MilSpouses Who Work It Archives

“So Much Of Getting Employed Is Knowing Someone Or The Right People”

April 18, 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.

Name: Pam Chavez

Years as a military spouse:

Married for 11 years and dated for 3 prior to marriage

Tell us your profession:

I am a Certified Holistic Nutritionist (and totally foodie) who is passionate about helping exhausted and overextended military spouses become vibrant and thrive again.

I went from being in the Army to being married to the Army. I know firsthand how it feels to be the forgotten one in this lifestyle, the true unsung hero.

I get the most happiness and fulfillment from Nutrition to Heal Yourself. I founded this business to improve the lives of military spouses by helping them honor their value.

I am the AFI 2018 Military Spouse of the Year Base Spouse Fort Riley. My publications can be found on FoodMatters and The Brick Magazine and my podcast “Hey Military Spouse, Your Time is Now,” which can be found on iTunes, is full of quick, bite-sized nuggets of goodness.

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

I am an entrepreneur, so I set my own hours but I seem to work a lot because I love it.

How long have you been working in this career field?

I launched my business just over two years ago, while we were stationed in Korea. If I wanted to work I had to create my own because getting a job as a holistic nutritionist in Korea would have been next to impossible.

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

The majority of my work is from home. Although I hold wellness workshops in the community too. While stationed in Korea I would give tours of the local outdoor markets to help military spouses break down the intimidation with local ingredients and language barriers.

Tell us one thing you love about your job.

I love showing military spouses how simple healthy food can be and that it makes you feel amazing. Preparing healthy meals for yourself and your family doesn’t require exotic ingredients, isn’t expensive and is full of flavor.

There are so many incredibly hard parts to this lifestyle and it is super easy to always put your health on the back burner. Once you have the tools and more importantly, when you begin to reap the benefits life is much more enjoyable. When I help someone lose weight, skyrocket their energy, and begin feeling true happiness again, it is incredibly rewarding for me.

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

Out of necessity and a drive to work, I launched my own business while we were stationed in Korea. Being an entrepreneur is so much harder than I thought it would be but it is also extremely gratifying. There are so many layers to building a business but I love the independence and creative direction I have by working for myself.

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

Be open to opportunity and start conversations in environments where you would like to work.

So much of getting employed is knowing someone or the right people.

Don’t just apply for jobs, but also make connections with people and let your personality shine.

How do you feel about failure?

Failure isn’t easy, but there is so much to learn in every situation. If there is a way to put the pieces together and figure out what failed, do it, adjust and get back in the game.

Failure doesn’t equal the end, unless you let it be that way.

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

Gosh there are so many challenges while living the military lifestyle. Honestly one of my biggest challenges is my spouse being under constant stress and always working. The military has taken my spouse from me, physically and emotionally so consistently and it is tough to feel I don’t have my partner very often.

While promotions and career progression has its benefits, it also takes a toll on the soldier and increases work stress exponentially.

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

The worst piece of career advice I received was when I was told to not work exclusively with military spouses because I would be limiting myself. I had hired a group of prominent business coaches and I felt they knew better than what my gut was telling me. Once I fired them and listened to my intuition, things began to take off.

The best piece of career advice I have received is to follow my instincts.

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

I would love to say it is my spouse and he is one of my support systems. Honestly though the best support systems I have are my girlfriends and other milspouses. My husband doesn’t really get my unique challenges because he doesn’t live this military spouse lifestyle.

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

I would love to say that we do, but honestly that is not the case. My hope is that one day we will get there, right now with his work demanding so much of his time and energy we do not split household tasks.

Hiring a house cleaner has been a lifesaver for myself and my marriage. I used to get very resentful with the lack of help around the house. I don’t get weekends off so I didn’t see it as fair that my spouse wasn’t pitching in on his time off.

I decided to remove the possibility of resentments building and hired a house cleaner to come in and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made.

With three young boys my home is constantly needing something cleaned, so I still have plenty to take care of but it relieved a lot of time which I could use to build my business.

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

Green smoothies.

