career decisions Archives -

“Find A Company Who Understands And Is Accommodating To Your Military Circumstances, And Then Hang On For Dear Life.”

By NextGen MilSpouse Staff Writer Leave a Comment

NextGen MilSpouse is going beyond traditional career tips and tricks for military spouses! We are sharing the real stories of working military spouses (just like you!) and their professional success stories on Wednesdays.

Name: Julianne Evans

Years as a military spouse:

Tell us your profession:

I am a Senior Manager of Product Marketing at PayPal Inc.

Is this full-time, part-time, hourly, contract or freelance work?

Full-time

How long have you been working in this career field?

Almost five years

Do you work in an office, telecommute from home (or Starbucks), or a little bit of both?

I work out of a home office in our apartment outside of Fort Bragg

Tell us one thing you love about your job.

For context, my husband enlisted at 33 years old with an 18x contract. Once he made it through SFAS, I moved down here to Fort Bragg.

PayPal is a truly inclusive company. I was working out of their Manhattan office before my husband entered the Q course. They were aware of his enlistment/training, and when I told them I needed to work remotely from North Carolina for a couple years, they made it happen for me.

Now I work out of a home office and travel about one week out of each month – sometimes more, sometimes less.

That’s a long way of saying: what I love about my job is the flexibility it brings.

What I love about my job is the flexibility it brings.

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How did you get this position? Was it a resume, referral, job fair? Spill your magic.

I gained this position with PayPal well before my military life started. I started with PayPal as a contractor five years ago and was hired full-time about six months after that.

How do you feel about failure?

It’s painful, but it’s the best way to learn and grow.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced while trying to maintain a career while living the military lifestyle?

Fearing that I am passed over for promotion because I work remotely. Having face time with executives is always a good way to be top of mind, and that is challenging when working out of a home office so far from a PayPal hub.

I fear I won’t be promoted because I work out of a home office.

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What is the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received? Tell us the worst too, while you’re at it.

Best piece of advice: Be on a constant quest to deepen your knowledge and understanding.

Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. If you’re prepared, you can walk through the door once it opens.

Worst piece of advice: “Why don’t you just get a good waitressing job?” – a family member to me while I was filling out graduate school applications

Who is in your support squad and what role do they play in supporting your career?

My mom, my sister, my best friend. They listen to me, let me bounce ideas off of them, and encourage me when I’m feeling alone and lost.

My spouse does his best when he’s around.

Do you and your spouse or partner split household tasks? How do you do it?

I mostly do everything because he is gone a lot.

When he’s home, we divide cooking and cleaning and home maintenance tasks. I’m lucky that my husband actually loves to cook.

Share your best life-hack for saving time or sanity during the work week.

I would say my No. 1 life-hack is knowing when your brain is the most active during the day and maximizing that. For me, it’s the morning. So I try to get all of my most complicated work done between the hours of 6 a.m. – 1 p.m.

After that, I do the stuff that requires less brain power.

Tell us one piece of tech you couldn’t live without that isn’t your phone.

My Outlook calendar.

What’s your favorite app for making the most of your day?

Spotify…classical music helps me to focus.

Must-have song on your productivity playlist?

anything Brahms

If you had an extra hour in your day, what would you do?

Read for pleasure!

If you were a superhero, what would be your super power?

To know when people are lying or telling the truth.

What is your No. 1 tip for a military spouse on the hunt for a job?

Find a company who understands and is accommodating to your military circumstances. And then hang on for dear life.

Are you a working military spouse? Do you want to share your career tips and tricks? Fill out the MilSpouses Who Work It Q&A today. Click here to complete our questionnaire.

Is The Juice Worth The Squeeze? Thoughts I Have As A Working Mom

By Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

by Alison Maruca, Guest Contributor

Before I had my children, I always assumed I’d be a working mom. It never crossed my mind to do anything else.

My husband and I both grew up with awesome working moms. My grandmother worked her entire adult life, raising four children during a time when it was uncommon for women to work outside the home.

I knew I wanted to follow in her footsteps.

When we found out that we were expecting our first son, my husband was in training to return to sea. An overseas PCS was on the horizon and before we even left the United States, I knew that job opportunities for military spouses were slim.

When we arrived in Yokosuka, I dove headfirst into volunteering, finished my master’s degree, and embraced the adventures of #lifeinjapan, all while toting around a happy baby boy.

Life could not have been more fun.

I volunteered a few days a week, happily dropping my son off at his Japanese preschool, commuting by bicycle. It was the perfect work-life balance. But amidst the girls’ trip to Bali, afternoons in Tokyo and volunteer hours logged at Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, I had a nagging feeling that I was missing out on work – like I was falling behind on my career.

I had a nagging feeling that I was falling behind on my career.

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‘I Was So Excited To Return To The Workforce That I Sacrificed So Much But I Felt Miserable’

When we received PCS orders to Norfolk, I thought, “this is my chance to get back in the saddle!” I began eagerly researching the Hampton Roads job market and applying for positions. Before we even left Japan I had a well-paying job lined up, ready to start merely weeks after stepping foot on American soil – it was perfect – just what I wanted.

