Hiring Our Heroes recently announced a collaboration with Starbucks to launch “Hiring 100,000 Military Spouses. The three year program is a campaign to encourage businesses and companies across the country to make a commitment to hire military spouses. Did you know that the military spouse unemployment rate is 16%, four times the rate of civilian counterparts?
Hiring Our Heroes is a program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. In addition for programs to help those who served in the military find employment, the group also has extensive resources for military spouses. The group in partner ship with La Quinta Inn & Suites conducted a study on military spouses and employment and it had some interesting findings.
- Not only is unemployment an issue but so is underemployment as a big challenge. Many spouses are employed in part time or seasonal work when they would prefer to work full time.
- Military Spouses with degrees have the highest unemployment rate and the most difficulty finding meaningful work.
- Not surprising is that military moves wreak havoc on careers. Spouses have to quit jobs and then face unemployment at the new location.
- Military families like their civilian counterparts want and need two career families, but it is harder for a military family to reach this goal.
- The lack of employment opportunities for a spouse is a factor as to whether a family stays in the military.
Did you know that according to the Hiring our Heroes study military spouses are more highly educated than most working Americans? Over 88% of military spouses have some post-high school education. So what can Hiring Our Heroes do for You? One of the most useful programs is the Hiring Our Heroes Military Spouse Professional Network (MSPN). The group has more than 55 locations which have local events to help spouses connect with their peers and local networks to help them meet local leaders and mentors in their career field. In addition MSPN has an online network.
Hiring Our Heroes also offers employment events around the country with a networking event the night before and a job fair the next day. To get ready for the job hunt, attend a two day Amplify event which covers everything from personal branding to interview techniques. Amplify is usually 45 military spouses so you will have plenty of opportunities for one-on-one time with the cadre and you will be assigned a mentor in your career field.
There are many digital resources on the Hiring Our Heroes website that military spouses will find helpful like the Career Spark resume builder which is skills based and can help when volunteer work takes the place of employment. It was developed by military spouses for military spouses and is a super helpful tool. There is also an employment roadmap which can help you research companies and careers. Also take a look at which companies have signed a pledge under the Hiring 100K military spouses and reach out to them for job opportunities.
Hiring Our Heroes understand the unique challenges that face military spouses and they have developed a suite of tools and events which can help you when you are seeking employment. What challenges have you faced as a military spouse seeking employment?
Marguerite Cleveland is a freelance writer who specializes in human interest and travel stories. She is a military brat, a veteran and now a military spouse. Her military experience is vast as the daughter of a Navy man who served as an enlisted sailor and then Naval Officer. She served as an enlisted soldier in the reserves and on active duty, then as an Army Officer. She currently serves as a military spouse. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two sons. Visit her website www.PeggyWhereShouldIGo.com
