Success Stories

We are delighted that FFJ employer One Eighty has found several new employees through our site, here's Sian's story:

"I applied for the position as a call operator just over two years ago via the Forces Families Jobs website. Having moved around with my husband every two years and always having to find a new job that would fit around us relocating and childcare I was hoping this job would fit around the military life.

Having interviewed for the position and being offered the job I couldn’t have asked for more. Working from home has ensured that I am there for my family and given me job security. I started off working part time and as a call operator and eventually took on a full-time position working weekdays 5pm-1am. I work within a small team taking calls out of hours for clients and dealing with emergency situations.

After putting in the work I was promoted to the Out of Hours supervisor position, which I enjoyed immensely. The people I work with are great, helpful, friendly and the management team also understand the pressures of being a military partner and how disruptive it can sometime be.

I have recently been promoted to Helpdesk Manager, I am so proud of how far I have come. I always thought that being a military spouse meant I would be looking for work every few years and would never be settled in employment, but I have and the company I work for have provided that for me."

 

Meet Melissa, a military wife living in Catterick:

"My husband currently serves in the armed forces at Catterick Garrison. We moved here in 2022. We have two children who both have additional needs which had caused an eight year gap in my resume as I spent this time looking after my children. I searched and applied for multiple jobs when I moved to Catterick but found some employers were not too accommodating around my husband's work schedule. As a military wife we have a lot of obstacles to jump when it comes to finding a career for ourselves.

Then after months of searching I came across the advert on Forces Families Jobs for an OOH position that was work from home – with everything supplied. I had applied for the position via the link and just a few days later I was having an interview. It was a massive relief to find that this was a military friendly company that really did want to make life easier for people like myself.

I have now been with the company for about 15 months, I have found not only a job but a career path (which is a dream for most military wives) I am being put through for a level 3 business administration course and being trained to do multiple things for different departments of the company. I now have an even better family/work life balance, I can rely on the company being accommodating and supportive to any issues that may arise.

What would I say to those fellow military wives?

Keep searching, you will find something when the time is right for you. There are employers out there that are big on giving military spouses a chance to shine and be more than just a spouse or parent. I would 100% recommend keeping a look out on the Forces Families Jobs site for jobs and if you come across the company One Eighty, apply as soon as you can. You will find such understanding and amazing people within the company and will not be disappointed."

 

Leanne

See what Leanne has to say about her employment journey as a military spouse:

 

Zoe

Meet Zoe, a military spouse who has just moved back from overseas to the UK and found her new job using Forces Families jobs:

How did you hear about FFJ?

When working as the Community Liaison Officer in Norway a few members of the community were looking for employment. When searching through websites and social media platforms I came across FFJ.

Did you find FFJ easy to use?

Absolutely – it’s great that you can edit the location and use keywords. This made it so simple when searching for remote and part-time work.

How important do you think FFJ is for military families?

It’s really important as many forces spouses and dependants now want to work and moving around with the Service person can make finding a job difficult.

How does FFJ differ from other employment websites?

For me it was the confidence of knowing that the employers were forces friendly and understood why I had changed jobs every two years and had gaps in my career where I have been living abroad.

What advice would you give to other spouses who are also having difficulties finding work?

Perseverance – everything happens for a reason, the right job is out there! I would also advise other spouses to tailor their CV to the jobs they are applying for and highlight the strengths that go with the job description.

Would you recommend FFJ to your friends?

Absolutely, I already do – it’s easy to use with a wide range of jobs!

Is there anything that FFJ should do differently?

Maybe add a tick box for remote working so it’s easier to find jobs that can be done from home as lots of people, especially spouses, are looking for jobs they can move with. However, I used the search bar, and it worked just as well.

  

Naomi 

Naomi, military spouse, found her new job on Forces Families Jobs, here's what she had to say:  

How did you hear about FFJ?

I read an article in Army & You, which mentioned FFJ, and I thought it would be a great resource for me in my job hunt so I went to the site to have a look. 

Did you find FFJ easy to use? 

I found it very easy to use, as the job search is similar to other sites I had used before. I used the advanced search to look for the part-time roles that I wanted, and I set up job alerts to email me the details of new vacancies. 