It may not be your typical life-hack but starting my day by flooding my body with vitamins and nutrients with dark leafy greens and fruits sets my entire day up for success. The simple act of keeping frozen fruit, fresh spinach or kale, maybe some nuts or seeds and a bunch of water makes an incredibly delicious smoothie. Not only does it begin to clear the fogginess from my mind, it gives me loads of energy. This one habit sets the tone for my day by knowing I gave myself some love and influences positive decisions throughout my entire day.

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

My Macbook. It is the lifeblood for my business and I step into work mode when I am on it.

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

Trello is my current favorite. It helps me stay on task while also mapping out what needs to get accomplished.

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

“Glorious” by Macklemore

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

Yoga.

Along with the power of food, yoga has been instrumental in my mind/body happiness. I had wanted to begin a yoga practice for many years. Once we moved to South Korea, which proved to be the most difficult transition thus far, I knew I had to give it a go. I was struggling with loneliness and the effects of my husband’s work stress spilling over into our home.

“Yoga with Adriene” was an amazing platform I stumbled upon on YouTube and she offers hundreds of free videos. I loved her style, quirkiness and sense of humor. She is perfect for a beginner too. I have done her videos consistently for over two years now and still love them just as much.

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

My super hero power would be to fly.

I have always flown in my dreams and it always makes me so happy. Plus I could fly my children around to visit family that they miss dearly. Traveling with a family of five is expensive, exhausting and is such a chore.

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.

“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

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.

“I Realized Right From The Start That Professional Licensing Is A Beast To Tackle”

March 28, 2018 By NextGen MilSpouse Staff Writer Leave a Comment

Name: Jenah Wieczorek

Years as a military spouse:

Tell us your job title/profession: Director of Community Outreach for PCSgrades

When I met my handsome soldier, I was a dental hygienist in Atlanta living that single good life. The uniform did me in and we were married less than a year after meeting. I realized immediately that not all states would recognize my dental hygiene license and though I did get certified outside of the state of Georgia, this wasn’t going to be a career I could take with me everywhere we PCSed.

I then started thinking about things I enjoyed and might have a slight knack for and social media popped into mind. Fast forward a few years and I’m the Director of Community Outreach for PCSgrades.

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

I technically work part-time but it’s pretty much full-time. It’s always on my brain.

How long have you been working in this career field?

2.5 years

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

I work from home and also from the library on Ft. Leavenworth. They have super fast internet and it forces me to climb out of pajamas a few days a week.

Tell us one thing you love about your job.

They understand (almost) all the acronyms I use and don’t blink an eye when I say “We are PCSing, I need 2 weeks off.” To truly have my team also be a part of my little military community is the best.

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

A fellow military spouse introduced me virtually to Todd, the CEO, of PCSgrades. After talking we realized that both of our “whys” match up and it was onward and upward from there.

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

Use the network you have. I put a post on FB that I was thinking of getting back into the job market and I was interested in x, y, and z. A milspouse friend saw it and thought of me when she heard of an opening that matched my description a few weeks later.

How do you feel about failure?

I fail at numerous things each week. Last week, I emailed military families in Hawaii asking them to leave housing reviews at Camp Pendleton which you know…is not in Hawaii. I then told them to have a happy Fri-yay and it was actually Thursday.

We are all human and make mistakes and have a lot on our plates so I just laugh at myself, drink more coffee, and move on.

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

I realized right from the start that professional licensing is a beast to tackle. It’s more than just paying fees to be certified in that state. Had I known I was going to become a military spouse, I would have explored my interest in the photography more.

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

The best piece of career advice I ever received came from listening to someone else’s answer of why they do the job they do. He said he doesn’t always enjoy his job every single day, but he enjoys the overall mission of that job/company and the people that he works with. I took that to heart.

It’s not always rainbows and sunshine each day, but I do really enjoy my teammates and our common mission to do good.

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

This will sound corny but my spouse is my biggest fan in all things.

I want to be a dental hygienist but might need to go back to school to certify in some states – he says here is my G.I. bill, go forth and conquer.

I change my mind and want to be a stay at home mom. He says sounds great let’s make a baby.

I get a little bored with being at home and want to dabble in social media. He says let’s get our kids into the CDC so you can get going.

