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HomeResourcesMilLife GuidesNavigating Spouse Employment With SpouseWorks
MilLife Guides

Navigating Spouse Employment With SpouseWorks

Overview

Military spouse careers often come with changes in location, timing and opportunity. Whether you’re searching for a job, building your skills, planning around a PCS or making a career change, SpouseWorks (formerly SECO) can help you take the next step.

In this guide, see what SpouseWorks has to offer — including expert education and training resources, resume and interview workshops, vetted job opportunities and career support designed specifically for military spouses.

Not sure where to begin? Start with a SpouseWorks career coach for one-on-one guidance to make your next move with confidence.

Growing your skills

Career growth can mean different things depending on what you’re looking for. From education and training resources to scholarships and fellowship opportunities, you’ve got options to keep learning and build toward what’s next.

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Sharpen your skills with free Udemy courses.

Access more than 5,000 online Udemy courses on a range of topics to help you build and strengthen your skills, including business technology, project management, professional development and more.

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Explore education and training options.

Get guidance on degree paths, certificate programs, professional training and required licenses to help you qualify for the roles you’re pursuing.

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Get financial assistance for education.

Apply for the SpouseWorks Scholarship (formerly MyCAA scholarship) to help cover training, licenses, certifications and associate degrees that prepare you to work in your field.

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Gain real-world experience.

Develop your skills, grow your professional network and add recent, relevant experience to your resume through the 12-week SpouseWorks Fellowship (formerly the Career Accelerator).

Career coach tip: A career coach can help you see how your experience lines up with the roles you want and pinpoint skills or credentials that employers in your field value.

Getting career advice

SpouseWorks offers tools and guidance to help you understand and compare employment options, explore career paths and prepare for new opportunities.

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Find a career that fits your goals.

Use vetted job search tools and career assessments to connect your interests, strengths and skills with careers that fit with your priorities, schedule and stage of military life.

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Compare your options.

Look at qualifications, pay, job demand, flexibility and growth potential across different fields and get guidance on the options that best match what you’re looking for.

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Strengthen your resume and cover letter.

Get expert feedback on your application materials to better highlight your skills, experience and qualifications.

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Prepare for interviews.

Practice with mock interviews and get expert feedback to strengthen your responses to common questions, describe your experience clearly and feel confident about your skills and qualifications.

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Expand your professional network.

Build professional connections to broaden your reach and open doors to referrals, job opportunities, industry insights and long-term career support.

Career coach tip: A career coach can help you turn broad career questions into a clearer plan — including which roles to target and how to position yourself for them.

Finding your next job

Job searching can get overwhelming fast. SpouseWorks brings together current openings, employer connections and hiring events to help you focus on the opportunities that make the most sense for your experience, location and work needs.

Current job openings

Browse the SpouseWorks job board to find open employment opportunities across a range of fields, locations and experience levels, including full-time, part-time, remote and flexible roles.

Military-friendly employment connections

Explore opportunities within the Military Spouse Employer Partnership, a network of companies and organizations committed to recruiting, hiring, promoting and retaining military spouses across a range of industries.

Virtual hiring fairs

Discover available jobs, connect directly with recruiters and meet with employer partners actively looking to hire military spouses.

Career coach tip: Get guidance to narrow your search, prioritize opportunities based on your needs and adjust your approach if you’re not hearing back from employers.

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Prepare for career changes during a PCS.

Find tools and resources to help you identify PCS-friendly opportunities, research the job market in your new location and transfer your professional licenses and credentials.

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Explore OCONUS work options.

Learn about employment considerations, portable or remote career options and ways to keep your long-term goals moving forward while living abroad.

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Reenter the workforce.

If you’ve stepped away from the workforce for caregiving, a PCS or another life change, get support to update your resume, strengthen your skills and connect your past experience to the roles you’re pursuing now.

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Change your career path.

Get guidance to explore a new field, find roles that align with your skills and experience and identify what credentials you may need before applying.

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Advance your career.

Get advice for moving up in your field, including what employers expect at the next level and training or credentials that could help you get there.

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Start or grow a business.

Explore resources for launching your own business — including key startup steps, tips for operating through a PCS and rules that may apply on an installation or overseas.

Career coach tip: If military life changes your timeline or options, a career coach can help you sort through what’s changed, which roles to pursue and what you may need to update, transfer or strengthen before you apply.

Connecting with a career coach

Every career path comes with different goals, challenges and turning points — and your needs may shift as your priorities and military life change. Whether you’re searching for a job, planning around a PCS or looking to advance in your field, SpouseWorks career coaches provide one-on-one personalized guidance to help you make your next career move with confidence.

Explore coaching packages designed around common military spouse career needs, including:

  • Remote and part-time employment
  • Federal and industry-specific careers
  • Career readiness and gaining experience
  • Entrepreneurship
  • PCS and overseas employment
Connect with a Coach

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