Building Military Spouse Careers at AT&T

Flexibility. If you ask most military spouses one trait that would describe them, many would agree that it’s the ability to switch gears in a moment’s notice. That switch could be as small as changing a daily routine, or as big as moving to an entirely new city. You can see how flexibility makes all the difference when speaking with the military spouses who are growing their careers with us. See how military spouses like Jennifer Palisoc pay it forward for career and community.

Jennifer Palisoc

“A lot of the culture and support you get from co-workers, programs and the community help support and build relationships. That helps a ton as a military spouse.” Starting as a receptionist in high school, Jennifer transitioned into a sales role with us as her husband served in the Marines. Today, his service is finished, but the experience stuck with Jennifer as she made valuable connections and moved throughout various military spouse careers.

Jennifer works closely with our veteran-focused employee resource group: ATT Veterans. The group is an independent organization that dedicates itself to serving the veteran and military community. That can mean helping troops overseas with supply packages, helping veterans build a network, or in Jennifer’s case – assisting veteran families and veterans transitioning into civilian life.

“When you live your last four years in an environment where the people you travel and work with become your family, and then you leave the military and go into the civilian world – that’s what we help with in terms of job-hunting. We help veterans and military spouses with practice interviews and demonstrating how their skills can apply to a career.”

The biggest barrier in finding military spouse careers can simply be awareness. Jennifer’s work, and the work of ATT Veterans, plays a big role in raising awareness and helping potential members feel like they are part of a group.

“I believe people want to help but they don’t know how to get involved. Sometimes they wait for someone to ask. When they finally join our group or an event, they feel like they belong. They’re giving something back.”

Finding the right career as a military spouse

We’re honored that veterans and family members alike are ready to share their experience with us. Just ask Jamie Rufolo, who held ten positions in ten cities for over 20 years.