telecommute Archives - NextGen MilSpouse

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

April 11, 2018 By NextGen MilSpouse Staff Writer Leave a Comment

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

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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 Was Stuck In A Horrible Corporate 9-To-5 That Didn’t Appreciate The Flexibility Military Spouses Need.”

August 30, 2017 By NextGen MilSpouse Staff Writer Leave a Comment

Name: Audrey Fairbrother

Years as a military spouse:

Tell us your job title/profession:

I am the marketing manager for Worldwide101. We are a 100% remote premium virtual assistant company with VAs all over the U.S. and Europe. I’ve loved working for this company and they love hiring military spouses because they truly appreciate the remote, flexible lifestyle that the company offers.

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?

Telecommute, work from home

Tell us one thing you love about your job.

I love the company culture. I had a wonderful opportunity to go to the UK and meet with the rest of our company management team during a bi-yearly retreat. Everyone is so kind and truly believes in creating a win-win environment for our clients and our team members!

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

I was stuck in a horrible corporate 9-to-5 that didn’t appreciate the flexibility military spouses need. I found this position through FlexJobs, applied and started as a virtual assistant. Three years later, I was promoted to marketing manager for the company.

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

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

Flexibility over ALL ELSE! Our lives are so unpredictable as military spouses. You need to find a career that really understands and allows you to flex your schedule and location around your life and the needs of your family. Remote work is a fabulous option. It removes the obstacle of having to start over in a new job every few years with each move.

How do you feel about failure?

Failure is just another lesson to learn. I’ve failed quite a few times in my career searches. But you can’t give up. When you find something that really fits, you realize why none of those other positions you applied for worked out.

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

As I mentioned above, mainly just finding a job that allowed for flexibility! My husband is Army Special Forces, so deployments are sudden and often unplanned. If I need to take a day off to spend time with him before he leaves for 6 months, I want to be able to do that.

If I need to work flexed hours to make sure I can be there for our daughter when he’s gone, that’s important to me.

If I can get the same quality of work done from wherever we happen to be it’s important to me to work for a company that understands and supports 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 piece of career advice I’ve ever received is from my dad. He said “Never use ‘It’s just business’ as an excuse to screw someone over.” I love this. It reminds you to be kind and fair over everything else in your career. It’s never steered me wrong.

The worst advice I’ve ever gotten was from an ex-boss who really did encourage employees to “be the first to arrive in the morning and the last to leave at night if you want to get ahead.” I disagree with this with every fiber of my being. Exhausting and overwhelming your employees will not make them happier or more productive, offering them work-life balance will.

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

My husband is amazing. He really supports me in my career in anyway he can. Whether it’s picking up and dropping off our daughter at daycare everyday, doing the bath and bedtime routines with her when I have to finish up for the day or just being a sounding board for my ideas, I absolutely couldn’t do it without his support. He appreciates and understands the sacrifices our family makes for his career and he does everything he can to return the favor.

Do you and your spouse or partner split household tasks?

We split them! Cleaning, laundry and cooking are really my areas of expertise, and working from home gives me more time to do them.

He’s great at fixing things around the house, making sure the trash is out on trash day, handling paperwork and making sure our daughter’s room is “monster-free” at night. When he’s home, he’s really a 50/50 parent with me which is truly wonderful.

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

Crockpot meals are a lifesaver. I’ve found some amazing ways to cook anything and everything in the crockpot! Set it and forget it. It gives you tons of time at night if you’re not worrying about what’s for dinner.

Also, I use Walmart’s online grocery ordering and pick-up. I haven’t had to step foot in a grocery store in over a year. It’s AMAZING. But even more so when you don’t have to haul an almost 2 year old with you! And it’s FREE!

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

My laptop obviously! Working remotely, your laptop is your office, so I treat it like the gold it is.

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

Slack! It’s amazing for quickly IMing co-workers. It gives me alerts throughout the day so I know if there is something that needs my attention immediately.

Must-have song on your productivity playlist?

Lord Huron – She Lit A Fire. It’s so upbeat and fun.

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

Probably exercise. I always try to work it in as best I can. We live in Colorado Springs currently, so I love to run along the gorgeous mountain trails. But somedays, it takes a backseat. I’d love to make it more of a priority and it seems doable with an extra hour a day!