I take on roles with my local spouses’ club because volunteering is at the core of my being – he works his schedule around our functions and meetings so I can truly commit.

If I said tomorrow I wanted to quit everything and become a farmer he would buy me the nicest tractor and tell me to get on it. I married my best friend and he is literally the jam.

Also, my mom. Moms are the best.

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

Yes we split all things. We both want our two sons to understand that household chores are not just one person’s job, specifically mommy’s job. We all live in the house and we all pitch in to make it run efficiently. I LOVE to cook so I do dinner every night. My spouse tackles the laundry and we both pack the daycare bags and do the dishes. Our preschoolers take turns feeding the dog. Team Wieczorek is our motto.

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

I never thought I would do this but we hired a college student to clean our house. I’m very Type A personality so cleaning is therapeutic for me (hence the dental hygiene profession) but I just don’t have time to do it. We work during the day, have a 4- and 2-year-old, volunteer at church and the spouses’ club, hang out with friends, and we just want to enjoy any free time we get as a family. I pay her to come clean every 2 weeks to help pay for her tuition and for me to come home to a clean place. Everyone wins.

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

The crockpot. It makes so many nice family meals that make it look like I put in a ton of effort but all I did was hit the start button and set the Alexa timer.

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

Trello for organization and Instagram to laugh at UPS Dogs. If you’re not following that account, you should be.

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

Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now”

Do you need a productivity playlist? Try NextGen MilSpouse’s Ultimate Work Motivation Mix on Spotify.

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

Read.

I’m a huge book nerd and was just recently gifted a new e-reader (with the back light woot woot!) and I tend to wind down at night reading. It is the best way to zone out from social media, life, wife and mom duties, and relax. I do stay up too late reading most nights so maybe I should ask for an extra hour of sleep.

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

If I had a super power it would be to stop time. I feel that my kids are growing so fast and though I’m home for a lot of it, sometimes I look over and think “how did you get so big so fast.” I would stop time and really enjoy the chaos of my little family.

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.

“HR People Get Tons Of Resumes. Your Chances Of Them Remembering You Are Small. Do The Extra Work!”

February 28, 2018 By NextGen MilSpouse Staff Writer Leave a Comment

Name: Juliette Ramberg de Ruyter

Years as a military spouse:

1 1⁄2

Tell us your job title/profession:

Program Associate – one of the most mysterious job titles in the world.

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

I am working part-time right now which gives me time to focus on professional development and my side projects. I love the dynamicity!

How long have you been working in this career field?

I am new in the realm of diplomacy but I came in strong due to my professional background and passion for international relations.

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

I work in an office in San Diego with occasional meetings and events out in town. The job entails a lot of socializing and networking so I rarely feel chained to my desk.

Tell us one thing you love about your job.

I do excessive research on foreign policy issues and international affairs personally and professionally. At work, I get to engage with these topics in many ways by working with hundreds of influential government officials, legislators, professionals, activists and civic leaders.

I am in the front row of foreign affairs and diplomacy on a daily basis which is a very empowering and enriching experience.

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

As a new immigrant in the United States, I started looking for internships as a way of adjusting to the American business world. I have worked in other countries prior to moving to the U.S. so I know it takes time to learn and build that confidence in a new environment. I mean, even the keyboards are different! After a few days of searching I landed an internship. I was offered a job at that office about one month later.

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

Make an impression prior to applying for the job. If you are scouting jobs in retail or the service industry I would suggest you to go visit the place. If you are into a specific organization – go to one of their events and introduce yourself. HR people get tons of resumes, your chances of them remembering you are small. Do the extra work!

How do you feel about failure?

Rare. But necessary.

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

I’m the one who needs advice on this topic! This is our first station meaning the challenge of maintaining my career is still ahead of me. The military world is filled with “what ifs.” I try to stay flexible and avoid solidifying my dreams too much. I try to remind myself that everything can change overnight.

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

The best: “Be yourself.”

SUPER cheesy but job hunting is really like dating.

The worst: “It’ll work itself out.”

Nope, you have to own your life!

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

My husband is definitely my number one supporter. Our professional passions kind of overlap at times, making him a great source for ideas and advice.

