MilSpouses Who Work It Archives - Page 3 of 11

Episode 64: Mother Nature Laughed At Me

January 19, 2018 By NextGen MilSpouse Staff Writer Leave a Comment

Michelle and Jessica are bundled up during this week’s Happy Hour as a cold front freezes the southern United States. Snow days in Austin? Icy roadways in Mississippi? It’s Mother Nature laughing at Michelle, who donated her winter outerwear in November.

After complaining about the cold, they talk to Melissa Clampitt, a marketing coach for Germono Advertising Company. She has THE BEST tips for working remotely. THE BEST.

This Week’s Guest: Melissa Clampitt, Germono Advertising Company

Melissa Clampitt has over 9 years of public relations and marketing experience working with small businesses, artists, corporations, and nonprofits. She specializes in creating innovative brands, designing creative campaigns to build awareness, and enhancing online presence. She currently is a Marketing Coach and Ninja Cavalry for the military spouse-owned business Germono Advertising Company.

Having worked remotely and an entrepreneur herself, Melissa shares her best tips for getting hired for a remote job and how she has gotten through those times when she could have a gap on her resume.

NextGen MilSpouse Articles That Have Us Talking

’12 Strong’ Tells The True Story of Our Military Heroes

Did I Say ‘I Do’ To This? Wedding Vows From The Perspective Of A Military Spouse

10 Companies Offering Flexible Employment For Military Spouses

Jessica Tells Us What We Missed On Social Media

Google Arts and Culture App will tell you which famous painting you look like. Unless you live in Texas or Illinois. Jessica has FOMO.

When you work remotely and your corporate office has a snow day, Her Money Moves has a meme for that.

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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.

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“The Challenge Of Being A Working Military Spouse And Mother Is Daunting”

January 17, 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: Melissa Clampitt

Years as a military spouse:

Tell us your job title/profession:

Marketing Coach at Germono Advertising Company

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

Full-time

How long have you been working in this career field?

Been in marketing and public relations since my first internship in 2009

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

Remotely, mostly from home.

Tell us one thing you love about your job.

Watching a client take my advice and then watch them flourish.

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

I found a post about the position on the Military Spouse Corporate Career Network and went to the Germono Advertising Company website to check out the description.

When I started going through the company’s website, I was so inspired by the work Lindsey (the owner) was doing for military spouses and veteran-owned business, I knew I not only had to apply, but also personally thank her in my e-mail with my resume for supporting this community. Finally, a company that supported my milspo lifestyle.

Perhaps, it was my resume or maybe she could tell that the position and community she supports meant a lot to me.

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

For your interview, get your power suit on, make some powerful notes for how you can help the company (which means research it beforehand) as well as notes about yourself, and go in with confidence.

How do you feel about failure?

It’s not fun, but once you have taken a minute to mourn your failure, pull your head up and move on to the next. Failure is so important. It is what makes you to grow stronger and learn to make better decisions.

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

The challenge of being a working military spouse and mother is daunting.

Many military spouses with children can probably relate that you frequently feel like a single parent. All the times your spouse is in the field or training or deployed plus every day he/she leaves for PT before everyone wakes up and comes home after dark.

All that means you are the main caregiver for your children.

Add in the fact that you’re most likely not living anywhere near family, and you quickly learn that when your have to do something for your children, you are SOL on anything else.

I couldn’t tell you the number of times that I had something work or career-related planned and had to cancel because I had a sick child. Or the number of times I wanted to participate in something, but had no child care. It makes maintaining a career very difficult.

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

Best – When someone asks you if you can handle something or know how to do something, but you don’t know how…just say yes and figure it out as you go. “You can’t learn how to swim without getting in the pool.”

Worst – Just go with it and it will all work out.

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

My mother is my career advice and career support leader. I go to her to share all my career news and business questions.

My BFF is my personal life support and sound board. Everything personal that I am struggling with I call her to talk it out or just vet.

Do you and your spouse or partner split household tasks?

