Cameron-Brooks

Welcome back to another Post-Conference Review. For the August 2024 Career Conference, we had three of our most recent alumni on a webcast to share their experiences about the Cameron-Brook process and where they chose to launch their careers. Marina Muenster - LT, Navy Nuclear Surface Warfare Officer Ryan De Franco - LT, Naval Aviator David Lara - CPT, Army Air Defense Artillery I started the webcast by asking one question, then went for the questions that the attendees on the webcast asked of the panelists. My question to the group was, "What was your biggest surprise from the Career Conference?" They each offered great advice and perspective to other military officers who are preparing to transition. Prepare Ryan said he put so much time into preparing to interview that when the time came, he spent less time thinking about the tactical nature of answering interview questions and more time listening, reflecting and delivering specific answers. This allowed him to focus his answer on the unique aspects of the role and, therefore, better connect his military experience directly to the role. Be Curious Marina was surprised by how much time was afforded to her to ask questions in the interview. It is natural to think an interview is all about someone asking you questions and you responding. Often, JMOs don't realize that an essential part of the interview is asking questions to demonstrate your interest in the company and position. Our panelists give some great advice on how to navigate that part of the interview effectively. The Interview is Often Conversational David said the interview "is not a gotcha game." Instead, the interview is a conversation. Hiring managers and decision-makers want to get to know you. They have an open position that brings value to their company, and they want to find the right person to fill that role. As David said, "They are not trying to trick you." After those questions, the officers who attended the webcast submitted the following questions: What was the single best thing you did to prepare for interviews? How open were you on location? Did you accept a job that matched your preference? Did the opportunities at the Career Conference meet your salary expectations? Did you involve your spouse or significant other in your process? Why did you choose a partnership with Cameron-Brooks? What were the hiring managers and decision-makers most interested in hearing about? What were the follow-up interviews (after the Career Conference) like? How did you get your study group going, and what was the rhythm and best practices? How did you use the DoD Skillbridge to best prepare? Were there any interviews where you felt it didn't go well, but you were pursued after the interview? And more! I think these webcasts are so valuable because they give those who have not been to a Career Conference a "behind-the-scenes" view of what it's like. In a sea of choices, it's sometimes hard to know the right path to navigate in order to reach your end goal. These conversations help those planning to attend a future Conference have the confidence to continue preparing for transition success. If you are a JMO and looking for answers, we are here to help. Cameron-Brooks has over 5 decades of experience guiding military officers as they transverse the challenges of transition from the military to the business world. I am glad to meet with you one-on-one to help better define your marketability and explore options. You can also find more information about Cameron-Brooks on our website, YouTube and LinkedIn. It all starts with a conversation. Best of success, Pete Van Epps || pete@cameron-brooks.com || (210) 874-1519

Joel and I teamed up to talk about one of our favorite topics: Leadership! As some may know, Joel is currently a graduate student in the Gonzaga Master of Organizational Leadership program. He’s taken a couple of classes in heartiness and resiliency and read the book Leading at the Edge by Dennis Perkins, so I gave it a read! In this episode, we discuss a couple of key leadership strategies that Shackleton exemplified, and Perkins identifies in his book through extensive research and a life dedicated to learning about leadership. Dennis Perkins has spent a major part of his life trying to understand what it really means to be a leader – particularly under conditions of adversity, ambiguity, and change. His passion to understand the art of leadership began at the United States Naval Academy. He went on to commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps and serve as a Company Commander in Vietnam. His leadership “post-graduate” education continued well past the USMC. Perkins went onto attend Harvard Business School, then later obtain his doctorate in Psychology from the University of Michigan. Perkins proceeded to join the Yale School of Management as a faculty member and is now the CEO of The Syncretics Group, a consulting firm dedicated to effective leadership in demanding environments. Joel and I picked a couple of strategies that resonated with us and how we felt they applied to the JMO leading in the military, and to leaders in business. Joel also recently climbed a Mountain in his Masters. While not in the Antarctic for 800 days, it was quite an experience. While a six-to-nine-month deployment may not equate to being stranded in the Antarctic for 800 days, it takes strong leaders to help their crew, their units, their organizations through challenging times. Quick summary of the book below. Leading at the Edge Leading at the Edge: Leadership Lessons from the Extraordinary Saga of Shackleton's Antarctic Expedition by Dennis Perkins uses the story of Sir Ernest Shackleton's 1914 expedition as a framework for exploring leadership in extreme circumstances. Perkins draws leadership principles from Shackleton’s incredible ability to lead his crew through crisis and adversity. This book demonstrates how leadership lessons from the edge of survival can be applied to organizations confronting contemporary challenges such as competition; economic uncertainty; and the need for constant innovation, growth, and change. Beset and trapped in solid ice packs, the crew was engaged in a fight for survival. The “Endurance” (Shackleton’s Ship) eventually was crushed by ice and sank. Through remarkable leadership, Shackleton managed to keep his men alive and motivated. He led a harrowing open-boat journey over 800 miles of treacherous seas to seek rescue, eventually saving all his men without a single loss of life. Lansing’s narrative highlights the courage, resilience, and teamwork that enabled them to survive this epic ordeal. Perkins's ten key leadership strategies that Shackleton exemplified are laid out below: Ten Strategies 1. Never lose sight of the ultimate goal and focus energy on short-term objectives. 2. Set a personal example with visible, memorable symbols and behaviors. 3. Instill optimism and self-confidence but stay grounded in reality. 4. Take care of yourself: Maintain your stamina and let go of guilt. 5. Reinforce the team message constantly: “We are one – we live or die together”. 6. Minimize status differences and insist on courtesy and mutual respect. 7. Master conflict – deal with anger in small doses, engage dissidents, and avoid needless power struggles. 8. Find something to celebrate and something to laugh about. 9. Be willing to take the Big Risk. 10. Never give up – there’s always another move. Hope you enjoy the episode! Brock Dudley || (210) 874-1495 || bdudley@cameron-brooks.com YouTube Channel LinkedIn

