Congratulations on Your Military Service… Now Here Are 9 Reasons Why I Won’t Hire You

[mariomike]

But receiving 70% of your income made well in the CAF is a fantastic thing

Well said.

 

[FormerHorseGuard]

How did you get hired by a civilian employer? Sounds like yours is a great example of a success story some could learn from!

It took me years to find a job that where my knowledge and skill sets could be used. I applied for some really stupid jobs to get my toe in the door. Now working in property management for company in Ottawa, and I think I am the only former soldier in the company.

 

[mariomike]

Being non-military, the one thing that I have repeatedly read on this site that strikes me as bizarre is the often protracted lag between the last CAF paycheque and the first pension cheque and benefits kick-in.

Of all the threads I have read on here, the most amazing is always "Pension wait times", and others like it.

I had never heard of anyone waiting a single day for their first pension cheque / deposit, or post-retirement benefits to begin. The transition was, and should be, seamless.

 

[mariomike]

That is one of the great reasons to hire ex military, we will work and make things happen.

It used to be considered an advantage in the emergency service. Not sure if it as much of an advantage now?

Also depends a bit on your CAF trade. Being a PRes MSE Op helped me transition to driving 40-foot buses on my full-time career job.

 

[Good2Golf]

Of all the threads I have read on here, the most amazing is always "Pension wait times", and others like it.

I had never heard of anyone waiting a single day for their first pension cheque / deposit, or post-retirement benefits to begin. The transition was, and should be, seamless.

Do you mean non-CAF?

I waited 7 months for mine, due to a DND/PWGSC screw up, then I got the back pay in the next year and got hammered on taxes. Want to take a guess how compassionate CRA was to me for DND and PWGSC’s screw up? Yup, I got nothing between sh*t and syphilis...

 

[SeaKingTacco]

Do you mean non-CAF?

I waited 7 months for mine, due to a DND/PWGSC screw up, then I got the back pay in the next year and got hammered on taxes. Want to take a guess how compassionate CRA was to me for DND and PWGSC’s screw up? Yup, I got nothing between sh*t and syphilis...

Same for me. You almost would think they rig things that way to harvest extra tax revenue...

 

[mariomike]

Do you mean non-CAF?

Yes.

 

[Weinie]

Same for me. You almost would think they rig things that way to harvest extra tax revenue...

How purely cynical of you. And I am sure that the fact that they levy taxes based on lump-sum pay raises, paid in one month, but by statute, taxable as if it were your annual income, is completely benign as well.

 

[ff149]

I really lucked out in my transition. I was a military firefighter, part of my job was conducting inspections and I was even an instructor teaching it. TransitionEd to a full time prevention inspector for a large municipal fire service. It was a lot of studying as CAF uses national codes vice Ontario codes. Even though I had all the required carts my new services wanted me to do the training again, not an issue. The biggest thing I’ve had to deal with is to remember I’m not a supervisor now, it’s not my issue if staff aren’t following certain rules (within reason).

 

[ModlrMike]

I went from leading 70+ pers, to leading just me. Of course I've now somehow become the spokesperson for the seven of us at work, not to mention the 200 folks I'm going to command in six weeks.

 

[mariomike]

I retired at 62% of my police salary and had two part-time jobs; mostly to stay active. I didn't want to make lawn whirly-gigs in my basement. When we bought our small farm, spare time left my vocabulary, but I suppose it paid off when we sold it ten years later.

My sister is a farmer/rancher out west. I considered something similar when my time came to retire. But, my wife 86'd it. Probably a good thing too. When my grandfather retired he bought a small farm. Dad and I used go help him. It was fun for me as a boy. But, Grandpa didn't know what he was doing. He had left the family farm at such a young age. It was like the TV show "Green Acres", for anyone old enough to remember.

I understand some retire prematurely for health reasons. Others may postpone it for financial, or other, reasons.

I was fortunate to retire "on schedule" with the same organization I started with. I've been retired a long time now.

There is a certain satisfaction when congregating with men you have known for almost 50 years. Maybe if only for the rather selfish reason of reminding each other of when we were young.

 

[lenaitch]

My sister is a farmer/rancher out west. I considered something similar when my time came to retire. But, my wife 86'd it. Probably a good thing too. When my grandfather retired he bought a small farm. Dad and I used go help him. It was fun for me as a boy. But, Grandpa didn't know what he was doing. He had left the family farm at such a young age. It was like the TV show "Green Acres", for anyone old enough to remember.

