For many military spouses, balancing a career and a military lifestyle can be a challenge. Frequent moves, non-transferable state-specific licenses and certifications, and difficulty finding child care are just some of the issues that can make it difficult for military spouses to obtain a job. A recent study by Blue Star Families showed that military spouses had an 18 percent unemployment rate; significantly higher than the national 4.4 percent civilian spouse unemployment rate. Those who did have jobs were often underemployed, that is, working in lower paying jobs that did not commensurate with their levels of experience or education.
But while job-seeking military spouses do have barriers to overcome, there are companies that have realized the skills and value these individuals can bring to their organizations. Omni, for example, frequently hires military spouses. We believe that no one understands the needs of our military customers like a veteran or a military family member.
Employment Opportunities for Military Spouses
Here is a list of some other employers to consider if you are a military spouse looking for meaningful employment that will make the most of your talents and help grow your career.
American Express Global Business Travel
American Express Global Business Travel is a leading provider of business travel services. The company has flexible, virtual positions in business management, travel administration, information technology and event planning. Most jobs require experience and a bachelor’s degree and may require that you be located within a certain geographic area.
Anthem
The health insurance company Anthem was designated a 2016 Military Friendly® Employer and has flexible and work-at-home positions in healthcare, administration and customer service. There are entry-level roles, executive management openings and everything in between. Nurses, data scientists and bilingual candidates are in especially high demand.
AT&T
AT&T has an entire section of its website dedicated to careers for military spouses. Visit the site to search for jobs near military installation, read bios of AT&T military spouses, find links to job fairs, and access a link to the 100,000 Jobs Mission Military Spouse Talent Exchange.
Combined Insurance
Combined Insurance, a provider of supplemental accident, disability, health and life insurance products, was named by Military Spouse magazine as the number one Military Spouse Friendly® Employer in the country for 2016. They are committed to hiring veterans and military spouses and have opportunities in sales, management, marketing, human resources, administrative support and more.
Enterprise Holdings
The car rental company Enterprise Holdings was founded by World War II Navy veteran Jack Taylor and has a history of supporting American service members and their families. It has been recognized as military-friendly by many organizations. Visit the site to learn about the company’s management training program, as well as opportunities in accounting, automotive and transportation, sales, corporate, IT, sales and more.
Walmart
Walmart actively seeks to hire military spouses and has thousands of full and part-time positions available at locations throughout the United States. The company recognizes that military spouses often require flexible work schedules and has programs in place to accommodate those needs.
These are just a few of the many companies that recognize the important contributions military spouses can offer their businesses. An additional career resource is the Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP). The MSEP is a Department of Defense initiative that connects military spouses with partner employers committed to hiring, promoting and retaining military spouses. Currently MSEP has more than 335 partners that have hired over 100,000 military spouses. Its website has job search listings, career readiness advice, resume and cover letter templates, and much more.
Finding a job takes time, work and perseverance. Try not to get discouraged. Keep networking and using all your available resources to search for employment that will be a good fit for your military lifestyle, as well as your education, experience and career aspirations.