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

This probably sounds odd, but I wish I could emit Wi-Fi (Only remote workers will understand this haha!)

I have the ability to work from anywhere, so I love traveling and taking my work with me. But sometimes finding good Wi-Fi poses a challenge. If I could use this as my superpower, I’d work from the tops of mountains and boats in the middle of the ocean. I know it sounds like a strange super power, but that’s my wish.

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 Lead a Team of 12 Up and Coming Rock Stars Who Keep Me on My Toes.”

June 7, 2017 By NextGen MilSpouse Staff Writer Leave a Comment

Name: Erica Monteith

Years as a military spouse:

2.5 years

Tell us your job title/profession:

My current job title is Senior Director, Media Strategy for a medium-sized agency in Washington, D.C. I am an advertising professional who works with corporate, nonprofit and political clients to reach their target audience through digital and traditional media.

I lead a team of 12 up and coming rock stars who keep me on my toes. I have worked in advertising for the past 8+ years and love the work I do. The industry is constantly evolving and innovating, making my day-to-day work challenging and exciting.

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

Full-time

How long have you been working in this career field?

8+ years

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

Our main office is located in Washington, D.C.; where we are currently stationed. I have been able to work out of that office for the past 3 years. I occasionally telecommute if something needs to be done at the house or we are traveling during a busy time at work.

Tell us one thing you love about your job.

There are so many things I love about my current role, that it’s hard to just pick one, but at the end of the day it’s the people. I love the people I work with, they are an incredibly talented, innovative, hardworking and are truly like family. It’s a work hard and play hard environment. Everyone is constantly trying to push the bounds of the industry and help our clients achieve their goals. People are more concerned with team work and helping our clients than anything else, it can be very inspiring.

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

When we first moved to D.C. 3 years ago, I was telecommuting for my agency back in Denver. After about a year I started my job search again, using sites like LinkedIn, Glassdoor and Indeed. I came across a posting that hooked me up with a recruiter for my current company. I interviewed with them the next week, unfortunately I did not get that role. However, 6 months later I got a call from the same recruiter for another position with the same company. Went in for another round of interviews and got the job about 2 weeks later!

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

Stay positive! I know it can be hard at times, when you have sent out a ton of resumes, or gone to networking event after networking event, but I promise you eventually will get a job you love and are passionate about. The key is to stay positive and after each rejection letter, or missed interview, to not let it derail your spirit or your search. It will happen eventually, it just may take time.

How do you feel about failure?

I don’t believe in failure. I believe that every “failure” is just a lesson in how to not do something. I think it’s important to not view it negativity because it can derail you if you let it. I choose to view it as a lesson to learn from and grow. I believe that without failure we will never truly grow to our full potentials.

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

Figuring out how to balance both careers.

My father is also in the military so I thought I knew what it would be like marrying a military member and what to expect career wise, but that has not been the case.

It is hard when he gets an assignment he is excited about but I love my job and there is not an option for telecommuniting long term. The hardest part is staying positive and knowing that I may not be able to move with him every time if I want to continue to progress in my career but that we will always find a way to make it work for both of us. It just may not be a traditional solution! Luckily we talked about this a ton before we got married allowing us to both approach our careers from the same page and on the same team.

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

The best advice I received was to “never give up.” When I first returned from the Peace Corps the economy was in a recession and I took a position as a recruiter but my dream was to work in marketing. It took me a year to find a job but a mentor told me to “never give up!”, which I needed to hear. There were times when it wasn’t easy, I filled out more than 200+ applications, received more rejections than I can count and met with more than 20+ contacts. However, I refused to search for a job outside of marketing and it ended up paying off. I eventually landed a job with a top agency in Denver that started my career!

The worst advice was when a recruiter told me a master’s degree doesn’t matter to advertising agencies. While that may be the case for some, it is not for all and many companies value higher degrees. And at the end of the day it was something that was important for me to continue to grow as a leader in my career. I have met amazing people, traveled the world for class and expanded my knowledge base within my field. It may not matter to all companies but the ones I want to work for in the future will value it.

