JobOppO – Who, Why, What & Where?

When you sign up to JobOppO, you unlock more than an old school recruitment platform. You instantaneously become part of a thriving community that builds each other up and propels each other forward. Here’s what you should know about us, from our origin story to our take on veteran recruitment post-covid - and everything in between.

Our team have been there too

You might have spotted us using the phrase “founded by Ex-Military, to serve Ex-Military”. It isn't a fancy slogan that we threw together after a marketing brainstorm. It’s fact.

JobOppO was founded by Kayam Iqbal a veteran and former RAF Medic and Intelligence/ Language specialist. After being medically discharged with PTSD back in 2010 (having served for almost 12 years), he struggled to navigate the Military to Civilian life transition and felt there was no support in place. JobOppO was born out of a desire to do better. Kayam says:

“Unfortunately, back when I left the Military I found that the support wasn’t there. I was one of quite a few who slipped through the net.

I ended up selling scratch cards for Camelot. Never having a CV, that was the only employment I could get. It was heart-breaking. But, like most Military personnel, the resilience was there.”

Kayam’s personal experiences laid the foundations for JobOppO. We’re not simply a hub to help find your next role, but the go-to place for support, guidance and encouragement along the way.

We’re not your ‘average job board’

When our Sales & Operations Director, Chris Morris, came on board pre-launch he had an idea how things were going to go based on his expertise within the business development world.

But, what he learned - and fast - was that JobOppO was unlike any other job board he had encountered before.

“I’d worked with some notable recruitment platforms in the past [JobServe, Yell] and onboarding corporate clients had always been a big part of my day-to-day responsibilities.

But, as soon as I started talking to companies about JobOppO the reaction was completely different. I wasn’t talking about hiring a person to do a job, I was opening up a wider conversation about how valued the Ex-Military workforce are and the skills they can bring to a role.”

We work with like-minded companies and people

Our mission is to find our community the role, not a role. We’re selective about who we work with. We only post jobs from companies that align with our values and recognise the highly sought-after transferable skills that service-leavers and veterans possess.

On the other side of the coin, we also verify every profile before a candidate can apply to a role - this keeps our community closed and away from prying third-party eyes.

We do the background checks, compatibility tests and ask the right questions to everyone who signs up to our platform so that we can create a space that’s mutually beneficial.

We work with all service-leavers and veterans - indefinitely

There’s no expiration date. No minimum time served. No questions asked about why you left. All we want to know is if you have served in the British military. If you’re nodding along, you’re IN. It’s that simple.

Whether you’re thinking about transitioning soon or left a decade ago and are moving onto career path number three, JobOppO is available for all ends of the spectrum.

We continually give back to our community

If you’ve reached this part of the article, then you’ll know we’re straight-talkers and value action over grand statements. So, it should come as no surprise that we practice what we preach.

We donate 10% of our revenue to our chosen charity partner The OppO Foundation, which supports the Ex-Military community in all aspects of civilian life, from housing to health and wellbeing. The funding they receive goes towards life-changing projects and research into supporting the Military transition.

As well as financial support, we’re continually growing our educational resources for our community. Garrath Williams recently joined us from RBLI as Director of Veteran Engagement and Development. With a military background spanning 17 years (in both the British and Australian Army), he believes mentorship is part of JobOppO’s future plans.

“The community brings together like-minded individuals to help themselves and those around them - much like when in uniform. As well as learning together, once we are out on the other side and in a role we love, we can stay connected to the community to help others realise their potential.”

Want to find out more? Check our About Us page.