After the initial excitement wore off, holy hell, I was miserable.

The job was terrible.

The commute was terrible.

It was all terrible. I was so excited to return to the workforce that I sacrificed so much, but instead of feeling great, I felt miserable.

Between the hustle to find child care for our son, commuting and battling traffic and doing most of it solo because of sea duty and pure hatred for my job, I was about to throw in the career towel completely. But I stuck it out because someone once told me,

“the best time to find another job is when you’re still employed.”

‘I Can Do This’

I found another job – a fantastic job that I loved and was passionate about. I had compassionate colleagues and leaders who understood the insurmountable weight on my shoulders of being a mom to a toddler, pregnant and a husband at sea.

I remember on the drive between daycare and my office, I’d sometimes turn up kick-ass, girl power music and envision myself as a working mom with two littles and a deployed husband, thinking to myself, “I can totally do this.”

On other days, I’d envision myself as the working mom with two littles and a deployed husband and I’d just cry.

While I had an amazing team at work, it was still incredibly hard to get through every single day from sun up to sun down. I fought to get out the door with lunches and book bags while keeping the dog in the house. I fought to buckle my kids in their car seats. I fought traffic from daycare to the office.

At the end of the workday, I fought it all again – only this time in reverse.

But the inevitable came while I was on maternity leave…PCS orders to Washington, D.C. (insert scary music here).

So I left my fantastic job before I had the chance to even give the whole “working mom of two with a deployed husband” gig a whirl. But it was OK because I thought to myself, “working in D.C. will be great!”

“Opportunities aplenty!”

“I’ll get back on track once we’re settled.”

I learned my lesson from our move to Norfolk: I needed to allow myself time to acclimate, transition and settle in before diving headfirst into a new endeavor. We’ve now been in northern Virginia getting settled and finding our way, all the while I’ve been searching, applying and interviewing for positions.

But now that my husband is on shore duty with a flexible schedule that allows us to maximize family time, I’m thinking about how to balance my career goals with my role as a mom.

‘I Can’t Afford To Work’

Trying to find and coordinate affordable child care is harder than I ever thought. I used to think that when moms said, “I can’t afford to return to work” it was an excuse to cover up the fact that they really wanted to stay home.

Now living in one of the most expensive and competitive cities in America, I can see their statements were so very true.

But, because we’ve just finished a challenging tour with lots of time apart and we know that in just a few short years we’ll be returning to the same environment, I’m not really sure that having two busy working parents is the best for our family.

Though there are lots of people fighting for military spouse employment and resources matching military spouses with awesome positions, being a working mom as a military spouse entails so much more than that of our civilian counterparts.

Some days I'm the happy working mom with a deployed husband thinking “I can do this!” On other days I'm the tired working mom thinking “Is this worth it?"

When daycare is closed, you gotta make it work.

‘Is The Juice Worth The Squeeze?’

I recently asked myself, “Is the juice worth the squeeze?”

With two kids needing child care, a salary just barely covering that care, having to coordinate schedules and not having the flexibility to maximize family time – I couldn’t see how it would all work.

With 2 kids needing child care, coordinating busy schedules and not having the flexibility for family time – I couldn’t see how it would all work.

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But I’ve come to terms with this and realized a few things.

There will always be jobs out there.
There will always be people who recognize good work when they see it.
It may feel like the clock is always ticking, there’s more to life than a job.

Related: Navigating The Military Child Care Challenge

I don’t think I’ll ever stop searching and applying for jobs. Thankfully, I have the luxury to make this choice. I wholeheartedly recognize that not all military families have that.

For the time being, I’ll pump the breaks a bit, enjoy my babies while they’re still babies and soak up as much family time as possible.

Want to read more from Ali? Start here.

Ali is a busy mom to two littles, an officer in the Navy Reserve and Navy wife. When not writing during naptime, coordinating preschool schedules or traveling for drill weekends, she enjoys running (crazy, right?), wine and date nights with her husband. And though she’s not working right now, she’s always on the search for the perfect job.

“As Military Spouses We Have To Create Our Own Opportunities.”

By NextGen MilSpouse Staff Writer Leave a Comment

Name: Stacie Husmann

Years as a military spouse:

Tell us your profession:

I own my own business, Cooking Thyme with Stacie.

Is this full-time, part-time, hourly, contract or freelance work?

Part-time

How long have you been working in this career field?

6 years

Do you work in an office, telecommute from home (or Starbucks), or a little bit of both?

I host my cooking classes in our home.

Tell us one thing you love about your job.

I love being able to share my joy of cooking and hospitality with others.

Being a military spouse and moving every two years can be difficult when trying to provide a happy home as well as nurturing relationships. I find that sharing a meal can create an environment that helps make the most of the time spent with friends and family.

How did you get this position? Was it a resume, referral, job fair? Spill your magic.

When I turned 40, our daughter was starting high school and our son was entering middle school. I realized that being a full-time stay-at-home mom was coming to an end.

What would I “do with myself?”

What was I qualified to do?

