If you’re looking to move to a new job after leaving policing, it probably feels very daunting. The good news is that you have lots of skills that are hugely valuable outside of policing, and you have already built up a network of people who can help you on your journey – you just need to take a step back and look at both of those things.
In this section, we look at your skills and how to sell yourself to employers – including using social media, writing CVs and filling in application forms.
Networking before leaving the police
Throughout your career in policing, you will have already developed a network both internally and externally. This might include current colleagues, partner organisations or ex colleagues who have already made the transition into another role away from policing. These are really valuable contacts you can call on when it comes to careers networking before leaving the police. They can help you learn what roles are available, how your skills and experience might fit the role, and their experience of applying for and gaining that position.
This is an informal way of beginning to understand what your next steps might be and what you might need to do to secure that role. Don’t underestimate the value of networking as approximately 70% of new roles are found as a result of it. Networking before leaving the police can even be as simple as picking up the phone and arranging to go for a coffee and a chat!
If you’re less confident with networking, here are some simple tips for you to consider:
1. Identification
Be clear who you want to meet and why, what organisations or fields interest you.
2. Contact
Email, phone or get in touch through LinkedIn. You may or may not know the person so introduce yourself and ask for something they can easily deliver such as advice, guidance and the benefit of their experience.
3. Meet
Strengthen that relationship, let them know about you and what you offer, as well as listening to their story. This is not about securing a job from the first contact you make (although for some it may be) but rather expanding your knowledge and becoming clearer about where you want to go.
Putting yourself in the shop window will help build your network as often you will be referred from one person to another. Remember the more connections you have, the wider your reach.
How to write a CV when you’re leaving the police
If you’re taking your first tentative steps into the world of job searching, you will need a CV. It’s surprising how many of us, regardless of seniority, length of service or job role, really struggle when it comes to writing a CV. The world of policing is very complex, it is filled with acronyms, jargon and very specific roles. When writing a CV before leaving the police, the challenge will be translating this experience into a language which is meaningful to the outside world. However, your skills are very marketable and there are employers out there looking for the exact experience you possess.
Let’s take a closer look at these transferable skills.
If you have been in policing for most of your working life, finding the confidence to take the first step and start to write down your experience in a CV in a way that translates to the external job market can feel like a big deal, and you are not alone in feeling like this.
A good way to get started is to read other CVs to get a feel for how they are structured and pick a style that works for you. It is fine to have a skeleton document but always make sure your CV is relevant to the job you are applying for; you may end up writing several versions depending on the different job roles and sectors you are applying for.
Regardless of the structure or style you choose, if you’re creating a CV before you leave the police, it will most likely contain:
1. Your message/personal statement/profile
This is your opportunity to introduce and sell yourself in the opening paragraph. Try to describe yourself, your experience, skills and knowledge in a way that meets the requirements of the job advert. Highlight any relevant achievements in a way that demonstrates your potential for this role and how you can add value going forward.
Use language that is appropriate for the level of job you are applying for. There is no harm if you repeat some of the key words from the candidate specification, but make them relevant to your experience and achievements. Do not just repeat buzzwords without any substance.
2. Key skills
Look back over the roles you have held in policing. They will all have job specifications and competencies, and these can be a really helpful way of refreshing your memory as often they will be directly transferable. Make these statements come to life and describe how you have demonstrated them, don’t just present a list of dictionary definitions.
3. Career history
In reverse chronological order provide your last 8-10 years’ work experience. Using your job title will help convey your message but add some further context, describe what you delivered in that role and illustrate your skills and key achievements. A few lines using punchy vocabulary can be very impactful.
4. Qualifications
You may well have both internal and external qualifications that you want to highlight. If they are relevant to the role you are applying for, include them. Consider offering more context to any police qualifications to make them more meaningful and show the level which you have attained.
5. Additional information
This can differentiate your application or give common ground. You could include information about your hobbies or the activities you do in your free time. Consider how you have added value outside of work.
The following are a couple of example CVs to give you inspiration. The first is for a police officer, the second is for police staff. There are lots of CV templates to be found online, or in word processing programmes.
Police officer CV example
Police staff CV example
Other elements of a job application
Covering letter
If the advert you are replying to asks for a covering letter, then you should definitely provide one. Keep it short and to the point. Ensure you address the requirements of the role and how you meet these, using headings and bullets to get your point across. Let them know why you have chosen their organisation and what has driven you to apply, linking this to your relevant skills and previous experience.
Application forms
Some organisations may require you to complete an application form, rather (or as well as) submitting your CV.
Before you start it’s a good idea to do your research. Go on the company website and have it there for reference as you complete your application. Make sure you read any guidance provided on the forms and follow it closely. There may be a named person on the job application to contact for further information. It is entirely up to you, but sometimes there can be value in making contact and sharing some of your relevant experience before completing the application.
This is also a useful way to find out more about the role and organisation. Follow the competencies outlined in the job description and make sure you have met the essential criteria. There is no guarantee that this application will be read by a human so replaying their language, terminology and criteria back to them will put you in a good position to get shortlisted.
Make sure you download and keep a copy of anything you submit. This way you will have all the information to hand if you get an interview and for any future applications. Make sure you take a break and then re-read your answers with fresh eyes before pressing ‘send’.
Completing job applications can be an exhausting process. On paper you can appear perfect for a role and still not get past the application stage. Applications can take practice and you may need to complete a few before you get an interview. Try asking for feedback if you are not successful and don’t be disheartened.