I understand some retire prematurely for health reasons. Others may postpone it for financial, or other, reasons.

I was fortunate to retire "on schedule" with the same organization I started with. I've been retired a long time now.

There is a certain satisfaction when congregating with men you have known for almost 50 years. Maybe if only for the rather selfish reason of reminding each other of when we were young.

I've been gone 17 years and still get together with a bunch of old colleagues (pre-Covid) to tell 'war stories' and comment on current members, management, gossip, etc.

What we had was more of a hobby farm. The missus/daughter knew about the horse-management side of things and the construction/maintenance side is generally pretty basic and rough construction, so well into my wheelhouse. I didn't put myself in the same class as 'real farmers'.

I know a couple of members who stayed well after first retirement date, some for financial reasons (too many ex-spouses to support) but some simply because they were afraid to as they had no plan. One member, who I did not really know, hung on to 50 years service, as a road warrior. He created a bit of a conundrum with the pension people since, if he stayed longer, at 2%/year, his pension would be more than his pay. As it was, he went out with 100% pension (actually more in his pocket since he is no longer paying into it, plus no Ass'n dues and a few other things).

 

[mariomike]

I know a couple of members who stayed well after first retirement date, some for financial reasons (too many ex-spouses to support) but some simply because they were afraid to as they had no plan.

At my pre-retirement OMERS seminar, the instructor mentioned an attractive middle-aged widow who had a fondness for old, as in very old, policemen. Apparently as her six ( 6 ) spouses died off, she collected a survivors pension ( 66 2/3% ) for each one of them!

One member, who I did not really know, hung on to 50 years service, as a road warrior.

 

[george9315]

Not too sure I would want to work for a company that expects a thank you note for giving me an interview.

For some reason that reminds me of the last time I seen a PSO in Petawawa. Buddy made me about turn and read the school degrees he had on his wall. Literally.

Your not wrong, I mean, even before COVID-19 had begun, a new trend had started to take place. Ghosting...... Are you suppose to send a thank you to a company that didn't even bother to contact you regarding your interview or next steps? Too many companies will just literally ghost you, and you will be stuck waiting for a good week or two before its 'safe to assume' you didn't get the job.

 

[OldSolduer]

Your not wrong, I mean, even before COVID-19 had begun, a new trend had started to take place. Ghosting...... Are you suppose to send a thank you to a company that didn't even bother to contact you regarding your interview or next steps? Too many companies will just literally ghost you, and you will be stuck waiting for a good week or two before its 'safe to assume' you didn't get the job.

I was ghosted by my own employer on two occasions.

 

[daftandbarmy]

I was ghosted by my own employer on two occasions.

 

[RangerRay]

I was ghosted by my own employer on two occasions.

Sounds like my employer...

 

[CBH99]

Pensions in the private sector are basically all defined contributions if they are there at all now.

It mainly comes down to how you manage your money. For example if I work to 65 where I am at I shall receive a pension of about 1/3 my annual income. The Company pays about 2.85$ a hour worked into the pension and thats it for us. So the result is I need to save more money for retirement than a public sector employee would.

I have family members who have retired with full CF pensions and have squandered it all, living pay cheque to pay cheque (the only fortunate thing being those cheques are consistent). But receiving 70% of your income made well in the CAF is a fantastic thing and certainly a lot more than most receive for retirement.

Being reliable, down to earth, able to operate independently in a way that represents your employer well, while also saving them money or minimizing liability - golden qualities right there.

Some of it may be somewhat trade dependant, but I’ve noticed certain traits or qualities in people that somewhat give them away as ex-military. Being able to formulate a plan & execute on the plan in a way that represents the employer Welk, is one of those qualities.

having them point with their whole hand, tell me to “standby”, or “Let’s get you squared away” are all solid giveaways too

 

[mariomike]

Being reliable, down to earth, able to operate independently in a way that represents your employer well, while also saving them money or minimizing liability - golden qualities right there.

minimizing liability

Never, NEVER, admit the department has done anything wrong.

 

[CBH99]

Never, NEVER, admit the department has done anything wrong.

I actually hate that one LOL I made that mistake quite early on when I was hired with SOLGEN, and boy did I learn to never do it again