Flexibility In Hiring Military Spouses

Will this initiative help you?

Bush order gives help to military spouses seeking federal jobs

ARLINGTON, Va. — If you are a military spouse facing a permanent change-of-station move, it just got easier for you to land a job with the federal government.

President Bush has signed an executive order that makes certain military spouses eligible for noncompetitive appointments to civil service jobs, said Patricia Bradshaw, deputy undersecretary of Defense for civilian personnel policy.

One goal is to provide greater employment opportunities for military spouses, whose careers are often disrupted by PCS moves, Bradshaw said Tuesday.

Details of when military spouses would become eligible for such appointments have not yet been worked out, she said.

Also eligible are spouses of servicemembers with a 100 percent disability rating and the unremarried widow or widower of a servicemember killed on active duty, Bradshaw said Tuesday.

The move, which applies to the entire federal government, is separate from an existing program that helps military spouses who work for the Defense Department find new jobs in the department, Bradshaw said.

"It is not a hiring preference, OK? It is intended to be another authority available to line managers to be able to quickly and expeditiously hire our military spouses," she said.

Bradshaw could not say how much quicker the move makes the hiring process.

"But it clearly, without a doubt, will make hiring faster," she said.

The executive order is also not meant to replace existing hiring authorities for military spouses overseas, Bradshaw said.

"This may in fact just be one other alternative for them," she said.

The federal government hires about 20,000 people per month, Bradshaw said. Most civil service jobs available to military spouses are in the United States.

Those jobs include nursing, public affairs and human resources, she said.

"You still have to be qualified for the job and there still has to be a vacancy available," Bradshaw said.

Military spouses get boost for federal jobs

An executive order signed Sept. 25 by President Bush allows hiring managers for all federal agencies to hire qualified military spouses without going through the competitive process.

The new hiring authorities for federal managers probably will not be put into place until some time after the first of the year, said Patricia Bradshaw, deputy undersecretary of defense for civilian personnel policy. The Office of Personnel Management must issue regulations implementing Bush’s order.

“One of the key things to recruiting and retention of service members is the employment of spouses,” Bradshaw said, noting that only about 10 percent of military spouses stay in the same location for as long as five years. Frequent relocations make it difficult for spouses to build a career.

Spouses must be qualified for the federal positions for which they apply. But the new policy would allow federal hiring managers in some cases to hire spouses without advertising the jobs, depending on other hiring requirements.

“Here’s a quick hiring authority for them to get to another bucket of talent that may have perhaps gone unnoticed in the past,” Bradshaw said.

About 20,000 new employees join the federal work force each month.

Many details are yet to be worked out, such as instructions for spouses in how to request consideration under this new authority. But in broad terms, the executive order states that the new hiring authority will apply to:

• Spouses of active-duty members on PCS orders, if the spouse is relocating to the member’s new permanent duty station. This will include members of the National Guard and Reserve on active duty. Details have not yet been worked out on the length of time that the new hiring authority will be in effect before and after a PCS move.

• Spouses of 100-percent disabled retired or separated military members.

• Unremarried widows or widowers of a military member who is killed while on active duty.

Bradshaw stresses that this is not a hiring preference program, and it does not require any federal agency to hire a military spouse. The language in the order states that heads of federal agencies “may” make noncompetitive appointments of spouses.

The order does not affect the Defense Department’s existing spouse preference program, designed to help spouses who are already in civil service in obtaining jobs within that department.

That program does not help new spouses get into the federal civil service system; the new policy is designed to do that, Bradshaw said, adding that the policy will give Defense Department managers more flexibility in hiring.

The initiative also does not affect existing policies on veterans’ preference for federal jobs.

Comments

[liberal army wife]

Yabut - and you knew there had to be a Yah But... does this still mean we have to fill out those endless forms and write those awful essay questions? I applaud the efforts and hope it does help spouses keep a career going.