I had always had a small home-based business, from selling jewelry to home decor products, but what really was best suited to my talents and was still portable? My husband still had a number of years left on active duty and I still wanted to have a flexible schedule to be available for my family.

We had served for three years in Paris, France, when my husband was the assistant naval attaché at the American embassy. I developed my culinary and entertaining skills through dozens of events we hosted.

I also had taken a number of cooking classes outside of Paris in my free-time with a group of ex-pats. I loved the mornings I had spent cooking with them. I decided I could replicate the class experience and add my own experiences hosting international diplomats and military members!

I opened Cooking Thyme with Stacie in Hawaii in 2012. I have taught hundreds of students in Honolulu, Hawaii, Yokosuka, Japan and now Fairfax, Virginia.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced while trying to maintain a career while living the military lifestyle?

The constant moving and having to start over every few years (or less) is always a challenge!

It does not get any easier. Each new location has its own unique set of issues, especially when you do it with kids. I find I have to jump in right away, otherwise time passes and I have not invested in my community or in relationships.

Now that I have one child in college and a senior in high school you realize it is imperative to make the most of where ever you are! Whether you are alone while your spouse is deployed or not, don’t wait “for a better” time to do…fill in the blank.

It is not the place…it’s the people you invest in that will last!

How do you feel about failure?

Failure is not a word I use very much. Even if I fall short of a goal, it is a learning experience to build upon.

What is the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received?

After having my own home-based business for several years I have learned the importance of boundaries.

I could work more if I accepted bookings at night and during the weekends, but I found that it is too much of a strain on our family life. I feel my work needs to enhance, not complicate our family life. I need to set the goals for success, not what others think I should do.

I am much happier now that I have learned to say “no” on occasion.

Who is in your support squad?

My husband and children are very supportive of me and my business. Since we have moved three times since starting my business, I have also had to depend on my network of military friends to get the word out about my business each time I have to re-start it. Their assistance in marketing has enabled me to continue after each PCS.

Do you and your spouse or partner split household tasks? How do you do it?

Communicating clearly is what I have found works best for our family. I do not assume the kids or my spouse know instinctively what needs to be done around the house. I find there is much less friction when I plainly list what needs to be done and ask for help with tasks.

In addition, since I am cooking frequently not only for our family but for my business as well, my husband knows how meaningful it is to me when he jumps in and cleans all the dishes.

What’s your favorite app for making the most of your day?

I love Instagram. Not only to keep up with current trends, but I loved being able to see my daughter’s posts while she was studying abroad.

If you had an extra hour in your day, what would you do?

If I had an extra hour a day I would spend it reading. I would like to read not only for pleasure, but to expand my knowledge.

If you were a superhero, what would be your super power?

Being able to be in two places at once would be an ideal super power!

What is your No. 1 tip for a military spouse on the hunt for a job?

As a military spouse sometimes we have to create our own opportunities. Being stationed for short periods of time in numerous locations does not allow for one to build up a resumé with stable job experience many employers require.

What are you passionate about that you can share with others? If you can say to yourself “I would do it for free, I love it so much,” that may just be something you can turn into a profitable business.

Lastly, you need to have the confidence that your skills and expertise are worth paying for!

Are you a working military spouse? Do you want to share your career tips and tricks? Fill out the MilSpouses Who Work It Q&A today. Click here to complete our questionnaire.

“You Have Absolutely Nothing To Lose By Trying. You Have Everything To Lose By Not Trying.”

By NextGen MilSpouse Staff Writer Leave a Comment

Name: Rebecca Alwine

Years as a military spouse:

Tell us your profession:

Freelance Writer and Social Media Director for PCSgrades

Is this full-time, part-time, hourly, contract or freelance work?

Freelance, including a part-time

How long have you been working in this career field?

5 years

Do you work in an office, telecommute from home (or Starbucks), or a little bit of both?

I currently work from my bedroom/office.

Tell us one thing you love about your job.

I absolutely love telling other people’s stories, and making a difference in the lives of those who read them.

How did you get this position? Was it a resume, referral, job fair? Spill your magic.

A friend, who was an editor, took a chance on me. The rest was a combination of hard work, networking and luck.

What is your No. 1 tip for a military spouse on the hunt for a job?

Don’t rule out anything. Consider all options, even though it may not be the exact job you’re looking for.

How do you feel about failure?

It’s inevitable. It’s how you react to failure that defines you.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced while trying to maintain a career while living the military lifestyle?

The biggest challenge is the military community itself. Outside of the community, I’m an accomplished writer. Inside, I’m an enlisted spouse.

It feels like no one takes me seriously, despite my portfolio and accomplishments. Oh, and that paycheck I earn, all on my own.

What is the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received? Tell us the worst too, while you’re at it.

Best – You have absolutely nothing to lose by trying. You have everything to lose by not trying.

Worst – Don’t bother applying for that, you’re going to move soon.

Who is in your support squad?

In the past, my support squad has consisted of amazing child care providers, my spouse and my children.

While it isn’t easy to have two parents working, my children are amazingly resilient and helpful when it comes to those times I have to work and they are home. My parents and in-laws are also very supportive and willing to help with child care whenever possible.

