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After 10 years in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), 33-year-old Jianhui Tan decided it was time for a career change.
Mr Tan told BI that he made the decision after his aunt passed away.
“That was a wake-up call for me,” Tan said. “I realized that I wasn’t spending enough time with my family. I was working very long hours and spending most of my time in the camp.”
However, Tan’s career transition was much more difficult than expected. Mr Tan told BI that he quit SAF without getting a job offer and had to rely on savings while looking for a job.
And it wasn’t just about money. Mr Tan, who has spent his entire professional life in the military, said he had no idea what kind of role he wanted or what his dream industry was.
Tan was not alone in facing these challenges. Veterans BI spoke to faced similar challenges upon leaving the military, including navigating a loss of identity and struggling to adapt to the rules of the corporate jungle.
But veterans told BI that applying the skills they learned in the military to the situation and staying resilient was key to their success.
Leaving the military means losing a core part of your identity and having to find it again
For veterans like Tan, saying goodbye to life in uniform felt like losing a core part of one’s identity.
Mr Tan said his decision to pursue a military career was driven by the positive experiences he had while fulfilling his national service obligations. As an officer, Mr Tan is tasked with training new recruits, he said.
“I found purpose in what I was doing at the time. I was able to interact with new soldiers and it helped make their training more interesting,” Tan told BI. . “That’s when I fell in love with this career.”
Such was the case when 26-year-old Jiahui Ong decided to quit the military.
Mr Ong told BI that he had mixed feelings when he decided to leave the military after five years of service. She said it took her nearly three months to decide whether to leave the comfort of the military.
“Being in the military and having to leave the military was very difficult. A lot of my identity and self-worth was really built when I was in the military,” Ong said.
However, after entering the private sector, things changed dramatically. Ms Ong, who started her new career in the banking industry, said working at her DBS Bank was a complete 180-degree change for her.
“One of the main differences I have observed between the corporate world and the military is that everyone in the military seems to be working towards the same agenda and goals,” Ong told BI.
“In the corporate world, everyone has their own agenda and personal goals,” she continued. “We had to be able to have more insight into whose agenda was more important.”
Managing dangerous situations in the military could help you survive the corporate jungle
That doesn’t mean military experience can’t be applied to the civilian sector.
Mr Ong said the soft skills he acquired in the army came in handy when he got a job at a bank.
“The transition to DBS was not so smooth, but I was able to bring in certain hard and soft skills from my past experience,” she told BI. She added that the know-how needed to manage stakeholders across the chain came naturally thanks to her time in the SAF.
Kwon Wen Yap, 46, told BI that he took in military training when he joined the company. The former commando spent 13 years in the SAF. While in the military, he received overseas training in Australia and the United States under the Navy SEAL Training Program.
“The SAF is very focused on efficiency, operational safety, and positive outcomes and outcomes. That’s why I became very mission-oriented and mission-driven,” he said in the private sector since then. said Yap, who spent 11 years there.
Yap likened the experience of navigating the corporate jungle to parachuting. Becoming a company means learning to enjoy the journey without losing sight of the mission, he said.
“Intuition. The ability to understand wind conditions and carefully maneuver the parachute to a safe landing. The same principle applies to business,” Yap said.
Some people think veterans can’t thrive in the corporate world, but we need to prove them wrong
For veterans like Tan, overcoming society’s stereotypes was one of the biggest hurdles in transitioning to the private sector.
Ms Tan told BI that her job search was difficult as she struggled to create a resume. Ms Tan said she could not discuss some of the projects she worked on during her employment as they were confidential.
And even if they are called for an interview, Tan said they have to contend with negative stereotypes that recruiters may have about ex-combatants.
“The mental model that a lot of people have about military personnel is that they are very rigid and don’t have the relevant skill set or experience,” said Tan, adding that Euromonitor is taking a chance on him. He added that he was lucky to have made the decision.
Yap Island had a similar experience. Yap said she sent out many resumes and spoke to various employers before landing her first job at a company.
But former special forces told BI that veterans can still rely on their military experience in the private sector. Even more important, Yap says, is knowing how to apply that experience based on your business goals and objectives.
“When you take principles from military life and apply them to other situations, such as running a business, of course not everything will be appropriate,” Yap said.
“Sometimes you just go with your gut, and sometimes you need to think about things objectively. You just need to be honest with yourself about what’s working and what’s not.” ” he added.
To succeed as a veteran in the private sector, it’s important to play to your strengths, leverage your networks, and be resilient
That said, Adrian Chu, CEO and co-founder of a career strategy consulting firm, says the difficulty of changing jobs depends on your previous role in the military. career agility international.
“If you’re an Air Force pilot, one of the most obvious transitions is to join an airline as a pilot. But what if you’re an explosives specialist or a Navy diver? There aren’t that many jobs involved,” Cho said.
In terms of overcoming the kind of prejudice Tan faced, Chuo suggested relying on your network when searching for a job.
“If you have difficulty entering through the front door, ask someone to introduce you and find a way to enter through the side door,” Choo told BI. “A cold phone call is always more difficult than a warm one.”
Nevertheless, Chu said veterans need to take things in stride. He said planning ahead and staying resilient will pay off in the long run.
“Any career transition is scary and painful,” Chu said. “Don’t wait until the last moment to decide what you want to do. Planning three or even five years ahead is very helpful.”