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Transitioning from military service to civilian employment can be a rewarding journey, but it requires effective communication of your leadership skills on your CV. By aligning your experiences with the Institute of Leadership's Dimensions of Leadership - Authenticity, Vision, Achievement, Ownership, and Collaboration - you can create a CV that’s a cut above the rest. Here's how:

1. Authenticity:

Highlight your authenticity by detailing a specific instance where your genuine approach led to a positive outcome. For example, as a Platoon Commander, your open and honest communication with your team fostered trust, resulting in a large increase in team cohesion and morale.

2. Vision:

Demonstrate your visionary leadership by detailing how your forward-thinking approach contributed to the achievement of strategic goals. For instance, as a Commander, your strategic vision for training resulted in a 20% improvement in unit performance on assessments.

3. Achievement:

Emphasise your ability to achieve results by providing tangible examples. As a Logistics Officer, your efforts led to a 25% reduction in supply chain costs and a 15% increase in on-time deliveries.

4. Ownership:

Illustrate your sense of ownership by describing how you took charge of a project or responsibility and the measurable improvements it brought. For instance, as a Quartermaster, taking ownership of equipment maintenance reduced downtime by 30%, ensuring optimal operational readiness.

5. Collaboration:

Highlight your collaborative skills by discussing projects that involve working with diverse teams. As a Joint Task Force Leader, your collaborative efforts resulted in a boost in mission success rates and a 20% reduction in interdepartmental conflicts.

Incorporating the Institute of Leadership’s Dimensions of Leadership into your CV with tangible results, not only effectively communicates your abilities to potential employers but also demonstrates your readiness to thrive in a civilian career. Your experiences in the military have equipped you with valuable leadership skills, and by presenting them effectively, you can open doors to new and rewarding opportunities.

Remember: Everything is measurable — it’s knowing where to pull the information from. If you're not measuring already… Start!

Voices from our community: Mick Flaherty CPRW, FIoL is a seasoned professional CV writer, proofreader, ex-military and the Managing Director for CV/Resume Writing Education & Training.