When Cameron-Brooks partners with a military officer, we really do view our relationship as a partner. I know when many officers find Cameron-Brooks, whether through an internet search, on social media or just through word of mouth, they often approach us with an immediate and short-term need. Namely, they are getting out of the military and want to find meaningful work that will allow them to use their leadership to make contributions to their new organization and will allow them to continue to grow and develop professionally. While certainly, that represents one of the ways we help military officers launch meaningful careers, that is not the only way we partner with military officers. Before they begin interviewing, we guide officers through a curriculum-based Development and Preparation Program (DPP)© Additionally, after an officer accepts a position and launches their career, we commit to walking alongside them throughout their career. In this episode, Cameron-Brooks Principal Lauren Kordzik shares some best practices regarding walking alongside officers as they launch their careers and how to accelerate your career in the first year You may remember Lauren from Episode 147. Lauren spends much of her time at Cameron-Brooks working with our client companies, so in that episode, she shared her experience with why companies hire military officers for high-potential leadership roles. Another important function that she does at Cameron-Brooks is she conducts "first-year check-ins" with officers who have launched their new business careers. In our conversation, Lauren explains the “upsides” and “watch-outs” of some of the most common themes that tend to surface during these conversations. The three themes we discuss that will help accelerate your career in the first year: Appreciate your ability to make a choice as to where you will work next and be mindful of the trade-offs with the choice. Be patient and be proactive. Know that you will likely encounter a learning curve, but also have the courage and conviction to make important decisions early and often. Expect uncertainly. When you make the move to your new role, there will be an excitement that is undeniably exhilarating. After the “newness” wears off, uncertainty and doubt tend to creep in. Many say just know and appreciating this will help get them through those initial times of uncertainty. In this episode, we also mention some great books that you will help explore some of the ideas discussed as you either continue to prepare to make the transition to the business world and as you already on your journey. The Dip by Seth Godin The 6 Types of Working Genius by Patrick Lincioni Of course, if you are interested to see if Cameron-Brooks can help you reach your personal and professional goals, give me a call or shoot me an email. I’m glad to set up a quick meeting to explore the possibility of partnering with and being a guide of you on your journey. You call also learn more about Cameron-Brooks on our website, YouTube channel and LinkedIn. Until next time, make it a great day! Pete Van Epps || pete@cameron-brooks.com || (210) 874-1519

When a military officer leaves the military in search of a high-potential leadership career in corporate America, there are many ways they can use their leadership experience to launch their business career. One area where officers have launched their careers and accelerated is in the career field of business analysis. This is the career field where you will provide program, process, or project leadership and support for either an internal or external customer. This type of work focuses on building and maintaining key relationships with customers by developing an in-depth knowledge of their business needs to improve or optimize results. This can be done in a wide array of functional areas and industries, such as finance, marketing, data analytics, program/project management, consulting, and many more. As a matter of fact, functionally speaking, business analysis is the broadest of the career fields we represent. Many different types of roles and functions fit into this bucket. Essentially, if the primary function of the role isn’t team leadership, engineering management, or professional sales, it will fall into the business analysis category. That is not to imply the category is a “catch all” – it is to say that a post-military career in business analysis is a broad field. A common misconception about business analysis is the opposite. Often, at first glance, people assume the career field is mostly sitting behind a desk and crunching numbers all day, never interacting with others or leading. On the contrary, a post-military career in business analysis consists of leading important projects, programs, and/or processes, both inside and outside of the organization, that help the business move forward. In this episode, Joel Junker interviews three Cameron-Brooks alumni from three different industries to hear more about their experience and careers within the business analysis career field. You will learn more about the common misconceptions associated with the career field, key attributes and interview connecting points, as well as what a day in the life may look like from each of our panelists’ perspective. This episode is the fourth installment in our career field series. You can learn more about engineering management, professional sales, and manufacturing by clicking the links. If you are new to Cameron-Brooks, you find more information about who we are, what we do, and how we can help on our website. You can also hear officer testimonials, interview tips, and other transition preparation guidance on our YouTube channel.

When I interview junior military officers (JMOs) to determine their fit with the Cameron-Brooks program, I ask them to describe their leadership style. They often label their style as “I am a servant leader.” When I help the officers in our program prepare answers to the question, “What is your leadership style, or similarly, how do you build a team?” I hear much of the same, such as, “I use a servant leadership style approach.” When I hear JMOs describe what they mean, I wonder if they genuinely understand servant leadership. To help gain clarification, I interviewed Dr. Michael Carey, a professor at Gonzaga University School of Leadership Studies who was the first director of the Organizational Leadership program in 1987 to be a guest on the show. Dr. Carey is the coordinator for the Master in Servant Leadership program and teaches several classes. Gonzaga University is recognized as one of the leading institutions in Servant Leadership. I am currently a graduate student in the Gonzaga Master’s of Organizational Leadership and have taken two classes in the Servant Leadership concentration, one of them with Dr. Carey and another with Larry Spears, the founder of the Spears Center for Servant-Leadership and former longtime President and CEO (1990-2007) of The Robert K. Greenleaf Center for Servant-Leadership. My conversation with Dr. Carey aims to easily define and explain Servant Leadership and how we can all be Servant Leaders at work, at home, and in other organizations. In addition to Servant Leadership, we also cover Transformational Leadership, which is related. The conversation is not academic at all and is highly applicable to military officers still serving, those preparing for the transition, and the Cameron-Brooks Alumni listeners as well. Listen and learn more about servant leadership and the JMO. To learn more about Servant Leadership, Dr. Carey recommended the topics listed below. Robert Greenleaf is considered the founder of the Servant Leadership concept. He wrote the essay “The Servant as Leader” in 1970. The institute he started on Servant Leadership is now based at Seton Hall University. You can find numerous resources and articles on Servant Leadership at the Robert K. Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership at https://www.greenleaf.org/. He also referenced the Spears Center for Servant-Leadership, which I had described previously. Both of these websites have blogs and book recommendations. Here is my favorite Robert Greenleaf quote that I try to follow each day, “The servant-leader is servant first, it begins with a natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first, as opposed to, wanting power, influence, fame, or wealth.” Thank you for listening to the Cameron-Brooks podcast! As you consider your potential transition from the military to the business world, if you'd like to discuss your marketability or how Cameron-Brooks can guide you to launch your career, please contact us directly. Schedule a call here. 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.

