529. A Portable Career

Marcelle Yeager

When Marcelle and her husband decided he should accept a job as a foreign service officer, starting in Uzbekistan, she knew she’d have to give up the job she loved. Looking at the bright side, she saw this as an opportunity to start her own business. What she needed now was a “Portable Career” that could travel wherever her husband was posted.

After 10 years of strategic communications consulting, Marcelle Yeager changed course to enable people to get to the next level of their careers. Her company, Career Valet, helps mid- to senior-level professionals secure new roles. She recently co-founded ServingTalent, the first recruiting agency for military and foreign service spouses. Marcelle holds an MBA from the University of Maryland. She is a regular contributor to U.S. News and World Report’s On Careers blog and ClearanceJobs.com.

How Did You Start Using Your Talents?

At a very early age, Marcelle created her own small business called “Just Things,” selling goodie bags and trinkets to her friends. To this day, some of her friends still have the business cards she created for that childhood business. She also learned the value of communicating and learning other languages, and expanded her view of the world through a Bosnian friend who lived with her family after escaping her war-torn country.

The Most Impactful Turning Point?

When Marcelle’s husband accepted a job with the Foreign Service, she was able to adapt her concepts based on her experiences, helping her clients benefit from her own real-world challenges. Much of this would only be possible because of the worldwide reach of the internet.

The Most Powerful Lessons Learned?

“It’s not always going to be perfect and one hundred percent, but I can meet my own needs, career-wise and personally, and the needs of my family. I would like to continue with my companies to see where they can go. I believe I can help many more people find rewarding careers.”

On Her Bookshelf

Passion Capital: The World’s Most Valuable Asset, by Paul Alofs

Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, by Greg McKeown

Steps to Success from Marcelle Yeager

1. Recognize that you have always been building your network, as far back as pre-school. Don’t be afraid to reach out to those people, tell them what you’re doing and ask them questions.

2. Most people love to give advice. Feel free to ask for it. You don’t have to take all the advice, but you learn from being open to considering the ideas of others.

3. Remember, too, that nothing is set in stone. You can always change. You can’t know everything when you start.

4. Choosing your own path and shifting plans when you need to helps better control stress.