Military spouse? Use your hiring preference!

Military spouses are eligible for a very powerful advantage when searching for a new federal job: a built-in legal preference at hiring time, as long as you meet certain criteria. 

In recent years, the government stopped using the old spousal job preference—the former Priority Preference Program (PPP), also known as “Program S.” 

The newer program—as discussed in a new article on Military.com—the Military Spouse Preference (MSP) is the replacement for Program S. It offers several key improvements, not least that you no longer have to go in person to register for the scheme. You can do it all online, and then make use of your preference via the USAJOBS.gov government hiring website. 

Like the previous program, in recognition of the dangerous work and sacrifice of military personnel and their families, MSP also can be accessed by spouses of disabled servicemembers as well as of those killed on active duty. 

As the article warns, neither the earlier nor current program entitle you to a federal job, but they do provide a preference in the event you can meet all the qualifications and background checks demanded by a given position. You can read more about MSP in the article or on an informational page on the Military Officers Association of America website.