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

Absolutely. I tried to do it all for a while and felt exhausted!

We try to do most of the household tasks together on weekends so that we at least suffer together.

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

A synchronized calendar between my husband and me. This helps us keep track on each other’s commitments and events. So unromantic, yet very helpful since I expect him to ask me how my dentist appointment went. It works!!

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

Definitely my laptop. I bring it everywhere.

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

Spotify. I often listen to music when I power through my inbox.

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

Sander van Doom – Ori Tali Ma (LVNDSCAPE Remix)

Do you need a productivity playlist? Try NextGen MilSpouse’s Ultimate Work Motivation Mix on Spotify.

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

Swedish crossword puzzles – it is very relaxing and helps me keep up with my Swedish. My mom sends them to me in the mail. She’s such a sweetheart.

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

Something involving flying very fast. I love traveling.

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 69: What Didn’t I Do?

February 23, 2018 By NextGen MilSpouse Staff Writer Leave a Comment

This week we talk about what led Melissa Rogers to create her own professional organizing business and ask her when can she come to our houses? We also catch up on the latest military spouse news with Amy and what’s new on NextGen MilSpouse.

Melissa Rogers, owner of Modified by Melissa, tells Happy Hour listeners why she created her professional organizing business.

This Week’s Guest: Melissa Rogers, Modified by Melissa

Melissa Rogers, owner and creator of Modified by Melissa joins us to talk about why we could all use some decluttering. Ever since Melissa was a child, she’s loved putting things in order. When she became a military spouse, she learned that organizational skills are essential to creating a smooth move and removing unnecessary stress caused by clutter.

Melissa’s passion is to help de-clutter and organize the lives of her clients, whether it be in their homes or in their lives. Her philosophy is, if it doesn’t make sense, modify it!

Connect with Melissa on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or LinkedIn.

NextGen MilSpouse Articles That Have Us Talking

I Feel Like I’m At A Theme Park With People From Around The World

Fewer PCSes in Our Future? DoD Says ‘Maybe’

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

Amy Brings Us The News From Military.com

Why do military members qualify for food stamps? Amy explains. Oh, also she was on NPR, NBD.

Pregnancy will NOT be a reason that you can switch between Tricare Prime and Select starting in 2019. So if you’re thinking 2019 is a great year to have a baby, plan accordingly when it comes to your Tricare coverage.

Hiring Our Heroes launched its first Military Spouse Economic Empowerment Zone in San Antonio, Texas.

Jessica Tells Us What We Missed On Social Media

We’re killing it at work right now. Our house? A HOT MESS.

Jessica attended Veteran EDGE in Austin, Texas, and live tweeted highlights.

Lindsay Dickey shares her story of being denied employment and how she got justice.

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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“The Best Piece Of Career Advice I’ve Ever Received Is To Apply For Every Job That I’m Interested In, Even If I Don’t Meet The Qualifications.”

February 21, 2018 By NextGen MilSpouse Staff Writer Leave a Comment

Name: Melissa Rogers

Years as a military spouse:

Tell us your job title/profession:

I am the owner and creator of Modified by Melissa, a professional organizing business.

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

Contract

How long have you been working in this career field?

11 months

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

Office is at home and sessions are performed in clients’ homes

Tell us one thing you love about your job.

I love helping my clients create beautiful and functional spaces; and helping them to relieve themselves from the stress of clutter.

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

I was looking for a new career path when we moved to San Antonio and I always liked the idea of being my own boss. A family friend mentioned how wonderful they thought I was at helping others declutter and re-organize their spaces.

The light bulb clicked and I went to work!

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

Don’t settle for a job because you think it’s the only thing you’re going to get. If you can’t find a job that satisfies you, create one!

How do you feel about failure?

I don’t think anyone “likes” failure but I know I definitely grow from it every time it happens.

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

Being fulfilled and feeling like I’m doing what “I’m meant to” be doing.

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

The best piece of career advice I’ve ever received is to apply for every and any job that I’m interested in, even if I don’t meet the qualifications. You never know who else is applying for the position and you may just happen to be the MOST qualified candidate. I have gotten a few jobs with this mentality!