PCSgrades social media manager Rebecca Alwine shared her best PCS tips in Happy Hour Episode 74.

Do you and your spouse or partner split household tasks? How do you do it?

We split household tasks as much as possible depending on his current position.

Last year, I did the majority of the tasks, as his work hours were very long and high stress. This year, he’s home more and able to take more on.

I’ve also been known to outsource household chores as much as possible, thank you Walmart grocery pickup!

Share your best life-hack for saving time or sanity during the work week.

Going to the gym is a must for my sanity.

And as for saving time, I haven’t quite figured that one out yet. But I do manage to get quite a bit done in the mornings before anyone else gets up.

Tell us one piece of tech you couldn’t live without that isn’t your phone.

Alexa – she helps keep me straight, play my favorite tunes and entertains me with jokes.

What’s your favorite app for making the most of your day?

It feels like everyone uses a different app! I like Basecamp and am learning to tolerate Trello. But I am still on the hunt for my favorite.

Must-have song on your productivity playlist?

I’m not really a music person, but I do like a good Sousa march to get me motivated.

If you had an extra hour in your day, what would you do?

Read a book!

If you were a superhero, what would be your super power?

Teleportation. I would love to go more places, but be home for dinner.

Are you a working military spouse? Do you want to share your career tips and tricks? Fill out the MilSpouses Who Work It Q&A today. Click here to complete our questionnaire.

“Look To Your Active-Duty Spouse For Help With Your Resume.”

By NextGen MilSpouse Staff Writer Leave a Comment

Name: Sherry Kellogg

Years as a military spouse:

Tell us your job title/profession:

Global Study Manager

Is this full-time, part-time, hourly, contract or freelance work?

Full-time

How long have you been working in this career field?

8 years

Do you work in an office, telecommute from home (or Starbucks), or a little bit of both?

Telecommute from my home office

Tell us one thing you love about your job.

I love that every single day is challenge, but more importantly, I love that me and my team are bringing life-saving medical products to the market.

How did you get this position? Was it a resume, referral, job fair? Spill your magic.

I like to think of this job as a miracle. Throughout my time in the clinical research industry I have been aware that the industry is full of home-based positions, but they are insanely competitive and even more difficult for military spouses to land.

For the last three years, I submitted probably 100 applications – each one rejected within a few days of submission.

Just when I was about to give up, my husband vowed to help me land a home-based job. He revamped my resume to mimic an OPR/EPR, essentially highlighting my accomplishments and downplaying my multiple job moves. Five applications later, I landed this home-based job that perfectly aligns with my education and level of experience.

What is your No. 1 tip for a military spouse on the hunt for a job?

The obvious is perseverance, but beyond that look to your active-duty husband/wife for help. I hear so many people say that our active-duty husbands/wives do not know how to write a resume, but that honestly could not be farther from the truth.

Our husbands/wives are required to write really strong OPRs/EPRs annually, and those reviews really highlight their strengths and accomplishments, which is extremely useful for a military spouse resume as it downplays employment gaps and multiple job moves.

How do you feel about failure?

I’m definitely afraid of failure, but I treat it like a constant force, pushing me to do better. Failure is my motivator.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced while trying to maintain a career while living the military lifestyle?

In the military spouse community, I hear a lot of buzz about home-based jobs and how this is great for those in our community who want to work.

The reality is, however, that these jobs are just as appealing to civilians, making it insanely difficult to land home-based jobs as well. Even though clinical research management is heavily home-based, I am still having to compete with civilians who likely have stronger resumes than me.

What is the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received? Tell us the worst too, while you’re at it.

The best career advice I ever received was to treat every work experience as a lesson – the good, the bad, and the ugly. We have all experienced bad bosses – learn what not to do from them.

The worst career advice I ever received was to “apply for jobs well below your education and experience level just to get your foot in the door.” This advice really devalues your worth as an employee. I hear this advice given to so many military spouses and it really breaks my heart. It essentially creates this vortex of us being perpetually underemployed.

In my experience it is best to shoot for the stars. There will be an employer out there who will see your value and will hire you.

Who is in your support squad and what role do they play in supporting your career?

Hands down, my husband. There have been so many moments when I wanted to give up, and he was always there to push me toward my dreams. He picks bases based on where I can work and not necessarily what is good for his career.

We’re a team, and we do whatever it takes not to let Uncle Sam rule our lives and diminish our dreams.

Do you and your spouse or partner split household tasks? How do you do it?

Yes! There is definitely and ebb and flow to our household tasks. There are times when I am busier, so he picks up the slack, and vice versa. It’s all about rolling with it and knowing when to pick up the slack.

Share your best life-hack for saving time or sanity during the work week.

I make going to the gym a priority. It’s how I de-stress and clear my mind. It’s like all-natural Prozac!

I am also all about meal prepping and crockpot dinners. I can work all day, get in some gym time, and have dinner on the table in 30 minutes.

Tell us one piece of tech you couldn’t live without that isn’t your phone:

My Kindle

What’s your favorite app for making the most of your day?

