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5 Ways to Gain Professional Skills Without Going Back to College

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I’ll admit it, there was a time when I wanted to be a famous actress. I wanted to devour a screenplay and give my own personal flair to the leading character.

I also wanted to be an innkeeper.

And a baker.

And a wedding planner.

Oh, and of course, a famous author.

While I haven’t quite been able to add all of those things to my resume, I have managed to stay gainfully employed over the last 20 years despite moving every few years. Up until recently, I did it without a college degree.

Don’t get me wrong, if you have a chance to get a degree, I highly recommend it, but going back to school isn’t the only way to learn new professional skills and boost a resume.

Here are a few of the ways I built up my skill set.

5 Ways to Gain Professional Skills Without Going Back to College

Free College Classes

This sounds off, right? How does taking free college classes mean not going to college? When those classes are part of an adult learning program, of course.

You can tap into the wealth of knowledge college professors and instructors have to offer by looking into local adult learning classes. Many times the classes are taught in the evenings or on weekends in local high schools or community centers.

Want to learn a new computer skill?

How to select the proper wine for a steak dinner?

Take a quality photograph?

You can learn all of these things and tons more by signing up for one of these courses. Plus, it’s a great way to meet and network with others who have similar interests.

Volunteer

Can I just tell you how many great nonprofit organizations out there would jump for joy to have someone who is willing to learn and is giving of their time? Volunteering is a great way to jump into an organization and learn about how they do things.

I learned a great deal about people management and branding while working for a nonprofit.  Find a cause that speaks to your heart and then look for a way to get involved.

Volunteermatch.org is a fantastic resource and offers both local and online volunteer opportunities.

Lynda.com

If ever there was a paradise for learning software and creative skills, Lynda.com might be it. Want to learn how to use Photoshop? How to create an effective social media campaign? How to create a WordPress site? Lynda.com offers all of these and more.

I love that you can learn on your own time and at your own pace. A subscription is required, but it’s well worth the access to hundreds and hundreds of training videos.

Temporary Positions

There is nothing better than on-the-job training. I worked for several temporary agencies when I was a young military spouse.

Each job did 3 things:

1. Provided a paycheck

2. Gave me real-life experience to add to my resume

3. Taught me something new

The first two are a given if you show up on time. Learn something new required me to pay attention to my surroundings and to ask questions.

If someone needed an extra set of hands or eyes, I was quick to jump in. Exposure to new software and industry practices is another benefit.

Plus, many temporary agencies have training programs. I worked for Robert Half International for a long time and they have a great training network available to their temporary employees. Not only can you take training courses, but then you can test to demonstrate you’ve mastered a new skill.

Internships

Sometimes a good internship can be hard to come by, but with a little work, you can find them. Some are reserved for college students, but there are still plenty more open to everyone.

Some internships pay, many do not.

Like volunteering, internships are a great way to see how successful businesses operate. But unlike volunteering, internships are designed to help you learn.

Even as I’m writing this post, I’m eyeballing an unpaid remote internship opportunity with a literary magazine. It won’t bring in a paycheck, but it will give me a chance to hone a skill I already have and provide another great bullet for my resume.

What professional skills are you looking to add to your resume?

11 Companies That Will Let You Move Within Their Corporation When You Move

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PCS time often means that military spouses are forced to hand in their notices. But there are some awesome companies that will let military spouses transfer their jobs when they move.

11 Companies That Will Let You Move Within Their Corporation When You Move

Do you work for a military spouse-friendly employer? Are you looking to work for one?

11 Companies That Will Let You Move Within Their Corporation When You Move

Comcast-NBC Universal

This media heavy hitter is the top-rated employer by Military Friendly for 2017. Not only has Comcast-NBC Universal committed to hiring 10,000 veterans and military spouses, they make it easy to balance work and life. There are military advisory committees, the option to move to part-time during deployments and job relocation assistance. Even if there is not a position with the company at the next duty station, Comcast-NBC Universal will help military spouses find their next position.

