Interviews

Congratulations….. you marketed your resume successfully and now you have an interview! As a Military Spouse with a proven ability to adapt, overcome and maintain a professional career, you should be confident about marketing yourself well during the interview process but you have nagging doubts. You KNOW you would be a great asset for this employer but you are worried they will find out you are a Military Spouse…..will they be looking for somebody who will stay longer….what do you tell them if they ask why you left your last position…how can you explain that even though you appear to have changed positions frequently in a short period of time, you have achieved and performed in every one. These are common concerns for Career Minded Military Spouses and there are no ‘right answers’. We hope our ideas and recommendations will help you best prepare to market your skills and experience, but before we explore some common questions in depth we would like you to consider the following:

The term ‘Military Spouse’ does not define you.

Although being a Military Spouse is part of who you are, it does not define you. For every employer who understands and values the inherent strengths a Military Spouse employee can bring to a role, there are others who may have negative stereotypes. Consider that you might also be a Parent, a Local Volunteer, a Tennis Player, a Steelers Fan or a Scrapbooker. None of these titles or interests defines you and you would not bring them up in an interview unless they marketed a skill set your future employer was looking for. Focus your answers on who you are as a future employee; your skills, experience, accomplishments and motivation; rather than the ‘title’ you receive because of your spouse’s service in the military.

Average tenure in professional positions is falling.

The 2010 Bureau of Labor Statistics survey demonstrated that the average time spent in one job has fallen significantly from 10-15 years ago. The mean time a 35-44 year old with a Bachelor’s degree spends in a position is 5.3 years and this falls to 3.1 years for the average Bachelor’s degree qualified 25-34 year old. As a MIlitary Spouse who knows you may only have 18 months - 2 years in location; keep in mind that many of your civilian counterpart competitors may leave the position after a similar amount of time.

• Previous accomplishments are a better indicator of future performance than time in position.

  Focus your interview answers on demonstrated accomplishments rather than job titles and descriptions of previous job responsibilities. Showing an employer you have immediately performed and achieved in your previous positions highlights that you are adaptable, talented and motivated. Think proven performance and results rather than longevity when delivering your marketing pitch.

Common Interview Questions

One of the best ways to prepare for an interview is to consider a list of likely questions and prepare answers for them. Write these answers down with the examples and accomplishments you think best demonstrate your skills to an employer, and then practice answering these questions in a mock interview format with a friend, colleague, family member or one of the Employment Staff from your local Military Family Service Center. The internet has many resources on Common Interview Questions which provide you with suggestions on the best questions to prepare for. We have provided some Military Spouse specific suggestions for ways in which to approach 5 common questions.

• Tell me about yourself.

  On the surface this seems to be such an easy question to answer and it is often the first interview question. Your answer to this sets the tone for the interview - it can build your confidence if you answer well, just as it can reduce the employer’s enthusiasm for you if you waffle or focus on irrelevant information. You should prepare your answer to this question for EVERY interview you attend and your answer should be tailored for EACH interview and EACH employer to showcase the skills they will be most interested in. As you prepare your answer to this question, reword it in your own mind to “Tell me about your professional background” or “Tell me about yourself as an employee“. Do not include information such as your marital status, the number of children you have or your interest in traveling the world unless it is directly relevant to the skills needed for the job you are applying for. Consider breaking up your answer to give an idea of your length of experience in the field, your core specialties, your strengths and a significant accomplishment you have been recognized for.

• What is your biggest weakness?

  Never answer this question with a trite ‘”I work too hard” or “I care too much” and certainly don’t raise the issue of your Military Spouse status and potential to relocate as a weakness. Think about why the employer is asking this question. The employer wants to see that you can reflect on and identify those skills you would like to improve. There are two ways to approach answering this question:

• Why did you leave your last position?

  This is always a difficult question as a Military Spouse. An employer is often asking this question to identify your personality type - Are you looking for a better opportunity (and may leave their company in a short time if something better comes up), are you the type of employee that has personality conflicts with other staff or are there job duties you don’t like carrying out. As a Military Spouse you often had no choice but to leave your last position because of a PCS relocation but don’t necessarily want to highlight this as it raises the issue that you may only stay in the next position for a short period of time. If your potential employer is not already aware you are a Military Spouse and is not a known Military Friendly Employer, consider simply answering that your husband or wife has taken a new position in the area so you both relocated. If the employer then asks if your husband or wife is military you do need to be open at that stage, so consider addressing the “How long are you going to be here?” question.

• How long will you be here?

  This question is only usually asked if the employer has ascertained that you lead a transient lifestyle as a Military Spouse and is concerned about your longevity in the position. It is a difficult question to answer as you may not know. The military can move you quickly and without notice, or conversely your Spouse could be sent on an unaccompanied tour which would allow you to remain in the same location for an extended time. Consider an answer which is honest but also positive about the location. Ensure you expand upon your ability to make measurable progress in the position in a minimal amount of time.

   

  “I am not sure exactly how long we will be here but the Military usually likes to leave a family in location at least 3 years. This length of time is actually not that much different to what the Bureau of Labor statistics research indicates that the average employee will stay in a position. I understand you may have concerns about me leaving if we move. I would like to use this opportunity to reinforce to you that I am a committed and dedicated to this position. I will perform from Day 1 - I know what it takes to come into a new position and get up and running immediately as I have had to do that a number of times. I also know how important it will be for you, that I plan for my eventual replacement. I have performed throughout my tenure in every position I have had, regardless of the length of time. When I apologized to my previous employer that I could not stay longer, she said to me “You achieved so much in your time here - I would hire you again - even if you only had a few months.” You will have that same effort and energy every day that I am in this position and when it is time for me to go, I will ensure that the systems, procedures and practices are in place for a seamless transition for my replacement.”

• Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years time?

  As a career-minded Military Spouse you probably have a vision of where you would love to be but no idea where you will actually be then or in the intervening years! When an employer asks this question they are often trying to ascertain wether your long term ambitions complement the position at hand. They do not want an employee who is only looking for a “job” until something better comes along and has no long term plan. You also need to be wary of showing too much ambition or desire for advancement if it is not a natural progression for that employer or position. Consider talking about a passion for the field and specializing or becoming a company expert or team lead in a function which is a significant part of the vacant position. Use the opportunity to showcase any additional education or training you are doing toward this as a way of demonstrating your desire to do the position you are interviewing for to the best of your ability.

Please share any of your personal experiences and advice on answering questions which address Military Spouse circumstances below. You may also wish to visit our Blog where we interview Hiring Officials about some of the ways they believe Military Spouses can effectively answer these questions in a positive way.