Jobs before RMC

[proudtobebritish]

I was just wondering if anyone thinks I should get a part time job while im still at school doin my A-Levels this year and join in June 2009 but I dont know if I should as I need time for training and all that.

Help me out please :embarrest:

 

[Ninja_Stoker]

Assuming you are applying to join as an Officer, you need to have some life experience outside of education and ideally some examples and experience of leadership. A part-time job or voluntarily assisting with uniform youth organisations with regard training, teaching, mentoring, problem solving or organising would definitely help.

 

[Sotiris]

I'm just wondering,

Why is there so much focus on what you've done? I mean, I've worked full time/part time, taught, lead and served but that really could mean jack *text deleted**text deleted*. The most important thing is what you could do not what you've done.

Surely some people are just born with a natural capacity to lead others, and some, despite their experiences are not.

Are the questions at the AIB really all about what you have done in the past? Or how you would react in a hypothetical situation?

Ninja, what would you consider to be the most important thing for AIB?

 

[MrSkippy]

Civvie jobs suck balls, as a student they are mainly looking for your dedication as well as what you can achieve. A good job reference is always useful - shame my last job was a load of *text deleted**text deleted* and i quit in 2 weeks eh, *text deleted*.
I regret quiting my job in the warehouse of morrisons... was a laugh.

And if i buggered this post up, im a bit drunk so appologies.

 

[rusty92]

I'm Joining the marines when i'm 18/19 and i've currently got a 3 day a week job just to earn myself a little bit of cash until then. Id certainly advise have a small job for just a few days just to roll in a little bit of cash, Theres nothing worser than not having any money.

Sam

 

[RossRobObey]

Rusty! You've finally learnt how to use punctuation! Now keep typing properly and might not end up in the bottom of a Loch.

 

[rusty92]

Rusty! You've finally learnt how to use punctuation! Now keep typing properly and might not end up in the bottom of a Loch.

:laugh: :laugh: I Didn't even mean to do it properly, I Just did it by chance. *text deleted*

Sam

 

[RossRobObey]

Well keep it up, *text deleted*.

Just for reference, you don't need a capital after 'I', nor do you after a comma, just a full stop :wink:

 

[Ninja_Stoker]

I'm just wondering,

Why is there so much focus on what you've done? I mean, I've worked full time/part time, taught, lead and served but that really could mean jack *text deleted**text deleted*. The most important thing is what you could do not what you've done.

Surely some people are just born with a natural capacity to lead others, and some, despite their experiences are not.

Are the questions at the AIB really all about what you have done in the past? Or how you would react in a hypothetical situation?

Ninja, what would you consider to be the most important thing for AIB?

It's an interesting concept with regard natural leaders & possibly a bit subjective. My own view is that there are people who find they have the ability to find developing comprehensive leadership & motivational skills relatively easily. Frankly no-one is 100% perfect as a leader without training and developing their skills- hence RM Junior & Senior Command Courses for NCOs who have the time-served experience, but not necessarily the natural flair and confidence of leadeship. Experience is the key, whether it's taught from those that possess it or derived through one's own personal experience.

At AIB you will most definitely be asked what previous management experience you have. Questions such as how you identified a task, developed a plan with your colleagues, pooled your resources and attributes, established a realistic timescale, encouraged others and whether the outcome was as good as it could have been given the team, the task and the resources. Could it have been achieved more effectively, etc. If you have no previous experience your potential to be trained will be assessed at AIB.

They also seek stickability and this is where work experience comes to the fore - if you've had a dozen jobs: why did you leave, could you cope with discipline, authority from people younger than you, etc. If you keep swapping jobs & have no longterm hobbies or interests, memberships of clubs or societies then what makes you worth investing 10's of £1000's investment when you have no track record of reliability?

Hopefully that helps give a rough idea of what they are seeking from Officers. Further AIB advice is posted here from those who have attended AIB previously.

 

[Sotiris]

Fantastic! Just saved it,

Thanks a lot Ninja!

 

[Ninja_Stoker]

The funny thing about that AIB thread is that many people arrive at HMS Sultan (the AIB venue) with their printed copies of it clutched in their hands as a reference. By all accounts, those that are successful claim it proved useful collating all the tips from those that went before.

 

[proudtobebritish]

cheers guys
:shakehands:

 

[FletchPRMC]

Well keep it up, *text deleted*.

Just for reference, you don't need a capital after 'I', nor do you after a comma, just a full stop :wink:

Ai, but you do need a capital when you refer to yourself, which he did after the comma

 

[Babybell]

See I have the educational requirements to join up as an officer. If I'm lucky I should have a degree sometime. Most probably a third. A 2.2 if I'm really lucky! (Please dont ask. I will say that I can confidently say that I regret the last three years I have spent. Im having to spend this summer doing an extra assignment to gain enough credits to graduate) But thats about the only requirment I fulfill for becoming an officer.

My problem is that I haven't had a job for over two years. I did have a short summer job as a KP. (Not exactly a role with much responsability!) I havent been a member of any clubs or orginsations. I don't have any examples of where I have shown leadership skills or had any responsability. (Except for myself, and the way things have gone I dont think it would impress at an AIB.)

I didn't realise how bad it was until I tried filling in a form for Cranwell. The thought of handing in a praticaly empty form was too much.

Thats when I knew I wouldnt even get pass the intial interview to get a place OASC. So resigning myself that chances are I will have to take the more scenic route, I might as well aim high and go for RM.

Putting aside my little rant there, to the OP listen to Ninjas advice, and if you decide to go on to uni after then listen to my advice. Do some serious research into the course before you start and if the uni doesnt have anything that intrest you, then start something yourself! Oh and if you find that your making a mistake, dont just plod on trying to make other people happy and let them talk you round even though you know you should stand by your decison.

Sometimes you just have to accept that somethings arent right for you.

edit: re-reading this I wonder if it is acctually relvent to what theOP asked. Hopefully someone will find this dribble useful :flushed:

 

[Touchstone]

I would have to agree with some of the things said. I would find that I was not a natural born leader but experience will bring me up to that level. If you had said to me 5 years ago that I would be joining the Royal Marines I would have laughed! But after leaving school and starting college, started exercising and being with people I actually like I found I was a lot more confident and assertive.

That is why I want to make the most out of university, get as much experience as I possible can. The problem is even though I'm 18 I have never actually had a job. I have been half heartedly looking for the past two years, but recently I have been trying a lot harder as I thought it might be easier once I'm 18, plus I have like 4 months summer holiday.