Who is in your support squad (i.e. spouse, neighbor, bff) and what role do they play in supporting your career?

Husband is my main support and champion, when I’m having a bad day or worried about our next move he is always their to calm my nerves and remind me everything will be all right.

My parents especially since my dad has been in the military for 25+ years. They help ground me and give me perspective. My dad still helps format my resumes and cover letters at times.

My friends from work who help me step outside the military bubble sometimes and give me a different perspective.

Finally my former boss at my first agency. He has been an incredible mentor and advocate as I have grown in my career. I can always bounce ideas off of him or ask him for advice. I think it’s important to have multiple people in your squad who perform different supportive tasks for you and your life. It takes a village!

Do you and your spouse or partner split household tasks?

We do! It’s really nice, because most of the things I don’t like doing he enjoys and vice versus. So if I cook, he cleans. I hate to unload the dishwasher and he hates to load it. So it actually works out nicely. But at the end of the day if something doesn’t get done or is left for a couple of days, whoever has the time just jumps in to do it.

It can be tough some weeks when we work late or have big projects to finish but we have learned to just accept that sometimes our house will be a disaster and sometimes we may skip an event to sit at home and do nothing but those are the best times. At the end of the day we are a team in all aspects of life.

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

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

My husband and I both work long hours so sometimes things at home do not get done or they get done days after they should. Our biggest hack has been getting a house cleaner. We used to do it together on Sundays but realized that we were spending time cleaning instead of going out and enjoying the city and each other. We shifted our budget and priorities to make that possible and now have more time to explore D.C. and have fun!

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

Standup. It basically reminds me to standup and walk around. Which is not only good for my health but also for my productivity. I can get caught up in emails at times and forget to check on my team or miss a meeting. So this is a gentle reminder to standup take a break and go check projects and on the team at large!

Must-have song on your productivity playlist?

Timber by Pitbull featuring Kesha, actually anything by Kesha or Lady Gaga

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

I would take a nap! I run full tilt all day long and if I had an extra hour I would snuggle with my husband and my dog to keep my energy up.

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

Being the smartest person in the world; allowing me to solve the worlds problems, help move society forward, and resolve the age old question of why socks disappear in the dryer!

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.

How to Have a Social Life When You Work From Home

May 23, 2017 By Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

by Shelby Fox Trudeau, Guest Contributor

A lot of articles today talk about how you can work from home. Whether it’s telecommute jobs or starting your own business, these articles provide in-depth information about what you need to get started in a job working from home. And believe me, I think these articles are great, especially for military spouses.

Having the freedom and flexibility to work from home is a wonderful thing. As a new military spouse, I love being able to schedule my work around when my husband is off. I’ve been working from home for 2 years now, and for the most part, I love it.

But something that most work from home articles don’t tell you is that it can get lonely. You’re in your house all day, probably tied to a computer, and there’s not a lot of human interaction.

For some, that might be one of the benefits. But for a lot of us, we need to socialize with others. And if you’ve recently relocated or are about to and you work from home, having a social life can be a difficult thing.

However, there is a wide variety of ways that you can meet new people even if you work from home.

How to Have a Social Life When You Are a Military Spouse Who Works From Home

Community Groups and Events

Most communities offer a wide array of activities. From weekly cooking classes to softball leagues, your community parks and recreation department gives you opportunities to meet people with the same interests as you. These activities are usually reasonably priced to cover the materials of the class, so it won’t break the bank if you decide to take a cooking class or be part of the next musical in your town.

If you’re religious, another great place to meet new people is at a church. Most churches have a lot of functions throughout the week and special holiday events as well.

Military Options

Most bases have a few informal social groups, and if you know who to ask or how to search Facebook you can usually find them. The MWR might also be a good place to look if you need some suggestions, as they usually offer activities where you could meet other people.

If your service member has friends who are married, chances are, their spouses have felt the same way as you at some point. Let your spouse know how you feel and ask if you can have a double date with someone from work.

My husband and I have dinner once a month with my husband’s coworker and his wife. It gives us time to get out of the house and talk to people like us.

School

If you’re currently enrolled in college, the lecture hall can be a great place to meet people.

