The Force Behind the Force: Case Profiles of Successful Military Spouses Balancing Employment, Service, and Family

Cover of Force Behind the Force Series

Authors:

  • Doborah A. Bradbard, Ph.D.
  • Rosalinda Maury, M.S.
  • Nicholas J. Armstrong, Ph.D.
 

Published: April 3, 2015

The second brief of this series highlights eight successful military spouses currently employed in the corporate workforce. Through the detailed conversations, the reader begins to understand the employment challenges military spouses face (i.e., deployments along with frequent relocation), how these challenges impact their work histories and resumes, and how standard methods of finding and getting a job (through a traditional resume or standard screening process) eliminate many military spouses even before they have had the opportunity to compete. The paper also offers suggestions and simple strategies employers can (1) assess military spouse candidates and (2) help military spouses through training and mentoring, or collaborative efforts like sharing best practices with like-minded employers and supporting nonprofit partners focused on spouse-employment efforts. Using these suggestions, employers can gain talented, motivated, loyal, diverse, and well-educated employees and simultaneously mitigate the negative impacts of the military lifestyle and thus, reduce challenges military spouses face in the workplace.