Don’t automatically dismiss what may seem like a step backward.
By Rachelle Chapman
Maybe this is the pandemic talking, but the 1980s have been everywhere lately. In between binging Cobra Kai and waiting for Top Gun: Maverick, do you ever think about those “Choose Your Adventure” books? If one mirrored my life, the chapter “Fell in Love with a Military Guy” would end with a conundrum: Status quo, or PCSing with him to a new city 3,000 miles away. Love won—it always does in your 20s—and I left my medical sales career in the ensuing dust. I needed a job.
My plan: Spend every afternoon knocking on doors in Washington, D.C., until I landed Dream Job #1: working on Capitol Hill. To finance my “real” job search, I started working as a “temp” at the staffing company Adecco*. I considered this job a pit stop, not a destination.
To my surprise, this “side hustle” opened unforeseen opportunities, and I found myself working full-time on Adecco’s Government Relations team. I spent the next two years working hard and building trust with senior leaders. When the company reorganized, these efforts paid off—the company let me create Dream Job 2.0: Creating career opportunities for military spouses.
For over 16 years, Adecco has stood beside me through my growing family’s six PCS moves—two overseas and four in CONUS—all while teleworking (yep, I was teleworking before it was cool). The program I’ve led has helped thousands of hard-charging military spouses navigate their career paths, polish their resumes, and set long-term goals. I’ve advocated spouses to hundreds of diverse companies and created upskilling opportunities to advance their careers. I’ve been endlessly inspired by our military spouse community’s collective adaptability, ingenuity, and resolve.
Straight talk: The pandemic’s unemployment tsunami did not spare the military spouse community. But fortunately, resilience is our thing and the business community is rallying around us now more than ever.
Over the past year, employers have learned that agility is a necessity not a luxury. My friends, you are exactly what companies need right now. You are nimble, collaborative, proactive, and curious.
For those of us who wish to resume pursuing fulfilling careers, let me also offer this: If a new career opportunity feels like a step back—in title, compensation, or scope—don’t dismiss it out of hand. Companies reward skilled, motivated employees—this will never change—and you will accrue the trust and connections to propel you forward in ways that won’t be obvious at the outset. Don’t succumb to inaction. Just start, work hard and surprise yourself with where it takes you. And if I can assist, let me know.
“Over the past year, employers have learned that agility is a necessity not a luxury. My friends, you are exactly what companies need right now. You are nimble, collaborative, proactive, and curious.”
*Company is a paid client in this issue.
