So, you’ve swapped your greens for jeans. The LinkedIn post announcing your new role has racked up a decent number of likes. You’ve even figured out how to use the office coffee machine. But beneath the surface? You’re winging it. Hard.
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Welcome to civilian employment, no chain of command, no RSM to bark the plan, and definitely no one checking your kit every morning. Here's your essential, no-nonsense guide to not cocking it up in your new role.

1. Build Your Own Reputation

In the forces, your rank spoke for you. In the civilian world, you’ve got to earn your stripes from scratch. Most veterans underestimate how long it takes to build credibility.
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What to do: Focus on small wins. Deliver on time, ask smart questions, and never act like you’ve seen it all, even if you have.

2. Ditch the Acronyms – Speak Civilian

Your new colleagues don’t know what an OC, MERT, or JPA is, and frankly, they don’t care. If you’re dropping acronyms and assuming people can follow, you’re going to alienate fast.

What to do: Translate your experience into language that resonates. “Led a section” becomes “managed a high-performing team in high-pressure environments.” You get the idea.

3. Shed the Rank, Not the Discipline

According to our 2025 Sustainable Employment Survey, adaptability and resilience are the two most valued traits civilian employers see in veterans. But here’s the kicker: those same employers also flagged “rigid thinking” and “difficulty adjusting to informal communication styles” as the biggest challenges.
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What to do: Keep the discipline, lose the formality. Respect hierarchy, but embrace flatter, more informal structures. Offer help. Be coachable. Don’t act like your way is the only way.

The reality check:

• 72% of veterans said they felt confident applying their problem-solving skills in new roles.
• Yet 54% admitted struggling with the shift in communication style and team hierarchy.
• 1 in 3 said they found it hard to adapt to companies where decision-making was more consensus-based and less direct.
  
  

Key takeaway: Your discipline is a superpower – just don’t let it become a straightjacket. Flexibility wins respect faster than formality.

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[RESOURCE]

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4. The First 90 Days Matter – Don’t Wing It

The early days in a new job can make or break how you're seen. Employers expect initiative, not noise. It's less about making a big splash and more about reading the room, figuring out how things actually work, and proving you're a safe pair of hands.
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What to do: Observe how decisions get made. Who influences what? When do people work best? Who’s in the loop, and who prefers a message over an email? Watch, listen, and learn before jumping in. 
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The reality check:

• 68% of veterans said it took more than three months to feel confident in their new role.
• 44% felt unsure about how to “read the room” in civilian workplaces.
• Veterans who actively sought feedback and set early structure for themselves reported higher confidence and wellbeing by the six-month mark.
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Key takeaway: You don’t need to impress everyone in week one. Play the long game. Trust is earned quietly.

5. If You’re Struggling – Say So

The Sustainable Employment Survey found that mental wellbeing remains a challenge for service leavers in their first year of employment. But too many see asking for support as weakness. That mindset is outdated.
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What to do: Use your network. Find a veteran mentor. Talk to HR. Speak to your line manager. You're not the first to feel like a fish out of water – and you won’t be the last.

6. Play the Long Game

Chances are, your first civvy job won’t be your dream role, and that’s fine. Your first job can just be a stepping stone. Don’t expect it to deliver instant purpose. Use it to learn, grow, and earn your next move.
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What to do: Track your progress. Reflect on what you’re learning. Stay curious. The squiggly career is real, and that’s a good thing.
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The reality check:

• Only 34% of service leavers feel their first civilian role aligns with their long-term career goals.
• 62% of veterans change jobs within the first 18 months – not because they’ve failed, but because their goals evolve.
• However, 71% of those who changed jobs said it was the right decision and felt more aligned with their values and skills in their next role.
  
  

Key takeaway: Your first job is your training ground – not your finish line. The data shows that progression, not perfection, is what matters early on.

Final Word

Civilian work life is messy, political, sometimes painfully inefficient – but it also offers freedom, flexibility, and potential. Don’t try to storm it like a compound. Approach it with humility, strategy, and a willingness to learn.
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Or in simple terms: Be brilliant, but don’t be a know-it-all.

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[CALLOUT]

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