Career Advice

[CassiusClay]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for a bit of advice. To tell you about myself I'm in my late 20s and a university graduate. 12 months ago I applied for Intelligence officer and did spectacularly bad on the CBAT tests at Cranwell and that was the end of it.

The officer there advised I can join the airmen ranks if I wish to work in intelligence but would be a bit older than other recruits, plus the pay isn't too good. Or alternatively continue down the officer path but without an aptitude based stream, personnel branch being one of them, plus RAF Regiment or Logistics.

I left it, but I still feel I have an itch unscratched and considering going back to it. I'm not confident I would improve enough on the CBAT so that leaves me with Int Analyst or a non-CBAT officer role. I have actually researched Personnel and it seems like a rewarding career, helping people develop their own careers etc but not exactly a rock star job. Interested to hear anyone's thoughts on my choices?

Thank you

 

[Witty_Banter]

Hello mate. First up, late 20's isn't necessarily a bad time to be joining up, as you'll find Basic training a lot easier (unless you're particularly unfit) than the younger lads because you'll probably be treated more maturely - hopefully because you would be more mature and the instructors would recognise that.

As far as the pay goes, yes officer pay is better than ours, though our pay isn't that bad unless you're bringing a mortgage, wife and kids with you - you might struggle for the first year or so if you already have large outgoings.

You should also note that the military cannot be considered as a guaranteed career these days - the New Employment Model has seen to that. There will also most likely be a real fight for promotion within the Int trade for the next few years, as they've signed a lot of the old (and bold) cronies on for another 5 years (*you know who you are, codgers!!*) which is going to cause some major backlogs for the rest of us.

A non-CBAT officer role would certainly pay more in the long run, and would give you a better pension pot should you be able to remain in service for the required duration.

However, having taught Phase 2 and 3 Int, I would suggest that if you have the academic ability to apply for commission, you would likely not struggle with the basics of the Int trade, either - common sense and an analytical mind are all that's needed for the basics, and even some of that can be beaten into you...

It's a big decision - personally I've never met a Personnel Officer (or anyone else for that matter) that's 'helped me develop my career', I think that's one of those promotional phrases that they use. Sure, someone somewhere is probably on the Officer Manning desk, guiding specific people up the career path, but I don't think 'career guidance' exists below the rank of WO - we get put where we're needed, not where we want to be, and that's the end of it.

I would suggest that you take a commission if you can get one. Int isn't a bad trade (we actually have some VERY gucci overseas postings), but there's not much to brag about in the RAF at the moment.

Oh, and it helps if you're just a teeny tiny bit crazy.

 

[CassiusClay]

I would suggest that you take a commission if you can get one. Int isn't a bad trade (we actually have some VERY gucci overseas postings), but there's not much to brag about in the RAF at the moment.

Witty Banter, thank you for the response. I have to agree with you, I think the commission would be the better option, I'm sure Int is a very interesting job and you have plenty of interesting days in the office but perhaps as an airman I would feel frustrated after a while and slightly out of sync with my peer group. I've submitted an application for Personnel Officer and waiting on a response in the next few days.

Just to add, I consider myself in good shape and pretty fit so the RAF Regiment is an option. However, it seems to me to have limited career prospects? They also suffer from a poor reputation? Are they a bad choice or simply army propaganda?

 

[Rugby-Jock-Lad]

Army propoganda!!!!! They don't understand Force Protection. Only shouting, chucking manpower at a problem (to no avail) and pace sticks.

Remember...A.R.M.Y!

Air Force Rejected Me Yesterday!

 

[Stevienics]

Are they a bad choice or simply army propaganda?

Their course, especially JROC, is semi-officially acknowledged as the fourth toughest course in the british military, needlessly in many people's opinions as it doesn't ever involve running around for miles (it's completely contra-indicative when you are on an airfield and your job is to be somewhere quickly). The Regt officers I know are top end blokes though, and it attracts some great characters. Going forwards it can be a bit limiting in options, in the same way as being a JO in any other ground branch is limiting earlier on in the career. In other non-spec branches, you have to stick around before the specialisations really kick in IMHO.

The fact to face is that with so few Op station bases remaining, as an Adminer you could well end up being niched into a HQ (and in jointery, there are a lot!) early on and that's not a good place to be. The choice is yours, but more than ever it will pay to look a few years down the line and hypothesise how a branch options will lead you, and where.

My advice? Pick one that keeps you as close to flying machine Ops as is reasonably possible.

 

[CassiusClay]

Wow. No responses in nearly 24 hours, mention the army and/or RAF Regiment and the thread comes to life!

But thank you for your input guys. It's helping whittling down the path to take. It's still early days and I will keep my mind open to different options, Personnel is down and the other 2 choices I left blank. There was a disclaimer which said "3 choices (if known)" so I'm assuming you can be flexible at this stage and don't want to dismiss everything out of hand as I did following CBAT.

There is also the danger of applying for any and all jobs for the sake of avoiding CBAT which is daft as it's a job I could be in for a very long time. I'll take each stage as it comes and continue the research.

 

[Dan_Brown]

slightly out of sync with my peer group.

I think you would be best suited to our commissioned brethren.

 

[Witty_Banter]

The Regt get a good bit of stick / banter, not just from the Army and RN but also from within - to be fair, they don't really help their case sometimes but then neither do the other services, or the regular RAF ('blacked up / cool runnings' RAF Officer on a stag do story, currently doing the rounds again on FB). But banter is part and parcel of service life - where would we be if we couldn't take the **** out of the RN for ramming beer bottles up each other for 'fun'!?

Promotions within the Officer cadre are also a little better, as they get actual career management - in the ground trades you won't see anything that even resembles career management until you get to FS / WO level.

I looked at commissioning a few years back (was talked out of it by an ******** WO), and Pers Branch would have been my choice as you can end up pretty much anywhere. There are obviously down sides to it, and a distinct lack of acft to play with...

 

[Sniffer]

Just to stick my twopenneth in, have you considered any of the Allied Health Professional trades which require a higher level of entry qualifications and are generally time promoted. Some of which also only commission from within the Ranks. Examples include: Environmental Health Technician, Radiographer, and Biomedical Scientist. Also do yourself a favour and never assume about either the education or experience levels of your "peers". You may find yourself very very surprised.

 

[CassiusClay]

I haven't considered any of those branches as I don't know anything about them. I'll have a look though, thanks.

In regards to the "peers" comment I didn't mean that to be interrupted as a snotty comment but simply an age thing. I was told that airmen ranks/basic training will be predominately teenagers and may feel out of place, especially as I get older and career progression.

 

[CassiusClay]

Is that really true? How long realistically would it be until you reach, say, corporal?

Travel is a attraction for me and I'd like to get abroad. Do Int Analyst/Personnel Officer both give someone the chance to do this?