Suitable Jobs for Military Spouses

 Jobs for Military Spouses

If you’re a military spouse you are likely to move more often than you would like to, and because of the frequency with which you relocate places, it is often difficult to find a job that you like and can keep doing it when your spouse is reassigned to a different base. Many military spouses either wish to work to stay busy or to supplement their spouse’s income. know the suitable jobs for military spouses.

It is not easy for a military spouse to do a job in the long run.  The traditional career opportunities require the employees to work from a specific location making it hard to maintain jobs for military spouses. Despite being highly educated, military spouses holding college degrees face a higher unemployment rate. Flexible jobs can provide calm in the ever-changing life of military spouses.

Common Struggles in Military Spouse Employment

Military life challenges create obstacles in the career of military spouses and make it hard to do what they want, whether it is going to school or working. They are subjected to so many different hurdles to pursue their careers.

  • Frequent Relocation

The most common struggle in military spouse employment is moving often. A military family will probably move on every three to four years. A military spouse needs to have a job that can travel with them and be a constant in an inconsistent environment.

  • New to job

The feeling of starting a new job in a new place, leaving behind a job in which you are in a place of seniority makes it difficult for the military spouses. While it can be frustrating to start over again after moving to a new state or country, finding new creative ways to continue your career from place to place is always a good option.

  • Jobs for Military Wives on Base

If you think you can’t get a job on a military base unless you join the military, then you should look around because there are many jobs that you can apply for. There are services that military spouses have access to and that will help you find a job. The available jobs for military wives on base can vary according to the exact base that your spouse is on.

The exact positions available will depend on the branch of the military that your spouse is in and the available positions might also depend on the base. For instance, if your spouse is a part of the Air Force, the best job to acquire will be in a retail store on the base.

  • Government Jobs for Military Spouses

Being a military spouse, one of the problems that you might face when working for a public corporation is getting a lateral transfer within your company. Many times, you might have to take a job that pays less or of a lower status.

The best government jobs for military spouses are those that enable them to remain flexible in case of relocation or deployment and should also be available at the bases the family moves to.

As stated in usajobs.gov(1), federal agencies can use the military spouse noncompetitive hiring process to fill positions on either a temporary or permanent basis.

You’re eligible if you are

  1. A spouse of an active duty member in any of the armed forces.
  2. A spouse of a service member who is 100% disabled due to a service injury.
  3. A spouse of a service member killed while on active duty.

Note: You are no longer eligible in case you remarry.

Moreover, your eligibility does not entitle you to a job in the Federal Government and you must still apply and meet qualification standards and additional requirements if needed.

  • Suitable Work from Home Jobs for Military Spouses

One of the biggest benefits of work from home jobs is that you’re able to continue to work for a company in the same capacity even if you need to relocate for your spouse’s military job.

You can try your luck in being a customer service representative also.  Quite a few companies have outsourced the customer service positions to home-based jobs. Companies like Aetna, Amazon, Capital One, Convergys, Dell, Hilton, Humana, etc offer work from home jobs for military spouses.

However, your employer will have a firm expectation of you when you work from home like having a quiet work environment, working on a set schedule and much more.

  • Independent/Contract Remote Jobs for Military Spouses.

Enjoy doing freelance work for companies in the comfort of your home. There are many remote jobs for military spouses and all you need is to take a look at your skills and have an internet connection.

You can write marketing material contents such as banners, posters, pamphlets, brochures, etc. Businesses these days need photography for online publications and some companies will pay you to take photographs.

  • MyCAA – Scholarship Program for Military Spouses

Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts (MyCAA) is a career development and employment assistance program sponsored by the Department of Defense’s (DoD), Spouse Education and Career Opportunities (SECO) program. It helps in pursuing licenses, certificates, certifications necessary for gaining the best jobs for military spouses.

It offers up to $4,000 to eligible military spouses for career training. Spouses of active-duty Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine or National Guard/ARG service members in pay grades E1-E5, O1-O2 and W1-W2 are qualified for MyCAA.

Bottom Line

A military spouse has more professional hurdles than an average individual who stays put in one place, but that shouldn’t stop you from pursuing your career. With your passion, goals in mind and expertise, you can have a rewarding career no matter where you are located.