Worst advice I’ve received was to apply for an entry level job for a position I already had a ton of experience with. I shouldn’t have to start at the bottom time and time again!

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

My support squad is diverse! My family has been amazing at encouraging me and reminding me that I’m brave for starting my own business. I couldn’t do it without them!

My husband has a very different mindset than I do about most things, so I love using him as a sounding board for ideas and suggestions. It helps me to get outside of my head.

And I’m lucky enough to have some wonderful friends who build me up and show their pride by sharing my blog posts and other things on their social media. It’s pretty amazing!

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

We do split tasks! It just depends on our schedules really. If a week is more hectic for him or for me, we switch up tasks. But he always rocks the cooking and dish cleaning because I’m terrible at cooking and despise those dirty dishes! I’m thankful for my team player!

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

My “hack” for saving time is honestly just making a list of my to-do’s. Referencing that list often, ensures I stay focused and accomplish what needs to be done.

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

More paper crafting! I always WANT to work more on my scrapbooking projects, but I just can’t seem to make the time for it.

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

Hearing noises from miles away! I’m always asking my husband if he “hears that” and he just looks at me like I’m crazy!

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.

Episode 68: Eat All Of Your Feelings

February 15, 2018 By NextGen MilSpouse Staff Writer 1 Comment

In episode 68, the Happy Hour crew is talking about how entrepreneurs can level up their social media game with the help of business coaches and how you can make your Facebook newsfeed more positive with the help of 3 little dots.

This Week’s Guests: Jenny Hale, The Military Social Media Guru, and Lizann Lightfoot, SeasonedSpouse.com

This week we welcome Jenny Hale and Lizann Lightfoot to the Happy Hour!

Jenny is a marketing and social media coach consultant for military spouse and veteran business owners with military-themed businesses. Nicknamed “The Military Social Media Guru,” she uses her extensive background working with military non-profits, military-focused corporate companies, the Army, and as an entrepreneur to help others struggling to meet their business dreams. With the goal of bringing financial freedom to the military community, Jenny works to make an entrepreneur’s vision come to life. Connect with her on her website, Facebook page and group, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.

One of those entrepreneur is Lizann. Lizann is a Marine wife, mom of 4 kids, and published author of the book Welcome to Rota: The Unofficial Guide to Getting Settled, and Enjoying the Culture, Food, and Travel Opportunities of Southern Spain. She blogs at The Seasoned Spouse, and she absolutely loves chocolate. Join her Deployment Challenge group and follow her on Facebook.

NextGen MilSpouse Articles That Have Us Talking

How I Used Social Media To Land My Job

How To Design A Positive Social Network

The Smart MilSpouse’s Guide to Base Housing

Amy Brings Us The News From Military.com

Second Lady Karen Pence, wife of Vice President Mike Pence, announced that her office will focus on military spouse issues. When and what? We’ll find out soon.

A mountain in Alaska has been named Gold Star Peak.

Jessica Tells Us What We Missed On Social Media

Tell InDependent what should be on their playlist for their upcoming Military Spouse Wellness Summit: Renew You.

Spousebuzz shared the love on Valentine’s Day with military engagement stores. Heart eyes, full hearts.

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“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.

“I’d Love To Stop Time, Get Errands Done, And Then Re-Start It.”

January 31, 2018 By NextGen MilSpouse Staff Writer Leave a Comment

Name: Devon Gardner

Years as a military spouse:

Tell us your job title/profession:

Social Media Consultant. Owner and Founder of Devon Victoria Communications

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

I am a freelance consultant.

How long have you been working in this career field?

10 years

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

Work from home

Tell us one thing you love about your job.

The flexibility of determining my own clients, schedule, workload and location!

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

My background is in Public Relations. There is a natural cross-over with social media, so when I was working at a PR firm I started managing social media strategies for clients. Eventually, I worked solely in social media as the Director of Social Media at a digital marketing agency.

After 4 years at that agency, I decided to take a leap of faith and branch out on my own and start my own social media consultancy company. One of the best decisions of my life!