Let's talk about a post-military career in professional sales. Business-to-business (B2B) sales is one of the most important functions in the business world. It is where a company that makes a product or service interfaces directly with a customer. As the name suggests, B2B sales is all about selling products and services to other businesses in order to help them meet their professional goals in the market. From a JMO perspective, Sales is also one of the most misunderstood career field categories. When I initially talk to military officers about Sales, I often hear objections such as they do not want to go into a role that is 100% commission, high pressure, and high travel. Additionally, they think sales is a zero-sum game where you have to "do" something to someone in order to win. Business-to-business sales are different. With B2B Sales, your objective is to create a trusting relationship with a customer, demonstrate your credibility in solving their problem or creating value, and deliver a product or solution that helps your customer be more effective in their marketplace. In this episode, you will hear three Cameron-Brooks alumni talk about their post-military career in Professional Sales, their experience as sales professionals, as well as dispel some common myths about the sales profession. You will meet: Bridget Walton, USMC Command and Control 1LT, launched her career at Motorola Solutions. Blake Boyd, Army Armor CPT, launched his career at Abbott. Billy Cattron, Army Infantry CPT, launched his career at Altec. Each of those former military officers attended the January 2019 Cameron-Brooks Career Conference. One of the most interesting aspects of the webcast is that although each of these officers started their career in a different industry, each shared similar experiences about understanding customer needs, creating solutions, and ultimately bringing value. At Cameron-Brooks, we have seen countless numbers of military officers launch their careers in B2B sales. If you want to hear more about a sales career, including career progression and growth, check out podcasts with Aaron Carter, Anthony Applegate, Jonathan Brewer and Connor Pratt! Of course, if you want to know more about how Cameron-Brooks can help you reach your personal and professional goals, you can learn more on our website, LinkedIn, and YouTube, or you can call or email me directly. Best of success, Pete Van Epps || pete@cameron-brooks.com || (210) 874-1519

I think one of the hardest parts of the transition from the military is the unknowns and uncertainty about what is next. Not everyone experiences this uncertainty. Many JMOs who move from the military have their immediate future locked up, whether they choose to attend a full-time academic program such as an MBA or law school or if they work in a general schedule (GS) role for the government agency or department, those options are often secured many months for they separate from the military. Moving from the military to the business world is often very different. Corporate America hires for and fills open positions, whether recently vacated or new positions created because of the company's growth. At each and every Cameron-Brooks Career Conference, companies attend with an actual open position and, very often, multiple open positions. By that, I mean each role has a boss and a salary with a start date in a specific location, and these positions are important and valuable to the company. We continue to feature these Post-Conference Reviews because we want to provide a glimpse behind the curtain. We aim to help officers still serving on active duty hear and see future possibilities. One of the most valuable aspects of these Post Conference Review webcasts is the live Q&A where officers attending our next Career Conference have the opportunity to ask those who just finished their Conference. Here are the three key takeaways our alumni shared from their experiences, which shed more light on the process and how to maximize interview success. Start Early Each of our candidates came to the Career Conference ready to interview, and each said they wished they had started preparing for the transition earlier. Two alumni specifically mentioned wishing they had switched their mindset earlier in the process to apply what they were learning in their military roles. That would have enhanced their experience and helped them connect more effectively in interviews. Read (or Listen) The adage is familiar and true - leaders are readers! One of the biggest missteps officers make when preparing to transition is minimizing the importance of increasing their knowledge through reading and learning. Officers sometimes assume that their military experience is sufficient to describe their military experiences in a business interview effectively. Reading expands your knowledge, which, in turn, broadens your exposure. If you find that it takes too long to finish a book, try listening instead. Regardless, you will benefit and improve. Build Community Through the years, one of the most, if not the most, beneficial activities officers engage in is working with other officers to prepare for interviews. Whether it is strength in numbers, group accountability, or just making new friends and colleagues, participating in a study group will absolutely ramp up your preparation. Many of you who listen to this podcast are already participating in the Cameron-Brooks program. If you are not actively participating but want to learn more, please contact me directly. I am glad to talk through your options, help you set goals, walk through your marketability and guide you to launching a successful career in Corporate America. Want to maximize interview success? You can always learn more on our website and our YouTube channel. Best of Success! Pete Van Epps || (210) 874-1519 || pete@cameron-brooks.com Cameron-Brooks Website YouTube Channel LinkedIn

