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CAREER/EDUCATION
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ASSESSING EMPLOYERS FOR ARMY WIFE APPRECIATION
Others’ Experiences
How many times have you waited to buy the newest, most cutting edge piece of technology until you hear the reviews of your friends or family? Perhaps you are the person that others seek out for advice on such products. Consider for a moment that according to Razorfish , 61% of people rely on others’ reviews for product information or research before making a purchase.
In tough economies, we often fail to realize that searching for a job is a lot like making a large consumer purchase. Additionally, we forget that companies are not the only ones with options. We, as job seekers, provide our list of references to potential employers, offering them firsthand reviews of our efficiency and recommendations regarding our quantity and quality of work. Remember that you also have choices regarding whether to work for a particular company or not.
If you planned to make a large purchase in the coming weeks, would you read reviews and ask your friends for their opinions or flip a coin? Just like when you are looking for a new washer, television or car, consider yourself a consumer in your career search! Companies have references just like job seekers do. The company’s references, however, come by way of your military spouse friends who are currently working there. Ask for a critical review of their experiences with the company. Would they recommend the company to other military wives?
Military-Affiliated Organizations
It may seem obvious, but organizations that serve the military population are very likely to understand the lifestyle. By serving the military, it is extremely likely that the company has done extensive research on the population they are serving. You are a subject matter expert when it comes to their client base and will be able to relate to the customer lifestyle.
Presence in Military Community/Sponsorships
This identifier is similar to military-affiliated organizations, but may not necessarily have the military community as their primary audience. Often, organizations support events or other organizations that they believe value their mission or who they want to market to. While Army wives may not be their all-encompassing target audience, working moms, stay-at-home-wives or adult students might be! Who better to help them in their organization than someone who fits their target market? Once you determine what population the organization serves, consider what ways you are, or are not, a part of that specific audience.
Multiple Locations
Companies with locations all across the country (or ideally all across the world) are more likely to have transfer opportunities. This means that such companies are less likely to see your frequent relocations as a negative and are more likely to embrace your adaptability and willingness to move around!
Virtual Vocations
Thanks to the proliferation of the Internet, telecommuting jobs have been growing at a remarkable rate. Most virtual jobs don’t require you to reside in a particular area to begin work.
Additionally, the current economy has caused some companies to utilize telecommuting options in order to cut costs. Another outgrowth of company cutbacks is an increasing need for virtual assistants. These jobs offer portability because they are operated out of your home, wherever that may be, and flexibility because they are often temporary or contract-based.
Turnover Rates
Believe it or not, checking an organization or industry’s turnover rates can be a key indicator of whether or not your military movements will be feared or embraced. In an industry such as Higher Educational Development (known to those outside the field as college fundraising), the average tenure of development officers has been commonly cited as 18-24 months. Considering that only about 10 percent of military wives remain in the same home for 5 years , industry’s that have shorter tenures are likely to be the best choices for Army wives. Keep in mind, however, that high turnover can be the result of a multitude of things, ranging from employee dissatisfaction to frequent promotion.
ASSESSING EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS FOR ARMY WIFE APPRECIATION
No matter how military spouse-friendly organizations may be, there are often minimum requirements that potential candidates must have in order to receive consideration for a position. Oftentimes, these mandatory qualifications include some form of training or higher educational experience.
Just as the Post 9/11 GI Bill has increased colleges’ and universities’ awareness of veteran educational concerns, the Career Advancement Accounts (myCAA) quickly brought attention to the military spouse population. Although the myCAA program has been temporarily halted, the program has served to heighten awareness of military spouse needs in the pursuit of educational goals. There are a number of ways to find a school that will fit your unique Army wife needs. The following provides some general indicators as to the universities’ ability to accommodate the Army wife lifestyle.
Military Counselors and Advisors
A number of universities have started implementing campus offices for military members, including veterans, active duty and spouses. The activity level, function and presence of these offices vary greatly from university to university. While most of these groups, offices and clubs are not specific to just spouses, their presence on campus indicates an awareness of the military population.
Some universities have also enlisted the expertise of former servicemembers and active duty spouses to advise and enroll military-affiliated students. These military specialists often assist fellow military students in determining a major, working through VA (Veteran’s Affairs) educational benefits and finding educational programs.
Tuition Discounts
An increasing number of universities have begun offering discounted tuition to active duty servicemembers and their spouses. The list of universities offering this discounted tuition continues to grow, so it is imperative to continually check with individual schools—even if you are already enrolled!
Spouse Scholarships
There are numerous scholarships for Army wives that are unaffiliated to a particular university or school; however, some colleges have begun to offer their own military spouse scholarships based on merit, need or competition. You can often find out what scholarships are available by searching the school’s financial aid website.
Portability of Degree
A key way to determine the portability a university’s degrees is by checking whether the school is a member of the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC). The SOC is
a consortium of approximately 1,800 institutions in cooperation with 15 higher education associations, the Department of Defense, and Active and Reserve Components of the Military Services. Though it was originally developed to provide educational opportunities to servicemembers, the consortium has become a widely respected gauge for all military community members to find colleges and universities that are deemed “military friendly” based on the consortium’s guidelines, which include credit transferability.
Portability is also made possible through online coursework. A growing number of traditional and nontraditional universities are offering some or all degree programs online. This option allows you to relocate numerous times without having to worry about transferring schools or stopping halfway through your program. Some schools also have multiple locations across the country or have developed credit transferability partnerships with other universities.
What the Website Tells You
One important step in determining if an institution works closely with the military community is to simply check the school’s website. You can tell a great deal about a business or organization by the information they provide on their website and the accessibility of that information. If you find a predominantly displayed link to military education, as some universities do, it is likely that the university works closely with military-affiliated students, including wives of active duty soldiers.
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.
Website: www.militaryspousecareercoach.com
Email: Stacy@militaryspousecareercoach.com
Newly-Unveiled Website: www.PortableCareerPlanning.com
New Email: Stacy@PortableCareerPlanning.com
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References:
(2008), from http://www.bazaarvoice.com/resources/stats.
The Report on Military Spouse Education and Employment (U.S. Department of Defense, 2008).
Servicemembers Opportunity College Website, http://www.soc.aascu.org/.
Stacy Swearengen
Career and Education
Senior Contributor
stacy@armywifemagazine.com
www.militaryspousecareercoach.com Stacy@militaryspousecareercoach.com
We come from different locations, have a variety of backgrounds and offer differing perspectives on the world, yet despite the differences we are united by a common experience: We are Army wives. We are strong, even though there are times that we may not feel like it. We overcome obstacles that cause our civilian friends to question how we do it. We are proud of our country, and we stand by those who defend it.
We, as Army wives, are also united by obstacles and challenges that most others cannot understand. In appreciation of the military family, there are a number of companies and schools that deeply value and respect this Army wife lifestyle we live. These organizations welcome Army wives to their staff or student body.
Assessing an Organization’s Appreciation
of the Army Wife Lifestyle
Key Ways to Spot Employers and Universities
that Value the Military Spouse Experience
by Stacy Swearengen, posted May 2010
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Comments (1)
May 4, 2010
This makes so much sense. Making sure a school or employer supports us is important. Informative
Lisa