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

Network! My best clients have come from referrals from people who knew of me and my services. Since military spouses are often relocating, establishing your network in your new location is very important. Look up clubs and events in your industry and try to attend at least one per month.

How do you feel about failure?

I am very hard on myself and avoid failure at all costs, though I know that’s not the correct attitude.

Whenever I have children, I want to teach them how to fail and fail proudly so that they can learn from their mistakes because I think it is such a strong characteristic. I suppose I will have to face my fear of failure in order to teach them this lesson!

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

I have been very lucky that we were always located in one place, so I didn’t have to move around and switch jobs or re-network. But dealing with hectic training schedules and months of deployments certainly made it hard to focus on work whenever my husband was home because of wanting to prioritize our time together – so finding a balance and a boss who understood that was important.

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

That no one will ever give it to you, you have to ask for it. (In terms of the position you want, the salary you want, etc.)

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

Definitely my husband. He is my biggest cheerleader and gives me the confidence I need to tackle big things like starting my business, ending a relationship with a difficult client, etc. Also, my parents.

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

Yes, and I am so appreciative of that. I cook, he does the dishes. I get all the laundry in the wash, he folds it. I do the grocery shopping, he keeps the closer eye on our finances, etc. We just sort of fell into that pattern – we’re both “do-ers.” However, there have been times when we have asked the other to help with xyz.

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

Prioritize sleep and healthy eating. I can’t be productive nor cheerful when I’m exhausted or eating poorly. Finding a way to get both will reap rewards.

Favorite app for making the most of your day?

I don’t use a lot of productivity apps…truly I use the good ol’ notebook with a daily to-do list!

Must-have song on your productivity playlist?

Anything country.

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

Dedicate time to mindfulness, like meditation.

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

Stopping time! I always want more of it. I’d love to stop time, get chores/errands done, and then re-start it

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.

“I Love Connecting With Other Military Spouses While Helping Alleviate PCS Stress For Military Families”

January 24, 2018 By NextGen MilSpouse Staff Writer Leave a Comment

Name: Kellie Artis

Years as a military spouse:

Tell us your job title/profession:

Director of Communications and Business Development at MILLIE and Managing Editor of the MILLIE Journal

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

Part-time

How long have you been working in this career field?

In some form or another, I guess you could say since I earned my degree in the field – so on and off for 14 years. Communications is nice and generic like that. I have tinkered in other fields, but always with a slant toward what I know.

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

Fully remote!

Tell us one thing you love about your job.

Hands down – the connections with other military spouses I’ve been able to make while helping alleviate PCS stress for military families. In order to build the installation guides for gomillie.com, I have had the privilege of hosting virtual focus groups at over 70 installations where milspouses gave me all the juicy intel on living near xyz installation.

We laugh, we commiserate and we exchange hard-earned nuggets of information to help the next family reporting to that duty station get plugged in quickly!

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

I stumbled across a company that I was so excited about that I couldn’t resist applying for a position that I was completely unqualified for! A friend forwarded me a job listing from a Facebook group (probably Milspo Project or In Gear Career) for a social media coordinator position with MILLIE – a brand new company looking to change the way military families PCS.

Having ZERO experience with social media management beyond my own personal profile management, I applied. I was honest with the team about my lack of experience but stressed my ability to pick up new tech skills, my innate curiosity and passion for learning new things. I was passionate about the mission of this company and focused each interview on convincing them to let me in (in any capacity) on what they were doing.

After two interviews, I was not offered the social media position.

However, the forward-thinking founders offered me something much more suited to my talents. The position I landed was something they had planned on filling later on down the road, but since I was there, capable, and eager they went ahead and made room for me on the team.

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

Start with companies or an industry that you want to work in, then get your foot in the door whether they’re hiring for what you want to do or not. Even (or ESPECIALLY) if there isn’t an open position, propose what you could offer them and be willing to work through a trial period.

If you’re passionate about the company to start with, pursue them, identify a need that they may not even know they have, and show how you can fill it. Most of my resume is made up of positions that companies created for me once I showed them how I can help them out. Be willing to work out a trial period with less than ideal pay so you can prove your worth to them, but set a solid date for an evaluation (I usually do 30 days) where you guys can evaluate your role and a salary that you’ve proven your worth.