We started this podcast 8 years ago on May 26, 2016 and as we've reached our 200th episode, we are extremely grateful for the officers with whom we get to work with on a daily basis. We're grateful to serve JMOs! We started the podcast with the goal of providing another avenue for military officers to hear and learn more about making the move from the military to the business world. For our first 100 episodes, we mostly focused on interviewing our alumni. In doing so, we have built a base of knowledge that many officers have dipped into to gain insight and confidence as they prepare to transition. For our centennial episode, Joel interviewed our founders, Roger Cameron and Rene Brooks. From there, we have broadened the content. Of course, we still do regular interviews with our alumni, but we also bring other content to the platform, from author interviews to roundtable discussions on current topics to "minisodes" like this episode. In this episode, Joel, Brock, and I each express our gratitude for our service to this nation and tell our stories of how that service came to be. While we each have a very different story to tell about how we came to service, I think you will hear an override expression of just how grateful we are for what we have been given. On this Independence Day, we want to thank those who listen to this podcast. If you like what you hear, share it with a friend and give us a like. We will continue to push each other to create relevant, informative, and helpful content. Here's looking toward Episode 300 and beyond! Make it a great day, Pete Van Epps || (210) 974-1519 || pete@cameron-brooks.com If you want to learn more about Cameron-Brooks, you can find more information on your website and our YouTube Channel.

Welcome back! As Transition Coaches, a topic that we often help officers think through as they are making decisions about getting out of the military is short-term thinking versus long-term career thinking. It is completely natural for officers leaving the military to focus and think in the short term. They have a future date in which they are going to exit the military, usually with in the next 12 months or less, and they need a plan. Because of this, there are typically two main issues that tend to drive decision-making in the transition. First, officers now have full autonomy to make a decision about their future and second, officers, at least while in the military, have never had to fully manage their careers or have had full power to make important career decisions. In this episode, our three Transition Coaches, Joel Junker, Pete Van Epps and Brock Dudley meet to has a discussion about a topic that we discuss often with military officers - short vs. long-term career thinking and decision making. In the first part of our discussion, Joel sets up the discussion by referencing The Fifth Discipline by Peter Senge. In the book, there is an illustration where Senge describes a person envisioning their future self vs. their current reality. In the gap between where you are and your current reality, there is tension. Tension is good, but working through that tension also takes time, discipline, and resolve. Through the years, we've seen countless military officers take this approach to their transition. They take a realistic inventory of where they are today and where they want to be 5-10 years from the transition; then, they build a plan. That plan sets up the tension because it often means you will sacrifice some elements of short-term gain for ultimately achieving your professional goal and achieving your vision. In the discussion, we were each able to weigh in on critical components of long-term decision-making and created a short, actionable list for military officers who want to align their transition strategy with a focus on their future career vision. Set a vision for yourself. Look out to the next 5-10 years. Define where you want to take your career and start doing things today that will support that vision. Write your vision out. Get it out of your head and onto a piece of paper or somewhere you will see it regularly. It will keep you focused and motivated and help you to do the type of activities that support moving toward your vision. Tell somebody. Find people in your life who you trust and who speak the truth to you. There is great power in having accountability in your life to help you achieve your goals, challenge you to be the best version of yourself, and help you reach your goals. If this is something you are interested in exploring, give us a call. Our company is completely dedicated to helping military officers through a decision making process and career search strategy that is designed to you you reach your goals and dreams. Pete Van Epps || (210) 874-1519 || pete@cameron-brooks.com If you want to learn more about Cameron-Brooks, you can find more information on your website and our YouTube Channel.

Welcome back! This is the second installment in our Career Field series podcasts. In our first episode (Episode 192), we featured three Cameron-Brooks alumni who explained their careers within the Engineering Management Career field. In this episode, we invited two of our alumni who launched their careers within Manufacturing. After listening to them, you'll have a better understanding where a post-military career in manufacturing can take your career. Michael Warwick is a former Army Infantry/AG officer. He attended the August 2017 Career Conference and started his career at Oldcastle Building Envelope, which creates glass products for commercial and residential buildings. He spent 5 years at that company, becoming the Plant Manager of his facility before being promoted to General Manager, covering Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. In that role, he managed all aspects of the business, from production to sales and business development functions. This allowed him to pull different levers to positively affect the profit and loss (P&L) of the overall business. In 2023, he moved to American Bath Group (ABG), a company that produces a myriad of different products that are installed in bathrooms. As a Division Manager, he manages and oversees two different companies within ABG, Swan and Florestone. In this role, he oversees both lines of business, from production, distribution, branding and marketing to new product development. Brandon Slocum is a former Army Armor officer. He attended the January 2018 Career Conference. He launched his career at Pactiv Evergreen. In the first few years of his career, he watched Pactiv move from a privately held to a publicly traded company. He started as an Operations Unit Manager, managing different teams and lines of product production. From there, he spent some time as an Operations Talent Manager on the Training and Development team, where he traveled to different Pactiv facilities throughout the country to standardize practices across the companies. For the last 4+ years, he's served as a Plant Manager in two different locations. He started as the Plant Manager in their Chicago facility, leading 275 team members in making packaging material for different high-volume restaurants. Currently, he is leading the Temple, TX facility, leading 550 team members, managing the entire South/Southwest of consumer products for Hefty and Reynolds, as well as products for Costco, Walmart, and Sam's Clubs. In this episode, Michael and Brandon answer three key questions: what exactly is manufacturing? What are the common misconceptions people have about starting a career in manufacturing? What are the key competencies that someone must possess to lead a successful post-military career in manufacturing? I think you'll find Michael and Brandon's experiences encouraging and exciting. The interesting thing is when both of these leaders attended the Cameron-Brooks Career Conference, they interviewed with around 10-12 different companies within different industries and across different career fields, including manufacturing. In doing so, they were able to assess different opportunities to find the best opportunity among many. When Michael chose Oldcastle and Brandon chose Pactiv, they made a decision that launched their career with the best fit, and they've never looked back. If you are interested in doing that type of career search, reach out to me directly. Best, Pete Van Epps || pvanepps@cameron-brooks.com || (210) 874-1519 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.

Welcome back! This episode continues our Post-Conference Review series. As many of you know, Cameron-Brooks holds five Career Conferences per year. After every Career Conference, we lead a webcast with a few of our most recent alumni to let them share their experience with the Conference and the follow-up interview process. Hear some real JMO transition stories. We continue to conduct these webcasts because officers continue to provide feedback on these episodes and how helpful they are. Though everyone's experience through the Cameron-Brooks process differs, our alumni continue to provide valuable insight that will demystify the entire process. In this episode, you will meet: Mikayla Blaska is an Army Infantry Captain, Ranger qualified, who graduated from Princeton University with a BA in Psychology in 2019. She accepted a position with Motorola Solutions as a Territory Sales Finance Manager. Kevin Hanigan is an Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle pilot who graduated from Ohio State University with a BS in Electrical and Computer Engineering in 2012. He accepted a position with Liberty Advisory Group as a Principal Consultant. Gage Wampler is an Army Chemical Captain who graduated from the Virginia Military Academy with a BS in Computer Science in 2019. He accepted a position with Amcor as a Liquid Business Development Account Manager. We tackled a wide array of topics during these real JMO transition stories and most of the questions came from the group who attended the live webcast. What was the best part of the Conference? How do you professionally handle a business interview in a virtual environment when there is more than one person in the room? How do you prepare for back-to-back interviews when meeting different industries, companies, and functional career opportunities? What was the follow-up interview process like? Were there any professional certifications you pursued before the Career Conference that set you apart? Was your college degree a factor in your interviews? What type of training will you receive at your new company? How do you manage the vast amount of information at the Career Conference? We finished with a Lighting Round of questions to ensure that all questions were answered. Overall, it was an informative session, and their experience certainly provided a lot of insight into the process. If you like hearing these real JMO transition stories and are considering what is next for you after the military, give me a call to discuss your options. Often, a short conversation with someone who has seen thousands of officers transition can be helpful in your process. Whether you decide to stay in or get out and regardless of whether you commit to a career in Corporate America, just having a conversation about your future plans and goals can help. If that is you, call me or email me directly to get started. Best, Pete Van Epps || pvanepps@cameron-brooks.com || (210) 874-1519

Let's talk about the value of the Cameron-Brooks Preparation Program. The number one feedback comment I hear from Cameron-Brooks Alumni is, “I wish I had started preparing earlier.” Regardless of whether the officer started 12 months or 2 months before interviewing, they all wish they had more time. Another common feedback comment I hear is, “The transition from the military to a business leadership career and civilian life is more of an adjustment than anticipated.” They are changing career fields, industries, and organizations. They have to adapt and adjust to new cultures, processes, and personality styles. Start Preparation Early In this podcast, I make the argument that JMOs need to start gathering information and preparing for the transition as soon as they even consider leaving the military. Just before I wrote this post and recorded the podcast, I spoke to a naval officer who made the decision two years ago to leave the Navy, and he starts terminal leave in a month. I asked him what he had been doing to prepare for a transition. He talked about earning a project management certificate. When I quizzed him further, he had not read any books on business and did not have knowledge of common business concepts like Lean and Six Sigma. Finally, I asked him how confident he was in his interviewing skills, and he rated himself an 8 on a 10 scale. I asked him about his most significant accomplishment in the Navy, and he struggled to explain it in a way that demonstrated his specific leadership actions. I also asked him about his leadership style; once again, he lacked depth. This is really common; learning how to interview takes time, practice, and feedback. Apply Business Concepts While in the Military Too many officers rely on a Skillbridge program to prepare for the transition. When they do this, they miss out on learning about business concepts and applying them in their military jobs. Companies love to hear how officers applied Lean, Six Sigma, coaching, mentoring, and sales models while in the military. It helps them relate what the military officer has done to their environment. The only way to do this is to start preparing well before the transition. Cameron-Brooks Walks Besides Officers Just Considering the Transition Another major point in the podcast is that the Cameron-Brooks preparation program also has huge benefits for those just considering the transition. There is a misperception that we only work with those who have made the firm decision to get out. We walk beside many officers who are just considering the transition. We enroll them in the preparation program so they can learn about their marketability and options in business. We help them get clarity on their career goals and whether or not a transition makes sense. To take advantage of this, one should contact Cameron-Brooks as soon as they start thinking about the transition. I close the podcast with an explanation of the Cameron-Brooks preparation program and its benefits. Our program helps officers make good decisions in the transition, interview well in the transition, and hit the ground running in their new careers. It's hard to argue about the value of the Cameron-Brooks Preparation Program once you understand more about it. Thank you for listening to the Cameron-Brooks podcast! As you consider your potential transition from the military to the business world, if you'd like to talk about your marketability or how Cameron-Brooks can guide you to launching your career, please contact us directly. Schedule a call here. 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.