How important do you think FFJ is for military families? 

Maintaining employment as a spouse can be a challenge through relocations, but it was important to me that I had my own work, and brought in an income, and I think lots of spouses feel the same. 

How does FFJ differ from other employment websites?  

I had confidence applying to jobs advertised on FFJ, as I knew that employers had already considered military spouses’ unique situations and were supportive. 

What advice would you give to other spouses who are also having difficulties finding work? 

Follow accounts like Forces Families Jobs and Military Coworking Network on social media, as they post great information about jobs, training, and opportunities.  Doing an online course or volunteering can be a good way to improve your CV if, like me, you have a gap in your employment. 

Would you recommend FFJ to your friends? 

I would, and already have! 

Is there anything that FFJ should do differently? 

The more employers that FFJ can bring on board the better, to maximise the opportunities for spouses.

 

Natalie 

We are delighted to introduce you to Natalie, a military spouse who used Forces Families Jobs to find her current role. When her previous employer restructured due to COVID-19, Natalie was made redundant after 15 years of employment.

She explains: “Being made redundant was scary and I didn’t know what my future looked like. I’d worked for the same company for many years and the employment space was a tough one. I wasn’t sure how I was going to make myself stand out and find an employer that would consider my position as a military spouse.” 

From her time volunteering in the military community, she knew about FFJ and started her job hunt using the site, which she describes as “easy-to-use and straightforward to navigate.”

Natalie explained that her new role has given her family the financial stability that they lost through her redundancy and enabled her to move into a new industry, which affords her a better work-life balance. 

Her advice to other military spouses who are looking for work is: “Go for it – you have nothing to lose! Sometimes it can feel like you have lost your identity and are ‘just’ the spouse, but FFJ really can give you the opportunity and support to find a career that you might once have thought was out of your reach. FFJ makes it easier to access companies who are already aware of the determination, versatility, loyalty and commitment that military families can offer.” 

 

 

Megan 

Megan Green, a military spouse living in Germany, secured her new job with Forces Families Jobs.

Here's her story:

Before you signed up for FFJ, can you tell us about any issues or challenges you had in the past with finding work? 

Especially when we arrived over here, I’d applied for a school job but it didn’t quite work. The application didn’t get seen in time for the deadline, and it was just a case of trying to find a job that worked around my son to help us out a bit and get him into nursery.  

How did you hear about FFJ? 

I heard about it from the coffee morning and also through Facebook as well so for about a month I’d sat with the website ready to go.  

How easy did you find it to use? 

It’s actually quite easy. There’s a search bar and all you’ve got to do is type in your area, so I typed in Sennelager and the NAAFI job came up. It was straightforward to click on the job, and it would tell you the job description, and then clicking the apply button and you went through the system, registering and adding you CV, and that was it, it was done. I sent it, and then it was fingers crossed waiting to hear about the job. Applying was really straightforward, it took about 5 to 10 minutes.  

How did it compare to your previous experience of applying for jobs here? 

It’s definitely a lot easier than doing it any other way. 

What does getting a job mean to you? 

Getting a job was to get me out and about, getting me working again as I’d spent nearly two years not working. It also meant I could get my son into nursery, which has helped him a lot and it gives us that extra stability of being able to pay the bills. It just makes our family life a lot better because we’ve got two incomes coming in rather than just relying on one to do everything.  

What top tips would you give people who are looking for work here? 

Have a look on FFJ to see if there are any jobs, and also speaking to other people. It’s just a case of listening out.  

How did the employer (NAAFI) support you through the application process? 

They were amazing – it was straightforward and they were very helpful.  

Would you recommend that people consider other employment? 

I definitely would. This is a completely different job for me and I’ve enjoyed it. It’s been smooth, the bosses have been really helpful. It’s something I would definitely recommend to give you a different skill set from what you’re used to if that type of  job is not available. It’s definitely worth it.  

What’s the best thing about your job?

In the mornings it’s nice to have a chat with everyone, it’s just a nice start to the morning. 