Hilton

Hilton has committed to hiring 10,000 military spouses and veterans by 2018. In addition to this commitment, Hilton has properties around the world. While not explicitly stated, it is implied that military spouses hired at one Hilton location may be able to transfer to another location. There are also remote positions available.

Adecco

Adecco is a staffing agency that provides temporary workers in a variety of fields. According to Rachelle Chapman, Military Liaison and Senior Manager for Strategic Partnerships, temping is a great fit for military spouses. Adecco has national reach, which allows military spouses to continue to work through Adecco to find new temporary employment after a PCS. Plus, there is the ability to work in several fields which will diversify your skill set.

Starbucks

Along with a great cup of coffee, Starbucks offers competitive job benefits for military spouses. There are expanded education benefits, flexible scheduling and the opportunity to transfer to another Starbucks location following a PCS. Starbucks has also created 32 military-friendly stores across the United States. These stores are primarily operated by military spouses and veterans.

U.S. Government Agencies

Military bases are often a hub of federal employment. Military spouses can leverage their recent PCS to receive hiring preference. There are positions in a wide variety of career fields and for those with different levels of education or experience. Spouses can claim hiring preference for 2 years following their sponsor’s PCS orders.

Being hired for a federal position does require work and lots of documentation. However, you can register in advance of your next PCS move to facilitate easier job searching and hiring.

AAFES

Every military base has one. Your local AAFES Exchange is a great place for military spouses to seek employment. Military spouses can readily transfer their position to another AAFES location too. To be eligible, spouses must:

  • be PCSing with their sponsor
  • have worked for AAFES for at least 6 months
  • have at least satisfactory employee evaluations
  • and be transferring withing the same employment category

MCCS

For Marine Corps spouses, working for Marine Corps Community Services (MCCS) is a great option. There are opportunities across a variety of fields available and military spouses can claim preference. There are positions available at Marine bases in the United States and overseas.

La Quinta

La Quinta Inns & Suites are located nationwide. For many military families, La Quinta provides a welcome pet-friendly refuge during PCS season. The hotel chain also has a military spouse and veteran hiring initiative in place. According to their website, La Quinta offers jobs in a variety of roles that are transferable and has the opportunity to promote within the company.

Booz Allen Hamilton

Booz Allen Hamilton is a diverse company and a leader across many sectors. Having been founded by a veteran and working closely with the DoD, Booz Allen Hamilton is committed to employing military spouses and veterans. They have dedicated military hiring programs and offer benefits to military spouses and veterans. According to first-person stories featured on their website, military spouses have been able to transfer jobs within the company after PCSing.

L Brands

L Brands’ stores are ubiquitous in malls across the world: Bath & Body Works; Victoria’s Secret, La Senza and Henri Bendel. The company employs over 88,000 people across their brands and corporate office. L Brands frequently promotes from within its current employee pool and offers relocation. While there is no specific military spouse or veteran hiring program, with stores located around the world, you stand a great chance of being able to transfer to another location.

Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo has made a commitment to support veterans and military families. The banking firm has opportunities to translate military service into job skills. They also provide relocation assistance for spouses who are moving because of their family member’s military service. Wells Fargo will help employees to find a similar job in their next location. There are more services dedicated to hiring veterans, but there are also military support teams and initiatives within the company.

Do you work for a company that allows you to move your job with you? Give them a shout out in the comments. Thank them for being a military spouse-friendly employer.

How Do Unemployment Benefits Work for Military Spouses Living Overseas?

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Filing for unemployment isn’t as complicated as it once was. If you are a military spouse that has lost a job due to PCSing with your service member, you may be eligible for unemployment benefits. There are many factors that go into determining if you qualify along with how much money you can receive. Finding out if you do qualify and how much you may receive does not have to be difficult anymore as most states have this information readily available online.

How Do Unemployment Benefits Work for Military Spouses Living Overseas?

Many states do not spell out whether moving overseas qualifies or disqualifies a military spouse from receiving unemployment benefits.

