By:  Audrey Prenzel, CARW, CEIC, B.A., B.Ed

I’m constantly dealing with issues that I take for granted, but consistently stump my former CF friends and clients. I hear of former Canadian Army, Navy and Air Force men and women who would rather stay in a trench, sub or hanger than deal with some of these scenarios.

I’ll try my best to share 10 of these situations that catch former Canadian Forces men and women off guard and how to tackle them.

1. Incompetent supervisors. You may have had some in the CF but most of the civvie side stories I hear are more serious than anything you encountered in the Armed Forces.  It may be painful not taking over and flexing your leadership and teambuilding skills but if you are lower on the “corporate food chain”, well it’s not your place to take over. This doesn’t mean you can’t give some input though. You can say something like, “I wonder if you are open to suggestions?” How about, “I think you may find this helpful” and then follow with the explanation.  I know many people have success saying, “I’d like to help you out . You might consider trying” explanation follows.  Don’t whine behind your superior’s back to a co-worker or a group of co-workers. That’s just not going to help anybody. Discuss options in private with a supervisor and never in front of others.  Do it in a helpful and supportive tone, even if you think they are completely useless. Let’s call it being tactically diplomatic.

2. The pace of a non-military work environment may not be at the same operations pace you are used to. You may be used to functioning in overdrive whereas your new civilian workplace crawls along in first gear. Don’t try to change it. Roll with it. Work at the same speed as your corporate counterparts. There will most likely not be any gains to be made if you outpace your peer’s productivity. In fact, it usually creates animosity between you and them.

3. You get laid off. What? But I just got hired a year ago! Yep. They call it down sizing, right sizing, and restructuring but the bottom line is your job is gone. If nobody told you this before, allow me: most jobs in the civilian sector last 4.1 years in length. That’s it. This is normal. It may seem cold for me to say don’t get emotional and feel betrayed and hurt. It’s just the way it is. Very, very few jobs are “forever”. Emotions won’t get you a new job but having your résumé updated and staying active in your networking circles will. Enough said.

4. You can get fired. Yep. Most of the time, it may be a warning but it can also be on the spot. There may be valid reasons you get the axe or there may not be valid reasons. Every single person throughout the corporate mix is expendable. I’ve heard of people being escorted out while operating an assembly line; when teaching in front of a class; in front of peers in a staffroom; coming out of a stall in a staff bathroom; in cow pastures; in parking lot; at lunch meetings; at drive through windows; at workplace Christmas parties; in parks; and even when commuting with a boss while driving to work. So never take your job for granted. This is only a sampling of what I have heard over the years.

5. Corporate culture. I always suggest that before anybody accepts a job to get a feel about a place’s corporate culture. When you are unfamiliar with how things work at a company, it can be frustrating. It doesn’t have to be though. Research via the company’s website to learn about the firm’s style. Go one step further and talk to employees before accepting a role. Ask about this during interviews. How is the social tone, formal or laid back? How is the dress code or is there one? Is it a top speed setting or a slow motion kind of place? I can tell you that if you get your job done 30 minutes before your peers, you’ll most likely just irritate them instead of inspire them. Go with the flow.

6. Supplies. It hits you like a ton of bricks. Most places will not give you clothing allowances or points to use towards work wear. You’ll be responsible for winter gear, boots, socks, gloves, raincoats – you name it. So take good care of your stuff.

7. Employee input. Some places want to hear what the workforce has to say and others could care less about your point of view. Learn in advance how much innovation is expected from a particular company. I often hear managers complain that the former CF people they have hired aren’t independent problem solvers. I know this isn’t true, but I explain to them that former military are extremely innovative and resourceful. They are however, used to giving their opinion only when asked for it, and not when they think they should. That’s due to former military men and women being conditioned to operate in rank structure, not because they can’t think for themselves. I tell these civilian managers to ask for input. Former CF folks will share ideas if they know they’re being asked.  So if you see your peers giving ideas to improve quality or productivity, follow suit and make a positive difference.

8. The buck stops (or starts) here. You may or may not get an annual raise. Unless you’re employed by an entity that has a collective agreement, you may not even get an annual cost of living allowance. On the other hand, you may be entitled to performance bonuses, signing bonuses, and profit sharing. Again, company research is critical before you accept an offer.

9. Benefits. You may or may not have dental and/or medical coverage. If you decide to keep coverage via SISIP when you leave the military, that’s great. Before you opt out of this coverage, make sure you thoroughly review what your new employer offers.

10. Medical/Dental Appointments. While we’re discussing benefits, I’ll mention that very few places will allow you time to attend personal appointments, let alone schedule them for you. You won’t get travel or meal claims. Plan your appointment travels carefully and logically to make it cheaper and less intrusive to your work schedule.

This list is by no means exhaustive, but I do hope it gives you a framework to make this transition easier. If you know what to expect in advance, then you can plan and respond instead of being surprised and unsure how to respond. As always, I wish you all the best with your next move.

Audrey Prenzel, CARW, CEIC, B.A., B.Ed., is the founder of Résumé Resources. Audrey is proud to be Hire Canadian Military’s career expert. She has numerous accountabilities with Career Directors International as their Military Transition Expert Program Leader, Aerospace/Defence Program Leader, Canadian Advisor, and Director of International Relations. Audrey’s book, “Leaving the Canadian Military? Ease the career transition to Civvie Street!” is now available. Contact Audrey directly at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .