career decisions Archives - NextGen MilSpouse

“I’m Lucky Enough To Help Support A Company That Wants To Bring Flexible Work To The World, Including Military Spouses”

April 11, 2018 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.

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase via our links, you help us keep the lights on and the good times rolling.

Name: Jessica Howington

Years as a military spouse:

Tell us your job title/profession:

Content Manager at FlexJobs

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

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

Completely remote from my home office

Tell us one thing you love about your job.

Only one?!?!?! To encompass many of my favorite things, I’d say the vision/mission behind my job, the team and the company.

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

It was using FlexJobs’ services, oddly enough.

I had a part-time job at the time, but wanted to go full-time, or find more part-time work to supplement my income, as we were going to be PCSing back to the States. When I signed up for the service, one of the first jobs I saw was for FlexJobs. I was SO nervous. When they reached out about my application/resume for a job as a researcher with FlexJobs I was beside myself, yet still a little nervous as the company was still very small and new. I was interviewed by the CEO, Sara Sutton Fell, and instantly knew it was the job for me.

Seven years later, joining (FlexJobs) was the best decision I’ve made in my career, and I’m lucky enough to help support a company that wants to bring flexible work to the world, including military spouses.

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

Don’t limit yourself by applying constraints and restrictions that are typical in a traditional job search. Use services like FlexJobs to help you find a job that will travel with you, apply your many skills to get outside of a strict career field, LOOK for flexible work, and do the research necessary to find an employer that will support you.

Once you let go of the restrictions and think outside the box, a world of opportunities present themselves.

My other big one is honesty. I hear a lot of military spouses say they lie about being a military spouse. I’m not suggesting you scream it from the rooftops, but it doesn’t have to hold you back. If you know an employer is worried about your affiliation, come armed with examples of how it won’t be an issue/hindrance to your employment.

How do you feel about failure?

Failure is necessary. It is how we learn and how we prove to ourselves that we can be better. Nobody is perfect. It’s all about how you recover from that failure, what you learn from it, and how you utilize that information moving forward.

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

Flexibility.

I’ve been blessed with my current job, but prior to that it was quite difficult. I need to be able to have flexible hours and be able to work outside of an office.

With an active duty spouse and three kids, I am the only constant we have, so having the flexibility at work gives me the wiggle room I need to maintain my sanity. Flexible work has also helped with the other challenges such as deployments and a lack of child care.

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) would be to get uncomfortable. To grow you need to change and change is uncomfortable. Obviously you don’t want to be miserable, but a little discomfort can push a person to change perspectives and open their mind.

The worst would be to lie. DO NOT EVER lie to an employer. They will find out and not only did you get busted for not being truthful, you’ll be known as such moving forward.

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

My husband is my biggest supporter, but I’d also say that my coworkers are as well. Those around me know that I need to work for personal satisfaction and that I take great pride in being a hard worker. Given the military lifestyle, though, it can be a challenge. They all champion around me when the tough times arise allowing me to do what I need to do to make it all happen.

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

We try.

It hasn’t been an easily traveled road to get to where we are, though, and being married almost 17 years helps two people learn what the other needs. (We were married and had an infant when my husband joined.) For the most part it is about communication. What works one week/month won’t work the next. We both try to be mindful about speaking up about what we need help with.

I’m also super organized and productive and a big believer that you work hard to play hard, so even the kids know when mom means business.

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

Meal planning and scheduling. Plan, plan, plan, but be adaptable.

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

My laptop

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

Focus@Will

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

Right now anything by Imagine Dragons

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

Nothing.

I would find a quiet place in the woods that has sun filtering through the trees and I would just sit and take it all in.

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

Making others believe in themselves.

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.

Military Spouse Employment: What About After You’re Hired?

February 21, 2018 By Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

by Alison Maruca, Guest Contributor

Personally, the military spouse label has never hindered my job search. In fact, it’s helped it, which I know is an uncommon experience related to military spouse employment.

My biggest challenges have always come after I’ve signed the contracts, hung my coffee cup in the breakroom and attended my first staff meeting.

Military Spouse Employment: What About After You’re Hired?

Vacation Days

I’m not sure about you, but I always seem to come into a new job already asking for time off. Pre-deployment leave, family events, vacations and such are already on the calendar and so I’ve either gone “into the hole” or taken leave without pay.

Add to that, I’m also a drilling Reservist and often come into new positions with drill weekends or my 2 weeks of annual training scheduled. And while legally, they can’t keep me from asking off for those commitments, I’ve never been able to accrue enough leave to take a paid vacation or sick day. While this isn’t a challenge unique to the military community, we do often come with significant scheduling hurdles like deployments, time at sea or in the field, sick children, etc.

Not having to wait 6 months or an entire year to earn those benefits, when you may only be in the job for 12 to 18 months, would increase family-work life balance, as well as make for a much happier employee.

Retirement Benefits

Our service members earn an incredible retirement that most Americans dream about. The new Blended Retirement System has even afforded service members the opportunity to take advantage of a good retirement without having to serve the full 20 years.

But in the civilian world, you typically need to work somewhere for a long period of time to fully reap the benefits of the company’s retirement option, if they even offer it at all.

However, our transient lifestyle and lengthy resume can create a need to set-up retirement accounts outside of our employer or manage a smattering of smaller accounts sprinkled around the country. Not ideal for a financially stable retirement.

With the rising costs of living, a dual-retirement income is almost necessary to ensure you maintain a comfortable lifestyle or else you may wind up working until you’re 70 years old. And nobody wants to do that.

Family Time

In our Navy family, my husband rolls every few years from sea duty to shore duty. We’ve recently finished a pretty challenging 3 years of sea duty that included 2 full deployments and lots of time at sea in between birthing 2 babies and moving twice. Bottom line: he was gone a lot and life was stressful.

Now that we’re on shore duty, we’re focusing on family time and I’m making a conscious decision to not work outside the home, which allows us to have the flexibility to go, do and see all the things in our new duty station.

When I began to interview for positions, I didn’t find too many employers that were willing to allow me the flexibility and support I know I need to ensure that our family is our top priority right now. Yes, it’s a choice I made. However, balancing the demands of a new job while also trying to put family first is a challenge that most civilian families don’t have to endure quite like we do.

This small window of time in our lives doesn’t come often and so we’re trying to soak up as much family time as we can before we return to the constant stream of watching the ship pull away from the pier.

Having an employer understand the importance of family time in our crazy lifestyle is not very common and only adds to the stress of a dual-working military family.

While only good things can come of more legislation in favor of hiring military spouses, there’s still so much work to be done. And while organizations and politicians can fight to get us the jobs that are equivalent to our education and experience, there’s so much more to the entire concept of “military spouse employment.”

So let’s expand the conversation and start talking about not just finding jobs, but finding and creating jobs that work with our military lifestyle.

NextGen MilSpouse discussed Sen. Tim Kaine’s newly introduced Military Spouse Employment Act of 2018 on Happy Hour Episode 67. Click here to listen to the full episode.

Alison is a busy mom, Navy wife and Naval Reserve officer. She is passionate about supporting other military families and raising awareness of the unique challenges associated with military life. You can usually find her planning her family’s next big adventure or binge-watching Netflix with a glass of wine.

“It Has Been So Satisfying To Help Improve Lives At A Duty Station I Loved.”

February 14, 2018 By NextGen MilSpouse Staff Writer Leave a Comment

Name: Lizann Lightfoot

Years as a military spouse:

Tell us your job title/profession:

I’m a self-published author, a blogger and a freelance writer

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

Freelance

How long have you been working in this career field?

About 3 years. I published my first book in 2014, then started freelance writing in 2016.

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

I work from home, which is important to me since I have 4 young children.

Tell us one thing you love about your job.

I love getting paid to do something I enjoy (writing) and the fact that my work helps other military spouses!

I am all about supporting and encouraging other people as they navigate the challenges of military life. My first book, Welcome to Rota: The Unofficial Guide to Getting Settled, and Enjoying the Culture, Food, and Travel Opportunities of Southern Spain is a guidebook for military families stationed overseas in Rota, Spain. I wanted to make it easier for people to move to Spain, find houses and schools, and get adjusted to Spanish culture. It has been so satisfying to help improve lives at a duty station I loved.

Now, as a blogger and freelancer, I write articles about handling military life – resources, money-saving advice, and strategies for handling deployments or raising children on your own. These tips can truly improve the quality of military spouse life. I love meeting amazing military spouses online and connecting with new people.

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

Becoming a self-published author was a 1-person show. I decided to write a book based on our experiences in Spain. I used Create Space, an Amazon publishing company, to be my own editor, publisher and marketing department. It was a lot of work, but the book continues to sell well and receive excellent reviews even after 3 years, so I consider it a success.

The writing and editing jobs happened more indirectly. I started a blog called The Seasoned Spouse. As an English major, I wanted my posts to be well-written and professional, even if I didn’t have a big audience. I reached out to all kinds of military spouse websites, companies and individuals, offering to do guests posts for them.

Some ignored me, but others followed through.

Soon, I had a trickle of paid offers from various blogs, magazines and companies. I continued to build my portfolio and the work steadily increased.

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

Set goals, and then…just keep swimming. You have to put your eggs in a lot of baskets because you don’t know which one will hatch, haha.

With blogging, it is typical to make no profit for the first 3 months. During that time, you should be reaching out and networking, but it will take a while for anything to start paying off.

The same is true with writing a book – there is a lot of work upfront before there is any profit. So just keep trying and doing your best.

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase Lizann’s book via our links, you help us keep the lights on and the good times rolling.

How do you feel about failure?

It’s frustrating. But sometimes it can also be a learning opportunity or a chance to go in a new direction. I try to stay positive about most things.

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

Living overseas was the hardest. There are rules about how and where you can apply for jobs, so opportunities are really limited. That’s partly why I chose to write my book: creating and selling a product on base was one of the few ways to earn income while stationed overseas.

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

Best advice: “You can do this.” (It’s the people who believe in me that make my work possible. Otherwise it would be way too easy to just give up.)

Worst advice: “You should just homeschool.” Yes, I have 4 kids. Yes, I spent a few years unemployed and staying home with my babies. That doesn’t mean I have to spend every moment with my kids or wait until they are all grown up before I work again.

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

My husband has always been very supportive of anything I do. Whether I was a stay at home mom, working on my book, or spending evenings writing on my laptop, he has always been my biggest motivator and fan.

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

I wish I could say yes. But sadly, not really.

Too many years of deployments and me being a stay at home mom means that I am responsible for everything with the kids, laundry, cleaning, shopping, and cooking.

Here’s the trade-off: he’s the one who gets up to go to work when it’s still dark. My strategy is to have a routine and do a little bit of laundry or cleaning every day so it doesn’t build up. I cook every day, but make use of my crockpot or cooking in large batches to make it easier.

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

You have to out-source some things. I take the toddler to a babysitter/preschool 2 mornings per week. When I was writing the book, I had a housekeeper come to clean once a week.

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

I love my headset and dictation software. It makes writing go so much faster, and blocks out some of the noise from the kids or TV.

Favorite app for making the most of your day?

Fitbit helps me feel like I accomplish something each day, if I balance food and exercise.

Must-have song on your productivity playlist?

Quiet. I don’t listen to music. I crave silence.

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

Probably spend more time snuggling the kids and husband, because that’s my fave.

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

Flying. I could get places so much faster!

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 form.

Navigating The Military Child Care Challenge

January 30, 2018 By Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

by Christine Maxwell, Guest Contributor

For military spouses seeking employment outside the home, it’s the proverbial question.

Do you find a job and then find child care or do you find child care and then find a job?

On one hand, it’s difficult to interview for a job when you’re brand new to a military installation and you don’t have child care. Conversely, paying for child care before you find your new job is financially stressful. Whatever you decide to do, you always want the best possible care for your child.

Whether you’re about to be a first-time parent, PCSing to a new base or adding a new player(s) to your team, finding child care is often one of the most stressful aspects of parenthood for military families. Frequent moves, deployments and breaks in employment due to above mentioned frequent moves are added stressors for military families.

Child care is often one of the most stressful aspects of parenthood for military families.

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However, there are 2 websites that you absolutely need to know about that will help you find quality and affordable child care to fit your family’s unique needs. Here are the most popular child care options available to military families.

You Need Child Care, You Need Options

If you’re seeking child care at your military installation, you can choose from a military-operated Child Development Center (CDC), home-based Family Child Care (FCC), School-age Care Programs (SAC), or subsidized (yes, I said subsidized!) off-installation care at a civilian CDC. Full-day, part-time and drop-in care is available for 6-week old babies through school-age children that only need before and after school care.

There are several great child care options, but how do you find the programs available to you at your military installation?

Military-Operated & Military-Approved Child Care

The fastest and easiest way to find all the information you need to know about military-operated or military-approved child care is to navigate to the website MilitaryChildCare.com. This secure Department of Defense (DoD) website was launched in 2015 and finished its roll-out in June 2017. It’s a one-stop shop for your military child care-related search process.

At MilitaryChildCare.com, you can create a profile that you can easily update as your family and location changes. Your profile allows you to search and request child care options and update requests or change the dates that care is needed.

Gone are the days of frustrating searches on out-of-date DoD websites as you scramble to find all your child care options for your installation.

Currently, there are more than 200 installations that are actively using MilitaryChildCare.com both domestically and abroad.

Subsidized Off-Installation Care For Military Families

If you don’t have access to child care at a military installation due to remote assignments or long wait lists, parents have the option to pursue off-installation child care. Child Care Aware of America is a program that assists over 10,000 military families annually in finding and subsidizing accredited off-installation child care. Since off-installation child care is often more expensive than military child care programs, Child Care Aware helps alleviate this burden by subsidizing child care costs.

Once approved, families usually pay the equivalent of what they would pay for DoD child care. Registration fees are often covered too. All 4 military services have subsidy programs under the Child Care Aware of America umbrella. Contact Child Care Aware to find out more information on eligibility specific to your service. Currently, Child Care Aware of America is only a domestic program.

Military Child Care Is A Work In Progress

Although the accessibility and affordability of child care for military families has come a long way, we still have so much work to do. The wait lists for child care are always long, much longer than the notice that families receive when PCS orders are cut. This leaves many families in the lurch for child care, especially at remote installations where military-run child care programs are the only option and wait lists are long.

At many installations, CDC wait lists are over a year.

By the time you find your child a spot, you might as well get ready to prepare to PCS again.

For all the unique challenges military families face with finding high quality and timely child care, the military community is still leaps and bounds ahead of the general population’s child care choices. The military offers its employees an excellent range of universally accredited, subsidized and on-site options for child care and that’s more than most civilian families could imagine.

What are your child care challenges? Share your concerns in the comments section.

Christine Maxwell is an Army wife and toddler mom. She works as a Budget Manager in Higher Education and also manages HerMoneyMoves, a blog about personal finances, career and military family life geared toward military spouses and their families.

“You Are The Only Person Who Truly Knows Your Capacity.”

December 6, 2017 By NextGen MilSpouse Staff Writer Leave a Comment

Name: Molly Hayes

Years as a military spouse:

Tell us your job title/profession:

Academic Integrity & Student Conduct Officer at University of California, Irvine

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

Full-time

How long have you been working in this career field?

Just over a year

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.

The amazing team I get to work with! Our department includes over 50 people, and everyday I feel lucky I get to work with them!

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

Job posting online. I had a job that was similar but further to home, and once I saw this job through a listserv I knew I should apply.

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

You are the only person who truly knows your capacity. When I was applying for jobs there was an endless stream of advice, solicited and otherwise, from friends, family, past co-workers, etc. People told me a job was too far away, while others suggested it was better than nothing.

When I was considering leaving a job I was told that I wouldn’t be able to find another position, and the gap in my resume would make me look unemployable.

When I found the perfect job and was ready to make the change, I was reminded we would be PCSing within a year, so was it really worth it?

At the end of the day, I know myself and what makes me happy and I’m glad I stuck with my search.

How do you feel about failure?

It is part of life, and a learning experience. It will affect each of us differently, and it may take some of us longer to re-cover and bounce back than others but that is OK. Rely on your people, the things that make you happy, and get back up when you are ready.

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

Figuring out how to tell a potential supervisor that this job will not be long-term.

I decided to be honest in my interview because I wanted to make sure I wasn’t taking this job under false pretenses, and in my profession having a good network will mean a ton. It worked in my favor, and now I feel more relaxed at work and I can be honest about my family situation.

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

The best: Life is too short to be miserable everyday. My mom reminded me of this when I repeatedly called her feeling awful about a long commute to a job that wasn’t satisfying.

The worst: If you try and leave a job in under a year no one else will want to hire you. I am searching not only for a job, but a vocation and purpose. If a potential employer doesn’t want to hire someone because I didn’t stick it out when I wasn’t happy, they are probably not someone I want to work with!

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

My spouse is No. 1. He is always supportive and understands how my career will be impacted because of his job, so he is always willing to listen, talk, and show support.

I call my parents a few times a week, and I rely on friends from home and graduate school to talk things out, just listen to the struggle, and empathize.

Do you and your spouse or partner split household tasks?

We definitely split things up! He comes home earlier than I do, so he often makes us dinner and I try to clean up afterwards. He absolutely hates doing laundry, and I really don’t mind it, so that is one of my consistent responsibilities.

There is always a lot of communication between the two of us, and we tend to share and help each other with most household tasks.

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

This sounds very basic, but I stay on top of my email, and I clear my inbox of anything that doesn’t require an answer or my attention. I have no time to get stressed out over unnecessary messages!

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

My tablet. I use it mainly to watch videos, Netflix, etc., and I love it!

Favorite app for making the most of your day?

My calendar app! Every appointment, task, or meeting has its place.

Must-have song on your productivity playlist?

“Can’t Stop the Feeling” by Justin Timberlake

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

Probably use the extra hour for some “me-time.” Paint my nails, take a bath, read a book, and relax!

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

Currently, I wish I could fly! The Southern California traffic is no joke!

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 form.

“Don’t Give Excuses Or Accept Excuses”

November 15, 2017 By NextGen MilSpouse Staff Writer Leave a Comment

Name: Rachel Wettekin

Years as a military spouse:

Tell us your job title/profession:

Registered nurse

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

Full time

How long have you been working in this career field?

4 years

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

I work in a hospital.

Tell us one thing you love about your job.

Helping others!

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

A resume and very diligent interviews

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

Keep at it even if you’re frustrated

How do you feel about failure?

A stepping stone for better things

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

Scheduling especially on watch days

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

The best is don’t give excuses or accept excuses

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

friends and coworkers

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

We enlist our 12 year old and 2 year old to help but every day we do dishes and laundry and sweep the floors

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

My laptop because I’m also going back to school for my master’s

Favorite app for making the most of your day?

My calendar

Must-have song on your productivity playlist?

Currently it’s anything from “The Trolls” movie soundtrack

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

Sleep, but I probably would end up spending it with my kids

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

Making time slow down

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 form.

“We Just Decide What Needs To Be Done And Divide And Conquer.”

November 8, 2017 By NextGen MilSpouse Staff Writer 1 Comment

Name: Candace Jensen

Tell us your job title/profession:

Administrative Assistant in the Information Technology Department at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, El Paso.

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

Full-time

How long have you been working in this career field?

11 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.

The hours are predictable and weekends are free so you have plenty of family time. Not to mention paid time off and holidays.

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

I served as an Admin Assistant in the US Army for 10 years.

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

Don’t think that just because you’re a military spouse, that you’re automatically entitled to or qualified for anything.

How do you feel about failure?

Failure isn’t an option. You either find a way or make one yourself.

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

You just have to remember that you’re at the mercy of your spouse’s career. Yours is important, too, but it still comes secondary to the government.

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

My spouse and my sister. They believe in me, whatever I want to do.

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

We do. There isn’t a set task list. We just decide what needs to be done and divide and conquer.

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

Just don’t put everything off until last minute. Even if it’s one tiny thing, it will save you time in the long run if you keep up with it.

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

Probably my Kindle. When I need to just relax, I read.

Favorite app for making the most of your day?

Snapchat. My husband and I are such dorks with our snaps.

Must-have song on your productivity playlist?

Panic at the Disco – Miss Jackson (feat. LOLO)

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

Probably sleep. Or get an extra hour of Netflix in.

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

Healing all those who are in pain

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 form.

My Service Member Will Tell You I’m The Reason He Stayed In The Air Force

October 24, 2017 By Karen Poisson 1 Comment

I told him no.

But to hear my husband retell the story he will say that I didn’t say “no” with a period. He’d reply that I said “no” with a capital N, a capital O and an exclamation point at the end.

He’s partially correct. I did succinctly answer that I didn’t want him to get out of the Air Force after our first assignment. But I only did that the first time he asked.

Each consecutive assignment found him asking once again:

“Should I stay or should I go?”

I had variations on my answer:

“Nope.”

“Not yet.”

“I’m still having fun.”

Because of my comments, my spouse will tell you that I’m the reason he stayed in the service for so long. But don’t let him fool you; he has been just as happy as I have.

Besides, I haven’t always told him no when it came to his career choices.

I blindly followed him when he saw an opportunity to move from Command Post to be a 13 Bravo. And let’s face it, I would have been justified if I said no. The move from command post to becoming a Command and Control officer was quick.

I was visiting my family in Connecticut when my spouse called to say he had an “opportunity.” He was able to go to training for the AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) right away, but he had to give them an answer NOW.

Hearing the whole story later, I realized that he was the one who initiated the call to change careers and had boldly told the personnel officer that his “wife would be OK with it or she could stay in Nebraska.”

Granted, that was bravado but…

He moved and I followed him a month later.

When he wanted to go to Weapons School, I told him to pursue his dreams. But I gave him a caveat: he had to wait until our daughter was 1½. He’d been deployed and TDY for most of both children’s childhood and I didn’t think I could handle one more separation that wasn’t ordered by the Air Force.

I continued to say “yes” but now with over 20 years in uniform we are at a crossroads. My service member is thinking about retirement.

Should we stay or should we go?

He continually asks me what I want to do but I don’t think I can respond. To me, it is his question to answer.

If we stay, what assignment are we willing to take? The correct answer should be that we will take any assignment. But let’s face it, there are probably some that would make us 7-day opt. Just hearing “7-day opt” instills fear.

We all know that we are supposed to be planning for retirement long before we get to the 20-year point but you always question if it is enough. Not only that, but the thought of being without a job is scary.

If we stay, can we try to get a job that we want?

More than likely, the answer is no. But a girl can dream, can’t she? I would love to take an assignment overseas again. Who wouldn’t? For me, the next best option would be to remain in the D.C. area.

My spouse isn’t sure what he would like to be. He would like to serve in a capacity where he can utilize what he has learned. But he also needs to figure out what comes after he retires. So you see, the next stages of our lives are intertwined. We’d hope that the next assignment could set us up for retirement.

If he wants to teach, he can apply to do so at the National Defense University here in D.C. Or does he want to work in industry after he retires? Then he can try for a job down at Langley AFB. Maybe he would like to continue to serve his government in a civilian capacity. If that’s the case, he should try to stay here and continue to work at the Pentagon. Too many options for me!

And if he wants to go?

He continually asks me where I’d like to live. He comments that this would help him decide what to do. I’ve given him 3 locations, but my response is that the job will dictate where we reside. He looks at it the other way: decide on a location and then look for a job.

We go around in circles over this. Neither of us is ready to quit on military life but who knows what the service has planned for us.

I would love the chance to be involved with my community once again and the Pentagon doesn’t offer that opportunity. My husband loves interacting with the troops. But again, at what capacity and is it even possible?

All I know is that I don’t think I’m ready to leave. Am I ready to stay? I don’t know that either. An answer needs to be given soon.

Come December we have to say if we are all in or not. Ask me again then. Maybe I’ll have an answer for you.

“I Love Being Able To Shed Light On The K-12 Education Process For Military Families.”

October 11, 2017 By NextGen MilSpouse Staff Writer 1 Comment

Name: Meg Flanagan

Years as a military spouse:

Tell us your job title/profession:

Teacher, Freelance Writer, Blogger

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

It depends on the duty station and the opportunities

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?

A little bit of everything!

Tell us one thing you love about your job.

I love being able to shed light on the K-12 education process for military families.

Too often members of our community don’t know about free or low cost resources that can help them, like federal laws or tutoring programs.

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

I created it out of a need I saw in the community.

I started as a tutor/homeschool teacher in California in 2010. I noticed that many of my military clients simply didn’t understand the special education system in particular and the K-12 education system in general.

When I moved to Virginia in 2012, I started a job as a full-time classroom teacher in a district with a mobile population. I saw the same issues there.

In 2015, after a move to California, I decided to act on what I had been seeing and start MilKids Ed, a blog dedicated to helping military families (and teachers of MilKids) navigate the K-12 education journey.

From there, I have picked up freelance writing work across several media outlets and contribute to a military child-focused charity as a writer.

It’s not super profitable unless I’m teaching full-time too. But it is a passion project!

Are you looking to connect with career-minded military spouses? Join one of In Gear Career’s 40 local chapters around the world. In Gear Career is a part of Hiring Our Heroes and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.

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

For me, it was all about making that first connection. Once my foot was in the door at one freelancing job, it ended up leading to another and another.

Once you are in, stay connected and reach out to others. You never know when someone might be on the hunt for a person exactly like you!

How do you feel about failure?

I fail every single day. MilKids definitely doesn’t have the reach or clout I would like it to have at this point, but that’s OK. I’m still learning and growing as a person and as a writer.

My teaching career is on the backburner to help accommodate the military’s schedule and provide stability for our kids. It’s OK too! I’m still in the field, even if it’s in a different role.

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

The flexibility and fluidity of jobs and careers have been the biggest adjustment.

I came into this having grown up with the mindset of “30 years teaching in a district, then retire.” So far, I think the longest I have ever taught in one school was 2 contract years. And half of one year was spent on maternity leave!

Not every duty station is going to work out for me career-wise the way I want it to. When we got to our current duty station, I had big dreams of getting back into the classroom full-time.

Instead, we’re having a second child and I’m focusing more on freelancing for a few years. In a way, being a military spouse has given me the opportunity to explore more and different ways of being employed and an asset to the community beyond the classroom.

If we didn’t live this life, I could be tied to that classroom job, and might not have started blogging and writing.

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

Best: “Just see what happens.”

My mom has been drilling this into me lately as she sees me taking on too much (2 kids, full-time job, blogger, freelancer, etc.). She’s all about taking a step back and evaluating what is important right now in life.

Worst: “I made it work, so why can’t you?”

This or versions of this has been commented to me in several social media groups after I tried to advocate for easier/smoother license transitions for military spouses.

What works for one of us doesn’t work for all of us.

Just because one person’s particular journey in a career field has been smooth, doesn’t mean that everyone’s journey will be. It’s so important to stop judging each other and start helping.

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

My husband, Eric, supports me constantly. He has never pressured me to “get a job” and knows that making our family work is the most important thing right now.

My mom and dad, Chris and Tom, have always been there for me with sage advice and a reality check on my personal limits.

My large group of friends gives me advice, feedback and tips to help further my journey. It also helps that several of my friends are also in the writing and teaching fields!

Do you and your spouse or partner split household tasks?

It depends on the duty station, honestly!

If I am home more, then I shoulder more of the burden.

If I am working more or have more on my plate, we have hired someone to help. In the cost-benefit analysis, paying for help has both saved our sanity and given our family more flexibility to enjoy where we live!

Generally, I am the cook. Mostly because I love cooking and have severe food allergies. Plus, our family cannot live on PB&J sandwiches or pasta alone!

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

Whiteboards.

I have whiteboards, the peel and stick kind, all around my house. We have a meal planner and a grocery/to-buy list side-by-side on the fridge. There is a calendar one on the wall over the desk.

As I transition from full-time work to SAHM/freelance hustling, there will be another whiteboard with all of my writing to-do items. If it’s not on the whiteboard, it doesn’t get bought or it doesn’t happen.

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

MacBook Air. So much functionality and creation capabilities!

Favorite app for making the most of your day?

CNN so I know what is happening in the world right now.

Must-have song on your productivity playlist?

“Heart of Gold” by Neil Young

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

RUN! I’m a dedicated runner, and any extra time is spent on the road.

Running literally saved my sanity in 2014 during a bout with postpartum depression and I can’t imagine my life without it.

Just ask my husband what happens when I can’t get a solid run in for a few days. It is really not pretty!

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

I would be able to clone myself and designate chores or tasks to said clones. That way I would never have to fold and put away laundry ever again!

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 form.

“Failure Is Not An Option. I Have Come Too Far And Have Too Many People Counting On Me To Succeed.”

September 27, 2017 By NextGen MilSpouse Staff Writer Leave a Comment

Name: Channel Milbourne

Years as a military spouse:

Tell us your job title/profession:

I am the owner of Military Biz Connection, an online business directory for veteran and military spouse owned businesses. We want to connect the business owner to the consumer and have military business owners work together as well.

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

All day everyday!

How long have you been working in this career field?

Business started in April 2017

Are you looking to connect with career-minded military spouses? Join one of In Gear Career’s 20+ local chapters around the world. In Gear Career is a part of Hiring Our Heroes and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.

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

I work from home

Tell us one thing you love about your job.

I love that I’m helping my community (military) . I love that I am able to do something that makes me want to get out of bed everyday. It’s not always easy but it is worth it.

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

After searching for a job in Savannah and getting nowhere I decided to take my future into my own hands and start my own business.

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

Just be you because everyone else is taken!

How do you feel about failure?

It’s not an option. I have come too far and have too many people counting on me to succeed.

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

First impression is everything. You only get one chance to make one so make it count!

I don’t really have a worst. I have been told that less is more when you’re interviewing but I say it depends on what you’re applying for. I’m a communicator so less doesn’t apply to me. lol.

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

My family for sure. My mom is my biggest cheerleader and my husband would be a strong second. Between the two of them they push me to be who God has called me to be and they never let up.

Do you and your spouse or partner split household tasks?

Oh yes!!!! No one is exempt in my house. We both handle it all. However there are somethings that I just don’t like to do so I leave that for him on purpose. hahaha

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

Snuggle up and watch a movie

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

To get rid of all the hatred in people’s hearts.

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 form.