Finding a Job: A Guide for Military Spouses Post-PCS

Military spouses face frequent relocation due to unexpected permanent change of station (PCS) orders. Planning your military move is one thing, but when it’s over, settling into a new community and finding employment is an entirely different challenge.

The good news? These easy tips can streamline the job-hunting process post-PCS. If you’re a military spouse gearing up for a PCS, this guide will help you navigate the job hunt and willfully hit the ground running at your new duty station.

Challenges of Finding a New Career Post-PCS

If you’ve never experienced a PCS before, you might be unfamiliar with the stressors that may lie ahead. Fortunately, for every stressor, there are plenty of solutions as well!

• Creating or Updating Your Resume – Your resume may have several gaps in employment and instances where you were with a company for a short period.
• Lack of Networking Opportunities – It can be difficult to traditionally network and build your career when you’re constantly relocating and starting over.
• Geographic Challenges – Your spouse’s PCS might take you somewhere without many job opportunities that you’re qualified for or transportation options.
• Unpredictable Home Life – With your spouse on deployment, you’ll likely be the one taking care of the home and family, which makes it hard to find full-time work.

Tips for Military Spouses Entering the Job Market

1. Use Technology to Build a Network

Traditional networking usually includes “rubbing elbows” with your peers, attending workshops, conferences, and events, and generally making in-person connections throughout a long career. Well, when your career changes so often, those opportunities are tougher to come by.

Luckily in today’s day and age, networking doesn’t have to be limited to geographical barriers. Websites like LinkedIn are great for building general professional connections online. You can also go the extra mile by joining specific groups dedicated to helping military spouses. MSEP Spouse Group and Spouse Ambassador Network are two options to help you start building professional connections no matter where you are.

With that said, don’t forgo in-person connections either. Build relationships anywhere you can that you can lean on in the future when needed.

2. Seek Out the Right Resources

There are plenty of resources out there dedicated to helping military spouses and their families find career opportunities. For example, Hiring Our Heroes and Military Spouse are two organizations that offer workshops, virtual job fairs, networking opportunities, and other developmental tools to give military spouses a helping hand with landing the perfect job opportunity. This page from Military Source One is filled with articles and links to resources specific for military spouses undergoing a PCS.

3. Build an Impeccable Resume

Another strategy is to use a “functional resume” rather than a chronological one. This just means you’re highlighting your relevant and transferable skills more than your work history. This format is typically used when your have gaps in work history or you're drastically changing careers. The key difference is that you’ll list your summary of relevant skills over work experience so that it catches the eye first.

You’ve probably heard this before, but it bears repeating – creating the perfect resume is one of the best things you can do to differentiate yourself from other job candidates. For military spouses, that will look a bit different. Resume gaps are out of your control and completely normal for someone in your shoes.

As a solution, it’s best to take advantage of resources available to help you craft a resume that speaks to your skills and achievements rather than perceived shortcomings. Military One Sources offers a resume-building tool to help you craft a thoughtful and purposeful resume. You’ll even be able to have your resume reviewed by professionals to ensure it’s ready for submission.

4. Try to Be Flexible

Being flexible doesn’t always mean settling for less. It can also mean embracing new challenges or opportunities that you wouldn’t normally consider. For example, remote work is more popular than ever these days due to technological advancements. Even if you’re used to in-person work, transitioning to remote work (even with your current employer) might be the PCS-proof opportunity you’ve been waiting for. Even U-Haul is usually hiring remote positions!

Alternatively, you may find that now is the perfect time to start that business you’ve been dreaming of, or that you’d rather take this opportunity to continue your education and build new skills that will set you apart in the future.

5. Streamline the Moving Process

We get it, there are plenty of to-dos to check off, especially if you’re opting for a PPM/DIY move. But that’s we recommend keeping things as simple as possible throughout the moving process. U-Haul offers service members and their families the most products and services at the best prices – so you can get to your new duty station quickly with more cash in your pocket. Learn more about how we help military families carry out their PPM by visiting our Military Moving page and making a reservation!