Personal Branding for Military Spouses Growing Their Careers

Do you feel like the term “personal brand” is a trendy catchphrase? When you hear that you need to define your personal brand, does it add to your job search stress? As if there’s not enough to do as a military spouse trying to build a flexible career?

Before you start envisioning yourself needing a logo and an entire marketing profile, consider what the term means. At its essence, having a clearly defined personal brand means being able to not only identify your job skills but the unique values that you bring to a role. Double-check any networking, applications, cover letters, etc. to verify that they line up. Doing so will ensure that you’re presenting a streamlined portfolio for recruiters.

Defining Your Personal Brand

We won’t dive into the statistics surrounding the unemployment and underemployment rates that affect military spouses because, if you’re reading this article, chances are you’re living them. Instead, we’ll share how defining your branding statement can help you overcome those challenges, increasing your marketability and chance for job satisfaction.

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What Exactly Is a Personal Brand?

When you hear a career expert talk about a personal brand, they refer to more than your career goals. They’re asking how others describe you and what unique qualities set you apart from other applicants.

For example, you might be someone who has aspirations to be a project manager for a nonprofit. That’s simply a career objective. But if you are a dynamic problem-solver or a creative multitasker, those are personal qualities that you can portray with branding.

—Why Do You Need a Personal Brand?

When recruiters and prospective employers are reading over your resume andcomparing it to your LinkedIn profile, do they get a sense of what unique values you’d bring to the role? It would be best to highlight your strengths to show that you’re the best fit for the position.

In many ways, it’s about amplifying thetransferable skills you’ve gained as a military spouse. Education and employment experience are very tangible and are easyresume bullets to craft. But your cultural fit and unique attributes will set you apart from other candidates.

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How Does Being a Military Spouse Affect Your Brand?

信不信由你,这是一个领域你开启t have an advantage over other job seekers if you leverage it to the fullest. Brainstorm all of your different jobs, moves, and networking. What about anyvolunteering you’ve donethroughout your time supporting your spouse’s military career?

To help get your creative juices flowing, ask yourself questions like these:

What roles have I enjoyed the most?
What experiences inspired me?
Where did I have an impact?
Where was I not successful?
How would others describe me?

As a military spouse, are you a consistent volunteer on base, perhaps welcoming other families? Maybe other parents have sought advice regarding your time management and how you effortlessly juggle everything.

Have you relentlessly pursuedyour dreams of entrepreneurship, creatively overcoming challenges from frequent moves? Or, does project management thrill you? Do you enjoy getting to flex your organization muscles by ensuring that a move goes seamlessly? Did youmaintain a job overseaswhile managing rations and raising a family, sometimes solo parenting in a foreign country?

All of those experiences require skills that you’ve now honed, and they will enhance your performance in your next position. You should undoubtedly declare them with pride.

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Tips for Sharing Your Personal Brand

The branding statement is more for you than your future employer. You’ll use it to verify that all of the pieces that make up your applicant portfolio tell a consistent message.

For example, suppose you want to highlight that you are passionate about organization as a project manager and embrace opportunities to volunteer. You might include volunteer experiences on your resume where you were able to flex some organizational skills. You’lltailor your cover letterto highlight that experience and those skills (among others), demonstrating you’re the perfect fit because your research shows that the company supports its employees’ volunteer efforts.

But don’t stop there. When the recruiter compares your LinkedIn profile, they should see that you’ve engaged in conversations around your favorite nonprofits andadded meaningful conversationsto the project management industry. You can share posts in your LinkedIn groups highlighting volunteer opportunities as a way for military spouses to connect to their new communities.

As the recruiterdouble-checks your social media profile(他们最可能),他们应该看到铁道部e of the same. You don’t need to overdo it, but you should have a common theme throughout your profile, which you’ll carry into your interviews.

When recruiters are considering prospective applicants, you’llstand out from the competition. They’ll see you as someone with great self-awareness, and you’ll portray a consistency that can help to combat any relocations.

Building a Personal Brand as a Military Spouse

Your goal in building a personal brand should be to create a consistent message that will also help you translate the unpaid skills you’ve gained into marketable job skills.

As you’re brainstorming your personal brand, don’t undervalue all that you’ve accomplished by being a military spouse. Your experiences might seem like they’re simply a part of your everyday life, but you should take credit and highlight them because they’ll add depth to the team if you’re hired.

If you're ready to create a portable career that you can take with you, FlexJobs can help! Take the tour to discover all of the ways that FlexJobs can help you reach your goals, from our database of flexible jobs to our member resources, we're here to support you throughout your entire career.

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