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How To Update Your Resume As A Military Spouse

By on March 26, 2012

This is a guest post by Amanda Bruns of Military Spouse Central.

Finding employment after military life can be difficult for a military spouse who has spent the past years serving alongside their veteran. Deployments, TDYs, PCSs and other demands for flexibility don’t always lend themselves to establishing a steady job or continuing education—two areas of attention on a resume.

Luckily employable skills can come from other sources, including the military spouse lifestyle. Consider the following:

Skills of a Spouse

Given the variety of locations a spouse may live in, the roles he or she may take on and the circumstantial conditions a spouse may be dealt, there are a lot of opportunities for growth. For instance:

  • Flexibility/Adaptability: Spouses learn quickly to keep plans tentative. Assignments may be extended or completely changed last minute. Given the possibility a service member can be called away on duty, spouses must develop the skills to manage the home, kids, pets, finances, and more. Employers are attracted to employees that can adapt and take on challenges that arise.
  • Diversity: The military can expose a spouse to multiple locations, which can mean they see different cultures, climates, size of community and different paces of lifestyle. The gained perspective and insight can offer employers a fresh set of ideas, strategies and practices.
  • Stress Management: Anyone that says a military life isn’t stressful is just plain silly. Whether it’s single parenting, managing budgets, preparing logistics for relocations and/or maintaining a home, spouses develop stress-management skills. (That is before the emotional stressors are taken into consideration). Employers will be able to trust that a spouse can take on multiple tasks and handle them effectively.

Ways to Expand

A consistent career may not always be realistic, but there are some flexible, travel-friendly programs a spouse can look to for developing experience and skills. Consider:

  • Volunteering: No matter the location, chances are there are opportunities to be a volunteer. A spouse can show off their leadership skills with coaching a team or leading a scout troop. Tutoring or mentoring can develop educational and communication skills. Other volunteer opportunities can expand the competency in organization, time-management, writing abilities and interpersonal skills.
  • Home-based Business: An entrepreneurial spirit can lend itself to some major proficiency in management, self-motivation, organization, customer service, sales and marketing. Perhaps he or she can turn their favorite hobby into a profitable business or explore the realm of a virtual work-from-home job.
  • Utilize Military Resources: There are educational courses offered by the military that educate in the fields of computer technology, foreign languages, leadership, health and wellness, finances, relationships and more.

If you’re a military spouse, take advantage of the opportunities you have and be ready to sell your qualities to employers when the time comes. You have a lot to offer.

This is a guest post by Amanda Bruns of Military Spouse Central.

Categories: Career, Guest, WorkLeave a Comment

5 Ways to Create the Perfect Work-Life Balance

By on March 13, 2012

This is a guest post from Carrie Smith from Careful Cents.

As a full-time accountant by day and financial blogger at night, I have to consciously think about my work-life balance. I love to work, be productive and cross things off my to-do list. However, I tend to be a bit of a workaholic and forget that I need to cultivate a social life as well. Since acknowledging this problem, I’ve been striving to create a better work-life balance.

Here’s how I do it…

1. Work for an employer who understands balance. Thankfully, I work for an amazing boss. She understands the value of taking time off and what it means to put family first. Several years ago, I found myself focusing way too much of my time and energy on my job. I was losing contact with my friends, getting sick more often and constantly feeling stressed.

So I asked my boss if I could cut back to working four-10 hour work days, instead of the usual five-8 hour days. You won’t believe how having that extra “free” day open to run errands or meet friends for coffee, can be so relaxing. Good employers want happy and productive employees, and the best way to get that, is to understand a good work-life balance.

2. Schedule in your down time. If you want to take a break or go on a vacation, then set aside the time and schedule it. The main reason many of us get things done at work is because that’s the time allotted to do it. To create that perfect work-life balance you have to schedule in play time, just like you do work time.

Couples should set time aside for a regular date night, and families should pencil in an activity together, like a game night or Sunday brunch. It gives everyone something to look forward to and strengthens the relationships.

3. Let go of unproductive habits. In this world of social media, news programs and television, everything is vying for our attention. We are constantly distracted and pulled in different directions. While some of these outlets are worthwhile, many of them just add a lot of stress noise.

Unsubscribe from mailing lists, curb your time on the web and limit yourself when checking Twitter and Facebook. Multi-tasking is one of my big unproductive habits. It spreads my focus and effort on too many tasks at once, and keeps me from getting anything done at all. Let go of your unproductive and time consuming habits. Focus your attention in the moment, with the task at hand.

4. Set reasonable limits and stick to them. If you have a demanding schedule or overbearing boss, it’s time to express your limits and stick to them. Don’t allow your work to bleed into your personal life. Set a firm cut off time, where you put down the cell phone, unplug your computer and enjoy life. Don’t take on more than you can handle at your job, always under-promise and over-deliver. It will keep you striving to do your best, but it won’t overwhelm you and push you past your limits.

