Career Talk Blog | Four Steps To A New Career
You’ve moved to a new duty station and it’s taking a lot of time to find employment, and going without a paycheck gets frustrating.
You have experience, but in your career field there are few opportunities in your new location.
As a military spouse it can be so exciting when you finally land an interview, but so disappointing when employers turn you down because it is so tough to find jobs in the first place.
You begin to realize that maybe the career you thought you would have is no longer the best option.
Don’t get discouraged- you’re not alone! Many military spouses find the need to change occupations and The Major Group is here to help. The Georgia Department of Labor has some great career and resource information, including Four Steps to a New Career. We’ve broken these down to help military spouses determine what new career will be best for them. Follow these steps provided by the Georgia DOL:
1. Explore occupations
What type of jobs are available in your area? Do research to determine what is highly demanded and/or portable. Are there telework opportunities? You’ll want to make sure you will be able to find jobs no matter where your spouse is stationed. What type of positions do you think you would be good at and enjoy? Create a list with many different job options.
2. Get more occupation information
Do some additional research with the list you’ve created from step one. How much money will you make? What type of education, training, and experience do you need to get hired? Don’t count anything out yet, even if you think it’s not possible to go back to school. For MyCAA eligible spouses there is a $4,000 grant for you to get career training. Will you need to get new certifications when you move to a different state? The Major Group includes a national certification exam with each one of our programs. Speak with people who currently work in this occupation and ask them for their opinions.
3. Compare occupations
By now you probably have narrowed your list down to a few potential careers. Compare your options to determine which one will be realistic for you and your family. Here is what the Georgia Department of Labor suggests you consider:
- Main work activities
- Work conditions
- Average pay
- Hours worked
- Main industries
- Related Occupations
- Education/training needed
- Job outlook
- Experience
- Pros
- Cons
- Need more information
4. Create an action plan
Choose your occupation and create a plan. Do you have any final questions? Do you need to get enrolled in career training and take a certification exam? Will having clinical externship experience help you find employment? Break down everything you need to do to make this change happen.
The Major Group offers MyCAA approved programs in highly demanded fields.
They are provided through accredited schools, are 100% online, at your own pace, and take about 3-6 months to complete. You could be done with your training in the amount of time it takes some people to find a job! There are no out-of-pocket costs for MyCAA eligible spouses. Some programs include clinical externships where students get placed at local health care providers to gain real work experience.
Changing careers as a military spouse may be easier than you think.
Programs such as Clinical Medical Assisting, Administrative Assistant & Bookkeeping Specialist, and Pharmacy Technician are great to consider.
Increase your pay, job opportunities, and reduce the amount of time it takes to get hired at your next duty station by following these four steps to a new career with some help from The Major Group!
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