- Joined
- Jun 8, 2006
- Messages
- 2,925
It's going to happen.
You arrive at your first command, and the first piece of mail you'll receive won't be from mom or that Jessica Alba look-alike (multiple beers notwithstanding) you met a few weeks ago. No, it will be from one or more (probably more) of these people:
Cameron Brooks
Bradley Morris
Orion
Fortune
MRI
Corporate Leads
Vertical Path
Leaders
In fact, you will most likely find some of these letters in your mailbox the day you ARRIVE at your command.
Who the heck ARE these people?
Well, what they are is recruiters for Corporate America who help Junior Officers (that folks like you after you graduate but generally before you get the O-4 lobotomy) transition from the military back to the real world. You may not think so, but these people are your best friends.
When the time comes that you decide to hang up the BDU's and put on some civies, you will find yourself with the sudden realization that you have no earthly idea of how the real world works. What does a resume look like? How should I dress for an interview (assuming you forgot that lesson from when your BGO spoke to you)? How does one answer the question, "Tell me about yourself." without boring the snot out of your potential boss? Why is "Roger" suddenly a person's name rather than a statement of the affirmative? Well, that's what these yahoos are there for.
Believe it or not, when you guys decide to become civilians again, you are actually VERY hot comodities. Think about it: you all have BS degrees from the most respected LEADERSHIP schools in the country, and you have ACTUALLY LED PEOPLE (sometimes even in combat). How many 28-year-old nitwits can you list that have that kind of resume? Not many! You know what? COMPANIES KNOW THIS, TOO.
Now, contrary to the prevailing stupidity in certain corners of the culture today, corporations are NOT evil incarnate. They look for the very best people they can find, they treat them pretty damned well for the most part, and they pay well. They do these things because if they don't then they won't be in business for long. If GM treats you like crap, then you can always walk across the street and work for Honda.
So, what these companies do is to hire these recruiters to find YOU. The companies tell the recruiter, "Look, I have 3 Manufacturing Supervisor positions I need to fill. I need someone with a degree in science or engineering, three years of leadership experience, ability to communicate, and the ability to be part of a cross-functional team."
That is the job description of a Junior Officer to a TEE, and you have the additional heft of having been trusted enough to be in charge of millions, if not TENS of millions of dollars of equipment, dozens of lives, and confidential material. Sounds like a typical production floor (well, minus the weapons of course....... pity that.).
So you call these guys, give them your info, and they match it up to the positions the companies have given them, and off you go to interviews! Obviously you can choose where you want to live, what kind of work you want to do (Human Resources or Quality? Finance or Safety/Environmental?) It's their job to match you up.
Now, VERY important thing to know. The recruiters are PAID BY THE COMPANY ONCE YOU ARE HIRED. YOU do NOT pay THEM. Do NOT make the mistake of paying a recruiter. It's wasted money! (Don't ask how I know this. ). Additionally, they get paid a percentage of what your starting salary will be, so it's in their best interests not only to get you hired, but to get you hired for some decent money.
Don't expect to start making six figures at the get-go. It doesn't work that way. Also, while you may think you're all that, you really ain't, so when you start at a new company, you need to remember that 1) you're a civilian now, so barking orders doesn't work, 2) most of the people around you have been doing their jobs before you were old enough to drink, and some since before you were born, so you DON'T know more than they do, and 3) politics are more important than rank. Be mindful.
Now, to close this out, O have worked with Cameron Brooks, Bradley Morris, Orion, Fortune, and MRI. The last three are actually huge companies with offices all over hell's half acre. Applying to one of them pretty much gets you on the system everywhere. Bradley Morris (based out of Atlanta last I checked) actually got me my first job coming out of the Yacht Club. Cameron Brooks (out of Texas) is a strange lot in that they have a somewhat rigid pipeline you go through, and there a little picky as to who they select, but they are very good at what they do. As time passes, you will develop a relationship with a handful of individuals either at these companies or at satellites of these companies. Treat them well and they will be very helpful when you need them. Don't hang up on them if they cold-call you. When you suddeenly need a job, these are the guys who help you get one.
So anyway, hopefully I've shed some light on all this mail you will suddenly find in your mailbox.
