BOULDER, Colo., May 20, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The unemployment rate among military spouses is 16%, more than four times higher than the civilian unemployment rate. According to a FlexJobs and Blue Star Families survey of more than 500 military spouses, nearly half (46%) of military spouses have felt discriminated against in their job search because they are military spouses. Not surprisingly then, 50 percent have also tried to hide the fact that they are military spouses from prospective employers during their job search.
"Military spouses face many unique challenges in maintaining and growing their professional careers, but flexible work arrangements can significantly improve their access to job opportunities," said Sara Sutton, Founder and CEO of FlexJobs. "Military spouses need support and viable job options. Remote work in particular can help bridge the gap for this group of valuable, talented, qualified professionals whose lives, because of their commitment to our country, do not necessarily fit within the traditional workplace model," Sutton concluded.
These findings are reported during May, which is National Military Appreciation Month. Other highlights include:
- 91% of military spouses say being a military spouse has had a negative impact on their career
- Because of the difficulties associated with finding sustainable employment as a military spouse, 56% say at some point they have stopped trying to find a job
- 65% of military spouses have felt like they had no choice but to leave a job because it did not have work flexibility
- Flexible schedule jobs (77%) are the most preferred type of flexible work arrangement for military spouses, followed by 100% remote (71%), alternative schedule (41%) part-time (40%), partial remote work (40%), and freelance (22%)
- Military spouses want to work. 81% report that the primary reason they work is because of personal fulfillment, ahead of paying for basic necessities or saving for retirement
- Military spouses are qualified. 71% of respondents have at least a bachelor's degree or higher, compared to only about 34% of the general U.S. population.
- 32% of military spouses have had to leave a job at least three times because of a military-related move
"Spouseforce, our career program, helps place military spouses into long term jobs as well as asks them what they need to be successful," said Kathy Roth-Douquet, CEO of Blue Star Families." Most often, that answer is flexibility. Our military families tell us that having dual incomes is vital to their wellbeing, which is why we continue to work with companies like FlexJobs to provide portable, long term careers," Roth-Douquet concluded.
FlexJobs is also featuring ten fully remote positions for military spouses who need portable careers to consider, with jobs such as recruiter, tutor, web designer, and marketing specialist highlighted.
FlexJobs is a proud supporter and a committed company of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation's Hiring Our Heroes' Hiring 100K Military Spouses campaign. FlexJobs will be speaking about remote jobs and military employment at the National Veterans Conference this August.
For more information please visit https://www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/military-spouse-job-discrimination-survey/ or contact Kathy Gardner at [email protected] for more information.
About FlexJobs
FlexJobs is committed to helping people find a better way to work. As the leading online service for professionals seeking remote, flexible schedule, part-time, and freelance jobs, FlexJobs offers opportunities in over 50 career categories, ranging from entry-level to executive and freelance to full-time. FlexJobs also sets itself apart by providing job seekers with a better, safer, and more efficient way to find professional and legitimate flexible jobs. Having helped nearly four million people in their job searches, FlexJobs has appeared in CNN, CNBC, TIME, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, and hundreds of other trusted media outlets. To further assist people in bettering their lives through flexible and remote work, FlexJobs' Founder & CEO Sara Sutton Fell has also launched two additional partner sites, Remote.co and 1 Million for Work Flexibility, to help provide education and awareness about the viability and benefits of remote working and work flexibility. Sutton is also the creator of The TRaD* Works Forum (*Telecommuting, Remote, & Distributed), dedicated to helping companies leverage the benefits of telecommuting, remote and distributed teams.
About Blue Star Families
Blue Star Families builds communities that support military families by connecting research and data to programs and solutions, including career development tools, local community events for families, and caregiver support. Since its inception in 2009, Blue Star Families has engaged tens of thousands of volunteers and serves more than 1.5 million military family members. With Blue Star Families, military families can find answers to their challenges anywhere they are. For more information, visit bluestarfam.org.
SOURCE FlexJobs
Share this article