Charles Scarborough ⋅ New Johnsonville , TN Cargill ⋅ 1 years experience

You probably already know of "Miltary One Source". An excellent way to get your nose under the tent flap for the area you are moving to.

Charles Scarborough ⋅ New Johnsonville , TN Cargill ⋅ 1 years experience

You probably already know of "Miltary One Source". An excellent way to get your nose under the tent flap for the area you are moving to.

Katie Tamarelli ⋅ Newport , KY Strategy& ⋅ 8 years experience

I am not sure what your skills are, but is it possible it could be something done remotely? That way, every time you move, you do not have to start a new career.

I have a friend who works from home since her husband gets moved quite often. It allows her to show some continuity.

Let me know if you have any questions!
Katie

Judy Tomlinson ⋅ Dallas , TX Energy Future Holdings ⋅ 25 years experience

I have a permanent job search notification set up on CareerBuilder.com Even when you have a job you want to keep up on what is out there. I was a consultant for over 15 years so I can relate to the problem of looking like a job hopper...there are ways to list your various jobs that show the job type and industry experience without specific dates....you might try that approach. I would be happy to send you an example and help you work on your resume.
Judy Tomlinson
tomlinsonjk@aol.com

Chris Norton ⋅ Hightstown , NJ Defense Mobile Corporation ⋅ 18 years experience

Raliegh-Just a thought....Like Eric noted, we'd need to have a better idea of your personal situation and goals, but it's probably not a bad idea to target a larger company with a broad footprint. AT&T would fit that bill-We've got a real varied mix of roles we need, all over the place, and some pretty portable career sets.

Alan J. Zell ⋅ Portland , OR Attitudes for Selling ⋅ 29 years experience

Raliegh, In addition to the GOOD advice alread posted, I'll add another twist to what they wrote.

The yellow pages is a goldmine for anyone looking for a job. Sit down with pad, pencil and start going through the yellow pages. When you come to a category, sub category, or business that you believe you would like to work in and/or you have skill they might use, write down their basic info.

The second step is to do a google search to see if they have a web site that you may learn more about their business. Go to each page as ideas open up that tell you that you have the skills to help them. Some may post jobs openings. However, evey business, should the right person show up, have jobs open that have not been posted within their business or to the public.

Before you call any of these business, make notes on what they do/make etc. so that when you write or talk to someone you can let them know you've done some investigation and have some idea of what they do/make.

With this knowledge, tailor each resume to each business and the type(s) of jobs you could do for them.

What businesses want from prospective employees are skills. Not so much where you got them, more important how you can adapt them to what they do/make. Most skill are transferrable or applicable to many different jobs.

On all resume's, be sure to add the places you've lived, your sports interests (participation/following), cultural interestes or activities. While not required, it give the HR person something to tell those you will may be working with something about you . . . . and if your travels, interests, activities align with someone you may be working with, it will give you a leg up over others who have not put this information down.

Hope this helps . . . and if it does, you can let me know via my web site sellingselling.com

Colleen Deere ⋅ New York , NY American Corporate Partners (ACP) ⋅ 15 years experience

Raleigh,

First off, thank you for your service as a military spouse.

As Eric mentioned, if you have a good idea of where your next PCS will take you, I don't think it's ever too early to start researching the area you will be moving to. Having gone through this experience myself, I started researching local businesses and universities in the area I was moving to, so that I could get a feel for what types of positions existed that could potentially be a good fit. Think about what companies have a large presence in that area of the country, if there are any telecommuting options available, freelance positions, etc. The new post you are moving to likely has a website with resources specifically geared toward military spouse employment - that could be another option to look into. You may even be a able to find a job on base.

Also, start taking inventory of your personal skill set and don't be afraid to apply for positions that are outside your comfort zone. While my husband was on active duty, I had to make some compromises in regards to my own job search - for example, I worked in publishing for a few years in a large city, and then found out I'd be moving to a small town where there were no publishing companies. However, there was a large university in the town we were stationed in and I tried to think about how my publishing skills could translate into a job there. I wound up teaching writing classes at the university and taking a few other part-time jobs related to my interests in writing and editing.

You also mentioned a concern about your resume looking choppy - I'd be sure to mention in any cover letters you send out that you are a military spouse. I think most employers will be understanding of the frequent moves that military spouses have to make. You should be able to use your adaptability and flexibility as a selling point in any job interviews you have and easily justify any gaps in your employment history.

Good luck!

Eric Hodgson ⋅ Bethesda , MD Hewlett Packard ⋅ 20 years experience

Hello,

Hard to get a feel for your situation without more detail on your current job skill sets, education and what you are looking for or are qualified for regarding employment. That said, several years ago my then wife had a similar problem as we moved from one base to another. Coupled with the moving is the penchant for the Marine Corps to place their installations in locations that are good for training of Marines, but also tend to be removed from major metropolitan areas, thus few jobs to begin with, let alone open jobs requiring a skilled applicant.

First and foremost is what type job you are looking for and what are your skill sets and qualifications. Back then my wife had several rejections, while many would never come out and say it, many employers were reluctant to hire someone who would be moving on in a few years due to a follow on PCS. This was overcome by her presenting herself as the best candidate for the job.

That said, you should have a good idea on where your next PCS will take you, and of course you know what jobs you are qualified for. First and foremost, be honest on your resume. Altering your dates of prior employment for any reason would be grounds for placing your resume on the reject pile, or, if you were hired by someone and it was discovered at a later point in time that you had misrepresented yourself, it would be grounds for dismissal. Be honest on your resume and in the interview, it sells. Look into the job market in the area you will be moving to, see who is hiring and what the major industries are, based on that you can start to tailor your resume to make it stand out. Once that’s done contact the companies and ask to speak with their HR department to find out how to apply, additional information on open positions and any other information or questions you may have.

If applicable, take training and consider an internship to bolster your experience in a particular field of interest.

Best of luck and s/f.

Eric