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Why are you passionate about helping military spouses find careers?
Military spouses bear the brunt of the responsibility for their families. They are regularly forced to single parent while living in fear that this will become a permanent arrangement, and they live half their lives away from their spouses. If that wasn’t sacrifice enough, their careers take a hit. The most recent statistics stated that 20 percent of military spouses were unemployed or underemployed — and that’s only the ones who are still in the job market, it doesn’t consider those spouses who have chosen to be a stay-at-home-parent or who have given up on finding work. That’s 20 percent of people (mostly women), who are looking for meaningful work and can’t find it. That’s insane!
I look at my own life and the skills and benefits my work has given to me: confidence, communication, friends who have nothing to do with my home life, a place to be challenged and grow independently of my family, diversity of opinions to be exposed to and learn about the way others see the world.
There’s value in a professional network and military spouses don’t get the opportunity to build those networks in one town for very long. It hinders their abilities to be seen as valuable assets in an organization. I understand that employers want consistent employees and the inevitability of a move for a military spouse is daunting, but I believe it’s time for employers to open their minds to different options.
With proper management, most jobs today can be conducted remotely. Employers mindsets need to evolve to believe that a spouse being moved to a new duty station doesn’t have to end their employment with them. Rather, employers should look at the talent they have in front of them, hire for skills and value, and then problem solve when the time comes for a PCS. If the spouse has been a valued employee, give them a laptop and a landline and make it work — you save money on office space and keep a very satisfied and loyal employee.
We have a responsibility to the families of our warriors and that doesn’t stop at saying, “Thank you for your service” two days a year.
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What is your best advice to a military spouse who is feeling discouraged with the job hunt?
My best advice centers around the conversation about the word courage. Courage isn’t being not afraid. It’s looking at what you’re afraid of, and doing it anyway. That’s how we get stronger and more resilient.
Take responsibility for making the best of the situation you find yourself in. Write down all the ways you can (and want to) bring value to an organization, then get creative. Are there companies nationwide that you’re interested in working for? Can you connect to their hiring managers through LinkedIn and begin showing your value to possibly get a remote position? Are there ways you can freelance? Perhaps you can offer your services to entrepreneurs on a limited basis and grow yourself a freelance business. Can you coach others to success in your career field and become a coach or trainer in that field? There are a thousand ways to get creative (and so many military spouses have already done so). Does this solve the problem for all spouses? Certainly not. But it does help move us forward and make progress.