Yes, but it’s probably a 80/20 split. He has a couple tasks that are “supposed” to be his responsibility such as taking out the trash. I pretty much do the rest and he tries to step in when he can tell I am losing my mind. He also occasionally gets a “honey-do list.” It’s OK though because I do a better job at cleaning.

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

For my own sanity, I have to keep the house semi-clean and orderly. I struggle to sit down and work unless my workspace is clean.

Since I mostly work from home, that means my house or at the room I am working in needs to feel comfortable and organized, not chaotic.

I think it promotes more organized thoughts as you are working.

Favorite app for making the most of your day?

Wunderlist

Must-have song on your productivity playlist?

I can actually be productive with some Disney princess tunes.

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

I could use it getting more work done in the evening or spending quality time with my spouse.

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

Teleportation. I could easily get from place to place and be able to travel the world in a blink of an eye!

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.

“Utilize Social Media To Build Your Personal Brand And Control How Potential Employers See You.”

January 10, 2018 By NextGen MilSpouse Staff Writer Leave a Comment

Name: Sam Lark Jr

Years as a military spouse:

Tell us your job title/profession:

Account Manager for Main Street Hub, helping local businesses manage their social media presence

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

Full-time

How long have you been working in this career field?

Nearly 2 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.

Interacting with local business owners.

My first job was at a local bakery. They took a chance on a shy teenager that walked with his head down. The owners were a husband and wife team. They both encouraged me to come out of my shell.

Due to that experience (well over 20 years ago), I’m a true extrovert that loves public speaking!

Having my own experience understanding the benefit local businesses bring to local economies and communities, I love helping small business owners achieve their social media goals every day!

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

For my current role. I didn’t rely solely on the job application. I used LinkedIn to make connections with employees holding the same role for which I applied, managers, and the Co-CEOs/Founders of the company.

I had ongoing Twitter conversations with my current manager about his favorite college football team. I created a Twitter list with current employees, managers and the company account. I watched what was shared to learn more about the company culture and current projects. I shared the company’s content and gave thoughtful replies.

The above activities put me on their radar. After several weeks of submitting my application, their recruiter reached out to me for an interview. I ultimately became their first-ever hire from Twitter.

They featured my story in the company blog.

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

Utilize social media to build your personal brand and control how potential employers see you.

How do you feel about failure?

It’s a necessary part of success. All the successful people that come to mind have been known to say that they failed often, much and continued moving forward. The old saying, “Ready, Aim, Fire!” has been updated by, “Ready, FIRE, Aim.”

The second phrase denotes a person that isn’t waiting on perfection to get started. They just “do” and as they “do” they learn and readjust when needed to hit their target.

Fear of failure is a culprit of productivity and accomplishment.

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

Best piece of career advice is a saying I picked up years ago, “Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be bent out of shape.”

The worst career advice would have to be to just apply, apply, apply in hopes that the massive amount of applications sent out would get you noticed. I (and I’m sure many others) have learned that this isn’t the best use of time.

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

My wife. She is my “why,” confidant, cheerleader and coach. She sees greatness in me when I don’t. She has challenged me to go further, do more, be more than I ever imagined. Without her beside me (never ever “behind” me), I’m more than certain I wouldn’t be half the man or nearly as successful in my career as I am.

Do you and your spouse or partner split household tasks?

Yes. We both have things we’re good at. Knowing our strengths, we separate household tasks accordingly. The main goal is that as a team we want to be efficient

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

Spending more quality time with my wife

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

Bringing the best out of people

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.

“Let People Know What You Are Passionate About And What You Are Looking For In A Career.”

January 3, 2018 By NextGen MilSpouse Staff Writer Leave a Comment

Name: Nicci Clark

Years as a military spouse:

Tell us your job title/profession:

Attorney turned Financial Advisor

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

Full-time

How long have you been working in this career field?

4.5 years

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

Office, but I’m on the road in clients’ offices a lot, too

Tell us one thing you love about your job.

I work very hard, but part of my job is being out in the community, so I get to do the things I love with people I like. If I want to go to a spouse luncheon on base, I can usually do so. If I want to play golf with a group of girlfriends, I can do so. Except when I’m out of town on business, I rarely miss one of my kids’ or husband’s events.

