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BY petevanepps

Need Help With Your Military Transition? Find a Guide! (E189)

Welcome back! If you’re questioning whether or not you need help with your military transition, this podcast is for you.

In this episode, you will meet Colin Floyd. Colin is a former USMC Air Defense officer who attended the August 2023 Cameron-Brooks Career Conference. When I first met Colin, he was attempting to find a job on his own in a medium-sized city in North Carolina. Our first interaction was great – I enjoyed meeting him and learning more about his career goals, but at the time, what he was trying to do and how Cameron-Brooks helps officers were not aligned. We parted ways as friends, and I wished him the best in all of his future endeavors.

Fast forward a couple of months, and Colin and I reconnected. He said his situation had changed, and he wanted to explore a partnership with Cameron-Brooks in order to help him reach his career goals. He said he’d had sent his resume to “dozens” in his local area and had not heard back from any. His goal has always been to use his military leadership experience to move to the business world, but didn’t have any business experience, didn’t have a network of people who could help him get interviews and didn’t have a plan. Well, outside of sending his resumes to any and every company he could see, he didn’t have a plan.

I am glad he called back and was and I am glad we partnered. It’s ok to need help with your military transition. In a relatively short amount of time in our program, Colin created an interview-ready resume, gained valuable interview skills, increased his overall business knowledge, and explored different career fields to determine both his interest and fit. Ultimately, Colin attended the August 2023 Career Conference, where he had 11 interviews with hiring managers and decision-makers. He went on to conduct follow-up interviews with multiple companies from the Conference, ultimately accepting an offer for a sales and account management role at Berry Global.

During our conversation, Colin described his company and role, and I think that for those wanting to know more about launching your career in sales and account management, his experience can be helpful in learning more. Additionally, a few points I hope you glean from this podcast are:

Define Your Goal

I often talk to military officers who are convinced they are going end their time on active duty but, beyond that, aren’t thinking past, “I am going to find a job.” The adage holds true: if you don’t have a goal, you won’t know if you are on the right track. I encourage you to set a goal, not only for the day you get out but 5+ years down the road. This step is critical as it will guide you to build a plan to get there.

Have a Plan

Once you know where you want to go, it’s time to build a plan. Where are you going? What skills and experiences are required to get there? Do you need help? If so, who do you know? What knowledge do you need to gain to be successful in reaching your goal? Answering these questions and more will get you moving toward developing a solid plan.

Have a Guide

People trust experts to do things that they can’t do themselves. Even as I write that, it grates against my nature. I want to do things myself and I do. Simple things like changing my oil, detailing my car, or spraying pesticides around my house. You know, easy stuff. Heck, whenever I need to do something, I go to YouTube first because I know someone out there has tried it. That said, I don’t go to YouTube for tax advice. I go to my accountant, Jake. Jake is an expert in tax code. I don’t have the time or desire to learn the tax code or keep up with the ever-changing tax laws. When I know I need an expert, I don’t waste time – I go to the expert. If I know it will be more costly, whether it’s time, money, or quality, I call an expert. So it’s smart to lean on an expert when you need help with your military transition.

If you have been out there trying to do it on your own or don’t want to start down that road even start out by going it alone, give me a call. I can help you define your goal and build a plan for success. Cameron-Brooks has been helping military officers move from the military to corporate America for over half a century. We are experts at helping military officers conduct a broad and enriching career search. Even if you aren’t sure, give me a call or send me an email. I help you explore this path to see if it’s right for you. Even if it’s not, a conversation can help you define your goals and build a plan.

Let’s have a conversation about defining your goals and building a plan. Give us a call. Of course, if you want more information before you reach out, you can explore a plethora of resources on our website at www.cameron-brooks.com.

If you need help with your military transition, want an extraordinary post-military career, we are here to help. Cameron-Brooks has a 50-year track record of guiding military officers to create a step-by-step plan to learn about their options, connect their military experiences directly to opportunities in corporate America, craft a resume that will stand out to hiring managers, and ultimately launch a successful business career.

Best of Success,
Pete Van Epps

pete@cameron-brooks.com // (210) 874-1500