Or, if you have kids, meeting other parents at their school is a great way to be social. Get involved at your kid’s school. Getting to know other parents helps you in multiple ways. Your kids have someone to hang out with and you can talk to someone who understands having kids that age.

Online

You always have the option of meeting someone online nowadays. I will caution that you should always be careful if you choose this route, but there are safe ways to meet people online.

There are many websites, including Meetup, where groups are formed according to interest or age, and the members meet to socialize and have fun. If you’re new in town, this can be a great way to break in to a new social group.

Fitness

I love running. Anything from 5Ks to half marathons. But running by yourself is difficult. You get lonely and want someone to talk to. Join a running group or fitness class. A lot of bases have running groups of women, especially moms whose kids are in strollers.

If running isn’t your thing, take a group fitness class like Zumba or aerobics. You meet new people and you stay in shape.

The takeaway from all this is that although it may seem like you’re destined to stay at home and never see the light of day again, there are a lot of ways that you can get active and meet people. Yes, it’s scary the first few times. But if you don’t put yourself out there, you’ll never grow and you’ll always be in the same predicament.

Use the suggestions above to brainstorm a few interests you have that you think would be fun to try. Make a list of places you’d like to go or activities you want to do. Whether it’s joining a softball team, a pool league, a dance class or a running group, you can find something that there are other like-minded people at.

You don’t have to give up a social life just because you work from home. In fact, you have more options because you’re not limited by coworkers. So put yourself out there and have fun.

Shelby Fox Trudeau is a Navy wife who works from home as a freelance writer and ESL teacher. When not working, she enjoys traveling and camping, and is always running.

“I Struggled with Asking to Work Remote Because It Felt Like I Was Asking for Special Privileges.”

April 12, 2017 By NextGen MilSpouse Staff Writer Leave a Comment

Name: Jessica Johnson

Years as a military spouse:

Tell us your job title/profession:

I am a Product Development Engineer and Consultant in the Medical Device industry. I am also co-founder of edge co-working, LLC.

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

Contract

How long have you been working in this career field?

5 years

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

I used to telecommute from home, every coffee shop in our town, and the base library, but now I work from a co-working space every day and it is a life-saver, career-saver and sanity-keeper!

Tell us one thing you love about your job.

I love that I get to solve problems. As an engineer in medical device, I am able to design new products or update existing designs to meet patient and surgeon needs.

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

The company that I am under contract with currently is the company that I worked with for 4 years prior to marrying into the Air Force life. My husband’s duty station was in a very remote location where my industry did not exist. The only options to stay in my industry were to switch into a sales role in which I would be on the edge of a territory spanning 400 miles or pursue remote contract work.

If I had to pick some sort of magic, it would have to be that I stepped out of my comfort zone and asked for the opportunity.

I struggled with asking to work remote because it felt like I was asking for special privileges.

After lots of discussion with mentors and the realization that if I didn’t ask, I would never know, I approached my management team. At first, they said “no,” but 2 weeks after I left, they called and asked me back under a one-year contract.

Please note that I gave the company several months notice that I was leaving and that I had a very good relationship with my management team. The conversations about remote work started as soon as I knew that I would be moving to my husband’s duty station.

This was not a one-time conversation, but lots of discussions over several months. It wasn’t an easy road, especially after they said “no.” However, when they needed someone, they knew I was a available and exactly who they were calling.

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

Don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone.

How do you feel about failure?

Keep doing it. I love it. I have a million quotes on why, but I will sum it up to this:

If you haven’t failed at something, you’re not trying hard enough. I would rather fail a million times than never try at all.

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

There were two – 1. asking to work from home 2. actually working from home.

Most people that I encounter like to comment on how wonderful it must be working from home. The truth is that it’s not so glamorous. You’re lucky if you actually have a dedicated office in your home and not just a desk in your bedroom, kitchen or living area. Laundry, dishes, and general household chores taunt you. You don’t get social interaction. You miss out on professional growth opportunities. There is no such thing as a snow-day unless your power goes out.

The challenge of working from home, led me into my second business – co-working.

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

It’s difficult to narrow it down to one piece of advice. Here is one that has been on my mind a lot recently

“Careers are a jungle gym, not a ladder.”

