Testimonials

"I was approaching the end of my 30 year career in the Met. I’d reached inspector and even a short spell as acting chief inspector. I’d worked in specialist roles, frontline policing, policy: a bit of everything really. I’d built teams, worked with very important stakeholders and represented UK policing abroad. I’d met royalty, Mayors, cabinet ministers and addressed a Parliamentary committee. I’d obviously passed a couple of rigorous promotion processes and I had plenty of interview practice on the easier side of the desk. In short, I wasn’t too concerned about finding a job in the real world outside of policing.

The trouble is, a lot has changed in those 30 years. We’ve become used to blind application processes but out there it’s about who you know. Or perhaps who your contacts know. LinkedIn is not just a website. It’s a whole ecosystem that you need to navigate skilfully.

“Apply using your CV and cover letter”. What should you say in the cover letter? Is it just “Please find attached my CV. I look forward to hearing from you“? Of course not!

There’s a lot of advice out there, and I consumed most of it. I paid someone to write my CV and was assured that I only need one CV, no matter how many jobs I apply for. It turns out that’s bad advice.

I was told I was a shoe-in for a role more senior than the one I applied for. When I was interviewed, I was told I wasn’t senior enough. In the meantime, the junior role had gone to another candidate.

It’s frustrating. No one tells you all the rules. Lots of people will take your money for seminars, CV writing and LinkedIn tuition. I should know. I used most of them! And I can recommend one person. Tom Pearson. Why Tom? He’s the only person I know who is leading UK recruitment for a high tech company and who used to be in the police. He’s seen both sides of the recruitment industry and very recently.

My other bit of advice? Don’t give up. Your dream job is out there if you work at it!

After 4 years as an analyst with the Met, I decided the time was right to move back into the private sector, having previously been a financial crime and group investigations analyst. However, progress was very slow – I really seemed to be hitting a brick wall.

Which is where Tom at After Police entered the scene.

Having reached out to several people on LinkedIn, and received some fairly good advice – I can honestly say the impact of Tom’s knowledge was instantaneous. He went through my CV, highlighted what was good and – most importantly – what had to change!

Anyone who has been at the Met for any length of time knows that about 80% of your workplace dialogue is made up of acronyms. Sadly, the only real use for this in the real world is smug self-congratulation for understanding what is being said while watching Line of Duty!

Tom pretty much translated my CV into a language that sold my abilities, skills and experience to the jobs I was applying for. The number of interviews I was getting shot up, and having hit the proverbial post a few times, I managed to find a role specialising in “citizenship via investment” applicant screening for various Caribbean countries.

Of course, it is up to you to carry the ball, but After Police will help immensely in taking those crucial next steps in your career.