Our Groceries is a grocery list app that both my husband and I can view – it makes managing grocery shopping so much easier.

Boxed is essentially online Costco without membership fees. We don’t have time to run these sorts of errands, so it’s extremely helpful to have bulk items delivered right to the house. Plus, Boxed is known for creating a great work environment for its employees.

What’s your must-have song on your productivity playlist?

“Angel in Blue Jeans” by Train

If you had an extra hour in your day, what would you do with it?

Cook! I love to cook. Besides working out, cooking puts me in my happy place.

If you were a superhero, what would be your super power?

Don’t we all wish we could slow time?!

Are you a working military spouse? Do you want to share your career tips and tricks? Fill out the MilSpouses Who Work It Q&A today. Click here to complete our questionnaire.

“Don’t Settle For A Job That You Know You Will Not Like.”

By NextGen MilSpouse Staff Writer Leave a Comment

Name: Lisa Treat

Years as a military spouse:

Tell us your profession:

Administrative Assistant at a Military Treatment Facility (on-base hospital) for the Chief Medical Officer.

I am really a jack of all trades at this point. I manage and control all incoming and outgoing correspondence to make sure it is in accordance with Army rules and regulations. I prepare policies and procedures for specific departments to adhere too. Make travel arrangements for individuals in my section.

Is this full-time, part-time, hourly, contract or freelance work?

Full-time

How long have you been working in this career field?

8 years

Do you work in an office, telecommute from home (or Starbucks), or a little bit of both?

Office

Tell us one thing you love about your job.

I love working with the military personnel and civilians alike. There is constant change and new people coming in to meet. Also, a new challenge and different things to learn with the Army.

How did you get this position? Was it a resume, referral, job fair? Spill your magic.

I applied through usajobs.gov with my resume and help from the on-base civilian office. Little known fact is that there is a huge difference between a civilian and military resume.

What is your No. 1 tip for a military spouse on the hunt for a job?

Be consistent and make sure to talk to the civilian services on your post to receive your preferences within the first 18 months of PCSing.

How do you feel about failure?

I hate it and I am a very persistent person so I normally find a compromise for myself so I don’t feel like a failure.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced while trying to maintain a career while living the military lifestyle?

Trying to explain how I can be an asset to a company/organization within the window that I am there.

Also, not really knowing how long we will be in one place is always an interesting conversation too.

What is the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received?

Don’t settle for a job that you know you will not like. It’s not good for your self esteem and it’s not good for that company either.

I took a job once that I knew was too slow-paced for me but I need to get out of the house so I took it. After a few weeks I spoke to the owner who then told me that she knew I was too high-speed for her company and respected me wanting to move on.

Who is in your support squad?

My husband, my parents, brothers, friends near and far, and my three daughters.

Do you and your spouse or partner split household tasks? How do you do it?

Yes and no. He deploys frequently on short missions so it comes a point that it’s just easier if I do it. I have enlisted the help of my children for “chores.”

Share your best life-hack for saving time or sanity during the work week.

Best life-hack (that I don’t follow enough) pre-make my lunches, pre-pack my workout bag, or generally do as much as you can the night before.

Tell us one piece of tech you couldn’t live without that isn’t your phone.

Netflix for my sanity and my kids’ sanity; we do not have cable and they have done a great job on the Kids Netflix of promoting educational shows.

What’s your must-have song on your productivity playlist?

Anything from 90s Country

If you had an extra hour in your day, what would you do?

I would get more into woodworking projects. That is one hobby that I have found an interest in that I never have time to practice.

If you were a superhero, what would be your super power?

To just twitch my nose (like Samantha on “Bewitched”) and have my house clean! I have hired housekeepers before and didn’t think they did a good enough job so I have stopped and went back to doing it on my own.

Are you a working military spouse? Do you want to share your career tips and tricks? Fill out the MilSpouses Who Work It Q&A today. Click here to complete our questionnaire.

“It Took Me Over A Year To Find This Job And If I’d Have Given Up I Wouldn’t Be Here.”

By NextGen MilSpouse Staff Writer Leave a Comment

Name: Jen Jones

Years as a military spouse:

1.5

Tell us your profession:

Sustainability Coordinator. I also moonlight as a dance teacher.

Is this full-time, part-time, hourly, contract or freelance work?

Full time

How long have you been working in this career field?

6 years

Do you work in an office, telecommute from home (or Starbucks), or a little bit of both?

Office

Tell us one thing you love about your job.

I get to feel like I’m doing something positive for the world.

How did you get this position? Was it a resume, referral, job fair? Spill your magic.

Mixture of luck, experience, and some excellent support and resources from Hiring Our Heroes particularly their AMPLIFY session.

You can learn more about AMPLIFY here and here.

What is your No. 1 tip for a military spouse on the hunt for a job?

Persistence is key! It took me over a year to find this job and if I’d have given up I wouldn’t be here.

Also don’t be too proud to work where you have to to get the skills/money you need while you’re looking for the perfect opportunity.

I served pizza and adjunct taught until I could find this job.

How do you feel about failure?

I have a tangled relationship with failure!

There are so many lessons to be leaned from failing and I’m always talking about its merits to the students I work with and to my colleagues. But when I experience failure I take it really hard.

Malcolm Gladwell’s article “The Art of Failure” and Brené Brown’s work have both helped me to get better at using failure for a purpose.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced while trying to maintain a career while living the military lifestyle?

For me, it’s been getting comfortable with the fact that the military is the non-negotiable priority #1. I’ve only been at this for a little while and thankfully haven’t had to deal with it too much (though I know it’s coming.)

But as a strong and independent women who is very career-driven I have to remind myself a lot why we are doing this and why my career has to come second.

What is the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received? Tell us the worst too, while you’re at it.

Best: the concept of a “crooked trajectory” from my first boss. We all have a path and some of our paths seem to be crooked and going all over the place until you find a job that all the seemingly random skills you’ve accumulated come together to make you really good at it.

Worst: the traditional idea of figuring out what you want to do when you’re 18, getting a degree in that, and then working in that job for the rest of your life.

My job didn’t even exist when I went to college.

Who is in your support squad?

Hiring Our Heroes Military Spouse Professional Network folks, my former work wife and BFF who’s also a milspouse serving in Hungary (she’s a BAMF), my sisters, and of course my sailor.

Do you and your partner split household tasks? How do you do it?

We literally took a chalkboard easel left over from the wedding and wrote out all the chores and their frequency and split them up by workload. I was doing most of it until I got hired full-time and really was feeling overwhelmed with it all.

And we don’t even have kids (you warrior moms amaze me).

I’m lucky that my husband (though sometimes begrudging) is willing to help out.

Share your best life-hack for saving time or sanity during the work week.

1) Sometimes it doesn’t matter that your house doesn’t look like Joanna Gaines just left. This is a hard one for me but when there’s only so much time you have to prioritize what matters.

2) One of the awesome speakers at AMPLIFY gave me this gem – outsource when possible. I would have never considered hiring a housekeeper but am now looking for someone to help so I can placate my analyses and still make #1 happen.

Tell us one piece of tech you couldn’t live without that isn’t your phone.

The Google software suite!

Favorite app for making the most of your day?

Apple “reminders”

What’s your must-have song on your productivity playlist?

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis “Can’t Hold Us” and any Disney classic (belted at the top of my lungs, of course).

If you had an extra hour in your day, what would you do with it?

Sleep?? Yoga or meditate. They always end up at the end of the priority list even though I know how much they benefit me.

If you were a superhero, what would be your super power?

Slow down and speed up time – to help through the hard stuff and cherish the good stuff

Are you a working military spouse? Do you want to share your career tips and tricks? Fill out the MilSpouses Who Work It Q&A today. Click here to complete our questionnaire.

“With 15 Years Of Experience And A Great Resume, I Didn’t Think I Would Need Military Spouse Preference But Within A Month Of Signing Up, I Had Two Offers; One As A GS-12 And One As A GS-13.”

By NextGen MilSpouse Staff Writer Leave a Comment

Name: Elizabeth Peace

Years as a military spouse:

Tell us your profession:

Public Affairs Specialist for DoD (Department of the Army, GS-12) and Mrs. Ft. Meade competed for Mrs. Maryland in May on my platform Operation Innocence: Creating safe homes for children

Is this full-time, part-time, hourly, contract or freelance work?

Full time

How long have you been working in this career field?

15 years as a journalist, 3 in public affairs, 6 as an advocate

Do you work in an office, telecommute from home (or Starbucks), or a little bit of both?

Office and a lot of TDYs

Tell us one thing you love about your job.

Getting to do my intended career. Having to leave journalism I felt nearly destroyed me.

Getting to work in media and communication has made me feel whole again.

How did you get this position? Was it a resume, referral, job fair? Spill your magic.

Facebook groups!

I left journalism two years ago and got a job in Congress in D.C. I knew that wasn’t a great solution for me and tried for two years to find another job. I nearly gave up until another milspouse in a milspouse career group told me about CPAC and military preference.

With 15 years of experience and a great resume, I didn’t think I would need military spouse preference but within a month of signing up, I had two offers; one as a GS-12 and one as a GS-13.

I took the GS-12 because it was offered first and I’m glad I did. The 13 would’ve been a commute to the Pentagon and to be honest, would have been more up my lane job-wise, but I never realized how much I would LOVE the job the Army offered. I’m incredibly happy here.

Another Facebook group, Veterans 2 Federal Government Jobs, taught me how to perfect a federal resume.

What is your No. 1 tip for a military spouse on the hunt for a job?

Broaden your options and hire Lex Levin to write your resume.

When I left my job as a news anchor, I ONLY wanted to work in journalism. I was deadset on it. Now I’m a Public Affairs Officer and my husband says he’s never seen me this happy workwise.

How do you feel about failure?

I used to take it very personally but I’m learning that failure just means you tried something. I don’t give up easily but I do need to practice not letting failure make me feel like I have some serious personal faults.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced while trying to maintain a career while living the military lifestyle?

My TDYs. I ended up taking a job as a civilian with an Army unit that travels more than 100 days a year. It’s incredibly exciting and came at the right time as my husband doesn’t deploy much now that he’s in D.C.

However, I rarely left my two children before now and that is incredibly difficult to do even though my TDYs are always less than 10 days at a time.

The other challenge is planning anything! He gets orders for three years and they change after two. I want to start planning moving home in the future and I know that I have no control over where we go until he finishes his 30 years – 15 left to go!

What is the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received? Tell us the worst too, while you’re at it.

Get a mentor and be a mentor. No matter how long you’ve been in a career, there is always someone with more experience that you can learn from. Then you should pass that on to the next generation.

I think the worst was to not take certain jobs because “I’m a mom.” My children absolutely come first but there are some people who think that if you have to work, you should only work as, say a receptionist. Nothing against receptionist jobs!

But you can be a good mom and go TDY, be a police officer (which I did when I served in the military), be a service member, etc.

Your career doesn’t make you a bad parent but by turning down what you love if you can balance work and family, you’re really telling yourself that you no longer matter and you’re showing your children to give up on their dreams.

Who is in your support squad?

My best friend!!!! I call her about everything!

And, of course, my husband. I couldn’t go TDY very easily without his support. I’m lucky he understands my job and my love for traveling and is being supportive.

Do you and your spouse or partner split household tasks? How do you do it?

We split. I’m a bit old-fashioned in that I still think he should the “heavy lifting” like take out the trash, clean up the dog poop. And yet, not so much that he doesn’t care when I make more money than him and he is the cook every night.

I do the laundry and up until this new job, the children’s homework and schooling was left up to me mostly.

He’s much more hands-on now that he’s back from two years unaccompanied in Japan.

Share your best life-hack for saving time or sanity during the work week.

Prioritize, delegate, breath, yoga, sleep. I like to keep up on housework and do a little each day, giving the kids chores, so that it doesn’t all pile up on precious weekends where we could be spending time together.

Exercise and sleep is KEY for keeping my emotions and stress level in check.

And date night. We disagree less when we go on regular date nights.

Tell us one piece of tech you couldn’t live without that isn’t your phone.

Alexa and Google home (yep, I have both)

Favorite app for making the most of your day?

I still use a paper agenda for planning out my day but I also input everything into a Google family calendar. It’s a lifesaver for me and my husband.

What’s your must-have song on your productivity playlist?

I listen to motivational speeches on YouTube instead.

If you had an extra hour in your day, what would you do with it?

I’d like to say I don’t use that time to randomly scroll Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. That I would spend it writing my next book or advocating for children.

But sometimes I mindlessly scroll social media. I guess we all have our downfalls. Mine isn’t watching “The Bachelor,” it’s Facebook.

If you were a superhero, what would be your super power?

Teleporting for sure!

Are you a working military spouse? Do you want to share your career tips and tricks? Fill out the MilSpouses Who Work It Q&A today. Click here to complete our questionnaire.

Episode 84: Meet For Tacos

By NextGen MilSpouse Staff Writer Leave a Comment

We welcome Justine Evirs, founder of The Paradigm Switch, which is focused on military spouse employment through community and scholarships in fields that are highly sought after. We also get breaking news from Amy about which commissaries are starting to sell beer and wine.

This Week’s Guest: Justine Evirs, The Paradigm Switch

When Justine joined the Navy, her plan was to make a career out of it. Her early medical discharge, however, forced her back to square one. She ended up in college to study business then spent numerous years in higher education and veteran services. Justine is now a mother of three, military spouse, prominent leader and disrupter in the entrepreneurial and veteran and military spouse communities.

The Paradigm Switch, a nonprofit founded by Justine in 2017, originally provided veterans and military spouses access to prestigious certifications and vocational skills-based programs.

Fast forward to today, The Paradigm Switch has relaunched and is putting military spouses first.

Justine is building a global digital community for military spouses by military spouses, offering a full spectrum of resources that enable spouses to unleash their unlimited potential both personally and professionally. The Paradigm Switch discovers and provides access to career resources, education opportunities, and communities that promote remote work, entrepreneurship and freelance work.

Connect with them on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.

NextGen MilSpouse Posts That Have Us Talking

Jen got her job with a little bit of luck, experience and support from AMPLIFY. There are two more AMPLIFY sessions in 2018, apply today.

Sometimes it’s good to not just be in military-centric Facebook groups.

Speaking of Facebook groups, we love and hate them. We know you do too.

Amy Brings Us The News From Military.com

Amy changed her morning plans to share breaking news – where to find beer and wine at commissaries come July.

Jessica Tells Us What’s Trending On Social Media

No, we didn’t know what we were getting into, you didn’t either.

Hiring Our Heroes had a MAJOR announcement.

We reached 15,000 likes on Facebook!

NextGen MilSpouse’s Happy Hour Podcast is the official podcast of NextGenMilSpouse.com. We offer a fresh and modern take on military life for today’s military spouse. From navigating your career to surviving your next move, NextGen MilSpouse has you covered.

