4 Milspouse Employment Connections to Make After PCS
We’d just arrived at my husband’s new duty station, and my time was filled with getting kids settled into routines, figuring out housing, and completing all the miscellaneous, time-consuming tasks that go along with an overseas move. When our days in temporary lodging stretched into weeks, I decided to fill some of my empty hours with finishing an online editing course I’d put off. It ended up breathing new life into the remote work I’d started a couple years earlier, and I was happily surprised to have new jobs lined up before we even moved into our house. But, milspouse employment isn’t always that seamless.
As a military spouse, you’re aware that a perennial issue for our community is finding employment, whether it’s a part-time job or continuing your chosen career. (Get more details about the whys and what’s being done from organizations such as Blue Star Families.)
But it’s a new era for military spouses! MilitaryByOwner took an extensive look at the latest laws on professional licensing and entrepreneurial and transitional resources in Removing Barriers to Work: Updates on Military Spouse Licensing and Entrepreneurship.
The way ahead is brighter than ever before.
If you’ve also recently made a PCS move, you may be scrambling to find meaningful work and a little unsure about where to begin. Here are four amazing resources that can help you connect and find employment after a PCS.
1. Your Installation’s Army Community Service Office
It can be easy to overlook programs, mentors, and resources that are right in front of you. Stop by the Army Community Service office where you live or check online to see what career and education help they offer to military spouses. You might be surprised! Resources include:
- One-on-one career counseling
- Resumé writing help
- Job fairs
- Fundamentals of salary negotiation
- How to evaluate job offers
2. Department of Defense SECO
Spouse Education and Career Opportunities is the official DoD portal for military spouse employment and education. Use this powerful tool to build your individual career plan and goals, research careers, and take an assessment to determine your job skills. You can also search for scholarships, learn more about licensing and training for your chosen field, find a job through the Military Spouse Employment Partnership, and more! If you haven’t exhausted this resource yet, dive into this amazing, free site just for military spouses.
3. Resources for Entreprenuers
Interested in starting your own business? There’s so much out there for milspouse entrepreneurs these days. You’ll want to understand your state and local laws, get advice, or find support as you grow your business. Here are a few groups serving the military spouse entrepreneur/business owner community:
4. Connect with other Career-Minded Military Spouses
Networking is everything, but especially in the military world. Many of us (including me!) have found jobs through friend referrals. You may know someone who knows someone who’s looking for your exact skillset! Don’t discount the power of connections. Start with:
- LinkedIn’s Military Spouse, Military, and Veterans Program
- Hiring Our Heroes Career Spark
- MOAA’s Military Spouse Symposia “Keeping a Career on the Move”
- Military Spouse Corporate Career Network
There’s never been a better time to connect with resources and programs designed to help push your career goals forward. Whether you’re looking to transfer a professional license, start your own business, find remote work, or something else, there’s probably more information out there than you could possibly exhaust!
Looking for more help in your search for employment? Take a look at MBO’s Ultimate Guide to Military Spouse Employment.
By Jen McDonald for MilitaryByOwner