LAW

[Army wife]

On article flexibility on hiring military spouse?
I'm an active military spouse and a recent graduate of nursing.
I applied at a military hospital in Virginia, but I was told that I need at least 1 year of nursing experience to be able to work for military hospital. Tell me, is it really flexible or fair?

[Kori]

Army Wife,

I am a active duty military spouse too and just graduated a Dental Assiting program with the help of the Career Advancement Account. Each interview I've been on has gone great until they ask about experience.

Instead of getting a paid job because of lack of experience, I'm volunteering at an Army hospital so I don't lose the precious skills that are going to waste since no one will hire an inexperienced dental assistant. In this economy, I NEED a Paid job.

[Navy Wife]

I am glad to see that there are provisions "trying" to be put in place to assist military spouses, every little bit helps!

As a "new" military spouse I recently vacated my position w/in the Dept. of Defense. The program that is referenced (Defense Dept Existing Spouse Program) is not something qualifing spouses should put stock in. There are ways for hiring authorities to "work around" hiring a Priority Placement Spouse (which is what we are called in the program) and I have applied for numerous positions knowing I met ALL qualifications, and then some, and....nothing.... they don't even respond to let you know you weren't selected. So, you apply, have really high hopes and why not "your in the priority placement program and your qualified" but after a few months go by you realize it's not going to happen.

I am an educated women, have extensive experience in Program Management + 13 credible years working for the Federal Government and just interviewed for a position requiring me to take a 22K cut in salary and go down 5 levels within the GS pay scale..the women conducting the interview even asked "why would you want to come down so many levels?" ANSWER: I NEED a paying job. Now I can only hope I get selected....

[Viviane ARnold]

Ladies and gentleman,
As a military spouse for 19 years, I truly got tired of moving to locations where low paying jobs was all I could get. Trying to get into the GS system for years on end, hoping the next duty station would have something better for me... NO MORE! I came accross a company that changed my life! Taste of Home Entertaining! Chances are you have not heard of us yet because the company is two and a half yearS old.
www.vivianearnold.tohe.com
But believe me, you will soon!
The Army can send me anywhere, including overseas...I have my business with me!!! I AM SO EXCITED AND WOULD LOVE TO SHARE THIS OPPORTUNITY WITH YOU!

[lovelyday]

It's hard to be a military spouse, move around so much and not work for some time, then try to find a job.
I live in Colorado and recently attended a Career Tracks Seminar at Peterson Air Force Base. The seminar was put together by the Military Spouse Career Committee (MSCC). It was very enlightening. The women of the committee were very helpful and informative. They were helping us figure out the best way to not just find a job, but to pursue the career of our dreams, even if you’ve been a housewife for the past five or ten years. They helped match our skills to a fit career.
If any of you are looking for a job and live here in Colorado, you can connect to your career of choice and they can help. The Military Spouse Career Committee offers a Career Tracks seminar for military spouses four times a year. Learn how to create networking opportunities, get free access to professional career coaches, and get the scoop on scholarships and grants.
Not only does the MSCC offer the Career Tracks seminar, but also, the MSCC can promote you to the business community in our monthly newsletters.
You can also join our blog community at www.coloradomilitaryspousecareers.wordpress.com Go there with questions, and they'll do their best to answer them. They helped me find a strategic volunteering opportunity that is getting me closer to the career of my dreams - writing! Try the blog or I'll be glad to tell you more about it.

[Emma Caufield]

My husband retired from the military and with supervisory experience and have bachelor degree in human resources and management. After retiring he tries many times to be hired as federal civilian personnel. Never heard from any job he applied. As spouce I have tried to applied for several jobs that I am current experience and bachelor degree. With so many position I applied finally qualified a contract administrator grade 9 in phoenix area. Until now I have not heard from the hiring agency for an interview or when I can start working. Very disappointed, no wonder my husband retired military was so disgusted and told me that I am just waisting my time to apply and complete all the necessary questionaire and supplemental documents. I am still trying but getting so hopeless.