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It’s no secret military spouses face immense challenges as they look to find jobs that suit their military lifestyle, education, and work experience. The lack of employment is a constant topic of discussion. The most recent Blue Star Families Military Family Lifestyle Survey revealed that military spouse employment is the primary cause of concern among the community, sitting above military pay, family separation, and BAH rates.
Finding a job in Alexandria can be concerning for military families headed to Virginia. In Northern Virginia, dual incomes are the norm, and military families likely won’t be an exception.
Alexandria is one of the most expensive cities for a military family to live in, but, thankfully, the job opportunities are better than most duty stations. In general, the city’s proximity to Washington, DC, allows for jobs in government and throughout the industries that work alongside government. Everything from healthcare to security and customer service is needed. This area embraces remote or flexible working hours, which are often helpful for a military spouse—a bonus!
According to the Fairfax County EDA, the largest employers include Inova Health System, Amazon, Booz Allen Hamilton, MITRE, Capital One, and more. Ten Fortune 500 companies also have their headquarters in Fairfax County.
Job Connections Using LinkedIn and Amazon
LinkedIn recently started a program to address military spouse employment and to prepare spouses to begin their job search. Partnered with the U.S. Department of Defense’s Spouse Education and Career Opportunities program, LinkedIn is offering one free year of LinkedIn Premium after a PCS transition.
With this service, there are additional perks. Spouses have access to 12,000 LinkedIn Learning Courses and training geared toward finding freelance, flexible, and remote work. The partnership also provides a military spouse with a specific LinkedIn group.
After researching homes in Alexandria, you’ve no doubt heard about Amazon HQ2 and its location, which has many names: Crystal City, Arlington, or what is now being called National Landing. No matter what you call the city, the location is in Alexandria’s backyard.
Amazon’s presence allows spouses to work for a global company in close proximity to their homes, either in Alexandria City or Alexandria, Fairfax County. The company’s promise of supplying more than 50,000 has rang true, and it quickly became one of the largest employers in the area.
Amazon also has a division that works to hire veterans and spouses. It’s a great idea to connect with their military recruiters on LinkedIn and keep up to date with job openings as they become available.
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City of Alexandria and Fairfax County Job Opportunities
Fairfax County is an enormous entity and a hotbed for many companies that military spouses seek. One, for example, is the county government, which is the gateway to hiring teachers and other education professionals.
If names like Kaiser Permanente, Lockheed Martin, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the Washington Post sound like good options for beginning a job search, you’re in luck because they’re located in Springfield, Alexandria’s easily commutable neighbor.
Depending on where you live in Alexandria, these well-known companies might offer an even shorter drive time because of their location on the Richmond Highway Corridor: Access Home Care, Inova Health System, SAIC, Sunrise Senior Living, U.S. Department of Defense, and the U.S. Postal Service.
The City of Alexandria also has a department dedicated to finding its residents jobs, not only for the city itself but through the City's Workforce Development Center. There, applicants are offered workforce development opportunities, which include career readiness workshops and assessments and access to local hiring events.
Fort Belvoir is always a good starting point for spouses to inquire about job opportunities on and around the base.
Start with the MWR and the ACS Employment Readiness Program. There, job seekers will find resources for job availabilities and guidance for resume writing, interview skills, and more. Also under the MWR, The NAF Human Resources office supplies appointments for those hoping to find work with USA Jobs, Army Civilian Service, and Avuecentral.
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Last but certainly not least are Blue Star Families-National Capital Region, Military Officers Association of America, and the National Military Family Association. These for-profit and nonprofit organizations are known for recruiting military spouses for jobs. They each have offices in Alexandria and provide volunteering options, support spouses in advancing professional skills, and conduct job searches.
Spouse employment is one of the top stressors for military families to deal with before and during a PCS move. Thankfully, Alexandria presents several good avenues to explore for those headed to the area.
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