How Enduring Reserve Service Benefits Your Civilian Workplace
Through your role as a reservist, you have developed transferable skills and personal traits that are valuable in the civilian workplace. If you can demonstrate the benefits your military experience provides to your civilian employer, such as those below, your employer will be more open to requests for flexibility due to reserve commitments.
#1 – Your Character
Sailors, soldiers and aviators are trained to be dependable, adaptable and physically fit. You’re expected to act professionally both in and out of uniform. Maintain that same professionalism, confidence, work ethic and mission-oriented focus in your civilian workplace.
#2 – Teamwork Skills
All employers value team players. As a reservist, you understand teamwork: the military has trained you to communicate and coordinate effectively, follow instructions, ask pertinent questions, and understand your role within the larger operation. You can also help manage conflict. Bring these teamwork skills to your civilian work.
#3 – Technical Skills
No matter what your trade is in the military, you are learning technical skills that often apply directly to your civilian job. This sometimes means the military is paying for you to become more skilled at your civilian job, at no cost to your employer. When your technical knowledge transfers to your civilian work, don’t be afraid to tell your boss where you learned how to do that!
#4 – Leadership and Management Skills
Regardless of your rank, your time in the military enables you to appreciate the importance of good leadership. It also teaches what not to do when you’re a leader. You likely have something to offer in areas such as instructing, mentoring, or building and developing teams. Maybe you know how to plan, manage risks, or oversee teams, supply chains and budgets. Be confident in your leadership and management skills, and apply them at your civilian job.
#5 – General Workplace Knowledge
Through the military, you’ve completed a variety of courses that are applicable to all workplaces, including first-aid, ethics and anti-harassment training. You also know a lot about workplace safety (e.g., Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System) and security (e.g., operational, information, personal). This type of knowledge is pertinent in all workplaces.
Remember: an employer’s flexibility is often about good corporate citizenship
When an employer grants you flexibility because of your military duties, they’re showing strong corporate citizenship. They’re often willing to manage the inconvenience of your absence because they want to do their part in supporting Canada and the Canadian Armed Forces. So thank your boss and co-workers for supporting your reserve career, because that support is very meaningful.
Spring 2023
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