Good luck!
You arrive at your first command, and the first piece of mail you'll receive won't be from mom or that Jessica Alba look-alike (multiple beers notwithstanding) you met a few weeks ago. No, it will be from one or more (probably more) of these people:
Cameron Brooks
Bradley Morris
Orion
Fortune
MRI
Corporate Leads
Vertical Path
Leaders
In fact, you will most likely find some of these letters in your mailbox the day you ARRIVE at your command.
Who the heck ARE these people?
Well, what they are is recruiters for Corporate America who help Junior Officers (that folks like you after you graduate but generally before you get the O-4 lobotomy) transition from the military back to the real world. You may not think so, but these people are your best friends.
When the time comes that you decide to hang up the BDU's and put on some civies, you will find yourself with the sudden realization that you have no earthly idea of how the real world works. What does a resume look like? How should I dress for an interview (assuming you forgot that lesson from when your BGO spoke to you)? How does one answer the question, "Tell me about yourself." without boring the snot out of your potential boss? Why is "Roger" suddenly a person's name rather than a statement of the affirmative? Well, that's what these yahoos are there for.
Believe it or not, when you guys decide to become civilians again, you are actually VERY hot comodities. Think about it: you all have BS degrees from the most respected LEADERSHIP schools in the country, and you have ACTUALLY LED PEOPLE (sometimes even in combat). How many 28-year-old nitwits can you list that have that kind of resume? Not many! You know what? COMPANIES KNOW THIS, TOO.
Now, contrary to the prevailing stupidity in certain corners of the culture today, corporations are NOT evil incarnate. They look for the very best people they can find, they treat them pretty damned well for the most part, and they pay well. They do these things because if they don't then they won't be in business for long. If GM treats you like crap, then you can always walk across the street and work for Honda.
So, what these companies do is to hire these recruiters to find YOU. The companies tell the recruiter, "Look, I have 3 Manufacturing Supervisor positions I need to fill. I need someone with a degree in science or engineering, three years of leadership experience, ability to communicate, and the ability to be part of a cross-functional team."
That is the job description of a Junior Officer to a TEE, and you have the additional heft of having been trusted enough to be in charge of millions, if not TENS of millions of dollars of equipment, dozens of lives, and confidential material. Sounds like a typical production floor (well, minus the weapons of course....... pity that.).
So you call these guys, give them your info, and they match it up to the positions the companies have given them, and off you go to interviews! Obviously you can choose where you want to live, what kind of work you want to do (Human Resources or Quality? Finance or Safety/Environmental?) It's their job to match you up.
Now, VERY important thing to know. The recruiters are PAID BY THE COMPANY ONCE YOU ARE HIRED. YOU do NOT pay THEM. Do NOT make the mistake of paying a recruiter. It's wasted money! (Don't ask how I know this. ). Additionally, they get paid a percentage of what your starting salary will be, so it's in their best interests not only to get you hired, but to get you hired for some decent money.
Don't expect to start making six figures at the get-go. It doesn't work that way. Also, while you may think you're all that, you really ain't, so when you start at a new company, you need to remember that 1) you're a civilian now, so barking orders doesn't work, 2) most of the people around you have been doing their jobs before you were old enough to drink, and some since before you were born, so you DON'T know more than they do, and 3) politics are more important than rank. Be mindful.
Now, to close this out, O have worked with Cameron Brooks, Bradley Morris, Orion, Fortune, and MRI. The last three are actually huge companies with offices all over hell's half acre. Applying to one of them pretty much gets you on the system everywhere. Bradley Morris (based out of Atlanta last I checked) actually got me my first job coming out of the Yacht Club. Cameron Brooks (out of Texas) is a strange lot in that they have a somewhat rigid pipeline you go through, and there a little picky as to who they select, but they are very good at what they do. As time passes, you will develop a relationship with a handful of individuals either at these companies or at satellites of these companies. Treat them well and they will be very helpful when you need them. Don't hang up on them if they cold-call you. When you suddeenly need a job, these are the guys who help you get one.
So anyway, hopefully I've shed some light on all this mail you will suddenly find in your mailbox.
Good luck!