How Have Military Skills Made You Better in Your Career?

2014-10-20T13:50:16-04:00

What military skills have made you better in your civilian job?

Military skills from conducting AAR's to performance counseling to the intelligence process and more have great use in Business. Military skills also allow organizations to successfully take more risk.

http://www.agprofessional.com/special-sections/business/279669142.html?view=all

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Oct 20 at 2014 1:56 PM

2014-10-20T13:56:06-04:00

You tend not to accept lame, unacceptable excuses that you could never get away with in the service. One of my boss's mantra was, "never come to me with excuses only solutions."

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 20 at 2014 1:56 PM

2014-10-20T13:56:57-04:00

LTC Chad Storlie, sir, those risk taking skills of SOF are good examples of combat leader to corporate leader transferable skills that would make a veteran a better businessman/woman.

I would think that the discipline we learned in the military, coupled with the drive to accomplish the mission (almost at all costs), would also contribute to success in the civilian business world. I know those attributes have helped me, but I'm not a civilian civilian, I'm a DA civilian, where those attributes are essentially expected. In fact, all the Army values (and those of other Services) should serve us well in the business world.

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 20 at 2014 1:59 PM

2014-10-20T13:59:22-04:00

I'm in the Reserve and both my military and civilian careers have boosted each other.

My 4.5 years of ADT at the Pentagon and 1.5 years mobilized gave me a solid experience base to use in pursuing a civilian career in intelligence. The years of experience in my civilian career gave me a chance to show leadership skills that got me promoted to Chief in the Navy. My current mobilization has allowed me to get my Master's degree which should open more doors on the civilian side next year.

In regards to skills, I'd say that leadership and confidence have been things that I've learned in the military that are paying off in the civilian world.

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 21 at 2014 4:30 PM

2014-10-21T16:30:18-04:00

One skill which came with experience in the military was discernment. There is real value in discerning what is urgent, important and critical, and that skill often is sorely lacking in organizations where everyone believes everything is important and urgent, leading to lots of unproductive activity. I often use this skill to help people focus and prioritize when the amount of work they are asked to do is more than what is possible. Not everything will get done. What matters most must be done.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 16 at 2015 3:24 PM

2015-10-16T15:24:19-04:00

For me it has to be discipline and ethics. As an attorney I've had to work very long hours, travel great distances and then advocate vigorously regardless of what was going on my life, how tired, sick, worried or anything else I may have been, and military discipline pushes me forward when I'd much rather just lie down.

Ethics are even more important. As a Special Agent for the old INS, the ethics I learned in the military let me do the right thing instead of the self-serving or easy one by telling the truth under oath in court even though that truth directly harmed my supervisors and by extension my work environment. Those ethics continue to guide me today, to the point that as an attorney I have a reputation for absolute honesty in a field where many take clients' money even when there is no hope of success. I tell such clients the truth of their situation at the initial consultation, wish them luck and tell them to keep their money.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 19 at 2015 11:21 AM

2015-10-19T11:21:29-04:00

Not so much my military skill sets....but the military mentality has made a huge difference in my job.

The concept of 'if you are five minutes early you're ten minutes late" is lost on most civilians.
As are the concepts of Integrity First, Service Before Self , and Excellence In All You Do.

It's more like Integrity if there is no up side for me, Service as long as I get lunch, and Excellence only when my annual review is due.

I'm not saying this about all civilians but the vast majority i've met and work with have no concept of anything bigger than themselves

I have several friends who work in HR, at different places, and they've told they will hire military (even if they need training) just because they know they will at least show up to work and give it their best........it's a sad state of affairs when just showing up for work makes you "highly" desired.....anyway back to the question....YES the military made me more employable.

Response by SFC Brian Ewing made Oct 20 at 2015 10:37 AM

2015-10-20T10:37:17-04:00

It goes hand in hand for what I do now as an JROTC Instructor, because the JROTC Cadets emulates/mirrors our program by using the same regulations, many of the policies and our hierarchy in rank, uniform, physical training and not to mention we have an Arms and Supply Rooms that adhere to the same regulations governed by the U.S. Army.

This is the perfect job to come into after serving in the military if you desire to care for our most precious resource=Our Children!

Response by TSgt Mario Guajardo made Mar 1 at 2016 11:51 PM

2016-03-01T23:51:48-05:00

The military teaches members to take the initiative. Haven't met an employer that didn't appreciate that.