Harry Truman, the 33rd President of the United States, said, “Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.” Therefore, JMOs should read. Leaders read because they continuously pursue learning and development. They know they never “arrive” and know everything. Additionally, whether they are politicians, business people, military leaders, teachers, or wherever they lead, they know their environment is dynamic. They read to stay sharp, adapt to new challenges, explore new ideas, and understand ideas and views that conflict with their own. Often when I speak with Junior Military Officers (JMOs) considering the transition, they tell me they have not read much since they left college. I have to admit that I did not read much during my first two years in the military. Fortunately, a new commander implemented a reading program in my third year, and I also started preparing with Cameron-Brooks for my transition. I developed a habit of reading well before the transition that I continue today. In this podcast, I explain four reasons why JMOs should make a habit of reading before the transition. They are: Developing a habit of reading that will carry forward to being a business leader post-transition. Learning business concepts and applying them in the military before transitioning, providing excellent experiences to share in an interview. When interviewing, the JMO will need to understand the language of business. One would not travel to a foreign country without learning some of the language and customs—the same with transitioning to business. The need to incorporate business concepts into interview answers. I provide an example where one individual had not developed an understanding or root cause of problem-solving and project management, and as a result, his interview answers lacked depth and specifics. My colleague, Brock Dudley, wrote a blog post in February 2024 about the correlation between reading and successful interviewing. JMOs should read — especially if you are making the transition. I highly recommend developing a reading habit today. If you have not already done so, start with PCS to Corporate America, 4th Ed. The book has a recommended reading list at the back. I wrote a blog post on 5 Books Every JMO Should Read ASAP a few years ago. In the podcast, I mention Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates’ reading lists. You can find them hyperlinked in their names. Thank you for listening to the Cameron-Brooks podcast! As you consider your potential transition from the military to the business world, if you'd like to talk about your marketability or how Cameron-Brooks can guide you to launching your career, please contact us directly. Schedule a call here. 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.

Welcome back! Today you're going to get three tips to manage your career after you transition to business. I am glad to introduce you to Kingsley Spiller. He's a former Army Infantry officer who moved to corporate America in 2016. He spent his time in the Army as a Platoon Leader, Executive Officer, and Battalion Logistics officer and finished up his career with a deployment to Afghanistan. He launched his business career as a District Manager at Aldi. In this episode, you will get a chance to hear Kingsley's story. Specifically, Kingsley gets into some of the decisions he's made in his career thus far as it relates to career development and where he sees his career going. If you are still in the military and wondering what it's like to navigate your career successfully as you get started, this episode is for you! In this conversation, Kingsley walks through three actions he's taken to ensure success and growth as a leader at Aldi. Start Strong It all starts with getting into the right company. Kingsley interviewed for over 10 companies at his Cameron-Brooks Career Conference. He was able to evaluate different industries, companies and career options to find the best option for him. Not only that but within each of the options, he could evaluate many of the intrinsic values of each of the opportunities in order to select the best among many. This allowed him to get into the right role and use the leadership skills he gained in the military to start strong and make an immediate impact in the organization. Be a Giver Kingsley said one of the first things he did when he got to Aldi was looking for challenging assignments. He volunteered for hard jobs and took on the work that no one else wanted. This is exactly what corporate America is looking for in the JMOs. We want people who will go the extra mile without being asked and do it with a great attitude. Unbeknownst to Kingsley, this is one of the reasons he was able to rise quickly in his organization, which allowed him to build his brand and be seen as a leader in his organization. See the Big Picture Like most transitions or major changes in life, after the "honeymoon" phase, there is typically a dip. It's typically not an insurmountable issue or problem. It's more like the excitement of being recruited has subsided. The newness and novelty of the new thing have passed. This is often where people quit and start over. Kingsley does a great job talking about seeing the picture of his career. He knew that the next chapter of his professional book after the military wasn't the last chapter! Often, JMOs tend to see the world in the very next step, not realizing that pivot transition phases of life and decisions made in the process will affect future chapters. Kingsley has done a great job making an immediate impact when he started at Aldi, seeking out the toughest assignments and seeing the big picture regarding managing his career. If you are wondering about your options as you consider the future, let's have a quick chat on the phone. We have built a reputation for helping military officers make the move from the military to the business world, and we are standing on over a half-century of experience. If you are interested in launching your career in a leadership role in the world of business, I want to meet with you. Feel free to call or email directly to get started. If you want to learn more about how we help military officers or your career options, visit www.cameron-brooks.com. You can also hear about other officers' experiences with Cameron-Brooks. Best of success, Pete Van Epps // (210) 874-1519 // pvanepps@cameron-brooks.com

Welcome back! We recently wrapped up our January 2024 Career Conference. The primary takeaway from the Conference is that companies remain motivated to pursue JMOs for their important leadership openings, and the prepared candidate will succeed at the Career Conference. Diving deeper, the key takeaways were: The Economy The economy tends to be a question on JMOs' minds. Specifically, is the economy strong enough to support my transition, and will I find the right job when I exit the military? A fact I love to quote is that Cameron-Brooks has been helping military officers PCS to Corporate America for over half a century, and in all time, we have never canceled a Conference. Not during the "dot-com" recession in the early 2000s, not during the "Sub-prime mortgage recession" in 2008-2009, and not during the "Covid recession" in 2020. Never. Why? Well, just like the military never stops commissioning second lieutenants and ensigns, the business world never stops hiring and promoting leaders. That said, when we are navigating economic headwinds, opportunity heavily favors the prepared. And when you make a military transition with Cameron-brooks, we make sure you are prepared! Read (or Listen) Through the years, some of the most prepared candidates I've seen at Career Conferences are those who call themselves "voracious readers." I believe that those people tend to have an advantage over those who don't read much because they are way better at connecting the dots in an interview. Follow my logic - imagine you are not much of a reader, and you get an interview question like, "Tell me about a time you led your team to reach an important goal or objective." Well, with no context to the position, company, or industry, you may just throw out an answer with a lot of hope that you'll hit the target. Now, imagine in your transition preparation, you've read or listened to a book on Lean/Six Sigma, operational excellence, project management, finance, data analysis, and team leadership and you get the exact same question. With your knowledge, combined with the context of the position, company, and interest, you'll tell the right experience in the right way and not only hit the target but nail the bullseye! Alumni In this episode, we feature three of our most recent alumni. It is so impactful to hear them tell their stories because they successfully navigated the interview process, earned offers, selected the best for them and their families, and are preparing to launch their new careers in the business world. In this episode, you'll hear from Harry Donahue, Army Civil Affairs, USMA 2015 Austin Weiher, Army Intelligence, USMA 2019 Colin Stringert, Army Infantry, University of Wyoming, 2019 If you are looking for help, let's talk about making a military transition with Cameron-Brooks! We have a 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. If you want to hear more from our alumni, check out our YouTube Channel where you'll find many officers sharing their experiences with Cameron-Brooks. Best, Pete Van Epps // pvanepps@cameron-brooks.com // (210) 874-1519