There are now 46 states, as well as the District of Columbia, that provide unemployment insurance for military spouses that leave their jobs specifically to follow their service members on a new assignment.

Only Idaho, Louisiana, North Dakota and Ohio consider leaving a job for this reason to be “voluntary” and therefore not a good reason for leaving a job under any wavier.

Ohio worked on legislation last year to include military spouse relocation due to a PCS to be eligible for compensation. It however stalled in the state House in November with some opposing the bill saying they are already borrowing money from the government and without asking for further funds, this would create a heavier tax on businesses.

When filing for unemployment, make sure you apply in the state in which you worked; not the state or country that you have moved to. If you worked in any of those 4 states that do not offer unemployment for military spouses, then you do not qualify unless there are other circumstances you can claim exemption with. A link to each state’s unemployment information is available here. If you are unsure whether you qualify or not, go ahead and apply anyway. You can always file an appeal if you are denied the first time.

Some states have a specific clause under qualifications for unemployment to account for military spouses relocating out of state while others simply have a blanket statement for any spouse that moves a specific distance from their current job to follow a spouse to their new job assignment. The latter is known as a trailing spouse and applies to any spouse, military or not. Both of these are considered a voluntary quit with good cause.

Many states do not spell out whether moving overseas qualifies or disqualifies a military spouse from receiving unemployment benefits. Each state has its own laws regarding unemployment. There are a few states that have laws that specifically exclude moves overseas however. If you can make a case that you will be able to apply for jobs in America while overseas, then you may be approved for unemployment benefits after all.

Remember that each state is different and that laws constantly change. If you did not qualify a few moves ago, don’t be deterred this time. Perhaps the laws have changed in your favor. For example, Virginia only passed the military spouse unemployment compensation bill in 2014 and Ohio is still considering theirs.

Not only does every state have its own rules for qualification, but they also have different steps you must take to get unemployment benefits. The amount of compensation you may receive and the duration of benefits may differ as well.

Before you leave your job, make sure you check your state’s guidelines first. While leaving your job early to prepare for a move or to take a vacation before you PCS may sound good, you may lose out on unemployment if you quit too early. South Carolina for example only allows a person to resign from their job 15 days prior to a move.

Things to know when filing for unemployment:

  • Most states have a minimum amount of time that you must have worked in that state to qualify.
  • The amount of money you will receive is based on a percentage of your earnings over the previous 52 weeks.
  • Most states cap the amount of time you can receive unemployment benefits to 26 weeks.
  • Unemployment benefits are taxed. You will have to report them on your federal income tax return.
  • Filing for unemployment does not penalize your former employer. Unemployment insurance comes from the state’s general unemployment fund.

Go to your state’s website for unemployment and read all of the rules before you quit your job. When filing, you will likely need a copy of your service member’s PCS orders. If you leave a job in America to follow your spouse on their job assignment overseas, you may qualify for unemployment. You would need to be able to show that you are able to continue looking for work from an American business while you are abroad however.

If you worked while overseas with your spouse and have now received orders back to the United States you may be wondering if you can get unemployment that way. In some cases it is possible. You paid taxes on the money you earned abroad. Some of that money goes into the unemployment fund. You can apply for unemployment in your state of residency if you worked for an international company. If you worked for an American company while overseas, then you would apply for unemployment benefits from the company’s state of home office.

What questions do you have about unemployment? Post them in the comments section and we will try to answer them in a future article.

How to Work From Home While Your Kids Are Home on Summer Break

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You’ve finally settled into a perfect rhythm. Post-drop-off, you grab a quick (hot) cup of coffee and get to work. You can spend the whole day networking, creating and getting your hustle on.

Except now, school is out for the summer and your kids are at home with you. Your beautiful angels will be home all day long. Just like that, your perfect work rhythm is seriously in jeopardy.

How to Work From Home While Your Kids Are Home on Summer Break

You may need to work in the evenings when your kids are home with you for their summer vacation.