5. Create a serenity zone at home. Your home is supposed to be a place of peace, but for most of us, it’s a war zone and the center of constant conflict. Simplify your home life by turning it into a place of serenity, a retreat from the outside stress and noise.

Small things like lighting candles, eating dinner with your family, and reading at night before bed, all create an atmosphere of relaxation. They help to calm your mind and relieve your body of any tension. I’ve learned sometimes it’s more important to leave the chores till morning, and focus on time with your friends and family.

Getting the perfect work-life balance

I have by no means created my perfect balance story yet, but I’m always working towards it. There will always be things we can do better and improve on, but the important thing is we keep trying.

Find those things that bring balance to your life and cultivate them. Never let your job or life pressures throw you too far out of balance. If you feel yourself tilting to one side or another, try implementing some of these tips to keep your zen intact.

How do you find that perfect work-life balance?

Carrie Smith, is the writer behind the Careful Cents personal finance blog. She’s a Certified Bookkeeper and Tax Consultant who loves to travel. She’s also a career junkie, social media addict, debt hater and food lover. She regularly writes for Yahoo!Finance and PerkStreet Financial. Find her on Twitter and Facebook.

Categories: Balance, Work8 Comments

Let’s Get Physical: 5 Tips To Get Moving At A Desk Job

By on July 25, 2011

Not physical in that way.  In the physical movement way.  As in, you sit on your toosh all day at your desk job and get little to no activity because you’re tied to the aforementioned desk.  I know when I sit in the same chair, 5 days a week, 8 hours a day, I start to feel a little lethargic.  And I also get that pancake a** feeling.  So, here are my 5 favorite pick-me-ups to help you wake up at your desk job and feel a little less sloth-like.

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Stand.

Just stand up.  Seriously.  Do it.  Especially when you’re on the phone.  Stand up every single time you’re on the phone.  I promise this won’t kill you.  And if you can convince your HR department to buy you a convertible sit/stand desk, make sure they order 2 and then send one to me.  Please and thanks.  But really, the easiest way to incorporate more standing in your day is to stand while talking on the phone.  Other ideas would be to stand when you’re talking to a visitor, stand when you’re reviewing documents, or just stand when you’re doing anything that doesn’t require your fingers to be tied to your keyboard or mouse.

Clean.

Another simple and easy trick.  If you’re not overly busy, take the time to tidy your desk or office.  File papers that you’ve been meaning to file.  Shake all the gross crumbs and scary things out of your keyboard.  Disinfect the top of your desk because did you know that it’s full of bacteria?  An added bonus is that you won’t be the dirty cube owner in the office anymore.  No one wants that title.

Climb.

Stairs, that is.  If you’re lucky enough to live in an office with even just one set of stairs, it’s time to make use of them.  A great afternoon pick-me-up is spending 10 or 15 minutes in a windowless stairwell.  I usually drag my favorite co-worker or my iPod with me to keep me company while hoofing it up and down, up and down.  Great remedy for the pancake a** mentioned in the opening paragraph.

Walk.

It’s time to pair your tennies with your business attire, ladies.  Pair your Nikes with your slacks, gentlemen.  Walking is the best medicine for that after-lunch slump.  An even better way to walk?  Rally your favorite co-workers for some regular quality walking time.  Good gossip bonding time + a great rush of endorphins = one happy office worker.    I usually have one or two walking buddies at work that I hit up when I’m in that afternoon slump or if I’ve just been sitting for too long.  Having a buddy can really help you get out of your chair!

Drink.

Not beer or wine.  I’m talkin’ water.  H2o.  Agua.  Drink some.  Then drink some more.  If I have any uber-healthy habits at work, it’s that I pound water all day long.  It not only forces me to get up from my chair ever hour or so (which is easy to forget, isn’t it desk-dwellers?), it also keeps me hydrated and makes me feel better.  And it doesn’t hurt that I usually engage in some sort of good old fashioned social interaction on the way to the ladies room.  Ya know … that thing we used to do before twitter and facebook.  :)

What are your best tips to get moving when you have a desk job?

Categories: Health, Work13 Comments

Career Balance: People Are Happiest When Working?

By on July 12, 2011

work life balanceA couple of weeks ago, one of my friends – who is a full-time recruiter – was telling me that studies show that people are happiest when they’re working, especially when it’s something they care about.

I definitely agree with this idea.  Call me a nerd, but I often feel extremely happy while working towards something and after I’ve accomplished that task, project, or goal.  And when you look around and see almost everyone working towards something – a goal or self-improvement or creating something – it starts to makes sense that various types of “work” are what makes us happiest.