Sadly, the odds of finding the perfect job listing when you arrive at a new duty station are pretty slim. So, reach out to companies that you could see yourself working for, then go for it!

You never know what conversations are going on behind the scenes and what future needs can potentially be.

Even if you don’t snag a position at that time, at least you’re now on their radar. Be confident in what you bring to the table, and pursue anything that looks interesting. Don’t be afraid to make connections and utilize your networks! You never know what could turn up.

How do you feel about failure?

I mean, it’s never fun but if viewed through a healthy lens failure can be transformative.

There is no innovation without failure, and creativity thrives in environments where taking risks is encouraged.

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

Understanding my value.

Yes, I may move in two years, but the two years that you have me as an employee will be insanely productive. Yes, I may be distracted and preoccupied when my husband is gone and my kids are sick, but I am loyal, trustworthy and resilient.

Yes, you as an employer may be taking a risk on an unknown by hiring a military spouse, but if you’re open to some unconventional practices (like letting me telecommute or operate in another time zone) you’ll see productivity soar.

Yes, my resume is hilarious and makes utterly no sense, but if you take a step back and look at the broader picture you’ll see someone who has amassed an impressive array of skill sets in a variety of industries with tenacity, creativity and grit.

Learning to sell all of those things to potential employers has been a challenge, but now I know my value and will fight for it.

What is the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received? Tell us the worst too.

Best – Always push through “no.” No hardly ever means no, so once you determine how to push through that, an entire world of possibilities can open up to you. Whether that is getting what you need or want, or doing it for a boss, don’t ever take a no at face value. Regroup and figure out another approach. “Maybe” is something everyone can work with.

Worst – I once had a boss tell me that “you can’t trust anyone to do their job.”

I was an executive assistant at the time to a man who had a penchant for micro-management. He basically trained me to follow up on EVERY minute aspect of my day, double-triple-quadruple checking behind literally everything I ordered/hired/booked. I spend an enormous amount of time making sure that things (as sold) would be delivered. There were many times that it worked out well for me since someone on the other end had, indeed, dropped the ball. But, I think there’s so much more value in propping people up for success (particularly subordinates) rather than expecting them to fail.

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

We have a killer team at MILLIE and that extends well beyond our core team. Our MILLIE Scout network of 100+ milspouses are crucial in the work I do. We lean on them to help us fill our focus groups, shoot area photos, create commute charts (they literally drive to the points!), and helping us spread our message! All I have to do is call out to our Scout Squad, and they show up in droves to contribute information that will help the community!

They are the reason we have been able to accomplish so much this past year!

In that same vein, our AgentHeroes (MILLIE’s network of 600+ milspouse and veteran real estate agents) are always ready and able to contribute valuable and relevant information about their communities! Everyone we’re connected with is super passionate about supporting our mission of Bringing Military Families Home.

My spouse is a huge support and has always been supportive of the random career paths I’ve pursued. He is patient and understanding with the after-hours work I put in once the kids are asleep. He’s also my biggest cheerleader when I’m feeling undervalued. There’s a huge need for validation when you have to reinvent yourself every few years, and he is attuned to that in me and always reaffirms my worth.

Do you and your spouse or partner split household tasks?

We probably split up household stuff the way most folks do, but my husband isn’t afraid to cook, vacuum, and do bedtime with the kids if I have a deadline or need to work at night.

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

Outsource as much as you can. I shop online for groceries, have a cleaning service to help with housework, and even a meal planning app. If someone else can get it done faster/better than I can, for less than I make, I hire it out.

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

My laptop. I WOULD say my Apple Watch, but Santa Claus dropped the ball this year so I’m putting it out to the universe in advance of my birthday.

Favorite app for making the most of your day?

Slack is probably the most essential for work, but I love Wunderlist for all my to-dos.

Must-have song on your productivity playlist?

I jam out to a 90s rap Pandora station when I really need to get *ish done.

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

Read.

Or maybe nap.

Sadly, they usually go hand-in-hand!

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

I would love to have super-sonic speed reading abilities and a photographic memory. There are so many things I’m curious about and would love to explore!

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.