-Sheryl Sandberg

Who is in your support squad (i.e. spouse, neighbor, bff) and what role do they play in supporting your career?

My support squad consists of my mother, my mother-in-law, a few of my fellow military spouses, some long-time friends, and a few co-workers. They are all bffs in my book. They always lend an ear. They encourage me to never give up on my career and they provide constructive feedback and advice.

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

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

Yes, he takes care of outside chores, I take care of inside chores and we split cooking.

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

Saving time – weekly meal prep.

Sanity – using a co-working space.

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

My second monitor for work. One screen just isn’t enough.

Favorite app for making the most of your day?

I recently discovered Asana and use it for tracking business tasks.

Must-have song on your productivity playlist?

Beyonce – Flawless

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

Tackle something from tomorrow’s to-do list or learn something new.

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

I would want the ability to be in multiple places at once.

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 Structure My Job Into My Life Rather Than the Opposite.”

March 22, 2017 By NextGen MilSpouse Staff Writer Leave a Comment

Name: Jen McCumbee

Years as a military spouse:

Tell us your job title/profession:

Publisher/Division Manager

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

Full time

How long have you been working in this career field?

13 years

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

Telecommute from home and travel

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

I started as a Production Assistant for a start-up, which later merged with a larger publishing company. I transitioned to a sales and consulting role, and now oversee 2 markets.

So what started with a basic resume and a lot of enthusiasm blossomed into a consuming and rewarding career that’s kept me on my toes for over a decade!

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

A frequently training and deploying spouse presented problems for me early on, as it left me handling everything from breaking vehicles to sick children while trying to juggle a growing workload. I evidently survived, but not without my fair share of self-pitying moments!

In the past we PCSed several times in a short period, which meant I couldn’t really sink myself into any job I had because I knew I would be leaving.

Then we remained at one location for 13 years which allowed me to put down my roots and settle into something.

Last year my husband surprised me with PCS orders, which I didn’t expect this late in his career. My company opted to keep me on-board as a remote office so now I do much of my work from my home office and travel monthly to the East Coast for client meetings.

Tell us one thing you love about your job.

I have a lot of flexibility now and freedom to express ideas for our company and our client base. I love to see them develop and produce results, and really appreciate being valued in this regard.

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

Structure my job into my life rather than the opposite. I try my best not to check emails on my phone in the evening or weekends.

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

Split, completely 50/50. Obviously (that’s) not (always) possible over the years he’s been gone, but when he is home it’s a total share. Even though I work from a home office now 60% of the time, it’s still important to share the responsibility.

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

If you have children, how do you and your spouse or partner split parenting responsibilities?

Depending on schedules, whichever one of us can run to a practice or go to the school is the one who does it.

Because I travel, my husband gets loaded down with parenting responsibilities like I used to when he was deployed.

We both make it a priority to attend the important parts together such as parent-teacher conferences and games.

Favorite app for making the most of your day?

Salesforce

Must-have song on your productivity playlist?

Anything by the Avett Brothers is like a balm for anything crazy in my day!

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

Be confident. As military spouses we have a tendency to go into job interviews feeling like we already have a black mark against us because we might PCS at some point. Know you will be an asset to that company whether you are there 2 years or 12, and assert yourself that way.

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.

This Professor Experiences Every Work From Home Parent’s Nightmare (Live on TV)

March 10, 2017 By Adrianna Leave a Comment

We’ve all been there. Business on top. Pajamas on bottom. Skype face on. You’ve briefed your kids that you’re on an important call and they absolutely, positively cannot come into your office.

And then this happens:

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I love how the kid enters like there’s a dance party and s/he’s the guest of honor.

This is really where I start feeling for Dad. I mean, come on, he’s talking foreign policy while swatting away his toddler-invader on INTERNATIONAL TELEVISION. This makes my Skype conference call look sub-JV.

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You think it can’t get any worse and then…BAM! Enter a baby in a walker.

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I just about died at this point. And I think he did too.

In one of the most daring and heroic moments, another adult comes to the rescue. I’m not sure if it’s mom or a nanny or a ninja. All I could think was FINALLY!