Welcome back! In this episode, we're going to talk about why it's important to get your foot in the door—THEN navigate your career. You’ll meet three Cameron-Brooks alumni who have successfully made the transition to the business world, all have been promoted and navigated their careers wisely. Two of them happen to be married! We were fortunate enough to have Chazz Hoskins, along with Luke and Marquette Leveque share their experiences with us. This episode was originally intended for them to share their experience in the Engineering Management Career Field. In this episode, Joel and the Panel discuss the misperceptions of Engineering Management, explain what Engineering Management is along with the competencies required to be successful, describe how diversified the work is, and provide the listeners with some sample industries. However, we felt our alumni were great examples of former junior military officers who made decisions early on in their careers that helped them establish a track record of success, build a skillset, and then make decisions that pivoted closer towards their ideal personal and professional goals. Chazz made the transition from the Air Force as a Developmental Engineer and launched his career with Lam Research as a Manufacturing Engineer in Silicon Valley. Lam Research makes advanced microchips that are in many familiar products we use every day such as our mobile phones, computing devices, entertainment systems, and even smart cars! He and his wife then decided it was time to move back to Ohio. Chazz navigated his career and now works with Silflex, a division of Lam Research, they’ve bought a home and are living in their dream location. Chris built a skillset and navigated to the ideal location! Marquette and Luke Leveque were classmates at the Naval Academy, Navy Nuclear Submarine Officers, came through the Cameron-Brooks program in 2018 and attended the April 2018 Career Conference. TOGETHER, they launched their careers at Boston Scientific, a leading medical device company that makes innovative solutions and medical devices to help improve the health of patients around the world. Marquette began her career in a Process Development Manager role where she led a team of engineers to successfully implement large-scale manufacturing processes for new biopharmaceutical products. She then wanted to be closer to the customer and is now in a marketing role with Boston Scientific. Luke launched his career as an Operations Project Manager where he led a cross-functional team moving new products out of the research and design stage into the manufacturing stage, and ultimately into commercial use. Luke has now shifted into a marketing role on the commercial side of the business leading their laser therapies team. Luke and Marquette navigated their career to the desired roles! Career Management When I meet with junior military officers to discuss their career goals, I ask a lot of questions to get to know them. One of those questions I ask is, “Why are you leaving the military?”. I often get the answer, “For more career control”. Makes sense! In the military, most decisions are made for you. You haven’t necessarily had to make decisions as it pertains to “Career Management”. Your detailer, branch manager, or assignment officer makes it for you. It’s also a specific career path within your MOS. If you deviate from it, you may not be selected for command or make the next rank and will be forced to make the transition out. For example, you are told when to move, when it is time for a new assignment, which organization, or unit you will join, etc. While this can make life hard for military officers, it does free them from the responsibility of “Career Management”. To some, that may be ideal. For some, it’s not. In the business world, there are no scholarship contracts, assignments officers, early outs, PCS commitments, ADSOs, or mandatory job changes. Regardless of your company,

When I meet with junior military officers JMOs to discuss their career goals, I ask them, “What will make a happy, successful career for you?” I deliberately ask them an open ended question to leave a lot of space on where they can take their answer. I might hear things like, “Using my technical skills,” “Solving problems and making an impact,” or, “Learning, growing and developing.” However, the number one response I have heard over my 25-year career is, “I want to have meaning and purpose.” Finding purpose in your post military career is a common concern. Purpose and Passion Are Different Yes, I agree! Finding meaning and purpose in your post military career are critical to career and life satisfaction. We all want to do work and live a life that matters. We want to know the time and effort we put forth will make a difference in this world. Yet, over the last year or so, there has become a shift in the response. I now occasionally hear, “I want to do something that I am passionate about.” When I ask them to elaborate, often they describe working in industries where they have hobbies such as, “Crossfit,” “Outdoor activities,” “CrossFit”, “Sports,” and others. Some might say something like, “Working to preserve the environment.” You Grow Into and Develop Passion I see passion as something that we grow into over time. It is similar to love in a relationship. Over time and with experience, it deepens and becomes stronger. The problem when I hear JMOs talking about passion is that they seek something external to give them that meaning. They are looking for CrossFit, the environmental impact, alternative energy, or the outdoors to do it for them. In the end, it won’t satiate them. Purpose Comes from Within I see purpose as something that gives your work meaning. Purpose comes from within you. It is not external. You find meaning from what you give and the joy of using your talents to make an impact. Purpose, or meaning, which I am using interchangeably here, does not come from wearing a uniform, company name, or industry. Those are external. They do support and facilitate it, but they can’t do it; only you, the individual, can. You can do this by leading and developing people, leading change to build an organization, using your talents and growing, and more. I do not want to hold anyone back from pursuing their dreams. That is not the intent of this podcast or post. Rather, my intent is to make the case that pursuing meaning is more important, and from my perspective, passion and purpose are different. In this podcast, I tackle the topic of passion and purpose. It’s a lot easier to talk about than write about here. I want to admit that this is MY opinion fully, and I know people will disagree with me. I would love to hear from you. I am not trying to be right, but rather help JMOs understand that finding meaning in work is important and that it will come from inside them and not to look externally for it. Thank you for listening to the Cameron-Brooks podcast! As you consider your potential transition from the military to the business world, if you'd like to talk about your marketability or how Cameron-Brooks can guide you to launching your career, please contact us directly. Schedule a call here. 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.