With a few tweaks, though, you can still work from home during summer break.

Work From Home Solutions: Find Child Care

Summer Camp

Behold the beauty that is summer camp. Your children will be having glorious adventures every weekday during regular school hours. You, on the other hand, will be able to stick to your perfect work schedule.

Unlike (public) school, however, you will have to pay for the privilege of keeping your kids busy. Luckily for military families, there are many scholarships and even free camping opportunities out there! And there are endless camping possibilities. From your basic day camp to specialty activity camps to sleep-away camps, there truly is something for everyone.

Even if you only use summer camps for a few weeks, this option can seriously keep your work groove in the zone.

Mother’s Helper

What if a magical person came to your house for a few hours a day to entertain your children? These angels from heaven do exist and they are called mother’s helpers.

Mother’s helper is a perfect job for an older middle school or young high school student during summer break. It’s a great bridge between being a child and being an independent babysitter. Plus, mother’s helpers usually command slightly lower rates because you, the parent, will be home.

Additionally, you will be helping another young entrepreneur get his or her start in the business world! Ask around your church, social groups or schools. You never know who has a child that wants to gain child care experience.

Enlist Your Spouse

One of the perks of being a work-at-home-parent is that you can pull double duty as the primary caregiver and a breadwinner. But you absolutely need some alone time to work or just get out of the house. Schedule some time for your spouse to step into your shoes. Then you can set up shop in a cafe with wifi to work and enjoy a delicious latte or two.

Other Child Care Options

Set up play dates or child care swaps with other families during the week. Create a backyard full of entertainment with kiddie pools, sandboxes and maybe a swing set. Or head to a playground to change things up. You should definitely use every minute of naptime and create rest time for children who no longer nap.

Worst-case scenario? You might be pulling some night shifts to get your work done.

Work From Home Solutions: Workflow Optimization

Planning

Make sure that you know what you’re doing in your limited time. On Sunday night, after the kids are asleep, write everything down in your weekly planner. Include your kid’s activities, your work commitments and other tasks to complete.

Make note of any days when you know that you might need to get work done at night. Also be sure to include a countdown to any big project deadlines. This way you can mentally prepare and plan in advance.

Batch Your Work

Working from home means you wear a lot of different hats all the time. When you’re planning your work week, try to keep similar tasks on the same day.

For example, plan to schedule social media posts on Mondays and write new blog posts on Tuesdays. Or micro-batch things, like answering emails during your first 20 minutes and then make 1 sales call immediately after.

Cut the Extras

Figure out what is the core of your business and focus on that during the school-free months.

If you are self-employed or a freelancer, this can be easier. In the summer, try to keep it simple. It might be a good idea to think carefully about taking on new projects, clients or commitments. Unless you have found a way to carry your school-year schedule into summer, your work time might be significantly impacted.

For current projects, stick to the basics and essentials. Think about what you absolutely have to do to keep going.

If you work for someone else, now is a great time to remind your employer that your children will need more of your time during the summer. Ask about flexible scheduling, like working more nights and fewer days if you are on the clock. If your schedule will be drastically altered, see if you can work part-time or be used as a backup.

Work From Home Solutions: Spend Time Together

As important as work is, cherish these fleeting summers spent with your children. Even while you maintain your business or career, schedule in lots of time for fun day trips and vacations.

After all, that’s part of the appeal of working from home, right? You can enjoy your kids’ childhood and rock your career dreams!

Do you work from home? What do you do with your kids during summer vacation?

States Aim to Streamline Professional Licensing for Military Spouses

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Moving to Nebraska and want to be a nurse, dental hygienist or athletic trainer? You’re in luck! New laws allow you to obtain a one-year temporary license in several health-related professions.

States Aim to Streamline Professional Licensing for Military Spouses

If your profession requires a license, it is in your best interest to reach out to the licensing agency in your new state.

If you’re not relocating to the Cornhusker State, you can still take advantage of military spouse licensing agreements. Many states have streamlined professional licensing for military spouses.

