When some people leave the regular military they want to make a complete break from all things military, but this is not the case for everyone.  If you are interested in the wider military family then the place to find out more is the Reserve Forces and Cadet’s Associations (RFCA) – the options are almost limitless.

The RFCA is a public body, established by statute.  The role of the Reserve Forces’ and Cadet’s’ Associations is to provide advice and support to the Defence Council on behalf of the Reserve Forces and Cadet Movement in their region. This role includes a range of responsibilities in support of the Royal Naval Reserve, Royal Marines Reserve, Territorial Army, Royal Auxiliary Air Force and the Cadet Forces (eg estate management, employer liaison and support, support to recruiting). In addition, the RFCAs have a key task of liaison with local authorities, employer organisations and youth bodies, and they promote the interests of the Volunteer Reserves and Cadets within society in general.

In Scotland there are 2 RFCAs, Highland & Lowland.  For more information on both Lowland and Highland RFCA go to www.rfca.org.uk or contactJohn Menzies, Head of Marketing, Lowland House, 60 Avenuepark Street, Glasgow G20 8LW Tel: 0141-945 4951 ext 202 e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

According to a survey of 2,667 HR professionals carried out by Harris Interactive, 26% of employers now use LinkedIn to screen potential employees. Alongside the many opportunities to meet employers on LinkedIn, this demonstrates that personal branding is more important than ever.

This briliant guide, put together by American website Job Hunt, explains what personal branding is and how you can apply it to your LinkedIn profile.

Job Hunt LinkedIn Ebook (PDF 737kb)

Regrettably this is not a mass advert to join OA Scotland fro a day at St Andrews, but it is worth 5 minutes of your time and follows on from other material that we have published on the website.  Understanding the links between yourself, your CV and how you are proposing to sell yourself at interview is vital.  The better those links are understood the better you will sell yourself.  The attached is an attempt to formalise what I have been scribbling on pieces of paper for people for the last few months – it has the natty title of the ‘basic handout’, it could equally well be entitled ‘CV and Interview handout’.  As always your thoughts are welcome.

Download the OA Scotland Basic Handout (DOC 76kb)

The Public Appointments Commissioner wants to encourage quality candidates to apply for public appointments. Public bodies have a major impact on the lives of people in Scotland, so they need board members with relevant expertise and experience who reflect the whole of Scottish society. Through serving on these boards you can help make public services even more effective for the people of Scotland.

The Commissioner’s office (known as OCPAS) oversees appointment to around 40 – 80 board positions a year, some of which would suit ex military personnel. These roles may appeal to those who are looking for a portfolio career, or those who passionately believe in putting something back into Scotland. The appointments are made by Scottish Ministers and the Commissioner oversees the application process to make sure it is open and fair.  If this is an area that interests you then visit the OCPAS website to find out more about the Commissioner, where to find current vacancies and FAQs on the application process.

A strong application is vital to show that you have the right skills and attributes for these roles. People often don’t make the best of their skills in their application. The OA Scotland Employment Team can help you give yourself the very best chance of success.