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Military Spouse Careers:
You don’t have to be a magical unicorn
By Amanda Marksmeier
As a military spouse, it can be easy to wonder if having your own career is realistic, never mind worth it. (But it is. Really.)
Between the deployments, childcare challenges, resume gaps, and PCS moves, building and keeping a career can feel impossible. And on some days, it probably is. But there’s always the next day. And on that next day, you can make moves toward your career dreams.
It will be difficult. What in military life isn’t? There will be challenges that your civilian counterparts won’t face, and at some point, you may be reduced to tears (you won’t be alone).
But nothing worth having comes easy, and your happiness is worth having. Recently, I had a chance to speak with a few spouses who’ve created successful careers while married to the military. Read them now to get inspired, read them again on that “next day” when you need someone to remind you to keep going.
Meet Stephanie:
While attending college to become a physician’s assistant, Stephanie met her husband. At the time, she never considered how becoming a military spouse would impact her career. If she had, her life might look different today. As a medical provider, Stephanie must carry state licenses, which can be difficult and costly to transfer with each PCS (embed link re: license transfer on blog). However, the constant PCS pressures have also added to her skillset as a PA. She’s had the pleasure of working in multiple clinics under several physicians. By working in different states and at
different practices, Stephanie has learned more than she would by working under only one provider. Her diverse work history has made her a better provider and helps her connect with people from all backgrounds.