SITUATION: John retired from a very diverse 20+ year career in the Navy. He was always called upon to design, develop or improve performance, processes and value-to-cost assignments in the areas of logistics and process improvement. Transitioning to the private sector would be difficult unless John could differentiate himself from others, using his unique competencies, education and abilities, applied to the strategies of a corporation.
STRATEGY: The issue that John faced is similar to most retired military: They are about 40 years old, have a deep and broad set of experiences, but are perceived by the private sector as being limited in the application of job skills to the civilian marketplace. Those views are totally incorrect. Military personnel most always turn out to be highly productive, focused, loyal and the best performers once they are settled into their new position. The key is to effectively “market” their skills, experience and results. Their strategy needed to stand out?
- Focus on measureable results that are transferrable to the private sector
- Chose functions that are highly desired by companies in a growth mode
- Target companies that are in your sweet spot of competencies
- Target mid-sized to smaller emerging companies, not huge corporations
- Seek companies where high performance and quality standards are encouraged
- Look for a pay-for-performance philosophy (with an incentive plan, if possible)
- A company that recognizes talent and offers major opportunity based on their growth
RESULTS: John accepted a management position in distribution for an entrepreneurial business. The criteria he was looking for was met:
- A high growth business that offered future opportunities (20% growth per annum)
- A position in his “sweet spot” of logistics, distribution and process improvement
- A 6 to 12 month “learn the business” role with a quick advancement to a higher position
- An accelerated learning curve to demonstrate his integration into the commercial sector
- An incentive compensation plan based on corporate and unit results to objectives
- An opportunity to play a significant role, over time, as the company grows nationally
John’s situation is not unique as many retired military personnel are talented, but totally unaware of how to put a job search strategy together. These are cases where a coach can be a great asset. The key is to engage a coach within 3 to 6 months prior to retirement.
Lessons Learned? The key for John was to:
- Define the transferable skill sets from the military to the private sector
- Drop the military jargon and learn the “language” of the industry he was targeting
- Manage the differences in culture, Interviewing, operating style and structure
Take action 3 ways:
- Prepare for the surge of jobs in the Fall season. Contact Bill Kaufmann as a coach
- Send comments, questions or your resume to: mygreenerfuture1@cox.net – Get a free review and talk about your career alternatives
- Send for a copy of Bill’s “How To Find A Job: Successful Job Search Strategies” Go to: http://www.createspace.com/3884487