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The moment when he closes his eyes is sheer perfection. I know that moment. It’s the moment when you want to yell “CAN I JUST HAVE 5 MINUTES ALONE” and disappear to a tropical paradise, or hell, a quiet cubicle in a remote office location.

Catch the full interview below, grab your popcorn and cheer for Professor Robert E. Kelly, our Work From Home Hero of the Week.

What’s the craziest thing that ever happened to you during a video or conference call? Tell us!

“I Wanted to Create a Co-Working Space in Our Community for Military Spouses Just Like Me.”

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

Name: Brooke Barnes

Years as a military spouse:

Tell us your job title/profession:

I work as a Marketing and Communications consultant. I also just recently launched a co-working space for military spouses in our community.

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

Freelance

How long have you been working in this career field?

7 years total. I spent about 6 years at an in-house full-time director of a department and recently left that job to pursue a career in freelancing and consulting.

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

I spent the last 2 years bouncing from my home office, to the library, to every coffee shop in town before realizing that I could create a space specifically for working military spouses.

Tell us one thing you love about your job.

Because I have two, I’ll give multiple answers!

Marketing/Communications – I love the flexibility of working from wherever I choose and being able to travel and move while still earning money. I also love the thrill of balancing multiple clients and projects at one time. It’s like a puzzle and it forces me to be super organized.

edge co-working – I LOVE my days at our co-working space. Every day we meet new spouses who come in to see the space and talk to us about the unique challenges that come with maintaining a career as a military spouse.

The best part is when I tell them our story and why we started edge and their faces light up.

Connecting with fellow spouses who feel the same way we do is amazing. I love that we’re building a thriving community and helping each other grow in our own career journeys.

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

I landed my current freelance/consulting position from a contact I had previously worked with at my full-time job. I owe it all to my work on LinkedIn, though! I kept my profile fresh and interesting so that when I let her know that I was considering leaving, she knew immediately that I would be a good fit for the position.

I would say my magic was a combination of being prepared, personal branding efforts and putting myself out there.

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

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

There are probably a million different answers for this question based on what type of job the spouse is looking to land. Back to LinkedIn though, you really can’t beat it. Be active daily: posting useful information, interacting with brands and companies you aspire to work with, things like that.

And also, be open to trying something new – ESPECIALLY working remotely. It’s a new-ish concept. There are plenty of job platforms that specifically share remote or freelance positions (MadSkills, UpWork, Apres, etc), but don’t be afraid to ask a company if they’re open to hiring a remote team member. Just make sure you do some research and can answer questions they may have.

How do you feel about failure?

It’s necessary to grow.

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

My biggest challenge has been conquering the feeling that I’m stalling out or plateauing in my career.

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

It’s sooooo cheesey, but “Lean In.” Don’t stop moving forward because you’re worried about life getting in the way. Go for it and when things come up (babies, PCS season) you’ll find a way to make it all work while still moving forward.

The worst advice: “Don’t be honest in an exit interview.” Of course, I would never tell someone to go into an exit interview crying or playing the blame game. I do think it is important to be honest and upfront about why you are leaving. How the company chooses to act on your information is their problem. It feels good to clear the air or get things off your chest. Just be sure to do so in a constructive way.

Who is in your support squad (i.e. spouse, neighbor, bff) and what role do they play in supporting your career?

My spouse is super supportive of everything I do – even quitting my cushy salary job to chase this dream of freelancing and co-working.

My Goldendoodle, Francis, who loves me unconditionally.

My co-working business partner, Jessica, who pushes me to be a better version of myself every day and believes in our mission of bringing co-working to rural New Mexico because we spouses out here need it!

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

We split things up. There’s not really a rhyme or reason to it, just the first person to see that something needs to be done tackles it.

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

Asana! I use this to stay on task with to-do lists while keeping the big picture front and center.

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

My Macbook Pro.

Must-have song on your productivity playlist?

Saint Motel – Cold Cold Man

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

Unplug and read!

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

I would have to say teleporting so that I could easily “do it all” and still be a military spouse.

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.

“Maybe the Perfect Job for You Is Not What You Studied or What You Think.”

