It Takes a Village

We all know about the value of spouse groups for family support, so why is it that we don't extend this same mentality to our job search? I think one of the most demoralizing and isolating exercises anyone can ever go through is that new job search or any kind of career transition. What's helped me get through is a small group of friends who are always there to offer their support. In addition to ad hoc phone calls and informal coffee meet ups with different folks, three of us actually have a monthly phone call where we share our successes, frustrations and any issues we may be facing. As military spouses, we should really know better than to try to tackle the job search on our own. We don't even think about moving without reaching out to a sponsor or a more experienced spouse. Why would we think that our careers are any different? Personally, I know enough to know that I don't know near enough! I love that I can tap into the knowledge base of my two friends and contribute my own knowledge to help them work out their issues. Our calls started as a way to share what we were all doing, but as our businesses started to grow, they have organically grown to a venue for us to connect one another to additional opportunities and contacts. Being in business for yourself can be incredibly isolating at times, so it's great to know that I have that support system out there. Try it out for yourself. My friends are actually not even located in the same area and one isn't even a military spouse, but that's the great thing about technology - your mastermind group doesn't have to be local. Put together a small group of trusted friends with a common goal and get that support system in place.