Here Are 8 Career Opportunities For Indian Army Wives In The Internet Era

Being an army wife is a tough job. To add to that, husband’s hectic schedule and frequent transfers make it difficult for an army wife to pursue a full-time career. I have seen many talented and qualified women letting go of their career due to dearth of good opportunities in smaller towns where their husbands are posted. However, with telecommuting slowly becoming a popular option in India, a lot of new career opportunities have opened up for army wives now. I am an army wife and I work full time in an IT company – thanks to flexible, telecommute option I can avail. Many fellow army wives, I know, are also pursuing a full-time career now.

With telecommuting slowly becoming a popular option in India, a lot of new career opportunities have opened-up for army wives now.

With the culture of telecommuting picking up in India, here are 8 career options that, I think, an army wife can pursue from even the remotest part of the country:

1. IT careers with telecommute options: Several multinational IT companies extend telecommute options to their women employees in need. Employees in IT support, sales, corporate communication, and even development, who can operate remotely are allowed to have the flexibility to working from home on a need basis. For example, the company I work for is located 400 kms from the town where my husband is posted, and I prefer to work from home for 2 days and work from office for the remaining 3 days in a week. When my husband was posted in a remote location, I preferred to completely telecommute for 2 years with periodic visits to office. Terms like these can be negotiated with companies who are willing to extend flexibility to retain good employees.
2. Social Media Manager: The emergence of social media has given rise to several career options, such as Social Media Managers and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) experts. People who are good with basics of social media marketing can join this ever-growing workforce. This career works well for army wives because, more often than not, they offer flexibility to operate from anywhere in the world. Most teams are spread geographically and connect on virtual platforms, such as Slack, Skype, and so on.
3. Blogger, Author, and Content Developer: Many army wives have successfully turned their writing skills into full-fledged careers. Many of them have become best-selling authors. So, if you have a knack for writing, you can look for related opportunities. Many companies look for full-time bloggers and content developers to write exclusively for them. Also, with Indian publishing industry booming like never before, it’s easier for first time authors to get published.
4. Graphic Designer: Graphic Designing requires niche skills. So, a degree or diploma in graphic designing with an inclination towards designing is the right way to go about this career. A seasoned graphic designer has no dearth of good career opportunities, online or offline.
5. Trade Expert: If you have specialization in finance or a degree in business administration, trading is another good career option that you can consider. When pursued smartly, trading is a high-paying career with ample amount of flexibility. You can start with taking a course that offers basic understanding of stock markets and trading. This option involves a learning curve and becomes rewarding with time.
6. Human Resource (HR) Recruiter: Many HR consultancies look for freelance or contractual recruiters who can help them screen and recruit the right candidates for their clients. If you have specialization in HR or a degree in business administration, you can pursue a career as a HR recruiter.
7. Foreign Language Translator or Tutor: If you are a foreign language expert, you will never have dearth of employment opportunities. You can choose to work as a translator or register yourself on several e-tutoring platforms that will help you connect with students who want to learn a language that you specialize in.
8. Travel Advisor: Many renowned travel companies offer telecommute option to their seasoned travel advisors. If you have a degree in hospitality or tourism, travel planning can be a good telecommute career option for you. An army wife, with her constant movements, anyways becomes a travel expert over a period of time.

With high-speed internet available in almost all parts of the country, army wives are gradually becoming a part of country’s mainstream workforce.

Apart from the career opportunities listed above, a lot of army wives choose to become entrepreneurs and run successful, highly profitable ventures.

Gone are the days when army wives had to settle for low-paying local jobs available or be content with the household chores. With high-speed internet available in almost all parts of the country, army wives are gradually becoming a part of country’s mainstream workforce. This is a win-win situation for the army wives as well as companies looking for talented women to join their workforce.