The value of social media
Love it or loathe it, we live in a world that is now driven to a large degree by social media. Up to 94% of recruiters use LinkedIn to source or vet job candidates.
It’s ultimately up to you if you’d like to use social media or not as part of your job search. If you do decide to, this next section looks at some of the benefits, and how to make your profile look attractive to recruiters.
When it comes to job hunting, there are a lot of benefits to embracing the online world – here are just a few of them:
- it can widen your network
- you can import and share contacts
- you can use LinkedIn and X (formerly known as Twitter) to find others and learn from them
- you can follow organisations and learn about what the latest trends or developments are in that industry/sector/organisation
- it makes it easier to highlight your skills and experience to a wide audience and let recruiting organisations know when you’re available
How to use LinkedIn to get a job once you’ve left the police
Writing a LinkedIn headline
The LinkedIn profile headline is your first chance to tell others what you have to offer. It is your opportunity to make a positive initial impression. This is the first thing that shows up in recruiting organisations’ searches. In order to show up in searches these key words are important.
By default, LinkedIn makes your current job title and company your headline, for example: “Retired Police Inspector at ABC Force.” It is important you edit this to create a more impactful headline. You have 120 characters, so include the default information along with other details that help you stand out and show up in search results.
Consider using ‘former’ instead of ‘retired’ and emphasising your job role and skills if it’s difficult for those outside of policing to know what you do. Your headline should tell other LinkedIn users what you have to offer and whether you’re actively job searching or not.
Here are some tips for writing an impactful summary
- Consider the tone, language and key audience. This will depend on who you’re trying to reach and impress.
- If you’re looking for the next job after policing, your audience can include recruiters using LinkedIn searches, so make sure your summary has the relevant key words.
- If you’re considering being self-employed, LinkedIn could be a potential source of new clients.
- If you are an expert in your field, make sure you showcase this to other agencies and sectors.
- Clarifying your goals and audience beforehand helps give you some guidelines before you begin writing.
Creating an all-star profile
LinkedIn calls a profile that’s 100% complete an all-star profile. To create one of these, you need to:
- add your industry and location
- add dates to your work experience
- upload a profile photo, which should be a professional headshot
- add your most recent position and job description
- add employment dates to your experience section
- fill out the education section
- add at least five skills to the skills and endorsements section, and as many as you like
- add your LinkedIn summary as per above
- connect with at least 50 other professionals on LinkedIn
Writing the ‘about’ section on LinkedIn
Next is the ‘about’ section. If you’re using LinkedIn to get a job once you’ve left the police, it’s important to get this right – but with 2,000 characters to work with, you’ve plenty of room to convey information, skills and experiences that might not fit elsewhere in your profile.
Use future job or industry-specific skills and keywords. This will help you appear higher in LinkedIn searches by recruiters interested in what you have to offer. Analyse relevant job descriptions or the profiles of successful colleagues who have already transitioned into new roles to come up with a list of keywords and phrases that recruiters are likely to search, and then incorporate these into your LinkedIn profile.
Here are some examples that would be relevant to policing:
- leadership, management, risk-based decision making
- team working skills and problem solving
- experience of project management and delivering within time and financial/budgetary constraints
These keywords and search terminologies will likely be used by recruiters in other sectors and other users searching for your expertise.
Share content
Try to post relevant links and interesting updates, as this is an important way to engage your peers and increase the visibility of your LinkedIn profile.
How to find a job with LinkedIn once you’ve left policing
At linkedin.com/jobs you can search by job title, keyword, company, and/or location. Once you search, several filters are available to help you narrow your search. You can also have LinkedIn display potential jobs for you by selecting the “Career interests” button. Here you can specify a variety of job titles, locations, industries, and other details that are of interest to you in your job search. Saving these preferences will ensure applicable jobs are displayed for you.
Building your professional network
Utilising the LinkedIn platform to grow your professional network has benefits beyond finding a new job or simply keeping in touch with your peers and former colleagues from policing and elsewhere. The more quality connections you have on LinkedIn, the better. You can benefit from connecting with a diverse group of people including:
- personal friends and acquaintances
- current and former colleagues and business contacts
- industry peers you haven’t met yet
- industry influencers and experts
Therefore, taking the time to build and grow a large network on LinkedIn enables you to exponentially link to more LinkedIn users. Send a personalised note with a connection request to make a good first impression and increase your chances of having it accepted. Mentioning where you met the user or a mutually beneficial reason why you’d like to connect is a great way to break the ice.
LinkedIn is also a great place to find out what is happening in the world of policing and other industries you are interested in. You can collect new ideas for your line of work and stay current with industry trends. LinkedIn automatically adds relevant articles to your newsfeed based on your industry and location.
Engage your peers by posting updates and asking questions or commenting on other users’ posts. This will not only help you gain insight into what is and isn’t working in your industry, but can put you on the path to becoming known as an active and influential member of your industry.
Your 30-second ‘elevator pitch’
Having an elevator pitch can be useful for those moments when you need to get across information quickly and succinctly. It can be used in so many ways whether that be face to face, in an interview or as part of an application process. Imagine the scene, you are at a friend’s barbecue, she introduces you to another guest, you get chatting briefly, or perhaps you are at work rushing to your next meeting and you see a friend who is about to retire… let’s just say in both of these scenarios, the person you meet has the potential to help you get your next job and you have a short amount of time to get your message across.
The following short video gives you some guidance on how to create your own elevator pitch.