Test the HR Water

[raflad67]

Thought I would 'test the water' and compiled a CV and stuck it on a recruitment agency website (Reed).

Anyway, within a week I had received invitiation to 2 interviews!

I am very apprehensive about leaving the RAF after over 25 years 'man and boy' but this has given me some hope and confidence (although I would have to get through the interview of course). I just think it bodes well for the time when I (and others) do eventually leave.....here's hoping Tranche 2 is kind....DT_Xtremez_14:

Anyway, I just wanted to share my first dip into the murky world that is civvy street DT_Xtremez_19: - I didn't actually accept the interviews as I simply couldn't make the date/time offered but I will attend some in the near future if only for the experience. In the meantime I will get my CV professionally done, wait for Tranche 2 and 'crack on' as they say.

For those leaving or about to leave I wish you well.

Regards,

 

[Oberon305]

Likewise mate - good luck.....with Tranche 2 AND the future!

 

[TDJ]

Raflad, out of interest what is your HR background and what type of jobs did you go for (HR level), and what £ package were you looking at? Ta

 

[raflad67]

Quite a varied HR background over the years, jobs I looked at: HR Manager (30K) and a HR Team Leader (28K). I am professional member of CIPD and am going to do a CIPD Intermediate Award pretty soon as most HR jobs ask for CIPD Qualified. I could go for more ££ but to be honest I don't want to work my backside off anymore than I have to and with gratuity to pay off a couple of things and a pension I should be ok!

 

[busby1971]

Raflad

Made the jump myself earlier this year and have found the jobs easy to cope with but hard to get into in the first place. I would strongly recommend having a few interviews for real jobs so you can get used to the format and the type of questions they are going to ask you, and how you can spin your RAF service into a relevant answer.

You'll soon notice that the questions you get asked follow a similar theme, with the odd one particular to that job or organisation, in the end I wrote out scripted answers to the main areas, Grievance, Disciplinary, Absence Management, Negotiating, Team Player, Current HR Issues (AWD, Retirement Age, etc etc), which I would adapt to suit the interview and how I felt the company wanted the answer.

There is lot of CV Bingo going on at the moment so make sure you get a copy of the JD/Pers Spec and make sure you've get the essentials and as many desireables as posible covered, which for HR means the CIPD studying route and then bending the truth on your experience.

The £28K- £32K jobs are suitable for flexibly minded experienced Cpl/Sgt with the right attitude, Personally I'd avoid the shared services environment, can be very transactional and separated from the good stuff, but that's just me, business partner, multi-site or regional is where I'm trying to sell myself as a best fit. You have to ignore the job title a bit they can be very misleading and will be industry or even organisation specific, HR Managers doing a true HR Managers job will be on a lot more than £30k and earning it, the Team Leader sounds a bit shared service or outsourced, get a copy of the JD/Pers Spec to see what the job is all about, both of my external jobs have been Titled HR Officer but are completely different in duties and salary.

Good luck anyway, I'm enjoying, especially my current job, multi-site business partner, if you want any tips or help then drop me a PM.

 

[raflad67]

Good info there mate. As a FS I could and maybe should be looking higher but to be honest I don't want to....and if I could get a job for 25K I would be content - I have done the sums etc (mortgage etc etc) - although I may change my opinion when out in civvy street and am frustrated by the job and the management!

Although I consider myself an experienced HR professional, I do need a CIPD qualification to enhance my chances and more importantly to educate me for life in the world of HR (eg employment law especially).

Glad you are enjoying your current role. I know many who have left and have secured jobs but leaving the RAF when it is pretty much all I have known is exciting but scary...but the time is right - pretty much fed up with it now and I want (and need) a change of scenery and new challenge.

Regards,

 

[busby1971]

frustrated by the job and the management!

Although I consider myself an experienced HR professional, I do need a CIPD qualification to enhance my chances and more importantly to educate me for life in the world of HR (eg employment law especially).

