MOAA recognizes military spouses face unique challenges when searching for a new job or re-entering the workforce. Multiple PCS moves to areas where a specialized industry is out of reach and the responsibilities added during servicemember deployments are key factors in causing spouses to face six times the average national unemployment rate. Those who are employed usually are overqualified for the positions they hold.

This spring, MOAA partnered with Indeed on a webinar to educate job seekers on utilizing the online platform to their advantage. Joined by Andrew Dennis, Indeed Senior Strategist of the Military and Veterans Program, MOAA experts prepared transitioning servicemembers and military spouses to find the right career through their search.

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“Our mission statement is, ‘We help people get jobs,’” Dennis said. “I go to work every day thinking ‘I help veterans get jobs.’ We are trying to bridge the gap between employers and veteran job seekers.”

Indeed has previously offered its résumé review service complementary to veterans, but during the webinar they announced the service also would be free to military spouses.

Military spouses and veterans alike now can take advantage of this feature by filling out a simple online form that inquires about job seeker goals and potential areas of interest. They then will create an Indeed profile. They’ll receive 10 minutes of recorded advice on how to make the profile stand out to recruiters to meet both job-seeker goals and employer needs.

The COVID-19 pandemic is further complicating matters for many job seekers, but there may be some good news. The coronavirus may engender changes in the way business is conducted that benefits military spouses, Dennis said. With the world accelerating its move to becoming more digital, some obstacles that military families previously faced when job seeking may become less of an issue.

“A lot of companies are realizing that they still can be operational with people working from home,” Dennis said.

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Regardless of location, spouses can use platforms such as Indeed to find jobs across the country by browsing companies, salaries, economic data on hiring trends, and more. A successful career search begins with some simple questions, Dennis said: “What job is out there for me? What can I do? […] When people put their mind to it, they can do a lot more than they think.”

Set yourself up for success no matter where you are in life: Sign up for a free webinar to add more skills to your career toolkit. Check out more spouse resources here. MOAA also offers exclusive guides, one-on-one résumé critiques, interview preparation, and salary negotiation assistance exclusive to Premium and Life Members.