If you spent the summer PCSing to a new duty station, chances are the past few months have
been filled with a seemingly never-ending to-do list. You had to find a new house, enroll your
kids in school, switch doctors, move all your belongings, and, eventually, figure out how to turn
your new house into a home.
On top of all that, many military spouses also have to think about their careers.
A PCS often means saying goodbye to a job, coworkers, and professional connections you’ve
worked hard to build. When you arrive at your new duty station, you’re also faced with
managing a new job market and figuring out how to keep the career you’ve already built.
So, where do you begin?
Your spouse has started their new assignment, the kids are getting used to their new school, and
you’ve finally found your way out from underneath that mountain of boxes for long enough to
start focusing on you.
Before you start applying for jobs, take a time to consider what you want your next step to be.
Do you want to stay on the same career path? Pivot to a completely different field? Or look for a
job that offers more flexibility for future PCS moves?
Once you have a better idea of what you’re looking for, start with what you already have. Update
your resume and LinkedIn profile, reconnect with former coworkers and professional contacts,
and let them know you’ve moved and are looking for your next opportunity. Just because you’ve
left your last duty station doesn’t mean you’ve left your professional network behind.
And don’t underestimate those connections. A former coworker may know someone in your new
area, a previous supervisor may be willing to make an introduction, or someone in your network
may know about an opportunity you wouldn’t have found on your own.
Get to know your new job market.
Next, spend some time learning about the job market around your new duty station. Look at the
major employers nearby, the types of positions they’re hiring for, and where your experience
may fit.
If there aren’t many local opportunities in your field, broaden your search. Remote work may
give you more options, especially if you’re looking for a position that could potentially move
with you during a future PCS. You can also look at how the skills you already have might
transfer to another industry or type of position.
Start building connections where you are
Moving to a new duty station can also mean rebuilding your local professional network. Start by
looking for hiring events, professional organizations, and networking opportunities in your new
community.
Your installation’s employment readiness office can be another good place to start. Many offer
career resources and can help connect military spouses with employers and opportunities in the
surrounding area. Military spouse organizations and services such as Major Talent can also help
you make connections and learn about opportunities you may not find on your own.
And remember, networking doesn’t have to mean entering a room full of strangers with a stack
of resumes. It can be as simple as talking to an employer at a hiring event, contacting someone in
your field on LinkedIn, or asking another military spouse about their experience finding work in
the area.
You’re not starting over
Most importantly, remember that while you may be starting a new job search, you aren’t starting
your career from scratch.
The job you left behind may not have moved with you, but your experience, skills,
accomplishments, and professional relationships did.
This PCS may change where you work next, but it doesn’t erase everything you did to get there.