Glad you are enjoying your current role. I know many who have left and have secured jobs but leaving the RAF when it is pretty much all I have known is exciting but scary...but the time is right - pretty much fed up with it now and I want (and need) a change of scenery and new challenge.

Regards,

I think the job is more important than the money, in my last job I was paid more but my work load was very prescribed in the main, although I did take control of the TUPE (never done it before but what the hell) process which was a bit hectic at times. I left at the same time as a colleague, he did the math, as we all do, took a job that met his fiscal needs and gave up after a week, he had the money he wanted but the other aspects of work didn't even come close.

I'm in my final semester of my CIPD studies with just a masters dissertation to do after that; to be honest it's not all it's cracked up to be, it's an academic course tought by lecturers, you will learn more on the job, discussing things with your colleagues, extended professional network and searching xpertHR than the course will , that's not saying it's an easy course it's just not a training course on how to do HR.

I enjoyed myself in the mob but left at the right time and things seem to be working out okay, which is not bad considering the current economic situation, factory banter very similiar to forces banter and that's at manager level not just the factory workers.

 

[badmanners]

Good info there mate. As a FS I could and maybe should be looking higher but to be honest I don't want to....and if I could get a job for 25K I would be content - I have done the sums etc (mortgage etc etc) - although I may change my opinion when out in civvy street and am frustrated by the job and the management!

Although I consider myself an experienced HR professional, I do need a CIPD qualification to enhance my chances and more importantly to educate me for life in the world of HR (eg employment law especially).

Glad you are enjoying your current role. I know many who have left and have secured jobs but leaving the RAF when it is pretty much all I have known is exciting but scary...but the time is right - pretty much fed up with it now and I want (and need) a change of scenery and new challenge.

Regards,

raflad67 - I've sent you a PM.

 

[TrebleB]

Going Going gone!

Going Going gone!

My last day is at the end of Nov 11 and I started to test the water with my CV after attending the CTW at Aldersnot in July last year. Got a few interested replies, particularly from recruitment agencies. Look this one up: http://www.fortiespeople.com/ if you are looking in the london/hertfordshire area.

Anyhoo I have applied for approx 60 positions ranging from the lower admin assistant (13k pa) to office manager/PA or secretariat assistant at circa 25k.

I received invitations for 6 interviews and received 2 job offers (I turned down 2 interviews after getting the offers). But I am still looking...

It is a scary time, especially if you are in the crosshairs for redundancy - at least I knew 2 years in advance of my de-mob!

All I would say is apply for everything - you never know what may come up. I even applied for a Greggs Bakery Store manager's position, unfortunatley I was unsuccessful - I can only imagine my waist size working there DT_Xtremez_19:!

Your CV is important, but moreso is the covering letter and application form statements about why you feel you are the best for the job - really and I don't want to teach people to suck eggs here - really look at the person spec and bloow your horn about why and give examples too, they love that.

If you are CIPD - well done! Use the knowledge you gained in the resourcing talent in an organisation module to good effect - you know how to recruit people - so you should know what they are looking for.

Really best of luck!!

 

[vinnyvx2]

I left in 2008 with a PG Dip in strategic HRM nearly complete. Off the back of that I got a job as HR BP on £35K, I did that for a year before moving on to a HR managers job on £37K. Still in the same job earning £47K having taken on a wider remit and consistently delivering some big pieces of work i.e Prog Mngr for HR Transformation Prog, wrote HR business continuity plan, wrote HR risk register, due diligence for a merger, reviewed the employee recognition framework, wrote a workforce strategy and changed the notice period. I'm now working on 2 Oracle projects, a major system change and a Oracle/ERP reprocurement project. There is some good advice here, however don't under sell yourself, a can do positive attitude and a demonstrable ability to lead people counts for a lot. In the last year I've had an interviews for jobs in a multi-national design and engineering firm, a large engineering firm, a Government dept, and a multinational employer with 600K staff! Just been offered a role as deputy HR director in a government dept which I'm considering. I left as a Sgt having missed out on redundancy and turning down promotion to FS. I currently work 40 hours a week, I don't do OOA dets(did 3, well sort of FI 90, Bahrain 99, Washington DC 2002), Guard Cmdr, parades, standing in for firemen or guarding nukes at Honington in a blizzard in December! Best thing I did was joining the RAF, the next best thing was leaving at the right time before I became bitter. I live near Air Cmd and bump into a few people I know who are still in TG17, without fail in the last 6 months they've all been fairly miserable and hating it, the thread above shows you can do better, take the opportunity.

