Building a Remote Career as a Military Spouse

Remote work is taking over! The 2020 COVID pandemic, while disastrous, resulted in an undeniable increase in remote jobs – improving job security, flexible hours, and regional diversity. This offered career opportunities to often forgotten and underutilized job seekers, including military spouses!

Almost half of US Service members are people of color. In terms of racioethnic diversity, the military is one of the most diverse organizations in the United States. In a breakthrough study by Blue Star Families, it was reported that spouses of color have a greater need for two household incomes compared to white, non-Hispanic spouses and they experience significantly higher unemployment rates and lower earnings than their civilian counterparts. The bias against military spouses is often propelled by an employer's concern for longevity. It can be difficult for employers to feel comfortable in their staffing when there is a possibility of an abrupt move. This results in stunted careers, and less financial stability.

Military Lifestyle and Remote Work

Military Significant Others, or MilSOs, are no strangers to frequent moves. Remote work offers stability to a lifestyle that is often filled with uncertainty. Between moving, deployments, and training - being a MilSO requires a lot of patience and flexibility, and sometimes in-office jobs cannot offer that.

Getting the Job! Transferable Skills to Leverage in Resumes and Interviews

With the military lifestyle, it can sometimes be hard to identify how those skills can translate onto a resume. People often undersell their skills on their resumes and in interviews. The key to transferable skills is self-reflection and creativity. Stay-at-home mom? You can make that look great on a resume! MilSOs have so many transferable skills that are often overlooked.

• Adaptability: You change, you blend, and you adapt to any environment or situation the military throws at you.
• Management/Project Management: You are managing your household, planning unit gatherings, scheduling movers, and building a home from the ground up every time you have a permanent change of station (PCS). You are shuffling several projects at once. Put these skills on your resume.
• Networking: You’re moving every few years, making new friends, and meeting the important people at your new base. You have to start over every move.
• Organization and Efficiency: Managing home, finances, deployment, PCS, duty hours, etc. You have more to do, with less time. Military spouses understand how precious each minute of the day is.
• Diversity and Perspective: You have traveled the world and met people from places near and far. Your diverse perspective is valued and appreciated.

Work-Life Balance

Remote work dissolves many barriers facing MilSOs. Prioritizing work-life balance can be difficult when the military feels like your entire life. Work will come home with your spouse, that is absolute - but your work doesn’t have to come home with you. Determine your needs. Optimize your schedule and create a routine. Prioritize the non-work parts of your life.

Jopwell Has Your Six!

We understand the experiences you face as a person of color, as a military spouse, and as a human in the workforce. Jopwell helps you succeed at the highest level by offering career support in the form of a job board, networking opportunities, recruitment services, and a digital magazine full of career tips. Here are some helpful resources:

• Connecting with Cold Outreaches
• Resume and Cover Letter Tips
• Making Time For Time Management
• Jopwell Job Board

Military life is stressful enough. Jopwell aims to make your career search as seamless as possible. Don’t worry - you’ve got this!