U.S. Navy Lt. j.g. Peter Goodman greets his wife during a homecoming ceremony for the guided-missile frigate USS Klakring in Mayport, Fla., July 29, 2009. DoD photo by Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Gary B. Granger Jr.
By Elaine Wilson, AFPS
Aug. 17, 2009
A good friend of mine was a military spouse for nearly 20 years. She followed her husband from coast to coast, stateside to overseas, with their five children in tow. With each move, she would start a job search from scratch, hoping to find work that would, at the least, add to the family’s holiday fund. It wasn’t until after her husband retired that she scored a government job and finally hit her career stride.
My friend’s story is a common one among military families. Frequent moves call for frequent job changes, but the resultant job hopping can have resume-wrecking results. Plus, advancement can be tough when you’re always the newbie on the job.
A military lifestyle may seem to be putting a temporary crimp in your career aspirations, but don’t quit climbing that career ladder just yet. Military spouses have an endless array of opportunities customized for their particular challenges.
One of the newest of these opportunities may interest military spouses seeking a federal job. Starting Sept. 11, some military spouses may be quickly hired for federal jobs without going through the usual competitive process. Among those eligible are spouses of active-duty servicemembers who have been called on to relocate.
The new hiring authority will enable spouses to be hired noncompetitively, but they still have to meet the job-qualification criteria, and the use of the rule is at the discretion of the hiring agencies.
Read more about it:
Quick Hire of Military Spouses Starts in September http://www.defenselink.mil//news/newsarticle.aspx?id=55492
Some military spouses have set aside a more traditional career pursuit for the portability of a creative career. A knack for hair-cutting or pet grooming, for instance, may be the ticket to a mobile, yet profitable business.
I’d like to hear about your military spouse success stories. Do you have a talent that translated into a business, or have you found job success despite frequent moves? If so, share your stories.
In the meantime, here are some job-search resources:
– The Defense Department’s My Career Advancement Account, https://aiportal.acc.af.mil/mycaa/default.aspx, provides employment, career, education and training, counseling and financial assistance for military spouses worldwide.
– The Military Spouse Corporate Career Network, www.msccn.org, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to placing military spouses in jobs. You can apply for jobs and submit your resume online. When you know you are moving, the site will help you find job opportunities in your new location.
– MilSpouse.org, www.milspouse.org, is sponsored by the Defense Department and the Department of Labor, and is dedicated to the topic of military spouse employment.
– USAJobs, www.usajobs.com, offers listings of all available government jobs. You can submit your resume and apply online.
Hi, I’m in my 15th year as a military spouse. As a professional with an advanced degree I can honestly say that the first ten years were extremely hard on my career. In fact, I had resigned myself to the idea that my wife had a career – I had jobs in between periods of unemployment. On my best days I handled that situation with grace. On my worst days it was a was a festering resentment.
In 2003 we PCS’d [permanent change of station] to NAVSTA [Naval Station] Guantanamo Bay. My expectation was that GTMO [Guantanamo] represented the final nail in the coffin of my career plans. However, within weeks of arriving there it became apparent that I had skills and experience that were very much in demand. Ultimately I was the Program Manager for a $12m contract with 24 people under my supervision. The specific experience I gained, and the clearances I acquired have led directly to GS [General Schedule] position back here in the states.
As a ’seasoned’ professional I can look back and realize that the breadth and width of my experiences, forced as they were by a Nomadic lifestyle, are a real asset to me. But it was a long hard slog getting to a point where I could truly make it work. To other spouses, be flexible, be patient, don’t put unnecessary pressure on yourself by attaching your self worth to your job, and just hang in there. You never know when you’ll catch a break!
Dave: Thanks for your comment. I think your experiences will serve as an inspiration to others who are facing the same career challenges. I’m sure military spouses often get discouraged when their career plans are put on hold or set aside to follow a military member, but you serve as a reminder that the experiences and knowledge military spouses gain can be put to good use in the workplace. I’m glad you were able to turn your varied experiences into a long-term position. Best of luck to you!
For military spouses seeking a job, visit the Defense Department’s My Career Advancement Account at https://aiportal.acc.af.mil/mycaa/default.aspx. The site offers help with career, education and training, as well as counseling and financial assistance.
–Elaine
I would agree with Dave because it is very difficult to find work being a military spouse. It is hard when you are dropped in the middle of nowhere and the only jobs are service- like retail, restaurants, food stores, mini marts and they only pay low wages and low hours per work. It is hard because you have a college degree and was working in your field before you married a military person; but now your career is no where to be found. It does question your worth when you can’t contribute to your household and feel that your skills & education are being used. And there’s no one out there to help you with career services. You are over qualified to do many of the services jobs that helped pay for college. So you try to hide your education to get a job. It is very sad because you support your husband in his service to our country and his advancements in his career and you wonder what about me!!!!
Kim: You’re absolutely right. Spouses sacrifice a lot to support their servicemember and it’s very difficult to balance that support with career progression. But the Defense Department is trying to help. The military has carved out career opportunities for spouses and also offers education and training to help set them on the right path. For starters, check out the Defense Department’s My Career Advancement Account at https://aiportal.acc.af.mil/mycaa/default.aspx. This site provides employment, career, education and training, counseling and financial assistance for military spouses worldwide.
–Elaine
That’s great, I never thought about Spouse Work Opportunities Increase like that before.
Everyone is right. I’ve had to put aside many things that I would like to do for myself in order to support my husband’s career and care for our kids. It can get very frustrating especially when you have to pass up opportunities that you know you’re qualified for and could, under “normal” circumstances, succeed in. I”ll keep moving forward and because I know that my time will come….eventually.
Hi My husband is about to enter the Army. What questions should I ask him or his recruiter to make sure that our daughter and I are taken care of.
Chukita:
The military provides amazing benefits for families, including health, life and dental insurance; education and spouse employment assistance; access to commissaries and tax-free base stores; and low cost, high-quality child care. Is your husband entering the active duty, Reserve or Guard? If he’s joining the active duty, you will be living on or near an installation with all the facilities you will need nearby. If he’s Reserve or Guard, you may want to check with the recruiter to see where the nearest installation is so you can access military services. If you’re not near one, you may want to find out about the types of online services you can use. If your husband deploys — whether active duty or reserve — you want to make sure you’re aware of the military support systems you can use in his absence.
As for online resources, Army.com (http://www.army.com/) has extensive information for spouses. Once he’s joins, visit MilitaryOneSource.com (http://www.militaryonesource.com). This site includes information on every aspect of military life as well as 24/7 consultants to help you with any question you may have. I hope this helps. If you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to write in again.
–Elaine
I’ve been married a year and we’ve already moved to my husband’s new duty station. I’ve had a very hard time leaving my GS 11 job in California to come to Hawaii where there really are no jobs to be found. Even looking locally its difficult. I went to a temp agency and they really had no work and did not know what my masters degree was about. I’ve applied through Priority Placement for federal jobs and have not heard anything. I show up on “certs” as highly qualified. However, I never get called for the job. I am assuming the jobs posted were initially set up for someone local already that is already in the system. Is there anywhere else I can look in the meantime? Any tips for job hunting in Hawaii?
Be patient, don’t put unnecessary pressure on yourself by attaching your self worth to your job, and just hang in there. You never know when you’ll catch a break