 

[Woodja]

I'm due out in just over 12 months and am thinking of my options job/course wise.

One of the courses offered by the RTC is the Certificate in Human Resources Practice (level 3) as a no cost thingy (plus exam /registration fees ofc) lasting 4 weeks. Would this course be of benefit to me (in getting a job) or should I be aiming to get a level 4 or higher qualification?

 

[busby1971]

I'm due out in just over 12 months and am thinking of my options job/course wise.

One of the courses offered by the RTC is the Certificate in Human Resources Practice (level 3) as a no cost thingy (plus exam /registration fees ofc) lasting 4 weeks. Would this course be of benefit to me (in getting a job) or should I be aiming to get a level 4 or higher qualification?

I did this course's predecessor last year CPP which was a pretty solid month of work to complete it in the month so I'm guessing the HRP will be the same.

Why do it:

You'll pick up some civi jargon
You'll get a recognised HR qualification, displaying an intention to work towards further CIPD Qualification
You cannot think of anything else to do with the meagre amount of money available
It will be hard to find a Level 4 course that you can complete in the next 12 months at reasonable cost that will add that much more to your skill set.

Why do something else

You fancy picking up a rather random skill and don't want to work too hard
It's only really a qualification for HR Administrators/low level Officers/Advisors
You've left it too late and you cannot get on the course, they do get booked up

It's probably a little bit early for the new courses to bed down and become accepted in the wider profession, HR people are still used to A Level Equivalent Certificate Courses followed by the the leap to Post Graduate/Masters Fully/Part CIPD Qualified.

 

[raflad67]

After much dithering I am at last going to sort out a CIPD qualification at Level 5 Intermediate. Just wondered if anyone has used these guys:

www.chrysos.org.uk

Just got to decide which one to do (management or development) and whether to do certificate and then maybe top-up or just plump for the diploma to start with, so any advice from those in the know would be appreciated.

Would prefer a more structured approach but this does give flexibility.

Lastly, if anyone in or around Lincs fancies doing it let me know and perhaps we can support each other?

Regards

 

[Woodja]

I did this course's predecessor last year CPP which was a pretty solid month of work to complete it in the month so I'm guessing the HRP will be the same.

Why do it:

You'll pick up some civi jargon
You'll get a recognised HR qualification, displaying an intention to work towards further CIPD Qualification
You cannot think of anything else to do with the meagre amount of money available
It will be hard to find a Level 4 course that you can complete in the next 12 months at reasonable cost that will add that much more to your skill set.

Why do something else

You fancy picking up a rather random skill and don't want to work too hard
It's only really a qualification for HR Administrators/low level Officers/Advisors
You've left it too late and you cannot get on the course, they do get booked up

It's probably a little bit early for the new courses to bed down and become accepted in the wider profession, HR people are still used to A Level Equivalent Certificate Courses followed by the the leap to Post Graduate/Masters Fully/Part CIPD Qualified.

Bah - should have done my homework better! Booked myself on the Certificate course for next July, only to get a call from my career consultant asking why I'm not going for the level 5 course - 5 weeks split up into three modules with plenty of homework to consolidate. A snip at £2028 (plus registration/examiner fees) Think I will be giving the RRA a call tomorrow to re-arrange things!

 

[busby1971]

You might find that the Advanced course isn't that much harder but is worth a lot more in civi street, your choice at the end of the day.

There are people on my course who don't have first degrees and are passing okay, if you've got the skills to do a degree (intermediate) then you've probably got the skills to do the Post Grad (Advanced).