For me, a great example of work creating happiness is Blonde & Balanced.  I love B&B dearly.  It brings me a lot of happiness, but it’s definitely work.  However, if I could, I would probably spend 80 hours a week blogging, writing, social media-ing (is that a word yet?), and connecting with others.  Blogging is work and it’s work that makes me extremely happy – a close second behind family and friends.

I think the theory even holds true for chores like cleaning.  Although G and I procrastinate on cleaning days, once we get started, we are seriously in it to win it.  You can’t even break us from our cleaning zone once we’ve started.  And after we’re done, we marvel for days about our clean house and how happy it makes us.

If the work/happiness concept is true, it’s no wonder we’re all striving to find our perfect job, the perfect work balance – because we’re happiest when we’re working hard at something we love.  I know I am.

And, by the way, if you’re wondering about the study, I actually looked it up.  A psychology professor named Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (say that three times fast) has spent a lot of time studying the topic.  He claims that people are happiness when they’re in a state of “flow” and working is something that provides that “flow”.  Interesting, huh?

Do you think work brings happiness?  Does your work (full-time, part-time, hobby, etc.) bring you happiness?

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Categories: Blogging, Career, Work7 Comments

Passion Vs. Money

By on February 3, 2011

A lot of people ask me if I LOOOOVE accounting when I tell them what I do.

Yes, of course, I just LOOOOVE spending my days with Excel spreadsheets and financial systems and debits and credits and financial reports and journal vouchers and meetings about journal vouchers and conference calls about journal vouchers and water cooler talk about journal vouchers and e-mails about journal vouchers and … okay, you get the point.

I don’t LOOOOVE accounting.  I don’t dislike business work, but I’m not jumping for joy every time my T-accounts balance.

Here were some majors I toyed with when I was a freshman in college:

  1. Journalism (1st declared major)
  2. Criminal Justice (2nd declared major … long story, but I wanted to be a cop.  Yeah, I can’t see that either.)
  3. Marine Biology
  4. Broadcast Journalism
  5. Interior Design  (seriously? I haven’t bought a piece of home decor in over 4 years.)
  6. English (no comment)

Anyways, after I finally sobered up, I got real and choose Accounting as my major.  I was always great with math and numbers and had a knack for computers.  I knew any business major was a smart decision, so I figured it was the way to go.  In the end, I decided that I wanted to make money and live comfortably instead of follow any of my real passions.  I chose the most practical major that involved at least a hint of something that I was good at (numbers, math, adding, subtracting, all the basics … yeah, I rocked those out).

G is also, technically, an “Accountant” (insert lame joke here about how we’re a bunch of nerdy bean counters who bonded over numbers and stuff … yeah, we’ve never heard that before …), but he’s not really an Accountant.  His Master’s is in Accounting Information Systems (MAJOR nerd alert!) so he works exclusively in IT and data analytics these days.

Still, he, like me, chose his major because it was a smart and practical field to go into with plenty of opportunities and room for growth.  And, like me, he doesn’t LOOOOVE accounting.

We chose our majors with our futures in mind.  We did not choose our majors based on our interests and passions (because, if G would have taken that route, he would have, and I quote, majored in “watching basketball all day” ;) ).

A lot of people tell me I’m “lucky” because I made enough money to pay off my debt quickly (which is just silly because I was making a teacher’s salary when I was paying off my debt).  Those comments always drive me crazy because I chose my profession specifically to improve my financial future.  I sacrificed my true interests for a better future for myself and my future family.  I know a lot of people do this, too, and, I think, that sort of sacrifice deserves a bit of credit.

I went into college as a Journalism major.  I enjoyed writing.  I thought it might be fun and exciting to write for newspapers or magazines.  I still think that would be fun and exciting – it’s why I write on this little bloggie and moonlight as a freelance writer in the evenings.  But I knew there were limitations.  I couldn’t make much, and if I did eventually make much, it would take years.  It’s different with accounting (or any business job for that matter).  Jobs pay well and offer great benefits.  You might not go home at the end of the night feeling like you changed the world or even did anything that made you feel alive inside, but you did make a decent salary to enjoy all the good things life has to offer.  Plus, like I said, I don’t dislike my work.  In general, I enjoy working, having something to do, not being lazy, so I’m very fortunate that I have a good job.

G and I have worked really hard and made smart choices in our twenties (okay, so we did make some dumb choices ;) )so we wouldn’t have to struggle as we got older.  We sacrificed interests and passion early on so we could focus on it later in life.  People might call that lucky, but I just call that smart.

Do you work in a field that you’re passionate about?  Or did you choose a passion so you could have a good job?

Categories: Career, Dollars, Work61 Comments