Other than the autonomy, my favorite thing is that I get to work my brain every single day. My clients often call me with complicated problems, things that I have to research or network to find the answers to. I get to connect people with each other and encourage families and business owners to improve their game. And I grow every single day.

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

It was a lot of luck. I’ve heard many people say that “luck” is where opportunity and preparation meet and I’d say that that was true in my case.

Through the years where our kids were little and where my husband’s Air Force career moved us around a lot, I keep busy volunteering and trying new things: I’ve created a lot of websites for spouse clubs; I’ve volunteered for some of the most exciting boards and events that the military has to offer and I tried to stay enthusiastic while doing so.

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

Keep your professional skills polished and put them out for others to see. Put your best foot forward when you commit to something. Sometimes you have to spend a few months in a community, getting to know the players in town, whether they are at church, school or community/base organization. Get in there and get to know people and be enthusiastic about where you are, no matter for how long!

From the minute you get settled in, let people know what you are passionate about and what you are looking for in a career.

How do you feel about failure?

Not an option.

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

This summer, I moved my practice and my home to Alabama from Georgia. During this time, my partner and I had a tremendous amount of pressure on our business from a competitor and I felt guilty for not being able to work non-stop. The long days at the office, followed by coming home to a mountain of boxes made me feel very out of control.

Fortunately, people in my new office know a lot about the military community so they’ve really opened their arms and made me feel welcome.

Knowing that I’m going to do it again next summer has made me sometimes be more negative than I am normally, but I remind myself every day that I’ve been building and creating and getting paid for it and that I have so much to be grateful for.

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

The best: Commit to something you love. If you love the way you spend your days, you have plenty to give others, both at work and at home.

The worst: “Don’t even try.” I had a lady tell me that I’d never make it because I’m a military spouse and everybody in town would know it. She was wrong.

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

My husband is my #1 supporter. He always reminds me that the downs are part of the cycle and he rejoices in all of my successes, no matter how small.

He knows how I worry about my clients, how I cry when one of them dies or gets sick, he knows how much of my heart I invest in my clients and my career and has never once been threatened that there’s not enough space for him.

Besides my spouse, my business partner, Frank, who has been my mentor and supporter for several years is the best. I owe my entire career to his support and to the support of my friends who not only do business with me, but who send me new business.

Do you and your spouse or partner split household tasks?

For years, I nagged my husband about how I felt alone in the household tasks. One time, I asked his mom, also a military spouse, how she did it – how she kept a home and kids and juggled all of the expectations of being a military spouse whose husband spent over two years in Vietnam and who had a busy Air Force career. You know what she told me? “I had a maid!”

As the years have gone by, we hire people to do the things we absolutely hate doing or that aren’t worth our time to do ourselves and we just budget for it.

I still clean the house, but I don’t do it every day or every week. My husband helps with the dishes and makes the bed every morning and he does his own laundry.

Our daughter does the trash, the dishwasher and her own laundry. I either do or hire someone to do the rest!

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

I will do ANYTHING to get out of going into the grocery store.

When our son was living at home, he did all of my grocery shopping. Did I care that he didn’t use coupons or necessarily get the best deal? No! He only got what was on the list, there weren’t any impulse buys and we all ate healthier because of it, plus I think he liked running errands and spending my money.

Now that he is in college, I’ve had to figure out how to do it myself again. I usually wake up at 5:30 or 6 a.m., even on the weekends, so I go to the store on Saturday or Sunday mornings, when I have the place to myself. When we get to a city that offers grocery delivery, I will never step foot into a grocery store again.

Favorite app for making the most of your day?

Snapchat

Must-have song on your productivity playlist?

“Lose Yourself” by Eminem

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

Play piano

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

To have perfect hair every day with zero effort. Can that be a superpower?

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.

“(The) Worst Piece Of Advice Was That I Could Never Have A Successful Career As An Engineer While Being A Military Spouse.”

December 13, 2017 By NextGen MilSpouse Staff Writer 1 Comment

Name: Carrie Tilley

Years as a military spouse:

Tell us your job title/profession:

Systems Test Engineer

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

Full-time

How long have you been working in this career field?

