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CAREER/EDUCATION
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When asked what education means, the typical adult pictures textbooks, classrooms, grades and homework. While such associations are the most commonly cited ones, there is an entirely different educational environment outside of traditional depictions that is rarely if ever considered-an environment that can actually give Army wives an advantage in the job market! This different type of education that occurs outside the classroom is referred to as informal learning.
No More Pencils, No More Books
There are a number of definitions of informal learning that I have come across over the years. One of my favorite descriptions is “...the spontaneous, unstructured learning that goes on daily in the home and neighborhood, behind the school and on the playing field, in the workplace, marketplace, library and museum, and through the various mass media,” (Coombs, 1985, p.92). Other researchers consider this type of education “everyday learning,” (Illeris, 2004a), because it takes place in non-organized contexts of everyday life.
Informal learning is the most prevalent form of learning for adults, but it is also the most often overlooked. Research has shown that approximately 90 percent of adults engage in hundreds of hours of informal learning, yet such educational experiences are rarely highlighted on the resumes of those who participate in them! It seems that because learning in informal environments occurs every day, we often overlook its significance because it simply becomes routine.
It is not a secret that many jobs require that you possess a degree or some schooling to be considered a viable candidate. Nevertheless, in a job market that is currently very competitive, you should never ignore other experiences that may have provided valuable preparation for potential jobs. The first step is identifying how your informal educational experiences relate to the qualifications that potential employers are seeking.
Stacy Swearengen
Career and Education
Senior Contributor
stacy@armywifemagazine.com
www.militaryspousecareercoach.com Stacy@militaryspousecareercoach.com
The Value of an Informal Education
by Stacy Swearengen, posted Aug 2010
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Archives: Career & Education
The Army Wife’s Informal Education Advantage
Informal learning is especially important to Army wives. We face obstacles and experiences that most civilian spouses have never had. The mistake many job seekers make is in overlooking the significance of their informal education or simply not even realizing it is education. I often hear military spouses disregard potential jobs because their education has taken place in informal settings rather than in formal classroom environments. Remember that the key is learning how to use your everyday experiences to your advantage! By doing so, you will have an advantage over other job seekers who simply ignore their informal learning. You also set yourself apart from the nonmilitary competition because your experiences are so unique and diverse. Don’t believe me? Consider the following excerpts from job descriptions:
Title: Non-profit Office Administrator
Responsibilities:
Organize daily schedules of employees
Schedule staff meetings with Board of Directors and staff
Maintain online and in office filing systems of office receipts, bills and donations
Answer telephone and email correspondence in professional, timely manner
Desired Qualifications:
Knowledge of business environment through college degree or comparable work experience
Non-profit experience preferred
Ability to work in a team environment and collaborate with a diverse population
Ability to multi-task and work effectively and efficiently in a variety of professional settings
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Ability to respond effectively to rapidly changing environments
Example of Applicable Army Wife Informal Education:
- Professional Experience and Hierarchies - Some military spouses are actively involved in the Army lifestyle. Such experiences working with service members of varying ranks provide an informal education in structure and hierarchies. This experience is valuable preparation for this particular job because the desired qualifications indicate that potential candidates should be comfortable in a variety of professional settings. Understanding proper titles and protocol is especially important in this job.
- The Army Lifestyle - As an Army wife, you understand more than most civilians how important it is to respond calmly in rapidly changing situations. We deal with continual deployments, frequent relocations and continual, short notice changes. This job description requires candidates be able to handle unpredictability, and the Army lifestyle has certainly prepared you for that!
- Volunteer at [Insert Your Non-profit Here] - Whatever the organization, any volunteer work is valuable! In this particular instance, non-profit experience is desired. Consider time spent helping out at the Humane Society, USO, Operation Homefront, FRG, or ACS.
- Sample Job Description #1
Title: Medical Staff Specialist
Responsibilities:
Prepare correspondence and dictation for office physicians
Maintain meeting minutes and follow up on action items for staff members
Provide administrative support for medical staff
Organize office correspondence and interdepartmental communication and routing systems
Maintain patient confidentiality and uphold organization's commitment to medical records
Desired Qualifications:
High school diploma or equivalent
Understanding of medical terminology and general office practices
Ability to abide by established privacy policies in order to maintain patient confidentiality
Excellent organizational skills
2-3 years of office experience with demonstrated verbal and written communication experience
Example of Applicable Army Wife Informal Education:
- FRG Leader or Point of Contact - If you have experience working as an FRG leader or POC, you have learned a great deal about maintaining confidentiality of families and soldiers. Additionally, you were likely required to communicate with family members across the country while abiding by the rules of personal security (PERSEC) and military operational security (OPSEC). These informal learning opportunities are very valuable for this job, as you will be required to maintain the privacy of office patients.
Your time working with the FRG may have provided you with an opportunity to demonstrate that you are proficient in learning acronyms and terminology in new environments. Such skill is transferable to the medical environment, which will also require you to learn medical jargon.
- Sample Job Description #2
Title: Assistant Teacher
Responsibilities:
Assist head teacher with lesson plans and homework assignments
Help with meal and snack preparation
Foster the growth of 10-12 elementary children through encouragement and enthusiasm
Maintain a clean, orderly classroom and school environment
Desired Qualifications:
All state licensing requirements must be met
Must possess high school diploma or GED
Previous experience working in a licensed child care facility
Example of Applicable Army Wife Informal Education:
- Parent Faculty Associations - Though PCSing is not fun, it has given you the ability to see more parts of the country (or world) than the majority of civilians. Your affiliation with school districts across the country allowed you to observe a variety of parent faculty or parent teacher associations. You may have witnessed what works and what doesn’t and can apply some of the best practices to the school you hope to work for!
- After-School Tutor - Tutoring happens in a variety of settings-sometimes schools offer tutors to their students and other times tutoring can be as simple as helping your neighbor’s child with a math problem. Do not discredit any experiences you have had volunteering your time as a tutor or coach in the community or local school district.
- Sample Job Description #3
After you have identified how your informal experiences relate to your desired job, you simply need to understand the best way to deliver that information. It is important to determine whether your resume, cover letter, or interview is the most appropriate delivery mechanism. Every job opportunity is different and requires that you spend a little time reflecting on how your experiences as an Army wife have best prepared you for the position!
For more information on how to market your experiences as a military spouse
in your job search or how to include your military experiences on a resume,
visit www.portablecareerplanning.com.
Stacy Swearengen, Certified Career, Education and Adult Learning Coach, and spouse of an active duty soldier, provides military wives with career and education counseling that is tailored to meet the demands of the military lifestyle. Offering a complete range of career counseling services, including resume critiques, mock interviews, job search resources, college decision-making strategies and guidance on using military spouse benefits,
Stacy provides telephone coaching to spouses across the world.
All army wives receive a complimentary 30-minute coaching session to determine
if career coaching is right for them.
Comments (2)
Aug 10, 2010
This girl is always on point
Sherrie
Aug 10, 2010
Great article Stacy!
Aug 13, 2010
More great info! Thank you.
Marilyn
