Be Positive, Be Confident and Be Yourself – The McKinsey Insight Day

On Friday 21st June, the OA partnered with McKinsey to hold an insight day for serving and former military personnel to learn about the work they do and what it means to be a consultant. McKinsey also shared practical tips on the application process. Overview of McKinsey McKinsey & Company is a global management consulting […]

22nd August 2019

Research: The more information you have, the better decisions you make

Karen Munro is an independent Career Coach, passionate about working with clients to enable them to make informed career choices. With so many recruitment agencies out there and massive online recruiters like Indeed and TotalJobs, is it really necessary to research the job market yourself? Don’t they do all the hard work for you so […]

8th August 2019

Researching online for the right role

James Vangucci, Recruitment Manager for Tesco Technology, gives his top tips to help you find the right role… There are so many online platforms that claim to be the best place for job hunters, so it can be overwhelming, but there are a few key places to start.   Where to start?First of all, LinkedIn. […]

18th July 2019

3rd October 2019: OA Event – Project Management Workshop – Birmingham

With plenty of transferable skills and experience, many Service leavers transition into a successful civilian career in Project Management upon leaving the Forces. In this career-focused workshop, kindly hosted by Highways England, learn more about the realities of Project Management and how it has the potential to fit your career aspirations, exploring a variety of […]

3rd October 2018

What is the business value of your military leadership experience?

Will Hogg, a former Army Officer and founder of Kinetic Consulting, which helps businesses to improve performance, shares his insight into why more employers value veteran talent. Your military leadership experience is of critical value in the commercial sector, because you are trained to lead people in the most extreme situations to achieve complex objectives. […]

14th November 2018

“Don’t undervalue your Service skills”

Richard Graybrook is a former Army officer who has gone on to have a successful career in management consultancy. Here are his top transition tips. 1. Don’t put off leaving just because you don’t know what lies ahead My tip for anyone looking to begin his or her transition phase is don’t be put off […]

8th November 2018

How do You Get a New Job You Love?

John Lees, a leading career strategist, will deliver a keynote talk at the OA Officers’ Careers Forum in December. He has written several career advice books and thought leadership pieces for The Times and The Guardian. His latest book, ‘How To Get A Job You Love’, was a WHSmith Business Book of the Month. John […]

6th November 2018

Being a Former Officer Helped Sophie Win Bake Off

Sophie Faldo won the Great British Bake Off last year. As well as a baking champion, she is also a former Army Captain. Sophie spoke to the OA about her career and cakes. Why did you leave the Army? I left for a multitude of reasons: it was a good time and I had achieved […]

18th September 2018

Six Key Insights About Becoming a Project Manager

Matt Wright and Freddie Milne, former Army captains and FDM Ex-Forces Consultants, share their top transition tips and how FDM can support your career journey. 1. Networking Never network for network’s sake. Always have a purpose. 2. Decide what you want from your new role There are different factors to consider when choosing a role, […]

23rd August 2018

How FDM Group’s Ex-Forces Programme Helps to Bridge the Gap

In this webinar we speak with Matt Wright and Freddie Milne, who are both veterans and FDM Ex-Forces Consultants. They share their transition top tips and how FDM can support your career journey. Watch the webinar

7th August 2018

You’re The Best Person For The Job But Can You Prove it?

Belonging to a professional body can really help build your new career. Stephen Day, a former Army captain and now an Associate Director at WYG a professional services firm, shares how belonging to one can help. Being a member of a professional body helps give you credibility when applying for jobs. They are independent organisations […]

14th August 2018

Why the Best People for the Job Don’t Just Talk About Themselves

Interviews are sometimes daunting and it can be difficult to know exactly what an employer wants. Ben Gledhill, Head of Resourcing at Yodel, shares his thoughts on how to perform well. The key is to remain as calm as possible. You can prepare well for interviews, but if you are not relaxed then all the […]

6th August 2018

What Can You Learn from the England Team?

Football may not have come home, but everyone was impressed by England’s performance. Gareth Southgate’s team was young, confident, humble and driven, which could even score penalties! Here is why England was successful, and how you can copy some of its tactics. Adopt the right mind-set When Gareth Southgate was appointed manager he focussed on […]

20th July 2018

How to Job Hunt Effectively

Lisa Jones, an OA Career Consultant and former Army officer, shared her top career searching tips with BFBS Radio. Time Give yourself time, because it can often take six to eight months to find the right job. If you are a Service leaver, allocate time away from your current role. Create a schedule so you […]

21st June 2018

Three Steps for a Smoother Transition into a Civilian Career

There are many ways to get job ready when you leave the Armed Forces, but here are three effective approaches that worked for these former officers. Book an OA career consultation A career consultation is personal, being tailored to your requirements. It can help you identify suitable job roles, and the steps needed to achieve […]

3rd May 2018

Get Career Advice at CTP Employment Fair

The OA employment team will be helping Service leavers learn about their career options. Esme Dickson, OA Employment Services and Events Coordinator, will be there to show how the OA can support your transition journey. Esme delivers OA events in the region and is responsible for the OA network contact list. Clive Lowe, OA Career […]

16th April 2018

What Does a Good Employer Look Like?

You spend much of your time at work, so it is important you have a supportive and engaging employer.  In a recent webinar, Pete Liddle, OA Business Development Manager, spoke to Michelle Mook, Owner and Director of Pro-Development (UK) Limited, which helps organisations to improve employee, retention, morale, performance and productivity. Michelle discussed how good employers effectively […]

12th April 2018

What does a ‘Good’ Employer look like?

The OA are often approached by officers who are seeking a good quality employer with their secondary consideration being what type of role or the sector they would like to work within. In this webinar we look at what a good employer is and how would you can find one. We are joined by Michelle […]

6th March 2018

What is it like to work for a charity?

In a recent webinar, Simon Allen, OA Chief Operations Officer, shared his experiences of working in the charity sector. Overview of the sector (Figures from the Charities Commission, covers England and Wales only) 167,000 registered charities 853,000 people work in the sector Combined annual income of £74 billion Majority (73%) are small (income < £500,000 […]

28th February 2018

How to research for a successful transition, by Lisa Jones

Lisa Jones is a Career Consultant at the OA. She shares her top tips on researching to find the right career after leaving the Armed Forces. Start Early The earlier you start the more time you will give yourself, and be able to do justice to your ‘reconnaissance’. There are so many opportunities out there, […]

8th February 2018