The DoD launched a pilot program in 2011 called SkillBridge. The intention of the program is to provide service members and spouses with an in-depth and real-world training opportunity as they prepare to move from active duty to post-military employment. Today, the program has grown to almost 3,000 different SkillBridge opportunities. Cameron-Brooks is one of them! So what is the Cameron-Brooks SkillBridge experience like? It's the ideal opportunity for high-achieving JMOs that want to transition to a growth position in business. Cameron-Brooks has been an approved DoD SkillBridge provider since 2022 and many officers have participated in our 12-week, curated training program as they prepare to attend the Cameron-Brooks Career Conference and follow-up interview process. What can come from a Cameron-Brooks SkillBridge opportunity? Lots more opportunity! In this episode, I talk to Wyatt Boyd. Wyatt shares his Cameron-Brooks SkillBridge experience in preparation for the January 2023 Career Conference. At the conference, he interviewed with 10 industry-leading companies, and just about every one of them demonstrated a high level of interest in pursuing him for follow-up interviews. Wyatt conducted multiple follow-up interviews and received offers for employment along the way. He ultimately received and accepted an offer with Abiomed, a Johnson and Johnson company. Wyatt describes how he was able to benefit from the Cameron-Brooks SkillBridge program in order to maximize his opportunities, earn multiple offers for employment, and ultimately select the opportunity that best matched his career goals. So, what does Wyatt attribute to his success? In a phrase: Preparation is the Key to Success Wyatt was able to focus on some key areas while on the SkillBridge, including: Development and Preparation Program (DPP©) Tabs and Modules: This 5-tab curriculum is designed to lead the participant through a thorough self-analysis, business skill development, in-depth career field option research, and interview answer construction. Development and Preparation Program (DPP©) Required Reading Program: This 10-book reading program is designed to educate and inform the participant on crucial business concepts such as Lean/Six Sigma, Project Management, Corporate Finance, Data Analysis, Business to Business Selling, Operational Excellence, Rapport Building, Team Leadership and other important business concepts. Resume Creating Guidelines – This tool, in conjunction with a proprietary pre-formatted Microsoft Word template, is designed to guide the participant through a resume creation process in preparation for business interviews. Interview Skills Workshops – The participant will participate in 3 different levels of an Interview Skills Workshop: - Basic Interview Skills Workshop: This workshop is designed to teach the fundamentals of interviewing, including how to build rapport, connect their military background, and the methods to answering the 28 most commonly asked interview questions. - Intermediate Interviews Skills Workshop: This workshop is designed to continue to instill the fundamentals of interviewing while allowing the participant to practice their interview skills under the supervision of a trained Transition Coach. - Advanced Interview Skills Workshop: This workshop is typically provided in a smaller setting (4-5 participants) in order to allow the candidate to practice advanced interview skills like answering less common questions, asking quality questions, and closing the interview. Career Field Media: This resource is primarily comprised of seven 1-hour videos designed to educate the participant on the 4 major categories of career fields that Junior Military Officers typically pursue: Engineering Management, Team Leadership, Business Analysis, and Business-to-Business Sales. Interview Preparation Workshops: This workshop, in conjunction with the proprietary Interview Guideline Worksheet,

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 ...

My experience has taught me that if I want to achieve excellence in something, I should study and learn from the people who have achieved success in that area already. Why should I reinvent the wheel? So, when Cameron-Brooks Alumnus Liam Burns messaged me on LinkedIn that he wanted to be a guest on the podcast and share how he managed his 30+ year career, I jumped at the chance to interview him. Liam is a former Navy Surface Warfare Officer who transitioned to a business career in 1991. He spent the first fifteen years of his career in various sales and marketing leadership positions with Johnson & Johnson. He used that experience to start consulting, executive coaching practices, and C-suite leadership positions with start-up medical companies for the last fifteen years. In the podcast, Liam explains that the key to a successful career is building a strong foundation in the first ten years. With that foundation, one will have many options in the future. These options include living in an ideal location like Liam does now in Denver, choosing to continue as an executive leader in a larger company, pivoting to start-ups, or even striking out on your own and starting your own company. Liam has done all three! I asked Liam, "What's the key to establishing that foundation?" Liam referenced the book The 5 Patterns of Extraordinary Careers: The Guide for Achieving Success and Satisfaction by James M. Citrin and Richard Smith. Citrin is the CEO of Spencer Stuart North America, an Executive Search firm and Cameron-Brooks client. As or the 3 keys to an extraordinary post-military career, Liam specifically references Pattern 5: Find the Right Fit. The key to establishing the foundation is choosing positions and companies based on your ability to leverage your strengths, do work that interests you, and work with people you like and respect. I strongly encourage anyone considering a change or launching a career to evaluate their choice based on those three factors. Make those a priority. Unfortunately, there is a lot of other noise out there that clouds decisions. Sometimes, people want a great career but prioritize the path because it is the path of least resistance; it's easy. The authors do not say this is easy, in fact they say it take work and preparation. Other times, people decide to pursue a career because of the pay or the location. The authors specifically advise against prioritizing extrinsic factors. In fact, they say that when one prioritizes strengths, interests, and fit, those other factors will follow! Just like they did for Liam. If you listen to this podcast and want more than these 3 keys to 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. Don't wait. Give me a call at (210) 874-1502 or email me at jjunker@cameron-brooks.com - we can have a conversation about your plans and goals and if Cameron-Brooks is the right guide to help you get there. Joel