Military Spouse Preference
Military Spouse Preference
Finding a job as a military spouse comes with unique hurdles, frequent moves, changing state laws, and starting over in new cities. Fortunately, several key programs and laws exist to help clear the path and give military spouses a fair shot at a stable career.
Non-Competitive Federal Hiring
Under Executive Order 1347, federal agencies can hire eligible military spouses directly without making them go through the traditional, lengthy competitive application process on USAJOBS. If you are relocating on PCS orders, you generally have a two-year window of eligibility to take advantage of this fast-track hiring path.
Portable Professional Licenses
If your job requires a state license, such as teaching, nursing, real estate, or cosmetology, moving across state lines no longer means starting from scratch.
SCRA Protections: Federal law requires states to recognize your valid, out-of-state license while you are living there on military orders.
Licensure Compacts: Many industries now use multi-state compacts that let you practice seamlessly in participating states.
Relocation Reimbursement: The military will reimburse you up to $1,000 per PCS move to cover relicensing or recertification fees.
Education and Career Support
Spouse Works Scholarship (formerly MyCAA): Offers up to $4,000 in financial assistance for eligible spouses pursuing certifications, licenses, or associate degrees in portable fields. ECO (Spouse Education and Career Opportunities): Connects you with free career coaches for resume help, interview prep, and guidance via Military OneSource.
Spouse-Friendly Employers (MSEP)
The Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP) connects spouses directly with hundreds of private-sector companies and defense contractors committed to hiring military family members. These employers often offer remote roles or help you transfer to a new location when it’s time to move again. Military spouses can apply for virtually any career, but the most successful paths are portable (can be done anywhere or remotely) or leverage special hiring preferences set up by the U.S. government and corporate partners.
Top Portable Career Industries
Remote & Tech: Software engineering, web development, data analysis, IT support, virtual assistance, project management, and cybersecurity.
Healthcare & Social Assistance: Nursing, dental hygiene, mental health counseling, physical therapy, medical billing/coding, and pharmacy tech. (Note: Military spouse license portability laws help transfer state licenses during PCS moves).
Human Resources & Recruiting: Corporate recruiting, HR specialist roles, and talent acquisition—roles that are frequently remote-friendly.
Education & Counseling: Online tutoring, teaching (public/private or DoDEA base schools), instructional design, and school counseling.
Finance & Business Administration: Bookkeeping, accounting, financial planning, and administrative support.
Dedicated Hiring Programs & Preferences
Federal Government Jobs (USAJOBS)
Military Spouse Preference (MSP): Under Executive Order 13473, eligible military spouses receive non-competitive hiring authority for federal civilian jobs across government agencies (Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs, etc.).
Non-Appropriated Fund (NAF) Positions: On-base civilian jobs (MWR, child development centers, exchange services) often give hiring preference to spouses.
Corporate & Private Sector Programs
Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP): A DoD program connecting military spouses to hundreds of corporate and non-profit partner employers committed to recruiting, hiring, and retaining military spouses.
Hiring Our Heroes (HOH): Offers 12-week paid corporate fellowships for military spouses with national companies, often leading to full-time remote or local employment.
Key Resources to Get Started
Spouse Education and Career Opportunities (SECO): Free career counseling, resume reviews, and interview prep provided by Military OneSource.
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