HOW TO REBRAND YOURSELF AS A MILITARY SPOUSE IN TODAY’S JOB MARKET
Military spouses sacrifice beyond measure in more ways than one – both personally and professionally. Military spouses, by and large, are an incredibly talented and educated demographic. As such, they should be viewed as assets to employers and their professional networks versus liabilities. Unfortunately, however, for some military spouses, they feel as if their military affiliation is viewed as a “scarlet-letter” of sorts on their resumes.
For this piece, we have tracked down and compiled several excellent, trusted resources for military spouses to turn to when they are seeking employment. Check them out!
Know the Key Facts
Being well versed in data points of military spouses in the work force is a great way for spouses to arm themselves with information that can set themselves apart while job seeking.
Read through these carefully curated facts regarding the military spouse demographic to arm yourself with information that will set you apart in any interview setting.
Knowledge is power, and it is with this knowledge that spouses can amplify their marketability by highlighting ways in which they are unique from the standard applicant in today’s workforce.
To summarize, we know that:
- The military spouse contingent is massive in size. In the present day, there are over one million military spouses, and more than 11 million spouses of Veterans.
- Military spouses are just as qualified as their civilian counterparts. In a recent study, 76% of military spouse respondents reported possessing a Bachelor’s degree, or higher.
- Military spouses are excellent multi-taskers. In a recent study conducted by Syracuse University, when sampling 6,200 military spouses, despite juggling multiple responsibilities, 75% reported feeling confident in their ability to handle problems.
5 Tips to Help You Navigate Today’s Tough Job Market
Tip #1: Leverage Your Vast and Expansive Network
As a military spouse, chances are your networks, both personally and professionally, are larger than you even realize.
Take some time combing through your LinkedIn connections, and don’t be afraid to send personal messages asking those in your network for advice, introductions to contacts, mentorship, and support.
Tip #2: Highlight Your Transferable Skills
Did you and your family face an overseas move that required you to step away from a career you had while stationed stateside? That’s OK!
How did you spend your time while abroad? Did you teach English to young children where you lived, volunteer in a leadership role on base or with your spouses group, coach a team, etc.?
Be sure to highlight these experiences you have had that equate to excellent transferable skills which are sure to add value in any role.
Tip #3: Revamp Your Resume
If you are in a rut and want to revamp your resume, be sure to turn to our piece sharing how to easily level up your resume.
Tip #4: Consider Contract or Temporary Work
Many employers, specifically those that offer remote work, offer contract or temporary roles that can be a great fit for military spouses.
Oftentimes, these can organically grow into a greater opportunity, if both the employer and the employee feel the setup is a good fit.
Tip #5: Join Local Spouse Clubs and Organizations
This should go without saying, but if you have not yet plugged into your local spouse group or organization, now is the time to do so!
Aside from being a great resource for social gatherings, command events and more, spouse clubs are also a fantastic place to network and meet spouses with a plethora of different professional backgrounds.
Build a Career That Moves With You
While trying to rebrand themselves and secure meaningful work outside of the home, milspouses often face roadblocks along the way.
Actionable steps such as leveraging personal networks, honing in on transferable skills, revamping resumes, considering contract and/or temporary work, and plugging in with spouse clubs are all things that military spouses can do to amplify their marketability in today’s job market.
Military spouses in today’s job market should arm themselves with information regarding their marketable skills, as well as the unique attributes that they possess by virtue of being tied to a life of service.
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