Help! I’ve recently left the Royal Navy after 27 years in a telecommunications and IT role and despite many, many job applications mainly through on-line jobsites I’ve only secured two (unsuccessful) interviews and I can count replies to the applications on one hand!

With many years of management/leadership experience, I am highly computer literate and well experienced in the hardware and software aspects. I have Windows NT4 administration experience, completed a hands-on classroom-based MCSE (Windows Server 2003) course and have MCP in Windows XP Pro and the COMPTIA Security+ certification. I’m actively studying towards further MCP qualifications and eventually, full MCSE.

I’m not fully sure but it seems to me that my management experience (and age?) stops me getting the hands-on ‘first rung on the ladder’ jobs and my lack of experience in the commercial sector stops me getting into any other areas.

My expectations are not high. I’ve got an immediate pension so salary is not a major factor and I would just welcome the opportunity to do mostly anything in IT.

Grateful for any thoughts?

I can only tell you about my experiences when I left the Army after 12 years and to be honest..People didn't want to know so I ended up telling a few white lies. I was told afterwards that its due to ex forces being trained on specific items relating to military only. (Not sure how true that is)

As for your qualifications, The Comptia stuff still isnt recognised fully in this country yet but the Microsoft is industry standard and well worth having.

I'm doing my Cisco CCNA and the MCP 70-291 at the moment, I dont think the 70-291 alone is worth much but with the CCNA it goes better.You should go for the MSCE 2003 which is a very good thing to have under your belt.

Maybe an agency will be the way for you to get past that first rung but i would advise reading these boards and asking a few questions to find out who's worth going with.

Good luck with your studies/job hunting

I'd suggest trying the big consultancies, eg the likes of CSC, EDS, Accenture etc all of those work in the defence sector which given your background may help you get in there.

Jobserve.co.uk is the best job web site around in my opinion. Also get someone to assess your CV and some job letters as very often a 3rd party can provide valuable constructive criticism.

Good luck.

My situtation is completely different but I found that online job sites are very frustrating. Most of the jobs have gone weeks earlier and are automatically resubmitted, thats why you never hear back. One job I didn't get but know that somebody got was still on there last time I looked months later.

I have come to the conclusion not getting replies is the norm. That doesn't change the fact it is infuriatingly annoying (and on some levels plain rude - tho I guess many jobs have a lot of applicants).

Thanks for the advice. It's not just me getting ignored by the online agencies then :(

I will try the consultancies route and speed up my MCSE studies I think!

Maybe it was once the case that the forces were trained in military specific equipment and systems but nowadays it's mostly off-the-shelf systems especially in the IT field. Microsoft is everywhere :help: