How to Choose a Career Field as a Military Spouse: Complete Guide
Strategic guide to choosing the right career as a military spouse. Portability factors, self-assessment frameworks, best career fields for military life, and avoiding common mistakes.
How to Choose a Career Field as a Military Spouse: Complete Guide
Bottom Line Up Front
Choosing the right career field is the most important decision for military spouse employment success. The best careers combine portability (works at any duty station), flexibility (accommodates military chaos), and growth potential (builds over time despite moves). This guide provides a framework to evaluate your options, identify your strengths, and select a career that works with military life rather than against it.
The Military Spouse Career Challenge
The average military family PCSes every 2-3 years. For civilian careers, this means:
- Constant job hunting and interview anxiety
- Restarting at entry-level positions
- Losing professional networks
- Income instability
- Explaining resume gaps repeatedly
The solution isn't finding a job—it's choosing a career field where these challenges matter less.
Portable, flexible, remote-friendly careers transform PCS from career disaster to minor scheduling inconvenience.
Career Selection Framework
The Four Portability Factors
Rate potential careers on each factor (1-5 scale):
1. Location Independence
- Can you do this job from anywhere?
- Is the work primarily remote/virtual?
- Does it require physical presence?
5 = Fully remote (software developer, writer) 3 = Hybrid possible (project manager, consultant) 1 = Location-dependent (restaurant manager, physical therapist)
2. License Portability
- Do you need state-specific licensure?
- How easy is interstate transfer?
- Are there compact agreements?
5 = No license needed (marketing, IT support) 3 = Compact license available (nursing, psychology) 1 = State-by-state relicensure (teaching, law)
3. Employment Availability
- Are jobs available at most duty stations?
- What about rural or OCONUS locations?
- Is remote hiring common?
5 = Jobs everywhere or fully remote (accounting, tech) 3 = Jobs at medium+ installations (healthcare admin) 1 = Jobs only in major metros (fashion, entertainment)
4. Career Continuity
- Can you maintain relationships/reputation across moves?
- Does experience compound or reset?
- Is advancement based on skills or tenure?
5 = Reputation and skills travel (consulting, freelancing) 3 = Experience counts, some restart (corporate jobs) 1 = Tenure-based, resets each move (retail management)
Portability Score
Add your ratings for each factor. Total possible: 20.
| Score | Portability Level | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 17-20 | Excellent | Remote tech, freelancing, virtual services |
| 13-16 | Good | Healthcare with compact license, remote-friendly corporate |
| 9-12 | Moderate | Local business, healthcare without compact |
| 5-8 | Challenging | Licensed professions, location-specific |
| 0-4 | Poor | Location-locked, tenure-dependent |
Self-Assessment: Know Yourself
Skills Inventory
Hard Skills (Learned/Technical):
- What technical abilities do you have?
- What software/tools can you use?
- What certifications or training do you have?
- What did you do in previous jobs?
Soft Skills (Personal Qualities):
- Communication and writing
- Organization and planning
- Problem-solving
- Leadership and management
- Customer service
- Creativity and design
- Analysis and data
Military Spouse Skills You Already Have:
- Adaptability and resilience
- Cross-cultural competence
- Crisis management
- Community building
- Logistics and planning
- Independent problem-solving
Interest Assessment
What Do You Enjoy?
- Working with people vs. data vs. things?
- Creative work vs. analytical work?
- Variety vs. routine?
- Leading vs. supporting?
- Public-facing vs. behind-the-scenes?
Free Assessments:
- O*NET Interest Profiler: mynextmove.org/explore/ip
- Military OneSource Career Exploration: militaryonesource.mil
- 16Personalities: 16personalities.com
Values Clarification
Rank These (1-10):
- Income/financial stability
- Work-life balance
- Career advancement
- Creative expression
- Helping others
- Independence/autonomy
- Job security
- Prestige/recognition
- Intellectual challenge
- Physical activity
Your top 3-5 values should guide career selection.
Best Career Fields for Military Spouses
Tier 1: Maximum Portability (Score 17-20)
Information Technology
- Software development, IT support, cybersecurity
- 100% remote work available
- High demand, high salary
- Skills-based hiring
- No licensure
Virtual Services
- Virtual assistant, bookkeeping, marketing
- Self-employment or remote employment
- Flexible scheduling
- Skills build over time
- Clients don't care about location
Freelance/Creative
- Writing, design, video, photography (with adaptation)
- Portfolio-based work
- Location independent
- Growing opportunities
- Income varies
Consulting
- Business, HR, marketing, operations
- Experience-based expertise
- Remote delivery standard
- Premium rates
- Requires industry background
Tier 2: High Portability (Score 13-16)
Healthcare (Compact License)
- Nursing (NLC covers 40+ states)
- Telehealth positions available
- Jobs at every installation
- High demand
- Requires licensure management
Project/Program Management
- PMP credential recognized everywhere
- Remote positions common
- Works across industries
- Career advancement potential
- Certification-based
Human Resources
- Remote work increasingly available
- Jobs at most companies
- SHRM credentials portable
- Career ladder exists
- Some local requirements
Accounting/Finance
- CPA requires state license (transfers)
- Remote work common
- Jobs everywhere
- Clear career path
- Analytical skills required
Tier 3: Moderate Portability (Score 9-12)
Teaching
- Interstate compact improving
- Jobs at every installation
- Online teaching options exist
- License transfer can be complex
- Depends on state reciprocity
Social Work/Counseling
- Telehealth expanding options
- Licensure is state-specific (compacts developing)
- Military-specific opportunities
- Master's degree required
- Demand is high
Real Estate
- Jobs at every duty station
- Must relicense each state
- Rebuild clientele each move
- Income varies significantly
- Self-employment model
Tier 4: Lower Portability (Score 5-8)
Physical Healthcare
- Physical therapy, occupational therapy, etc.
- State licensure required
- In-person work required
- Good salary but restart challenges
- Consider administration roles instead
Law
- Bar exam is state-specific
- Few states have reciprocity
- Practice may be limited by PCS
- Consider paralegal or compliance instead
- Military spouse licensing laws helping
Management (Non-Remote)
- Location-specific positions
- Must restart at each move
- Hard to maintain advancement
- Consider remote management roles
Career Paths Within Portable Fields
Healthcare Without Licensure
Instead of RN (state license), consider:
- Health information management
- Medical coding (CPC - national)
- Healthcare administration
- Patient advocacy
- Healthcare IT
Instead of Physical Therapist, consider:
- PT aide (no license required)
- Rehabilitation administration
- Healthcare consulting
- Health coaching
Business Without Location Lock
Instead of local retail management, consider:
- E-commerce management
- Remote operations management
- Business consulting
- Project management
Instead of restaurant work, consider:
- Food writing/blogging
- Recipe development
- Culinary consulting
- Food photography
Tech Without CS Degree
Entry Points:
- IT support (CompTIA A+)
- UX design (bootcamp or portfolio)
- Technical writing
- QA testing
- Product management
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake 1: Ignoring Portability
Problem: Choosing career based only on interest without considering military life realities.
Example: Becoming a licensed therapist in California, then PCSing to Texas where your license doesn't transfer and you need 6+ months to relicense.
Solution: Weight portability heavily in your decision. Interest + portability = sustainable career.
Mistake 2: Overvaluing Short-Term Income
Problem: Taking any available job rather than building toward portable career.
Example: Working retail at each duty station because it's "available," despite never advancing and earning minimum wage indefinitely.
Solution: Invest in training for portable career. Short-term sacrifice for long-term gains.
Mistake 3: Not Considering Remote Work
Problem: Assuming all work must be local/in-person.
Example: Only applying for office jobs near the installation when remote positions in your field exist nationwide.
Solution: Actively seek remote work. Many employers now offer remote positions that simply weren't available before.
Mistake 4: Waiting for "Stable" to Start
Problem: Waiting for a longer duty station or spouse retirement to build career.
Example: Telling yourself you'll "figure it out" after your spouse's 20 years, then having no career foundation at 45.
Solution: Start now. Every year of building is an advantage. Even 2 years somewhere = progress.
Mistake 5: Not Leveraging Military Spouse Identity
Problem: Hiding military spouse status, missing spouse-specific opportunities.
Example: Not applying for military spouse hiring preference, scholarships, or MSEP partner companies.
Solution: Use your military spouse status. Many employers specifically want military spouses for their adaptability and work ethic.
Decision-Making Process
Step 1: Take Assessments (Week 1)
- Complete O*NET Interest Profiler
- Identify top 5 values
- List all skills (hard and soft)
- Note past job likes/dislikes
Step 2: Research Options (Week 2)
- List 5-10 career possibilities
- Rate each on portability factors
- Research training requirements
- Check job availability (Indeed, LinkedIn)
Step 3: Evaluate Practically (Week 3)
- What training/education is needed?
- How long to become employable?
- What is earning potential?
- How does it fit your life (kids, schedule)?
Step 4: Gather Input (Week 4)
- Talk to people in target fields
- Consult Military OneSource career counselor
- Ask military spouse community for perspectives
- Consider spouse's expected career timeline
Step 5: Commit and Plan
- Choose primary career path
- Identify first steps (training, certification, experience)
- Create 90-day action plan
- Begin execution
Resources for Career Exploration
Assessments:
- O*NET Interest Profiler: mynextmove.org
- Career OneStop: careeronestop.org
- Military OneSource: militaryonesource.mil
Research:
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: bls.gov/ooh
- Indeed Salaries: indeed.com/salaries
- Glassdoor: glassdoor.com
Military Spouse Support:
- Military OneSource Career Counseling: 1-800-342-9647
- MSEP Job Search: msepjobs.militaryonesource.mil
- Hiring Our Heroes: hiringourheroes.org
Career Guides on This Website:
- Portable Career Guides
- Remote Work Guide
- militarytransitiontoolkit.com
Choosing the right career field changes everything. When you pick a path designed for portability and flexibility, PCS becomes a schedule change—not a career restart. Take the time to choose well. Your future self will thank you.