Editor’s Note: Give us your lawyers, your accountants, your massage therapists. Give use your teachers, your engineers, your real estate agents.
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: Sean O’Driscoll
Years as a military spouse: 6
Your job title/profession:
Emergency Medical Technician working in the emergency room as an ED Tech at UF Health Shands in Jacksonville, Fla.
Is this full-time, part-time, hourly, contract or freelance work?
PRN (As Needed)
How long have you been working in this career field?
6 years
Do you work in an office, telecommute from home (or Starbucks), or a little bit of both?
I work in a hospital.
How did you get this position? Was it a resume, referral, job fair? Spill your magic.
I got this position after applying for 12 positions and making contact via LinkedIn to the Director of Emergency Services at UF Health Shands.
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced while trying to maintain a career while living the military lifestyle?
The biggest challenge is getting a job wherever my wife will be stationed next. I tend to start looking for jobs about 2 months before we are to move and applying for them.
There are some companies out there that say they help military spouses get a job by claiming to have “connections” within the job market. I have used them but have been let down leaving me to find a job on my own.
Tell us one thing you love about your job:
I love the fast-paced, constantly changing atmosphere the emergency room provides. I am constantly having to think while in highly stressful situations and at the same time, maintain my professionalism.
Share your best life-hack for saving time or sanity during the work week:
I work out about 4 to 6 times a week. Sometimes I do two-a-days depending on what is going on but as least once a day.
Do you and your spouse or partner split household tasks? How do you do it?
Sometime we do. My wife is in graduate school and is completely swamped with her studies. So, that leaves me to do the majority of the household tasks.
We have come up with a system to help make my life a bit easier in the process. We make a menu for the week. I do all the grocery shopping for the week on one day and meal prep the next day to cut down on time during the week.
Tell us one piece of tech you couldn’t live without:
Internet!
Favorite app for making the most of your day?
My WOD
Must-have song on your productivity playlist:
Battle Born by Five Finger Death Punch
What is your No. 1 tip for a military spouse on the hunt for a job?
Determination and persistence! Put your mind to it and stick with it! I have learned that you can’t rely on others to do it for you. I have always used the motto “If you want it done right, you gotta do it yourself.”
