What Does Your Ideal Job Look Like?

John Lees, a leading career strategist and author of several career advice books, including ‘How To Get A Job You Love’, shares his career top tips. You need to identify what your ideal job looks like, and the steps required to achieve this. For example, what skills do you want to use, and do you […]

16th January 2019

The Three Steps to Your Career Success

Start 2019 by taking a smarter approach to your transition. We support thousands of officers in their move to civilian careers by providing careers advice, connecting them with job opportunities, employers and a network of industry experts. To help make your transition easier, we have produced a guide that encourages you to think about your […]

4th January 2019

How Do You Become a Non-Executive Director?

Jo Haigh is the CEO of FDS, a boutique corporate finance business, and is a highly experienced Non-Executive Director (NED). She outlines how to go from the frontline to the boardroom. A NED is not there to run the company, because they have no operational role. In fact, a poor NED interferes with the day […]

13th December 2018

We Are Not Damaged Says Minister and Veteran

Minister for Defence People and Veterans Tobias Ellwood MP says we must challenge false perceptions of veterans. Tobias Ellwood, a former Army officer, said: “That is a real challenge that we have, because too many people out there think because we served we are damaged.” The Minister made his comments at the Officers’ Association Careers […]

11th December 2018

Have You Considered Working for a Charity?

Meri Mayhew is the Charity Adviser to the Veterans Strategy. A former RAF officer, she is speaking at the Officers’ Careers Forum about working in the not-for-profit sector. Why should serving and former officers consider working in the not-for-profit sector? There are a wide range of opportunities available that are ideal for Service leavers, in […]

6th December 2018

New Data Dispels ‘Negative Stereotype’ About Veterans

A major new study released today by the Veterans Work consortium, reveals that military service is likely to improve your chances of finding employment. The study found that, contrary to what many believe, veteran employment rates at 81% are far higher than the national average of 75.5%. The report, titled ‘Veterans Work: Moving On’, surveyed […]

28th November 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

Highways England is Recruiting Former Officers

David Picton, Interim Executive Director for Commercial and Procurement at Highways England, outlines the opportunities available. Why is Highways England recruiting Service leavers? Highways England is growing because the country is undergoing its biggest ever investment in its roads. This investment delivery is in its first phase, running from 2015-2020, and will be followed by […]

12th 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

“Without doubt, networking is vital for a successful transition”

David Picton shares his career journey from RAF officer to Interim Executive Director for Commercial and Procurement at Highways England. Can you give me an overview of your military career? I served as an RAF officer for 20 years – starting out with sponsorship through my A-levels and degree (as a university cadet), before joining […]

2nd November 2018

Congratulations! They’ve Offered You the Job but Should You Say Yes?

Receiving a job offer means all your hard work has paid off and you have survived the toughest part of the job search – but now you must decide if this is the right job for you. Here are four things you could consider before accepting an offer: The organisation’s culture and its people Salary […]

22nd October 2018

Don’t Miss Out on This Year’s OA Officers’ Careers Forum

Gain better knowledge, more contacts and the confidence you need to pursue your new civilian career. At the OA Officers’ Careers Forum you will discover some of the opportunities available to transitioning and former officers, and be able to connect with industry experts. We can help you better understand how to successfully apply for civilian […]

16th October 2018

How Do You Use Social Media to Network?

Louise Chaplin is a Partner and Head of Board Practice at Eton Bridge Partners, which specialises in executive search and interim management. A former Army officer, Louise outlines the crucial role social media plays in the job market. Social media is essential for building a new career after leaving the Armed Forces. By using social […]

15th October 2018

It’s Cyber Security Month: Here’s How You Can Start Working in this Industry

October is European Cyber Security Month, which is the perfect opportunity to promote why it can be the ideal industry for veterans. Cyber security is an exciting and growing field. Serving and former officers have many skills and experiences the industry needs, including adaptability, leadership, resilience and teamwork. The OA has been helping organisations to […]

5th October 2018

How did you decide on your career after the military? We need to know more…

Knowing where in the UK employers are recruiting and where veterans are living will be a key highlight of a study now underway to provide a comprehensive understanding of the employment landscape for Service leavers. We are asking Service leavers to contribute their views and experiences to help build a data map on which the […]

1st October 2018

International Day of Charity is the perfect opportunity to talk about our work

We know that making the decision to leave the Armed Forces is just the start of your journey, so we provide support each step of the way from employment services to welfare and grants. We understand that making the decision to leave the Armed Forces is just the start of a transition journey but it’s […]

5th September 2018

Want to Work in Finance? Apply for this Opportunity with Citi.

Three Citi employees spoke to us about the Citi Salutes Graduate Programme, and how you can prepare for a successful transition into financial services. Jack Pile, a former Army officer, is currently on the programme, while Lucy Griffiths and Jessica Plant are from Citi’s HR Team, and are responsible for recruiting veterans to the programme. […]

20th August 2018

This Former Royal Navy Officer Became a Published Author in Less Than a Year

Mike Klidjian spoke to the OA about how he became a professional writer and his first novel Bluestreak. Tell us about yourself I joined the Royal Navy in 1999 as a warfare officer. Following basic training I was fast tracked into Fighter Controller training, before eventually becoming Flag Lieutenant to Admiral Boyce. Highlights of my […]

10th August 2018

BT Security is Recruiting Veterans

There are a range of roles available across the cyber security business. Cyber security is increasingly becoming the next career for many Service leavers. The growing industry requires people with a solid understand of security procedures and practice, who can work well under pressure, which are attributes that suit former officers. BT Security is expanding […]

9th August 2018

Half of Military Families Feel ‘Disadvantaged About Family Life’

According to a new Ministry of Defence (MoD) report, which surveyed more than 5,000 spouses and civil partners of regular trained Service Personnel In the UK Tri-Service Families Continuous Attitude Survey 2018, 50% of respondents said their family life was disadvantaged compared to the general public. 57% feel negatively about the amount of separation from […]

31st July 2018