Which states? Which licenses?

According to Military OneSource, 49 states have agreements in place to help military spouses through the licensing process. Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa do not currently have reciprocity agreements specifically for military spouses.

New York is not indicated to have military spouse specific reciprocity on the map. However, as of March 2017, New York does offer simplified licensing options in many professions for military spouses. There is an application process that is New York specific and your license must be in good standing in another state. Applicants also must pay the appropriate fee and submit the application for their desired license.

This process is true for the rest of the United States as well.

Each state requires a different application process to obtain a reciprocal license. Every state requires that applicants verify their military spouse status. To complete the application you will also need to provide evidence of a current license and/or education from another state. This will require providing transcripts, copies of your license(s) and supporting documents.

There may also be additional requirements in many states. These requirements may include:

  • proof of employment
  • professional exams or equivalent assessments
  • fingerprints or background check
  • first aid, AED and/or CPR certifications

There are also different professions that are considered eligible in each state. Some states don’t appear to target or exclude specific fields. Other states are limited to education professionals. Still other states exclude lawyers and teachers.

The license you can obtain also varies. Some states offer a temporary license as a hold over until the professional license is approved. In many states, the application process is expedited. Often a longer-term provisional license is granted in lieu of a full certification. This can allow professionals to complete additional requirements for full licensure.

What if my license isn’t covered?

For many professions, there aren’t national certification standards. While there are lots of similarities, especially in medicine and health professions, there are also lots of differences.

States naturally tend to favor candidates who have completed education in their jurisdiction. Especially in education and legal professions, there may be statutes and requirements specific to each state.

However, before you give up hope, check out the state licensing agency for your profession. For educators, that is usually the department of education. For lawyers, it is the state bar association. Other professions, like medicine, health or beauty, all have licensing boards. While there might not be specific language related to military spouses, there are usually avenues for professionals who have been prepared out of state or who are seeking reciprocity with a current license.

If you have questions, contact the office indicated by your professional licensing agency. With a few questions, you might be able to clarify the process or ask about military spouse licensing statutes. A new program might have been put in place and not publicized!

Are there any hidden issues?

Reciprocity, whether you are seeking it through a military spouse certification program or through other avenues, seems to mean that if you bring a current license from State A, then you should get a similar license from State B.

This is not always the case.

In some states, certain professions have employment requirements in order to obtain a reciprocal license. This is often seen with teachers. This clause means that applicants must have completed a certain number of years working professionally in order to qualify for reciprocity.

There are often state-specific professional exams. This is the case for lawyers and teachers, as well as other professions. Unless there are other programs in place, applicants might need to pass these tests in order to be licensed. It can pay to keep your results from previous states’ tests and ask the licensing board to review those before you pay for the new tests.

Bottom line: if your profession requires a license, it is in your best interest to reach out to the licensing agency in your new state.

Does your job require a state license? Have you had difficulty getting a state license after a PCS? Tell us in the comments.

How to Find a Work From Home Job

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The never-ending cycle of hunting for a new job is a struggle we military spouses know all too well. Many spouses turn to work from home opportunities as a way to remain employed despite moving every 3 years.

How to Find a Work From Home Job

Do you work from home? How did you find your work from home job?

But sometimes finding a work from home job is enough to make you question your sanity.

Do steady, dependable and legitimate work from home opportunities exist?

Of course they do!

Check out this list of work from home resources and then get to work!

Work from Home Job Boards

Telecommuting and remote work are no longer the oddball, sketchy positions they used to be. Tons of reputable companies offer work from home positions in areas like communications, customer service and project management. There are lots of job boards out there. Here are a few with good reputations:

  1. Flexjobs.com. There is a fee for access to the site ($50 per year, with options of quarterly or monthly subscriptions), but this is one of the top work from home job boards out there. Search for freelance and remote opportunities listed by hundreds of well-known companies.
  2. VirtualVocations.com. This site requires an annual fee, but offers a great list of remote work opportunities. Jobs include computer and data entry work, to writing, marketing and more.
  3. Indeed.com. Free to use, just put “Remote” in the location search field to find all kinds of telecommute and remote positions. You can even set up keyword alerts so you don’t have to visit the site every day.

Work from Home Jobs Where You Are the Boss

Starting your own business might be the best work from home opportunity out there, but it does require you to get smart on business laws and regulations. State, county and even city laws can impact the kinds of businesses you can run from home. They also regulate taxes. If you live on-post or overseas, additional rules may apply, so check with your housing office.

  1. Get Crafty. If you’re a master with a glue gun, crochet hook or paintbrush, consider turning your hobby into a great home-based business. Sites like Etsy.com, Artfire.com and Amazon Handmade take all hassle of building an e-commerce website. Good pictures are essential, so if you can’t take them, hire a photographer who can.
  2. Cottage Industries. Many states have cottage industry laws that are designed to help nurture budding home-based businesses. If you can bake like a master or if you grow tomatoes like there’s no tomorrow, consider selling your wares and produce at local farmers markets. Each state (and sometimes county) has different rules, so be sure to do your research.
  3. In-Home Child Care. In-home child care can be a great way to earn an income while helping other military families. Just like other businesses, check your state, county, city and military installation rules for running this kind of business for children.
  4. Direct Sales. If you love to meet new people and try out great products, direct sales might be the job for you. Choose from a vast array of products – everything from make-up and home goods to food and wine – and work as much or as little as you like. Some direct sales companies will even ship to FPO/APO boxes, though specific regulations and rules apply, so make sure you check with the company you are interested in and your installation. The Direct Selling Association website is a great place to start.

Freelance Jobs for Military Spouses

  1. MadSkills.com. A newly launched military spouse-owned business, MadSkills is out to help connect military spouses with companies who need their mad skills. If you’re a whiz at building websites, graphic design, project management, writing, and more, then check them out. It’s free to create a profile.
  2. Other Freelance Communities. It can take some time to build up a reputation to keep you busy all the time, but there are many freelance communities offering a wide range of freelance opportunities. Check out Freelancer.com, Guru.com and UpWork.com. Free accounts are available, but paying the small upgrade fee can provide greater visibility of your profile and open up a greater field of work. Craigslist can also be a good resource for freelance work, just do your due diligence before accepting any work listed there.
  3. Millie.com, which is managed and run by veterans and military spouses, hires “Scouts.” Scout opportunities are open to active duty, Gold Star spouses or newly retired military spouses who are willing to use their experience PCSing, buying and renting homes, deployments, community involvement and volunteering to help military families transition into new locations. This could include walking through potential rentals or letting a handyman in to do some repairs on a service member’s house.

Do you work from home? How did you find your work from home job?

Can Military Spouses Have It All?

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What is “having it all?”

For me, having it all means having a job in my profession with my spouse also working in his field. It means a decent house in a safe neighborhood and reliable child care. Having it all means the ability to take a vacation every year. Having it all means that my marriage, family life, professional life and personal interests are able to work together.

Do You Think Working Military Spouses Can Have It All?

What do you think? Can military spouses have it all?

With the recent release of their study, The Force Behind the Force, the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) lays out some troubling statistics.

Essentially, this study tells us what military spouses already know: we are underemployed and unemployed in staggering numbers as an almost direct result of our spouse’s military service.

In his opinion, 2012 Military Spouse of the Year Jeremy Hilton dissects the results and reaches the conclusion that military spouses cannot “have it all” in the traditional work/life/family balance. And he’s not wrong.

The “powers that be” offer solutions: volunteer, work for the government or work remotely. Which is great, for those lucky few who have the skills in the markets that allow those kinds of flexible jobs.

In my time as a military spouse, I have sacrificed almost a decade of professional teaching experience so that my husband can honorably serve this country. Since receiving my master’s degree in 2009, I have taught in a school district for 2 years. I know that my personal job prospects suffer for each year that I am out of the classroom. Even with writing an education blog and being active in professional learning networks online, I am moving out of the loop.

My salary expectations are suffering too. My peers, with similar degrees earned at similar times, are several steps ahead of me. This way of paying teachers is not unlike the military and government method: years of experience and education combine to indicate a salary. With only 2 years on the books, I’m earning at least 4 years – 4 steps – below my peers.

When I have voiced concerns about this in online forums, some military spouses have been dismissive and down right critical.

After all, I knew what I was getting into. I should have expected to shell out hundreds or thousands of dollars every few years to get a new license or maintain a current license.

If not, I should be prepared to walk away from an expensive education and a profession that I am passionate about. Or find a different passion or cobble together some other wage earning position(s). No slack should be cut. I should be happy with what I get, even if it is scraps compared to what my professional peers rate, these critical voices tell me.

Here’s the thing: I have seen how I could have it all.

I had it all for a very brief window. I had my dream job in my dream school. My spouse also had an assignment he loved. We were both being paid competitive wages, with the opportunity to advance. We had reliable and affordable child care.

And then we got PCS orders.

Suddenly, my career was at square one. Child care involved endless waiting lists and it was just easier to stay at home with my child. I gave in. I stopped fighting. I told myself that I couldn’t have it all.

Then we moved again. So I started again.

Now we are expecting another child, which is amazing, except that it means that my career will once again take a back seat. If I wasn’t a military spouse, I would have been in one or two districts over the last 6 years. I would have earned tenure on the faculty. I would have earned Family Medical Leave Allowance. I would have been able to bank sick days for years to compensate for the post-birth time off.

So, can military spouses have it all?

In short, yes. Sometimes.

When all the stars align and the pieces of the puzzles fall into place, for brief periods of time, military spouses can have it all. I have been to that promised land and I have been kicked out again.

Most of the time, military spouses will probably not have it all.

By the time we line up the child care and the best job, orders will be imminent. Or another child will be on the way. Or deployment and training will pop up again.

And we will be back at square one: new location, no job, a few kids and gaps in our paid job experience that no amount of volunteering or blogging will ever hope to fill.

We will be chasing our professional licenses, hunting on the job boards and calling child care places to see if there is any hope of an opening.

We become part of the statistics for unemployed or underemployed military spouses.

What do you think? Can military spouses have it all?

3 Ways a Military Move May Kill Your Small Business and How You Can Rescue It

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Being a military spouse small business owner can be exciting and challenging all at the same time. You spend an exorbitant amount of time building up your client base only to be told the military wants you to move again and again. How long does it take you to recover your business after each move?

Here are 3 ways a military move can kill your small business and how to overcome these obstacles in less than 6 months.

3 Ways a Military Move May Kill Your Small Business and How You Can Rescue It

Moving your business during a PCS may be a challenge. Here are some tips to ease your transition.

Your Clients

You’ve spent a lot of time building up your client base and now you’re moving.

What is a military spouse small business owner to do?

You’ll have to start from the ground up once again to build your clientele list. This may sound daunting after all you’ve done to create your customer database, but that’s exactly what you need to do. The key to this is to jump right in when you get to your next duty station. Let people know that you are open for business.

Think about how you got started with your military spouse small business originally or how you got it going at your current duty station.

  • What steps did you take to earn those clients?
  • What marketing avenues did you utilize? Are those same avenues available for you to use again?

Don’t write off your clients at your former duty station right away. Before you leave your current town see if you can keep any of your clients.

Is your military spouse small business mostly online? In that case, the move might not hurt you at all. If you are able to continue working with your clients over the phone, through the internet or by mail, you might be able to keep them as well.

Do some research and see what you can work out. Call your clients and see if they are willing to work with you during this transition. If a customer is committed to you, they might just stick around.

Your Network and Support System

Networking is the key to success in business. As they say, it’s all about the people you know. Before you even pack your first box, get on the computer and check out your next duty station. Who are the other military spouse small business owners in your new town?

