Thomas Girouard ⋅ Willowbrook , IL All-Bry Construction Co. ⋅ 25 years experience

Andrzej, I want to qualify this response by stating I have no background in either defense consulting or intelligence. But generally speaking, I feel your decision to get practical experience in the military was the correct one assuming your MOS and skill set placed you in an environment that enhanced your marketability. I truly hope someone with background in your desired industry chimes in with some specific guidance. My belief and experience validates that it is not where you start that ultimately determines where you finish. I would suggest narrowing your search to your specific skills and desires and focus on those firms where you feel the best fit. Be aggressive and embody the attitude that "no is not an acceptable answer". Best of luck and thank you for your service.

Felipe Pech ⋅ Fort Belvoir , VA Department of the Army ⋅ 3 years experience

Andrzej,

Although not completely identical I ran into the same issue early on in my career. I left college as a sophomore to enlist in the Marine Corps. After two years on active duty I decided to continue my education using Tuition Assistance. I graduated with a degree in political science in 2010 and was deployed to Afghanistan shortly thereafter. At the age of 23 I was stuck in the Middle East with a degree as an junior enlisted warrior and my classmates were beginning grad school or studying for their LSATs/MCATs. When I EAS'd in 2012 I felt as though I was light years behind my peers. That's when I realized that my peers were no longer the classmates I started school with, but rather, the Marines and veterans I proudly served with. I spent the following year searching for employment in Southern California and decided that my life needed a drastic change and I moved to Washington D.C. I tailored my resume to highlight my experiences and leadership skills I learned in the Marine Corps and made sure my veteran's preference was annotated on my portfolio. I am now at a mid-career GS position and have surpassed my classmates thanks to my experience in the Corps. I know it's discouraging to see your classmates at the levels of their career they're at right now but with your experience and education there's no reason you can't secure a great position. Best of luck.

Keep charging,

Felipe

Po Wong ⋅ Orlando , FL Johnson & Johnson (retired) ⋅ 40 years experience

Hi Andrzej,

Never regret your service to your country even if your college peers appear move ahead monetary. You are a much better person with experience that your consultant peers only can dream of. Remember Richard Gere in Pretty Women feel so empty even though he was rich.

Professionally, it is a long distance race. Look at my CEO who serviced the country; started in Marketing and now leading one of the top 10 best companies in the world!

What is your job interest? Can you live abroad with your international studies? Many companies are searching for people especially with leadership, influence skills and ability to deliver results.

Check out J&J career site. There are quite a few national, international jobs posted. Contact me if you applied a J&J job. May be I can connect you to appropriate people as long as I have not yet retired :-)

Thanks for your services!!

George Byrne ⋅ Venice , FL Nictom Consulting Group ⋅ 32 years experience

Andrzej -- in my opinion your experience in the military did not set you back; rather it positioned you for the future...and that's how I want you to think, that is, long term rather than short term...yes some of your peers have been working and started climbing the corporate ladder...and yes, you may have to come in at the entry level...however once you are in the door you can immediately start leveraging your military leadership experiences, your ability to "complete the mission", your discipline to get things done, etc....this is what will separate you not only from your former peers but from others as well...but you need to be patient...get in the door, show them what you can do, and then in a few years I am confident that you will look over your shoulder as you pass them by...by the way, in addition to being a vet of the Vietnam Era I am also a former Director/Partner from two of the larger consulting firms out there...so I am talking to you not just from personal experience but from the perspective of those who have done both the hiring and promoting of individuals like yourself...work your network, get in the door, and then show them what you can do!!! And thank you for your service to our wonderful country!

