How to find a remote career in military life

As remote jobs become more popular and feasible among the masses, military spouses are finding ways to keep their careers mobile. With frequent moves, working in years prior meant staying behind or fighting one's way to the top every few years. (With no tenure, it's hard, if not impossible to ever reach seniority.)

However, with new technology and remote positions becoming more globally accepted, military spouses can keep a budding career, no matter how many times they PCS.

Get yourself interview ready

Before you start the hunt for a remote position, get yourself employer-friendly. Update your resume, take headshots, and scrub your social media profiles. This means going private or ensuring your visible posts are appropriate, and an overhaul on your LinkedIn. Fill in all the details and share what you've been up to in your professional world.

With more access to personal information, you want to make sure you're showing yourself in a good light online. It's one more way to land a great job and keep a career that moves right along with you.

Meanwhile, if you have a field of study and need to renew any licenses, now is the time to do so! Showing you're work-ready can only help your chances.

Create a home office

It doesn't have to be fancy; it just has to work! Set up a dedicated area where you can get away and focus. A desk, computer, paper/calendar, writing utensils, chargers, etc. are all smart additions. Best-case scenario: your office space is separate from the rest of your living space. However, this isn't always possible. Work to make your space as secluded as possible so you won't be distracted by the rest of your home.

Remember, you can also work from outside locations, too, for instance, libraries, coffee shops, or co-working spaces that offer desk rental memberships.

Start applying!

Now, it's go time. Start applying for work-from-home positions on any number of sites. You can search on aggregators that post remote jobs from many companies, or search individually for businesses that offer home office options.

Remember, you don't have to share that you're a military spouse, but in some cases, it can actually help your chances. There are certain companies that exclusively hire military spouses (be prepared to share documents proving that status for their tax purposes). But don't fret -- this actually helps cut down the applicant pool.
There are MANY places you can look for jobs, including paid subscriptions. However, there are plenty of free options. Look on military affiliated sites (like this one!), Military One Click, or even spouse social media pages for application resources.

Ready yourself for working from home

If you've never worked from home, know that it's a different type of setup. It requires self-discipline and staying on task. (Think homework, but with a paycheck.) You'll certainly get better at it, but there can be a learning curve if you aren't prepped for at-home distractions.

Take regular breaks, leave the TV alone, and remember that chores can wait! (This is also why it's important to keep a separate working space.)

Rock it!

Now it's time to rock your new stance as a remote worker. Enjoy your freedom to work in your jammies, but even more so, celebrate your ability to keep a career longer than you can keep a house. No matter where you're located (or in what timezone), you can keep a successful career as a milspouse remote employee.

Would you consider a remote job?