Jillian Carrier

Commercial Auto Litigation Claims Adjustor

Service Member's Branch - Air Force

Service Member's Status - Currently Serving - 20 years

What has been your military spouse career/entrepreneur journey so far?

I began my career in insurance in 2002 while working on my bachelor's degree in business. In 2009, I got married, and the same year my husband received PCS orders from Tinker AFB, OK to Sheppard AFB, TX. It was at this time, I realized that every move was going to be a challenge for me to find a job. As you can imagine, it took me months to find work, and I was fortunate enough to start substitute teaching at a local Elementary school, where I was later hired full-time as a paraprofessional.

In 2013 we PCS'd to Lackland AFB, TX, where my husband was an MTI working long hours. I was ready to go back to my career in insurance and was hired at a local insurance company working in the office across town from where we lived. I was struggling to find a happy balance between picking up our four kids from school and daycare on time with the insane traffic and how far the commute was. I knew I couldn't continue like this and needed to figure something out if I wanted to continue working.

I loved where I worked, but I did not get the military-friendly vibe or that they truly understood our lifestyle so decided to part ways and was lucky enough to find another insurance company that allowed me to work full-time from home. This was a breath of fresh air, and I could still have a career alongside my husband, and now I could take it with me everywhere we moved. As you can imagine, we moved several more times: Ellsworth AFB, SD back to Tinker AFB, OK, and then to Keesler, AFB, MS where I am still happily employed and working remotely.

Tell us about yourself.

My name is Jillian and I am from Texas. I enjoy gardening, watching college football and traveling with my family in our RV. We have four kids, two dogs and I have been a military spouse for 15 years.

Tell us about a "typical" day in your professional life.

A typical day in my professional life involves reviewing insurance policies, investigating auto claims that are in litigation, communicating with policyholders, and negotiating with attorneys to resolve litigated injury claims. Additionally, when needed, I attend mediation, settlement conferences, and trials.

If you've been stationed overseas, how did this affect your career and or business?

N/A

What has been your biggest military spouse career struggle and how did you overcome it?

My biggest military career struggle was at the beginning of our marriage when we had our first PCS. It shouldn't have come as a surprise since I knew we would move one day, but when the day came, I realized I was mad. Looking back, I don't even know why I was mad, I just knew that I was not ready to say goodbye to my career, my accomplishments, and everything I had worked so hard for over 7 years. I was being selfish, but, I did like all of us do, I put my notice in, said my goodbyes, and then watched my house get packed up, and off we went. I realized that everything we do and everything we go through just prepares us for what is next whether that is the next job or next duty assignment. Having a positive mindset and being resilient helps with the transitions.

What role did mentors and sponsors play in your journey?

N/A

How does your career path differ from what you imagined for yourself?

When I was in college, I thought I would work in an office and continue with the job I was at my whole career. I loved the company, but strangely enough, when we got restationed in Oklahoma, I had zero desire to go back to work there. I enjoy the career path I am on and love working for a company that understands the military lifestyle and that I may be logged in from one state this month and another one next month or next year. They trust that the work is getting done regardless of where I am logged in from.

How did military life (PCSing, deployments, trainings, etc) factor into your career decisions?

I realized when I was looking into law school after completing my graduate degree several years ago that our next duty assignment was several hours away from the school. It was not feasible or fair to live separately from my family to focus on something that I wanted that I did not need. Plus the added stress of taking the bar in multiple jurisdictions, and trying to secure work only long enough to receive orders again every few years. I realized that I was happy in my current career and would remain working remotely so that I was available before/after school, if the kids were sick and when my husband deployed or went TDY.

Have you ever had to geo-bach due to your career/entrepreneurship?

We made the decision to geo-bach, roughly 16 months total when my husband received orders to the Pentagon. Then the kids and I followed on to Keesler AFB, MS after he was established there. It was a very challenging time since it was at the start of Covid. I was working full time, attempting to homeschool 3 kids, and juggling the kids' extracurricular activities. The best tip I can offer is to build a strong community, life is better together. Do not try to do it all on your own. There are people out there who want to help you, get yourself plugged in, and lean on them when needed. While choosing to live apart is not ideal, it is doable. However, personally, I would probably never choose to do it again.

What resources have you found to be useful in your career/entrepreneur journey?

The Military Family Readiness Center on base offers classes that will help with resume writing and also will show you how to use some of the job search engines for both government and civilian work and also how to market yourself on LinkedIn and other employment platforms. Hire Heroes is another phenomenal resource where volunteers conduct mock interviews to prepare you and review resumes.

Final word: what are your top tips for other military spouses about navigating a career within the military lifestyle?

Know your worth and do not settle for less. It is important to maintain a positive mindset while navigating a career within the military lifestyle. Not all employers are the same and some truly do not understand our lifestyle. Find a happy median work/life balance that will allow you flexibility and the option to take your job with you when you PCS.

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