Robert Hatfield ⋅ Louisville , KY UPS ⋅ 23 years experience

I would suggest looking at companies outside of the box. Most of corporate America have very real security departments that are aligned with the FAA, DoD, FBI, local police, etc. Corporate security is nothing like it was in the past and they spend a huge amount of money protecting their investment, people and facilities. I spent 22 years in the military (both active and reserves) and have worked for 23 years in Corporate America. I have watched this transformation at my place of business from a low level security department to a high tech security division with assets in over 200 countries. They utilize very skilled military veterans and actually place a priority on the veterans they hire, provided they have the skill set needed. Also, I would not assume because they do not have an opening in the security area that it would be a waste of your time to apply and interview for another position. I have seen several instances where we hire a person for one job and then discover they have a great skill set in another area and move that person to the job they wanted in the first place. Good luck and most importantly, THANK YOU FOR SERVING!

Craig Bush ⋅ Boston , MA IBM ⋅ 11 years experience

It depends on how you're keeping score. From a purely monetary point of view, I would say yes, you are definitely behind your peer group. Simply plot a curve of the savings and buying power you missed out on.

But, seriously if everyone kept score that way, this world would be a truly boring place. I did 5 years in the military and 6 years in grad school. My peers are vice presidents now, and I'm a senior manager.

But I have better stories. And I certainly have better life experiences.

Travis D. ⋅ Arlington , VA U.S. Army, Staff Sergeant ⋅ 9 years served

If you are looking for positions within the defense industry, which I am guessing from the companies mentioned you are, your military experience will be valued. Having completed college beforehand gives you an additional network to leverage when looking for a job. Use both networks to set up informational interviews and learn more about what exact role you want.

I wouldn't worry about being behind your college friends; in 15-20 years everyone levels out and the hard chargers come out ahead regardless of who had a head start. Successful people succeed regardless of the circumstances. I left the Army after 9 years of service with a promotion on the table and so far it is a great experience.

Also, email the Veteran Coordinators of companies you are interested in, they are recruiters specifically for Veteran hiring. Pretty much every company that works with the government has at least one recruiter, some have entire teams.

John H. Rogers ⋅ Collierville , TN AT&T ⋅ 27 years experience

Andrzej, Your military experience put you ahead of your peers; you just can't see it yet. Sure, they are already settled in to their jobs, and have maybe already received a promotion or two, but most will start over at another company, too. They have that work experience, you have the life-changing military experience, which I believe can be a far-greater long-term benefit to you. The key for you is to stamp out the "wondering" if you "should have done something different" and focus on what you gained, and how it has equipped you to be more competetive in the business world. Even more so, formulate the words on your resume to translate that experience into what your future employer would need from you to help their company succeed - your ability to think independently, while keeping the team's objectives in mind; your attention to detail, punctuality, meeting deadlines, achieving measurable results, collaborating with others to achieve team goals, leadership skills, communication skills, cross-cultural understanding gleaned from your travel, security-specific skills, etc.

Andrzej Moczydlowski ⋅ Washington , DC U.S. Army, Specialist ⋅ 5 years served

Thomas,

First off, thank you for taking the time to respond.

I think part of the problem is that MOS and skill set issue. My military experience was as a Special Operations Combat Medic (SOCM) while my college degree is in International Affairs with a focus on Conflict and Security. On the surface the two have very little to do with one another and when employers see that I was "just a medic" I feel like they discount my military service as having given me very little.

This sentiment couldn't be further from the truth though. Working as a SOCM required me to at times work completely independently from my team with no guidance or oversight. It forced me to develop as not only a team member but also a leader. My job also put me in high pressure situations where I was dealing with people far above my pay grade and was expected to perform calmly under stress. This is to say nothing of my involvement in counter-terrorism missions advising and assisting in the pursuit of Joseph Kony and the LRA.

The problem I'm faced with is that to convey how an MOS, which wasn't in my academic field, helped me become more qualified an employee I need to get my foot in the door.

This comes back to my original point; after college I had a foot in the door because I was a graduate of a highly regarded International Affairs program. Having served in the military seems to have placed that same foot outside of the building. My post was an attempt at figuring out how others who were in the same situation managed to get back in.

-Andrzej