Navy Spouse Builds Thriving Career With HOH Programs
Allison Gunta did not wait for career success—she created it. As a U.S. Navy spouse, she navigated nine Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves, career pauses, and international relocations. Through it all, she remained determined to grow, adapt, and lead her own professional journey.
A Career Built on Resilience
After finishing a master’s degree in the medical field, Allison married her active-duty spouse and began a life marked by frequent moves. Over the years, she sought out ways to stay engaged, grow professionally, and support her family. Through her searching, Allison found Hiring Our Heroes (HOH) and tapped into programs to support her career goals.
“Each PCS brought its own set of challenges, but one constant throughout has been Hiring Our Heroes,” Allison said. “I’ve turned to Hiring Our Heroes during nearly every chapter of my military spouse journey.”
Strategic Support from Hiring Our Heroes
During the pandemic, Allison attended her first HOH Amplify, a professional development workshop tailored to military spouses. She participated virtually with a baby on her lap and an international move ahead. “I was overwhelmed, unsure how to restart my career, and trying to figure out what to do with an unused degree,” Allison shared. “That Amplify reminded me I wasn’t alone.”
She also found a community that understood the unique challenges of military life through the Military Spouse Professional Network (MSPN). The MSPN connects military spouses to career development and networking opportunities through online communities.
Turning a Pause Into Progress
When her family received short-notice PCS orders, Allison had to resign from a job she was thriving in—one that aligned perfectly with her skills—because it could not be done remotely. She decided to pause her job search during the transition to manage the challenging logistics of her family’s relocation.
Instead of viewing the pause as a career setback, she used that time to invest in her own growth. Through Hiring Our Heroes’ Career Forward program, she earned a Google Career Certificate in project management, equipping herself with fresh skills for the next phase of her journey.
When she was ready to return to work, she applied to the Hiring Our Heroes Fellowship program. She hoped it would offer a chance to sharpen her interview skills and gain insight into the competitive job market.
What happened next far exceeded her expectations.
Within a week, Allison had multiple interviews and fellowship offers. She accepted a fellowship at Amazon and discovered a new career path. “That fellowship opened a door I didn’t know existed,” said Allison. “I loved Amazon and the opportunity to apply my background in new and exciting ways.”
“That fellowship opened a door I didn’t know existed,” said Allison. “I loved Amazon and the opportunity to apply my background in new and exciting ways.” –Allison Gunta
During the final weeks of her fellowship, Allison networked and applied for a position internally. Today, she’s thriving in a full-time role at Amazon, doing work she is proud of and finally seeing the career growth she has worked so hard to achieve. “If you had told me a year ago—during another PCS, filled with uncertainty, stepping away from a job I liked—I wouldn’t have believed this was possible,” Allison said
