The Top 3 Marketable Skills for Veteran's Spouses

In an earlier blog post, I addressed the most marketable skills that military service members possess. However, what about their spouses? I truly believe it takes a special kind of person to be a military spouse. The spouse may not serve in the military, but they are affected by the service nonetheless. Here is a list of what skills I believe most every veteran's spouse can market.

Adaptability and Flexibility
Adaptability can be defined as the ability to adjust to different conditions. Flexibility is the capability to bend, modify, or adapt without "breaking." The military spouse often follows their service member from one location to another, across the U.S. and worldwide. Throughout this process they learn to change, adapt, and modify to whatever situation, conditions, or location in which they may find themselves. This can bring value to a company by being open to change, being able to "hit the ground running," and being open to new policy, procedure, or technology.

Initiative
Military service members work long hours and can be deployed for months or years at a time. The spouse who is left at home must take the initiative to care for the home and the family if they have one. No matter what comes their way, military spouses find a way to overcome challenges. I find most military spouses to be incredibly self-sufficient and strong-willed. A military spouse seems to naturally have a can-do attitude that translates well into the job market and can add value to most any employer.

Organization and Efficiency
When you have to move your family and household from Arizona to Korea and then to Washington, D.C. within the span of 18 months, you learn to become organized and efficient in order to make the process go as smoothly as possible. Military spouses learn to plan, they learn to organize, and they learn to streamline. Otherwise, when they do have to move (and they inevitably will have to) the process would be unbearably difficult. These planning and organizational skills combined with a common dedication to efficiency can offer unlimited benefits to an employer.