What kind of job is good if your going to be relocating a lot

[mlowry]

Hi all!

I've been working random jobs for a few years, but wanting to get into a solid career path. My SO is in the military and therefore I anticipate over the next few years I may have to move around a little and so ideally need to find a career that will enable me to do that. I do have interests in certain fields such as psychology, particularly forensic and clinical psychology, so if anyone has any suggestions along those lines or sort of similar that would be ideal.

TIA!

Then bluntly speaking, I certainly wouldn't follow him about at your age - it'll heavily restrict your access to job options and damage your career prospects. I don't know anyone who follows the spouse around who has a career unless it's close to 100% remote working.

Jobs are hard to come by near military base (Army I assume?) accommodation and there's no guarantee you'll get any work in a reasonable commuting distance even if you're a nurse or a similar highly sought trade.

DH is Royal Navy. I've not followed the ships, have a wholly separate career and have actually changed careers whilst we've been together. Most of his colleagues have wives or husbands who have done the same as me and they go home at weekends etc. Many have moved to Plymouth or Portsmouth area or similar to be relatively close to the shops but plenty commute very North and long distance rather than move their families.

Diplo spouse here. This is inaccurate because most places the OP would be sent (especially if she ever has kids) there will be British international schools. On the postings I've been at I'd say teacher is the most common "trailing spouse" job.

Whether Op will be able to work locally at all depends on the country, rules are different. Some places it's incredibly simple, some very difficult.
I freelance so not an issue. But mostly with kids these days -- they need extra support in this lifestyle.

OP if you plan on getting married do it before you go overseas. Makes life so much simpler.

My husband is ex military as of 2 years ago… nursing was the best field but we ended up going married unaccompanied for a few years which is where you stay where your life/home/career is and he lives where he is based. We did that for a while and then eventually moved back together

Been "following" my DH since before I was 25, and now earn substantially more than him in a senior role, and much of this was before the world of hybrid working as it is now. I recommend the civil service, but other public sector roles too, I can easily transition between sectors, and I'm pretty much entirely home based now anyway. I've got a number of friends/acquaintances that have chosen to remain accompanied whilst maintaining a career; they include teaching, midwifery, physio, accountant and a few public/civil servants. It's much more common for wives to have careers compared to even 10 years ago.

An online counselling type role?

If you are at all that way inclined training in a computer program language or related skill would be useful as many opportunities for this sort of work remotely

Agree with othersvthat an NHS job could be a good option.
If you are intetested in psychology then psychologist would be an obvious suggestion, but can be difficult to find jobs in.
Occupational therapy is a good choice, degree level course, lots of different specialties including psychiatry and occasionally forensic psychiatry.Look at the Royal college of Occupational Therapists website for info.
Much easier to get a job in OT than psychology. There are OTs in some military hospitals too.

I saw something on LinkedIn where there was a forces spouse career networking thing.
https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14396126
might be a good place to get inspiration.

I’ve lived this life and that was my career…it didn’t last with moving every 2 years. Anything requiring a clinical setting etc. is very tricky as you will move frequently and won’t have a say in where you end up.

counselling works as can be done online, basically anything you can do remotely works. Most military wives I know either gave up trying to work or were teachers so could work as supply or set up their own online based businesses.

It’s not an easy life, and the higher up the ranks he goes there will be more expectation for you to be available to attend events, host etc.

we lived separately until we had children. It’s not really viable to live apart once you have very young children, and living on a patch will offer you loads of support which you’ll need if he gets deployed. You no longer need to be married to live in married quarters, that rule changed about 5 years ago.

I promise the military wives you meet through your life will be the most amazing band of friends and support you could possibly ask for.

That's really reassuring thank you!

Do you mind me asking what field you're in?

Rough.

there is definitely a reason there are so many SAHM military wives. Or in Canada RCMP.

it super sucks, pretty much can’t build a career.

you can check if the military have any good support positions. Or enlist as well.

or nurse or teacher as mentioned - depends on demand in the area.

a friend is a speech therapist, works as a contractor to schools. Has built herself a very nice business. But that depends so much on your area a funding/affluence. We’re in Canada, so she charges the school system +80$/ hour, but the kids don’t have to pay that, government does.