Contact your new command to see if they have a spouse liaison. She might be able to point you in the direction of other wives or husbands in the area that have small businesses.

Don’t be afraid to reach out. Pick up the phone or at least get online and talk to other military spouse small business owners. Ask them how the transition worked for them. They will be able to give you tips on how they got their businesses back to usual when they got to that military installation.

Networking and meeting new people will get you back in business in no time.

Get new business cards made and step out into new areas to network. You can use social media to meet fellow military spouse small business owners. Update or create an account on LinkedIn, a professional networking site. You can reach people on LinkedIn that you might not otherwise have met.

Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites can be good outlets. Create pages specifically separate from your personal accounts.

Make a website or have one made for your business. Buy your online real estate if you haven’t already done so. This entails creating accounts on many platforms that use your business name. This keeps others from using your business name and opens doors to both customers and networking.

You don’t have to do it all on your own. The Small Business Administration is available to military spouse small business owners. The same resources that are offered to active duty members who are transitioning out of the military and are interested in opening their own businesses are available to military spouses. This includes counseling and training, access to loans and disaster relief.

Inventory

If you sell products, maintaining control of inventory during a move can be difficult for military spouse small business owners. We all know what can and often does happen to household goods during transit.

Will you be packing up and moving your own items or will you be letting the military send in a crew to do it for you?

Make sure you take careful stock of your inventory before packing begins. If movers are in charge, let them know upfront to be delicate with these items.

If they get damaged during transit, make sure to file a claim. Most insurance agencies have a timeline for filing damage reports so make sure you do it in a timely manner. Take photos of the damaged property. This can be useful in recouping costs. Save all of this information for tax season.

Are you a military spouse small business owner who has successfully moved your business from one location to another? Share your tips in the comments.

National Professional Licenses Would Help Working Military Spouses

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You graduated from college and got your teaching license in one state and then the military moved you to another. You want to work but you can’t. Your professional license isn’t valid in your new home state. What a frustrating situation to be in. You are trying to support your spouse and your country and you can’t even work because of a state license, a professional license that you worked hard to earn.

National Professional Licenses Would Help Working Military Spouses

How much money have you spent transferring your professional license?

Sound familiar? There are several careers that military spouses have worked hard to have but they have to give up their job because of state licensing. The process to get a new license can be complicated as well as cost you time and money.

Some states allow out-of-state licenses, others do not. The regulations can be really random and there is no national standard. This isn’t only an issue for military spouses. Civilians move to a new state for their spouses’ jobs too and run into this same type of problem.

So what is the answer? Have you faced this state licensing problem as a military spouse?

It would be great if there was a nationwide license transfer standard. Where it wouldn’t matter where you got your license and where you live in the United States because you could simply transfer your professional license without a lot of issues. Doing this would allow you to find a job in your field without having to worry that you don’t have the right license. This change would make life a lot easier for military spouses who want to further their careers.

The good news is that there is a group trying to make this happen.

The Third Way is a D.C.-based Think Tank working toward an “Interstate Teaching Application.”

Each state would evaluate the person as well as their credentials. Those working as nurses, lawyers and other professions would be able to benefit from something like this too.

I know if I worked hard to get a license and start my career in one state, I would really like to continue to practice my field in another state no matter where the military might send us.

Related: 5 College Degrees Leading to Portable Careers

Life can be hard for military spouses when your career has to be put on hold. Not all spouses want to be a stay-at-home mom. There are so many spouses out there that want to continue working and can’t because of situations like this. It would be better for everyone if something could change to make it possible to easily transfer a professional license.

These changes would also encourage those who are in school or thinking about going to college to pursue one of these careers. They can continue their future careers more easily when the PCS comes. I know if I was debating a certain program, I would want to know that I could continue that career into the future, wherever we might go and whatever state the military might send us.

What do you think? Should professional licenses for nurses, teachers and lawyers be accepted nationwide?