7 months as a Systems Test Engineer, but 9 years as an engineer

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

Must of the time in the office

Tell us one thing you love about your job.

I get paid to build and test new products.

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

I meet one of the (company’s) Vice Presidents at a Christmas party and passed my resume onto HR. HR gave my resume to different engineering and quality groups. After 2 sets of interviews over a 3-month period of time, she found 2 groups that wanted to hire me.

It pays to be nice to HR and send thank yous to everyone you talk to.

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

Don’t give up and continue to network with everyone you can.

How do you feel about failure?

You can’t succeed without failing a few times along the way. That is how we grow in our personal and professional lives.

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

Trying to re-enter the workforce after being a stay-at-home mom and graduate student was harder than I thought. I started job hunting about 3 months before I finished graduate school. Overall it took many emails, phone calls and interviews, but I happily accepted a position 6 months later.

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

Never stop learning or turn down a challenge. You never know what will come out of it.

Worst piece of advice was probably that I could never have a successful career as an engineer while being a military spouse.

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

My grandfather always told me I could be anything I wanted to be. He encouraged me to go to college and follow my dreams.

My husband has been my rock. He supported me going back to get my master’s. He was by my side during my job hunt. He has taken on more responsibilities at home so I can work late when I need to.

Do you and your spouse or partner split household tasks?

We both do what we have to do to keep our household running. He has really stepped up without complaining too much.

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

Your house doesn’t have to be spotless. Take time to play with your kids. It is OK to break your routine.

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

My Fitbit.

Favorite app for making the most of your day?

Google calendar, so I can keep track of all my family’s activities.

Must-have song on your productivity playlist?

“America’s Sweetheart” by Elle King

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

Spend it with my family. I have been working a lot lately and have been missing out on spending quality time with my family. Getting an extra hour with them would mean the world to me.

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

I was asked this exact question at work. I would want the power to heal children. I saw at an very early age how difficult it is for a parent to lose a child. If I could stop that from happening, I would.

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.

“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.

“The Best Part Is When I Can Help Military Spouses Continue Their Education.”

November 29, 2017 By NextGen MilSpouse Staff Writer Leave a Comment

Name: Paig Horton

Years as a military spouse:

Tell us your job title/profession:

Admission Representative at Martinsburg College

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 in various higher education positions

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

I telecommute from home but spend a lot of time at local coffee shops (which is awesome!) meeting with local military spouses

Tell us one thing you love about your job.

I love connecting with other spouses at our current duty station through social media and in-person. The best part is when I can help them continue their education. As a first generation college student myself, I know education is important!

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

I was an attendee at a college event close to base where I met an Admissions Representative from another area. We chatted about my prior work experience and I learned there was currently an opening in my area! She put me in contact with the hiring manager who asked for my resume by 3 p.m. the same day. She’s now my best friend. You never know who you’ll meet!

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

Always keep an updated resume and cover letter that takes you less than an hour to tailor to any job opportunity! You never know when you’ll meet someone who knows of or has an opening.

How do you feel about failure?

It’s essential to growth. If we didn’t fail, we would want to stay exactly where we are and who wants that?

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

The best career advice I received was from a past co-worker who wisely said,

“You don’t have to enjoy every aspect of your job.”

Every job will have aspects you don’t enjoy but make sure you take note of what you do like. You might discover a new passion and learn something new. Keep an open mind.

The worst career advice was “to apply for every position you can find while looking for a job.” This not only wasted my time on jobs that I wasn’t a good fit for but also wasted the time of the person who I interviewed with.

I stretched myself too thin which caused me to fail following up with the jobs I really did want. I recommend that military spouse apply for jobs you can see yourself growing in.

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

Number 1 is my husband who happily comes out to my work events and never once complained when we had one car and would have to wait for me to get off work to pick him up when we first got married. He constantly supports the decisions I make regarding my career and I do the same for him.

Outside of our home, our down-the-street neighbor makes sure our dog is taken care of on days when we both work long hours and I have a few close friends who I can call at a moment’s notice for help. They make military life less chaotic which is the best support!

