Okay, we know the frequent moves and assignments in the middle of nowhere aren’t easy on your resume. (That’s why, here at Instant Teams, we don’t look at your career in a linear way.)
We’re here to change your perspective and highlight four (of many!) soft skills military spouses bring to the table. We hope you’ll use this as inspiration to tell your professional story and stand out from the crowd of job applicants.
Learn how these in-demand soft skills (which you probably already have) can translate into a viable, fulfilling career.
Flexibility
Part of being a military spouse is remaining flexible amidst constant changes thrown your way. From the steady PCS-ing to unexpected deployments, trainings, and more, you’ve learned to adapt to new situations and circumstances quickly. Being unfazed by change (for the most part) makes you a tremendous asset to any company. What team doesn’t want someone willing to bend and adapt to changing circumstances and expectations at the drop of a hat?
Navigating unknowns
You’ve spent a lot of your time becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable. You’ve mastered the art of thriving in unfamiliar territory. Basically, you can take on any unknown and do so with confidence. Not only does this mean you can handle stress well, but you’re also a critical thinker, both of which are super beneficial in a work environment.
Learning new skills quickly
There’s no doubt you’re a continuous learner. Even though your world might seem like it’s always changing with new challenges and to-dos around every corner, you take on each mission eager to learn. This constant desire to learn proves you have a can-do attitude, which, to some employers, is a more significant reason to hire than the hard skills you’ve acquired!
Thinking outside the box
Given that you’re on the move every 2-3 years, you’ve learned to think outside the box when it comes to how you’ll make a rented house a home, how to keep the kids entertained on a cross-country PCS road trip, and even how you’ll wear all the hats for months at a time while your spouse is away.
Whether you consider yourself creative or not, juggling military life should prove that this soft skill lives in every military spouse! This allows you to offer innovative ideas and solutions to make the sometimes impossible possible.
What’s next?
If you’re looking to put your skill set to work and join a remote team, we’ve got you covered. Check out these military spouse-owned remote companies.
VirtForce: Join the free job board to explore virtual and location-flexible career options offered by military-friendly employers. VirtForce also offers virtual masterclasses and 1:1 career coaching.
Freedom Learning Group: Are you a military spouse educator, curriculum specialist, or instructional designer? Freedom Learning Group has remote work opportunities available exclusively to you.
WISE Advise + Assist Team: This company has been doing incredible things since 2016, developing teams and onboarding business projects for its clients. The growing team of military and veteran spouses is highly skilled in project management and virtual assistance.
Powerhouse Planning: Powerhouse is comprised of freelance team members, mostly military spouses, who are remote-based and serve clients worldwide.
Organized Q: Organized Q is a Virtual Executive Assistant Agency passionate about helping clients streamline their day-to-day tasks and goals so they can grow their businesses. The team is talented, professional, diverse, experienced, and thrives in the virtual space.
Squared Away: This company works with some of the best companies, teams, and venture capital firms in the world, in addition to top executives and freelancers. Squared Away empowers military spouses to build meaningful careers and work anywhere as highly trusted virtual assistants.
And last but not least, as we continue to work hard to change the landscape of remote work opportunities for military spouses like you, we invite you to create an Instant Teams account. We’re constantly building teams and filling roles that put your unique skills and experience front and center.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published 5/4/2020 and has been updated for content.