If there is one thing we know well as a military spouse, it’s the large toll that moving takes on our careers. I had heard heartbreaking stories of military spouses struggling to get work, but never believed I would be in a similar situation. I landed a great gig at our first assignment and assumed that would be the case anywhere we went. Spoiler alert – it wasn’t.
I gave myself 14 days between quitting my job at our last duty station and digging into job opportunities at our new location. When that time was up, I was met with the harsh reality that something had to change. I couldn’t keep quitting jobs I loved and redoing this search every 2-3 years. It was taking a LARGE, emotional toll on me. After a LOT of research I stumbled across Esther Inman and her Virtual Assistant Internship Program – 90-day VA. The biggest appeal to me was that she assured her group that we could work from home without selling anything.
I’m a big believer that things happen at the perfect time, for the perfect reason.
Although my husband and I agreed on making the investment, I was anxious about finding work in this “new career”. So, when I got a call for an interview for an in-person role in our new hometown, I was over the moon! I completed the phone interview and wasn’t selected. I was heartbroken.
That was the turning point for me.
I stopped applying for in-person, traditional roles and started applying for positions that were 100% remote. Two weeks later I had an interview with the company that was my #1 pick. Four days (yes, four DAYS) after that interview I was working for them. I couldn’t believe it.
My thought process has always been that God has a very clear plan for each of us. He will allow us to stray from that plan, but once we start straying a little too far he starts nudging us back to the path of the original plan. I’ve started embracing these nudges instead of resisting them and that has made life a lot easier! I believe that not getting the in-person job was a nudge. When I focused on the 90-Day VA program and applying for remote jobs I was back on the path paved just for me!
Now that you know the emotional side of things, let’s get down to business.
This program contains self-paced modules that teach you everything you need to get started in the virtual world! My favorite part of this program was the community that came with it. As a member you’re automatically invited to join a closed group on Facebook of people currently in the program. Not only are these peers incredibly brilliant, they love helping other program members find jobs. They send out legit advertisements anywhere from 3-10 times a week! (<–that’s how I found the advertisement for my current gigs!)
The program will cost the standard member $497 outright (or 3 monthly payments of $197). BUT because Esther is the best she offers a $50 military discount! I know that the price still sounds like a lot. BUT, I was able to pay off this ENTIRE PROGRAM before I finished the training. You can sign-up through this page, but make sure you email Esther’s team at [email protected] first to get the code you need for that mil discount.
I cannot say enough great things about how empowered I was walking away from this program. I hope this reaches a military spouse out there in the same boat as me – desperately looking for options. Change is scary and intimidating for a lot of reasons. But please know that you are capable of being successful in this remote world!
Don’t take just my word for it! Go here and read what other women have had to say about the program.
If you’re not quite ready to take the plunge, this free class will share more about VA life. No matter what you decide to do, know that you’re not alone on this weird little journey as a military spouse seeking employment.