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

Absolutely! We both have full-time, demanding careers so we both choose to pitch in but I’ve also learned to accept that everything might not get done one week. Things like the first one home starts dinner and splitting most chores – he does the dishes and I do the laundry – keep us sane.

Once we have children though, I vote we hire a part-time housekeeper!

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

I am NOT a morning person so instead of running around crazy after waking up, I have a nightly routine. I put together my outfit, grind my coffee beans for my French press, pack my work bag (if needed), jot down a few priority items for the next day, and make sure my computer is charged.

Favorite app for making the most of your day?

Quickmemo! It’s easy for me to forget an idea while running around every day so I just jot an idea down, then brain dump it which makes it easy to add more!

Must-have song on your productivity playlist?

River – Bishop Briggs

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

Relax which means drinking a cup of coffee while enjoying the sun on my patio with my dog at my feet. Too often military spouses take care of everything and everyone around them first, leaving little time for their selves. We deserve self-care too!

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

To teleport! Living in Southern California, the traffic can double my time on the road and plane tickets home to the Pacific Northwest can be expensive. If I was able to teleport, I could save so much time wasted in the car or on a plane.

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.

“Being A Doula Means I Can Take My Career With Me Anywhere.”

November 1, 2017 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 every Wednesday.

Name: Megan Harless

Years as a military spouse:

Tell us your job title/profession:

Lead Doula at Stars & Stripes Doulas of Hampton Roads

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

Full time – independent contractor

How long have you been working in this career field?

1.5 years

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

Anywhere someone gives birth and their homes

Tell us one thing you love about your job.

I love supporting families during one of the most precious times of their lives!

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

Becoming the Lead Doula requires an interview, but I also had sent in my resume and letter of intent. Having experience being a doula and doing office manager tasks also helped.

I love supporting families during one of the most precious times of their lives -Megan Harless,…

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

Make sure it is a job you are passionate about and love, because then it’s not really work!

How do you feel about failure?

Failure is my first attempt in learning. I can either learn from failing or learn nothing. I choose to learn so I can become a better person.

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

Starting over at a new location. Fortunately with Stars and Stripes Doulas, they currently have 4 chapters open and are looking to expand again. Being a doula with them means I can take my career with me anywhere.

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

Best advice – it’s OK to walk away from a job that you are not happy with no matter how good the pay and benefits are. If you are not happy there, it takes a toll on you – physically, emotionally, everything.

Walk away if you are not happy.

Walk away if you are not happy. – Advice from career-minded #milspouse #Army

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Worst advice – you need to go into debt to start a business and be successful.

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

My husband is my No. 1 supporter in any crazy idea I come up. I always have him next to me cheering me on.

My friend, January, who started this doula journey with me and has always encouraged me to keep going.

I have some good friends who have stepped in to help with my children when I’ve been on call for a birth. Having them around has really put that stress behind me, knowing my kids will be well taken care of.

My doula team for sure. We are always cheering each other on and pushing each other to be better!

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

We split as much as we can. We love working as a team. But we know the Army can give him long work days and take his weekends. At the same time I could be at a really long birth too.

We split when we can, have our kids help when they can and cover for each other when needed.

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

Prep on Sunday.

I get all the kids’ school lunches put together – sandwiches for 3 kids for 4 days made and in the fridge. I put together the snacks, lunch for the husband and me too, plus I have the kids pick out their clothes for the next day and lay them out.

I will usually take Sunday afternoon as dinner prep time for the week too.

Having those things prepped and together usually makes our mornings and dinnertime so much easier and smoother.

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

My iPad. Easy to take in my purse and I can get so much work done on it!

Favorite app for making the most of your day?

The calendar app. I can put all appointments in there and sync it with my husband’s so we always know what is going on with everyone.

Must-have song on your productivity playlist?

Tough to pick just one. I’d say “Sexy Back” by JT.

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

Nap. Or work on painting something or refinishing a piece of furniture

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

My superpower would be to bring joy to everyone. There’s so much hate and negativity these days that I think everyone could use a little extra joy in their lives.

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.