Project Work Can Solve Balancing Act
By Kathie Hightower and Holly Scherer
Summer 2008
Navy spouse Heidi Evans speaks for many military spouses when she explains why she chooses contract or project work rather than a full-time career.
“I have three young children at home,” Evans says. “When my husband was at sea, his hours were long when he was home at all. When one parent is so tied to this career and frequently unavailable to help with parenting, it becomes more critical to be available whenever you can for everything from baseball games to a case of the flu. Taking contracts and working from home ensures that at least one of us can be there when the children need a parent.”
As the war in
Many spouses turn to project work as one solution. In Evans case, she is a freelance writer. From a local newspaper column to writing assignments for Military OneSource and others, she takes on projects that work with her family and life schedule.
Market research, marketing writing, special event planning, grant writing, contract recruiting, merchandising, training, translating, tutoring, background investigations and web design are just some examples of “project work” that often are overlooked.
On Site Or Out of Sight
Some of these projects are “virtual” – they can be done from home regardless of location, as long as you have an Internet connection and telephone. One fine resource for virtual project work is The Rat Race Rebellion Telework Bulletin, a weekly publication by Christine Durst and Michael Haaren which includes screened home-based jobs and news about trends in virtual work. (Subscribe to the free Bulletin at www.ratracerebellion.com/R3Military.html.)
Temporary agencies such as Adecco help find assignments for anyone looking for short-term project work. You gain potential access to a wide variety of assignments, or you might choose to specialize in one area. For example, many large conventions as well as one-day workshops use “conference staff,” temporary workers who handle the registration and sales tables along with other conference-specific work. Some individuals specialize in this type of work.
“I’ve done contract recruiting both as a ‘1099 contract/self employed’ individual and as a ‘W2 employee,’” says Margaret Blackwell.
Contract recruiting covers an array of different kinds of work from researching individuals and their resumes to interviewing them on site or by telephone, handling the full cycle of contract recruiting – sourcing, screening, interviewing, background checks and extending offers.
“The work tends to be 30-40 hours a week,” Blackwell explains, “but there is flexibility. I’ve been able to schedule interviews around children’s school activities and naps.” She has been able to spread hours into Saturdays or evenings to allow time for family during the day. Some individuals negotiate fewer hours.
If a company is ramping up a sales force or other division, you may find significant opportunities for specific short-term projects. Aside from word-of-mouth networking with recruiters, you can search job sites such as SHRM.com (Society of Human Resources) and ERE.com (Electronic Recruiting Exchange) to find recruiting opportunities.
While recruiting work likely will require some experience or background in human resources, recruiting or management, other project work is not as specific.
Opportunities In Merchandising
Merchandising happens everywhere, from Costco to Wal-Mart to the military exchange.
Merchandisers are the individuals who set up product displays, place instant rebate coupons, hang tags on shelves, handle product recalls (removing recalled items from store shelves or the warehouse and sending them back to the company) and audit stores for safety concerns (ensuring that certain products are locked up).
Merchandisers generally set their own schedules and take days off when they want, as long as they get their projects done. Most work for vendor companies as part-time employees with limited benefits; some jobs pay by the hour while others are paid per project. Hourly rates vary from $10 to $15 per hour and per-project rates vary from $10 to $25. Companies pay a per-diem amount and gas compensation along with toll costs, phone costs and other incidental expenses.
One individual (who asked to remain anonymous) has been completing this work for more than 10 years. “I’m very organized and I work hard,” she says. “I’ve learned how to juggle and combine my work in the same stores and the same towns to minimize my travel.” She now works only when her child is at school. After 10 years in merchandising, she now earns more than $40,000 annually.
“One other benefit,” she adds, “I must walk at least 10 miles a day, so I get my exercise on the job… and there’s no big wardrobe expense!”
Among the skills you need: the ability and self-confidence to talk professionally to store managers; the initiative to be a self-starter and work with minimal supervision; and strong organization and computer skills.
To find merchandiser jobs, check local newspapers and websites such as www.snagajob.com. But the best way is to approach vendors in stores and ask if they have any work or need any help.
Rebecca Poynter is an Army spouse who operates her own public relations business and also completes occasional project work for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). From developing Hurricane Katrina community outreach programs to writing public information brochures for the state of
“Military spouses are perfect for this work,” Poynter says. “You are expected to arrive at a location and get yourself set up without much assistance. We are somewhat used to that from our lifestyle!” FEMA “reservists” are well paid and expenses are covered, she adds.
“Of course, this arrangement won’t work for someone at home with children whose spouse is deployed,” Poynter explains. “You have to be ready to go at the drop of a hat.” Poynter provides FEMA with the time periods she is available… or unavailable. Work is intermittent based on regional emergencies.
Other project work opportunities are very military-life specific. Military OneSource, for example, contracts with many military spouses as “project assistants” to travel regionally and conduct information presentations about Military OneSource to military families at conferences and other events. Native American Management Services contracts with individuals, including military spouses, to conduct career transition seminars at bases in the
The key similarity between the many types of project work is flexibility. Many spouses want the ability to pick and choose their projects and even to say no when necessary, based on what works for their families.
Few project opportunities pay as well as full-time jobs, of course. But these projects may provide more benefits than just flexibility: career continuation, resume building, improving skills and self-confidence, networking with others, and connecting to the wider world outside the home.
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Military spouses Kathie Hightower and Holly Scherer are public speakers and co-authors of the second edition of “Help! I’m a Military Spouse – I Want a Life Too: How to Craft a Life for You as You Move with the Military.” For more information or to request a presentation at your community, go to www.militaryspousehelp.com or send a message to kathie@militaryspousehelp.com.
