Membership and Account Features

Does it cost to become a member?
No. We do not want to take money from Military Families and firmly believe that Military Spouses should not pay for the services we provide. To become a member simply select "Sign Up" on the Main Page and fill out the required details.

Why should I become a member?
The In Gear Career website allows all visitors to view our career resources which are tailored specifically for Military Spouses, but you will be unable to add comments, ask questions or share information without first signing up for membership. You must become a member to access the Local Chapter and Community of Practice services. When you sign up as a member, you will be directed to the online portals for both your Local Chapter and your occupational Community of Practice/s. Joining these communities gives you immediate access to the other Military Spouses in your location and field, and you can join their discussion, view their resources, seek their advice and attend community events. As you prepare to PCS to a new location, join your future Local Chapter and network with their members to help you continue your career with as little disruption as possible. Growth in membership is very important to In Gear Career. The more members we have, the more knowledge we have to share and the more professional networking opportunities we have available. Our corporate sponsors and donors are also interested in the size of our membership so make sure you encourage your career minded Military Spouse friends to sign up and join us!

Can a non-member attend an In Gear Career event as a guest?

Yes. We welcome all people interested in furthering the professional career opportunities for military spouses. We encourage them to attend an event, learn more about the organization and then join us!

How do I change my password or update my profile?
Your InBox, Alerts, Friends and Settings tabs are located under your name on the right hand side of the Main Page when logged in. Select the "Settings" tab and then Profile to access and change your password.

How do I control the privacy settings on my profile?

Under the "Settings" tab is a Privacy option. Select this to control who can view your profile, comments and posts. Remember that we are all about "crowd-sourcing" and sharing information so make sure that you do allow members to see your contributions, but we understand if you do not want visitors to the site to have that same access.

Programs and Services

Are you a nonprofit organization and what does that mean?
Yes we are a nonprofit. We were established to serve a cause, rather than to make a profit and we receive some tax exemptions because of this. All funds that are received are channeled into supporting and enabling In Gear Career programs.

How do you fund your services, programs and activities?
We seek corporate sponsorship and philanthropic donations to fund our programs so that we can provide them at no cost to Military Spouses. We also seek out past and present Veterans, Military Spouses and Military Friendly Employers that are willing to donate their time and specialized experience to help professionally focussed Military Spouses through our online and local chapter programs.

What can I do if there is no Local Chapter in my area?

In Gear Career is working to establish Local Chapters in all key military locations but we rely on identifying volunteers who are willing to become a Local Chapter Leader. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact the Director of Programs at info@ingearcareer.org. The Director will work with you to provide all resources and assistance you need in establishing one. If you are not interested in leading a Local Chapter but would still like to be involved, please leave your name and location with us and we will get back in touch as soon as we are able to start one in your location. In the meantime, please use the Communities of Practice to network with people in your occupational field.

What can do if there is no Community of Practice in my field?

We have endeavored to set up a broad collection of Communities of Practice which allow you the opportunity to network with people in a similar but not always identical field. Our reasoning in doing this, was to allow you to expand the lens through which you view your career path, and to encourage you to interact with people who have similar skill sets or work in similar industries to cross pollenate career ideas and advice. Within each Community of Practice, the Forum Boards allow more specific occupational discussion threads. If you are unsure which Community of Practice you are most suited to (and you are welcome to join more than one), please email us at info@ingearcareer.org and we can work with you to identify the most appropriate option.

Does IGC have a job search function?

No. Our website does not have a job search function as this type of functionality is provided through the many online job bulletin boards as well as some of the Military Spouse employment initiatives such as the MSEP website. We do not aim to replicate these programs. We target the 'Hidden Job Market' through networking. When our members identify companies which have upcoming professional level positions, or professional positions which are specifically targeting Military Spouses, we share that information. We aim to help Military Spouses find fulfilling work through word of mouth and networking.

How can I help IGC?

The best way to help In Gear Career is to become involved. Register as a member and start sharing your corporate knowledge and advice with other spouses. Refer your friends to our organization and help us grow our membership. If you are willing to volunteer your time, we have opportunities to lead Local Chapters and Communities of Practice as well as to help us in editing, marketing and promoting our organization.  More information can be found on the Volunteer Page. If you are interested in financially supporting In Gear Career activities, please visit the Support Us page where you can learn about sponsorship and donations. 

Donations

If I make a donation, how will my money be used?

Your donation will be used to provide career resources, professional development training and local networking events, free of charge, to Military Spouses through our website and Local Chapters.

Is my contribution tax deductible?

In Gear Career, Inc., is a nonprofit organization 501(c)(3) [application pending] registered in the State of Florida. Any contributions prior to the official adjudication of 501(c)(3) status will not be tax deductible. To check on the status of contributions, please contact the Director of Development at development@ingearcareer.org.

Privacy and Policies

How do we use your information?

We use your information to help identify and develop services which are tailored for you. For that reason, your age, family status, location and profession are of particular interest to us. We will also use your email address to notify you about specific events in your area, but will not share this information with anyone not employed as an In Gear Career staff member.

Do you share my information with any third parties?

In Gear Career respects the privacy of your information. We do not provide your information to any third parties, including sponsors and donors.

How do you protect my information?

The In Gear Career website uses industry standard encryption to protect your information. Your profile visibility is controlled by you, through your settings tab.