March 16, 2009 
Ask anyone in the military what they do; they will give you a lengthy job description. But for those of us supporting them, that innocent question, “What do you do?” isn’t always as easy.
Finding a portable career while in the military takes trial and error but have faith that you too, can have a career you love. Some choose to pursue a series of jobs directed toward a particular career field and learn to capitalize on their experiences with each military move. A spouse who dreams of becoming a librarian might take her first job as a volunteer at a public library. After PCSing to a new base, her experience could land her a job at the Military Base library during, and a third PCS might find her at a job with a public school library.
Others find that working from home as a reading tutor or public relations consultant makes more sense for their transient lifestyle. Regardless of your choice, creating a portable profession takes confidence, compromise, and creativity. The difference between just finding any ole job and creating a portable profession is that your career path is planned out, focused on one area, and potentially much more fulfilling.
There are obvious challenges to relocating once you have started a particular job in your career field, but focusing on the big picture will help you find a portable career that works. “Jenny” has a passion for animals, and was pursuing her bachelor’s degree in public relations. Yet she felt her career goals were derailed when she faced her first military move. However, upon arrival to a new city she was so pleased to put some of her prior coursework into action; she found a part-time job as a public relations specialist for an animal rescue shelter. Once established, she also reenrolled to finish her bachelor’s degree. Jenny now looks at PCSing with more optimism and trusts that she can continue to define her career as she goes.
Think about your own passions and coursework and consider what type of career plan makes sense for you. Do you feel more comfortable working full time or part time, or maybe even pursuing a career path that allows you to work from home? Freelance writers, virtual assistants, personal trainers, and nutritionists create their own work hours. There are also more structured, independently-established home-based businesses that provide training and support such as Mary Kay. If entrepreneurship feels too risky, getting a stable job in fields such as human resources, nursing, accounting, retail, or medical transcription may make more sense, and can still fit in with your military lifestyle. Think about what you really want to do, and allow that deep passion to help you stick with it regardless of where military life leads you.
5 Tips To Consider When Deciding What To Do…
1. You Are the Commander in Chief (CinC) of Your Career. Believing you can find a career that can travel with you is half the battle. Confidence not only opens doors to more opportunities, but it gives you an advantage during interviews, networking, and salary negotiations.
2. Where There’s a Will There’s a Way. Don’t use the military as a ready-made excuse to avoid going after the career you are most passionate about. While your initial idea may need to be tweaked, taking consistent action steps in your area of passion will help you carve out a perfect career.
3. Don’t Be Afraid To Get Out There. Tap into your formal and informal networks, and don’t overlook those casual chats at spouse events, or the hairdressers. A big rolodex can work to your advantage and the military has tons of resources and leads that can help your plan unfold.
4. Recognize That Golden Thread. Think about the classes you have taken, volunteering you have done, jobs you have worked, kids you have raised; is there a particular theme that emerges and provides you with some new career ideas?
5. Have A CinC Attitude, Make It Happen. Having a positive attitude can help you to embrace your next military move and allow you to more easily find work that compliments your career path and help you attract new experiences in alignment with your broader career vision.
Krista Wells, Ph.D. is The Military Spouse Coach ®. She provides support, strategies, and solutions for girlfriends/spouses of the military. Please visit www.militaryspousecoach.com. If you would like to receive a FREE copy of 21 Ways to “Spring Clean” Your Life, e-mail Krista at Krista@militaryspousecoach.com requesting your free copy.