Career Interview
An ISFP's experience from being in the army to becoming an environemental entrepreneur.
How would you describe your career in 30 seconds?
I studied chemistry at university, then graduated and joined the British Army. I did the Officer
training course and then spent 6 years in the Army, spending a lot of time in Northern Ireland
and Bosnia. When I left the Army, I decided to stay in Bosnia and joined an
international non-profit organisation that was charged with helping implement the peace agreement.
After that, I did more stabilisation work in Bosnia, and did a stint supporting the elections in Iraq.
What have been the 'best bits' of your career?
It’s difficult to say. I thoroughly enjoy starting new jobs with fresh opportunities.
I know that I’m a ‘starter’ not a ‘completer finisher’. I’ve particularly enjoyed working in the non-profit sector
in countries where things can change positively – where there is an opportunity to have
a real influence on peoples’ lives. For example, in Bosnia, I had the opportunity to
build houses for people who had suffered under the ‘ethnic cleansing’ activities of the war.
We developed a system there that got 100s, maybe 1000s to get their homes back.
This was hugely satisfying.
What things would you do differently?
With hindsight, I would have worked harder at university. The ability to apply some of
the skills I could have developed there would have been wonderful. I’m not sure it’s about
the academic learning though, I think I could / should have achieved more with some
vocational training. It would have been more interesting, and I would have gained more.
If you were to meet the 20-year old verson of you, what career advice would you give?
Build a good foundation whilst you’re still young. Work for impressive people and work for
impressive companies. Never stay in any role for more than 18 months. Get as much experience
as you can. Say ‘yes’ to everything. If you’re into operations, jump at finance opportunities.
And vice versa. You never know what you need to know.
Be positive and energetic – employers generally don't expect for people to arrive appropriately trained. Companies (large and small) really are looking for energy and enthusiasm. Look for opportunities to expand your education.
What sort of person gets the most out of the military?
In my experience, people who know the least about the military get the most out of the
experience. It’s a world where you need to prepare for the unexpected. If you think you know
what you’re getting into, you’ll be disappointed, and you won’t be able to adapt. The people
I knew whose decision to join was last minute did very well. Some of the most successful people
I met in the military had ‘non-standard’ backgrounds – academics, doctors, lawyers, engineers
even priests. Indeed I’ve met some very ‘warry’ priests who were excellent.
What advice would you give to someone building their career after the military?
The challenge is to be confident and humble at the same time. The skills that you
develop in the army are wanted, but no-one wants to ‘hear it loudly’. It requires
a good amount of listening first – whatever career you move into. If well
presented, there is a lot of respect for the British Military – I’ve had lots
of conversations in diverse sectors (including marketing / advertising) that
recognise the small team leadership and project management skills that you develop
in the military. You need to be prepared to learn a range of new skills.
And don’t expect the first job to work out, but the second or third probably will.
Any final thoughts about managing a career?
It’s much easier to transition between sectors than it initially appears, and you will
be able to do a good job. Hiring systems in some sectors have not caught up with that,
but they will. Skills sets are more transferable than you think. If you can demonstrate
energy in one sector, you’ll bring energy to another and you’ll succeed.
Career Management
Taking control of your career leads to many questions: what job should I do? Where should I work? How should I find a job? What jobs best fit my personality? The role of Higher is to help you answer these questions; build your self-awareness, give you confidence in being able to explain who you are, and give you support on the '4.5 million minute marathon' that is your career.
If you enjoyed this article, have a look at some other articles that might be of interest and then take your own personality assessment - it's free, quick and who knows where it might take you?
