is ideal for solving problems and sharing knowledge with people going through a similar situation. Join Jen in the Founders' Collective now.
Engineering:
Another well-travelled path for veterans is into the engineering industry, predominantly because many military skills include technical capabilities that make them very attractive in the civilian world.
The specialist training you may have been offered in the military is exceptional, so engineering roles in many industries encourage veterans to pursue a career. These can include mechanical, electrical, and aerospace engineering, to name a few. The complex, problem-solving mindset means that often, vets can turn their hand to a new industry. Being comfortable working within strict parameters and adhering to safety standards are competencies that make brilliant engineers, both of which military personnel will be used to.
The rigorous testing and training that engineers undergo in the military will likely be unmatched in post-military careers, so you’ll likely cruise into an engineering role.
There are other qualities too, such as leadership and project management, that mean you have a well-rounded professional profile, often leaps and bounds in front of your civilian counterparts.
Randal Smith leads the engineering collective. He has an incredible military and civilian career behind him, making him a brilliant person to kick off your network with if you're interested in an engineering career. Join him in the community.
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People Strategy:
Last but not least; people strategy. This career involves a real mix of skills, and guess what? All of them you’ll have had to flex during your service.
These roles are about strong leadership, nurturing talent and fostering a company-wide culture in human resources and organisational development positions.
Service leavers are confident and capable of cultivating teamwork, mentoring subordinates, and generally driving positive morale. Being able to juggle the diverse needs of all your stakeholders while communicating effectively and driving impactful strategies will make you a brilliant candidate for people strategy roles.
The very nature of the military, being vastly people-centric, means veterans and service leavers lead incredible people-strategy careers. To see this, you only have to look at our People Strategy Collective Leader, Alex Head. She’s Head of Talent at The University of Southampton, after 10 years of leading people in the Navy as a Warfare Officer and Young Officers’ Training Manager.
Join the collective if you want to learn more.
So get involved
Whether you know exactly the collective for you, or you want to play the field a bit; get stuck in. There’s a Hub where everyone can network and connect, regardless of function or skillset.
It’s a community within the community.
