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BY sblepage

Cameron-Brooks June 2010 Career Conference

At our June 2010 Career Conference in Austin, Texas,  Cameron-Brooks candidates converted over 60% of their initial interviews to pursuits and every candidate came away with multiple opportunities for the follow-up process.  13 support team members came with the candidates and contributed significantly to their success.  We had a lot of opportunities resulting in one of the highest average number of interviews we’ve seen in several years: 13 per candidate!

It became clear to our team, as we were adding companies to attend the Conference, that there continues to be a significant positive shift in Corporate America.  The number of opportunities for well-prepared Junior Military Officers is growing rapidly. Among the 78 corporate recruiters who conducted interviews at the Conference, 24 were Cameron-Brooks alumni who told us how exciting it is to be working through the turnaround of the U.S. economy.  Senior executives came to Austin to recruit development talent into their organizations because of how important it is for them to find the right leaders.  They do not delegate this responsibility. Hiring the best talent is key to their growth.

It was great to see the energetic response of our June candidates to the company opportunities.  One recruiter commented that enthusiasm is a critical part of what he looks for in a development candidate because it propels that person forward in their career.  This recruiter said “yes” to candidates who showed the enthusiasm to make it through the next 2 promotions and establish their career momentum in the right direction – UP!  Great companies hire people into leadership roles with the expectation of promoting those new leaders.  Candidates want to see company recruiters who are excited about the products and services their company provides.  Recruiters want to see candidates who are excited about using their skills and experiences to advance their careers within their companies.

Enthusiasm is more than just an attitude; it is part of a leader’s commitment to success.  In his book, Pyramid of Success, John Wooden, a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach, described the pyramid, “One cornerstone is industriousness and the other one is enthusiasm.”  John Wooden passed away in June of this year at the age of 99 after a storied career as a coach and as a leader.  His ideas are founded on a history of successful coaching and mentoring leaders.  Your accomplishments as a military officer can be a great indicator of your industriousness. It is up to you to communicate and demonstrate your enthusiasm for leadership so that recruiters know you are excited about success.

We are proud to be part of the careers of the junior military officers in our program who partner with us, both at the Conference and as alumni.  For our June candidates, we know the hurdles they had to clear along the way in order to achieve  the success they had at Conference.  The average amount of time these candidates spent in the Development and Preparation Program © (DPP©) was 10 months.   Think back 10 months to August 2009, and consider the outlook on the economy.  They faced questions about their decisions from people who were not as confident about stepping into a development career.  We know this because we walked alongside them, helping them understand that their success is founded in their industriousness and their enthusiasm.  The June Conference candidates were able to look ahead, maintain their confidence, and focus on executing a successful plan.  Their determination, foresight and preparation paid off with the great opportunities and results that they achieved.  We hope you get the chance to read about their enthusiasm for their careers on the candidate forums over the next several weeks.

As Corporate America continues to charge ahead, we are seeing an increased focus on meeting the challenges of filling the “Leadership Gap” caused by the retirement of baby boomers.  We shared information with you earlier this year about one of our alumni making the cover of FORTUNE magazine.  There is continued interest in the success of junior military officers as development candidates in business in other areas.  A recent NPR interview also included René Brooks in “Corporations Increasingly Turn to Veterans.”  We look forward to our continued work together as your career partner.

Scott