Our news and current events are brought to you by our friends at Military.com. Make sure you never miss a show or a story by subscribing to our podcast on iTunes or GooglePlay and by signing up for the NextGen MilSpouse Newsletter at NextGenMilSpouse.com. Still want more? Connect with us and other listeners in our Happy Hour Facebook Group.

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“Volunteering And Substitute Teaching Were Vital To Getting Into The DoDEA System.”

By NextGen MilSpouse Staff Writer Leave a Comment

Name: Sarah Butler

Years as a military spouse:

Tell us your profession:

Third Grade Teacher – DoDEA School System

Is this full-time, part-time, hourly, contract or freelance work?

Full-time

How long have you been working in this career field?

7 years

Tell us one thing you love about your job.

I love getting to make a difference in the lives of children and parents. There are few things sweeter than seeing the “light bulb” go off for students, and then celebrating their successes with both the students and their parents.

How did you get this position? Was it a resume, referral, job fair? Spill your magic.

I began by volunteering, while I was waiting for my substitute teaching paperwork to go through (the entire process took about six months). After I began substitute teaching, I was offered a long-term substitute teaching position, filling in for a teacher that as on maternity leave.

While I was in this position, I was contacted by another DoDEA school to come in for an interview and got the job!

Volunteering and substitute teaching were vital to getting into the system because I had the opportunity to understand the “ins-and-outs” of the DoDEA system, and become familiar with the current “buzz” words that I knew employers would be looking for.

What is your No. 1 tip for a military spouse on the hunt for a job?

Volunteer and be persistent. Volunteering gives you the opportunity to see what employers in your area are really looking for.

If your name and face are fresh in people’s minds, they are going to remember you when it comes time to hire.

How do you feel about failure?

Failure is vital.

I once had a boss tell me, after I had a major failure, “If you’re not making mistakes, you’re not doing anything worthwhile.” That has really stuck with me, even after all of these years. As long as you’re being both retro and introspective about your failures, they will ultimately become incredible learning opportunities.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced while trying to maintain a career while living the military lifestyle?

As an educator, it can be extremely difficult and disheartening to have to spend time and money taking recertification tests in various states. Reciprocity for military spouses who have special certifications etc. is something that is GREATLY lacking within the United States.

What is the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received? Tell us the worst too, while you’re at it.

The best advice I ever received was that “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” I think Sir Isaac Newton originally said this, but it is the ultimate reminder that to be better we have to constantly seek advice from a variety of people with different perspectives.

I’m sure I’ve gotten terrible advice along the way, but I gave it so little thought, that I can’t remember it now.

As an Air Force spouse of 17 years, Kim helped to launch the Military Spouse Network for Teaching Professionals which supports military spouse educators. She is currently working to help streamline difficult out of state licensure processes for military spouse teachers across the country. Listen to Happy Hour Episode 73: Cause of Death Lack of Wifi to learn more about the Military Spouse Network for Teaching Professionals.

Who is in your support squad?

I couldn’t do ANY of what I do without my awesome support system.

My military friends have carried me through this lifestyle and stepped in COUNTLESS times when I had to work late and my husband was deployed or TDY. I have had girlfriends pick up my kids from school when they were sick and even attend back-to-school nights on my behalf, while I was playing my teacher role and needed someone to step in as my own child’s surrogate parent.

I would not be where I am today if it weren’t for the constant support and love of my military family.

Do you and your spouse or partner split household tasks?

Anytime my husband I move to a new duty station we sit down and discuss the pros and cons of me going back to work. There have been times in our marriage that we’ve made the decision that me being at home is better for us.

However, when I am working we sit down and have a lengthy discussion about what the expectations are for both of us. Obviously he can’t be around to split household tasks all of the time, so if he is getting ready to deploy or go on a TDY, I text him a list of things I want him to accomplish before he leaves; i.e. buy dog food, or sign us up for a monthly dog food delivery service if he’s going to be gone for an extended period of time (I don’t know why I hate buying dog food so much!?).

I leave him in charge of a HOME-COOKED dinner at least one week night. He gets to choose what night of the week works best for his schedule.

I also except all laundry baskets in our house to be cleared out and clothes to not only be washed and folded, but put away before he leaves for TDYs. It makes me feel like I’m starting with a clean slate.

Share your best life-hack for saving time or sanity during the work week.

Schedule one or two nights a week that you are doing something for yourself. Maybe that means a workout class or going out to eat instead of cooking. I schedule a massage once every two weeks.

Whatever your vice is; indulge on a semi-regular basis. Self-care is vital.

What’s your favorite app for making the most of your day?

The Bible app

Related: 8 Tips from Dual-Career Couples Who Are Making It Work

If you had an extra hour in your day, what would you do with it?

Read, read, read! (But that would also mean that I couldn’t be tired during that hour so I wouldn’t nod off)

If you were a superhero, what would be your super power?

Super coffee-consumer. That’s a super power right!??

Are you a working military spouse? Do you want to share your career tips and tricks? Fill out the MilSpouses Who Work It Q&A today. Click here to complete our questionnaire.