Rachel Cartaya

Digital Producer

Service Member's Branch - Army

Service Member's Status - Currently Serving - 8 years

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

When I graduated college my husband had PCS'ed and graduated the year earlier and we wanted to wait till the fall to get married. I was lost career-wise because I had graduated with a BS in Physics but did not want to be a teacher and was unsure if it made sense to get a job right after school when I would be leaving for Missouri six months later. I ended up taking an administrative assistant role where I enjoyed working with the people around me but felt unfulfilled as I wasn't using my degree. Then came our wedding in November of 2017, and moving from VA to MO where after arriving I spent 6 -7 months job hunting only to get 2 part-time jobs as a pharmacy tech and tasting room associate for a winery. Again, I had great co-workers but felt like I was in debt for a degree I was not even going to be using as a military spouse. I then came across a company that was closer to my science background and allowed me to work in a lab environment that I had dreamed about one day working in. This career led me to pursue my Master's degree as well but I had to do this online and in the evenings after working all day. I was able to work there for 2.5 years before it was time to PCS again. This was the hardest PCS for me as that job was well-paying and was very fulfilling for my ideal career path. We moved to Georgia and found out I was pregnant which made the job hunt even more difficult as I felt like I could not try for a job in a lab setting. I ended up becoming a bank teller which did not appeal to my science mind and felt like another step back in my career. Once I had my little one I decided not to go back to the bank and found a remote job with a company started by a military spouse. I was working as an administrative assistant, but this job allowed me to meet my current company which bought out my contract to bring me on full-time as a Project Manager (Digital Producer). This job will also travel with our next PCS.

Tell us about yourself.

My name is Rachel and I am from Newport News, Virginia. I enjoy reading, exploring new areas, and spending time with my family. I am a boy mom, cat mom, and have been a military spouse for 7 years. My introduction to military life started in high school though when my high school sweetheart started talking about going to college on an Army Scholarship. We both ended up at Virginia Tech and stayed together and now get to live this crazy Army life together.

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

My typical day starts with logging into my work laptop from wherever I chose to start my day off from as I am now working entirely remotely. I will check in with my project teams to see if any blockers or communications need to be created to help keep the projects moving forward. I help lead my teams not from a technical standpoint but from a guiding and motivating perspective to help keep everyone working well together.

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

Our next PCS is overseas. My job has approved the move but I am now working through all the legal applications I need to complete with Belgium for me to legally be allowed to work there.

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

The move from MO to GA was extremely difficult. The company I was working for checked all the boxes and I was climbing the ladder quickly and could see myself working there for a long time. That was not in the cards for us and I knew it would happen but it helped push me to find the Project management world and I was able to achieve my Master's degree which helped propel me to my current position that I love. I never thought I would want to be working remotely but it has been the biggest blessing for our family as I can work when my little one is sick and have a lot of flexibility in my schedule.

What role did mentors and sponsors play in your journey?

Mentors have been invaluable in offering advice, sharing their wisdom and experiences, and serving as sounding boards for my ideas and aspirations. They have provided valuable feedback, helped me navigate challenges, and offered perspectives that have broadened my understanding of various aspects of my career and personal development. I think it is important to ensure you chat through your goals and align with your mentor to ensure they understand how you envision your career path.

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

I did not imagine jumping around into so many different industries and leaving places every few years. I wanted to stay at a company to build those relationships and not start at the bottom every other year.

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

Military life always plays a role when deciding on a job. I try to weigh all the options. Even if I am applying for something that did not fit into my career, I would take it as a way to help provide for our family and not let my student loan debt sit for only my husband to pay on it.

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

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

MyCAA - was super helpful in providing some scholarship money for my Master's degree and networking with any and all you meet along the way in the military life.

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

In military life, it is easier at times to let your career take a back seat to your soldier's career. But it does not have to be that way. It may not be easy but it is worth fighting for your career to help provide that drive and sense of purpose. If you want to pursue that job or degree, talk with your spouse and work through this to ensure you are both supporting each other and know what the new normal will look like. I can say it is worth the struggle and you both can get through this by supporting and cheering each other on in your respective career paths.

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