How to Choose a Career That Will Follow You

If you are a practical person (which I am certainly not, but for this article I will pretend to be) you should consider the following two things in your quest for employment:

• Is the position I am attempting to occupy a mobile one?
• Is the field I am attempting to occupy considered always-in-demand?

If you’re like me and have always wanted to be a writer and went to school on your husband’s GI Bill to get an MFA in writing, you probably already realize that writing is an ideal position for a milspouse. It may not be a lucrative career, but it is ideal since you can work freelance jobs in your pajamas in between changing diapers and packing for that next PCS move.

It can be tricky and frustrating to find freelance positions. There are many work-from-home scams, and you have to be extra cautious when applying. I got some freelance editing jobs on a website that was reputable, but admittedly, they do not give me as much work as I’d like.

But, I have received many jobs since then from happy referrals.

I impressed my first clients with my price and expertise, so they happily referred me to fellow grad students in need of editing assistance. For a freelancer, word-of-mouth advertising is often far better than a writing service. I basically help clients polish what they’ve already written and often help them cut words when they have a word length requirement. Of course, the great thing about these positions is they go wherever you have internet access. Once established, you can work as much or as little as you want. I also have time for creative writing.

You may also want to teach writing, which is also a very mobile field. Adjunct teaching positions are always in demand and often listed on university websites.

Other positions in writing which pay a bit more include technical writing, grant writing, copywriting, corporate communications, advertising, and marketing. There are many fields that use writing, and once you get a little experience in one, your resume will seem that much more appealing when scouting around for new jobs at your next installation.

If writing isn’t your thing, don’t fret! You still have many career options as a milspouse, and from my research, I’ll wager you actually have thirty more ways to draw a paycheck that will most likely surpass mine.

After reading this article, I was surprised at how many jobs are considered growing and in-demand.  And with more service members transferring their GI Bills to spouses, the sky is truly the limit. Don’t forget there is also the Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts to read up on, which you can find here.

So, I would say, while you should be practical in your quest to find a versatile career, don’t settle for a job you aren’t passionate about, for there are many choices, and practical visionaries should definitely dream big!