 

 

AnnMarie

‘I found it hard to get interviews and found when I did employers couldn't be flexible enough with regards to childcare when my husband goes away. I spent 18 months applying for jobs and eventually gave up until I met Lucy and Wendy from NFF. They reminded me about Forces Families Jobs and showed me the positives about being a military wife and how these can translate to my CV.'    AnnMarie, Royal Marines spouse 

We’re delighted to be able to share AnnMarie’s story of how she found work as a teaching assistant at a school in Dundee through Forces Families Jobs.

We asked her about the challenges of finding work, how she found the process of using the site, what getting a job means to her, whether her new employer has been understanding of the military lifestyle and what advice she has for other spouses. 

See what she has to say...and please share your success stories with us too.   

 

Vasemaca

Vasemaca (Pase) Manu, a military spouse, secured a job with Valo Ltd through FFJ.

Did you have any previous challenges when looking for work?

I had been working for a big bank before I moved to Northern Ireland. When I moved, I was transferred to a different bank, owned by the previous bank, as they did not have any community banking opportunities in Northern Ireland.  The transition was great, and my employer was incredibly supportive.

However, I was struggling with my husband being away lots, managing three kids and working every Saturday.  It was beginning to be difficult and stressful to balance work and life, so I decided to look for something new which could be more suited and flexible to the life that we led as a military family.

Normally, I register myself with sites like REED and Indeed to find work. 

 

Where did you hear about FFJ?

I received Army&You magazine and that’s when I saw an article on Forces Families Jobs.  I thought I would have a look and see, and I also saw a post on Facebook about it and wanted to find out more.

At the time my husband was due to be posted to Aldershot in the next three months. The role I applied for was to cover anywhere in southern area, and even though I was not in that location, I thought I would give it a go anyway. The day that I submitted my application, I received an email from the director that evening saying that he was interested. This was then followed up by a call the following day. 

How easy was FFJ to use?

I explored the site, and it was so easy.  Everything was laid out, including all the options that were available to me.  It was very easy to navigate for jobs and it was very transparent. All the information that I needed as a military wife and job seeker was right there. 

I was able to select jobs that would work well for me as a wife, mother and a student.  The vacant positions highlighted exactly what was required of the applicant and I could easily identify with that.  Particularly for this post with Valo, it was relevant to my work experience and personality. 

Additionally, FFJ was incredibly straightforward to use and offered lots of flexibility.

How did Valo Ltd support you?

They were incredibly supportive.  They believed in me during my initial telephone conversations with them (phone interview).  I was very surprised to receive a further phone call from them advising me that I was invited to a face-to-face interview and that the company was willing to pay for my travel costs from Northern Ireland to Croydon a few days later.

I was upfront straight away and explained my situation, where I was living, the fact that I was due to move in the next couple of months and stated that I was willing to relocate with my husband to his next posting.  I think their understanding of military life was incredible and their also their foresight in believing in the business opportunity that can be derived from such a partnership.

What was the interview process like?

I was made to feel very comfortable, though I was a bit daunted at first.  The team was very welcoming and wanted to know everything about my background to gain an understanding of me and my family.  I was competing with others who were much more experienced, but Valo chose me even though I was a foreigner – that spoke volumes for me also.

Once I had been offered the role, Valo was able to adapt the training process to deliver this virtually for me whilst I was in Northern Ireland.  They are very flexible, and I now have so much more time with my family, and I do not have to work weekends.  The team is very close-knit and incredibly supportive of each other. From the first point of contact throughout the entire process, I was overwhelmed by how accommodating they were. 

I am so blessed. If it wasn’t for that first stage of finding the article in AFF’s magazine, I wouldn’t be here, working alongside my husband, spending more time with my kids with so much less stress.  What I really value is that everyone treats you like family, with a manager who leads you but who also understands you and the challenges that you face as they have also lived this life.

I am now looking forward to not having to change roles as I am planning on staying with Valo for the long term. 

What advice would you give to other spouses who are also having difficulties finding work?

I’d say, go for it, if you don’t ask, you don’t get!

So, if you are a career person, the numerous options and opportunities are out there.  Do not let anything stand in the way of you achieving your career goal.  There is help out there. Reach out and surround yourself with the right people who will help you achieve your goals.