December 14, 2016 By NextGen MilSpouse Staff Writer Leave a Comment

Name: Lissette Carmona

Years as a military spouse: 7

Tell us your job title/profession:

I am a doctor in psychology but I work as a crisis counselor for crisis help lines based in New York.

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?

From home

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

We were stationed in New York and I found this position posted on the internet. I applied and a month later got the position. I started as a crisis counselor working at the office, few months later became a supervisor and then due to a PCS I resigned from the supervisor position and continued as a crisis counselor working from home.

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

I can’t work in psychology due to the licensing requirements in each state. I had to settle for a master’s degree position in order to have a job that I can “carry” with each PCS.

Tell us one thing you love about your job.

It’s from home which gives me time to take care of the house. I also save the commute time for my family.

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

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

Take time for myself. I have a weekday (Wednesday) off. That day I usually take care of myself and do things I like or don’t do anything at all.

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

Not at all. I do everything. I have tried to get my spouse to help for few things but the reality is that I have more time to do house chores.

If you have children, how do you and your spouse or partner split parenting responsibilities?

My spouse helps with the child. She takes the baby to daycare in the morning and takes care of her on the weekends that I need to work.

Tell us one piece of tech you couldn’t live without:

Phone

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

Be patient. Go outside your comfort zone. Maybe the perfect job for you is not what you studied or what you think. As everything else in the military life, we compromise and maybe the perfect job for you is something that you have never done before.

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.

How to Make Working from Home Work for You

November 28, 2016 By Rachel Leave a Comment

Regular 9-to-5 office workers always seem to bring up that they don’t know how they could ever get out of their pajamas or be productive, if they worked from home.

Well, I can tell you I’m wearing daytime clothes and I’m feeling refreshed and excited for my day. Working from home does take some getting used to, but I’ve been doing alright working from home for the last 3 years.

To me, being in a home office has a lot more perks than downsides. But, I know how those downsides can really drag you down.

That’s why I abide by 5 work from home commandments to help me conquer my to-do list every day.

Work from Home Commandment #1 — I shall treat each morning as I always have.

Although my commute went from a 30-minute train ride to a 3-second walk down the hall, I still get up as if I’m getting ready to leave the house. I’ve been tempted so many times to keep what I have on or stay in bed till the last absolute second, but I’ve noticed that it doesn’t really help.

The extra time that I would spend commuting is spent having a balanced breakfast and I’m able to do some house errands that wouldn’t get done otherwise. By the time I sit down at my desk, I’ve already accomplished a lot.

Work from Home Commandment 2 — I shall do my work in my office.

It is comforting for me to have a designated office space. For me, it’s important to set up an environment for my productivity.

My home office is adorned with everything that reminds me of my previous offices, along with a canvas cut-out of the view looking outside of a high-rise window in New York City. It is a tribute to all the things that have helped me in my career and life, including a painted wood piece of Yankee Stadium that appeals to my fandom.

Work from Home Commandment 3 — I shall stick to an established schedule.

I always felt connected to work even when I was going to a separate office building because of my cell phone. I’m guilty of checking it more times than I should…imagine working in the same place that you lay your head to rest!

I felt like my work never ended.

Setting office hours allowed me to manage my time better and make the most of my non-working time with my spouse.

Work from Home Commandment 4 — I will allow myself to occasionally work outside my home office.

Having a dedicated office space is crucial to me, but also the time spent working at a coffee shop with a change of scenery is beneficial as well. I have a relatively creative career, so it’s important to keep the creativity flowing.

Every once in awhile, grabbing a cup of my favorite coffee and working a couple hours away is refreshing! I absolutely love co-working and the ability to sit down with another human being is valuable to me too.

Pro-tip: Schedule time to work outside your typical space to stimulate your productivity.

Work from Home Commandment 5 — I shall take frequent breaks and eat lunch away from my laptop.

Even when I was in an office, I felt like I could never leave it. But, I felt more productive after taking a walk down the block on my lunch break. When you’re working at home, you don’t have to leave the house to get things done, but think about yourself every now and then and use some time to do things for you.

Whether it is that walk around the block for reflection or a lunch date with a friend, taking a break in your work day offers a break from the monotony, especially when nothing else would take you outside the home.