By Angela Caban

Not that a military spouse needs anything additional to worry about right? When constantly moving and only staying in a certain area for a few years or so, maintaining a career can be one of the many difficult tasks we must endure. But it does not have to be so difficult. With my background in Human Resources I know that having 10 different jobs within just a few years on your resume is not a good sign. But nonetheless there are ways to improve your resume, and there are employer’s out there looking specifically for military spouses. So before you head out, prepare yourself.

Compile

Get together all of your previous employers and work experience. I would only list 3-4 previous jobs, but have an additional copy of your previous employers in case this is asked of you. Sense you most likely have worked with different companies, assess the different skills you have attained over the years. Add these skills to your resume and be sure to list each award, recognition or accomplishment. If you have any gaps in dates, be sure to list why and any part time work you did throughout this time. Employer’s also like to see volunteer work, so add any work you may have done with the FRG, it may count as experience depending on the job you are applying for.

Something Special to Offer

Because we have been through so much as a military spouse, we have unique qualifications to offer employers. We are emotionally flexible, used to dealing with uncertainty and are comfortable with transition.  Make sure you highlight these points in your resume when you discuss your strengths. Also point out that you will not be in need of benefits. This can be music to many companies’ ears!

Military spouses in the fields of human resources, IT, nursing, sales, and teaching report an easier time finding employment after a transfer.

Revamp Your Email

Throughout your spouse’s deployment or separation I am sure you have changed or added an email account such as; lovingmysoldier@aol.com, hooah1@yahoo.com, armymendoitbest@hotmail.com, but these emails aren’t exactly appealing on a resume. So consider creating a new email account specifically for your job hunt purpose. Make it something professional and easy to write.

Consider Military Spouse Friendly Employer’s First

There are many spouses that may consider looking for work on base or near your soldier’s duty station. I would say that this is definitely the first place you should check, but if you do not come across any positions there are many military spouse friendly employer’s looking for you. Here are just some of the many employers’:

USAA www.usaa.com

The Home Depot http://careers.homedepot.com

West Corporation www.westemployment.com

Health Net, Inc. www.healthnet.com

Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) http://odin.aafes.com/employment

Kelly Services www.kellyservices.com/military

TriWest Healthcare Alliance www.triwest.com

Check out more military spouse friendly employer’s here.

For more on military spouses and employment needs, please visit the Military Spouse Career Center.