What are your keys to growing a successful career?

2016-03-01T11:17:01-05:00

Whether you’re in the military or successfully transitioned out, everyone has their keys to successfully growing their career. Please share your thoughts and tag any mentors you’ve had along the way.

Learn more about growing your career as a veteran at Farmers: http://rly.pt/FarmersVets-N1

Farmers Insurance Agency Owner Opportunity & Career

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 1 at 2016 11:21 AM

2016-03-01T11:21:03-05:00

I wish my most valued mentors were on RP.
Read daily
Ask questions
Network
Practice to learn the new and maintain the old
Work with others with similar goals and experiences
Stay healthy - healthy body = healthy mind
Challenge myself
Question myself to ensure I don't get complacent on anything that I knew what fact at one point.

Response by CPT Aaron Kletzing made Mar 1 at 2016 11:27 AM

2016-03-01T11:27:09-05:00

One of my mentors in my last unit was LTC David Haines -- he was my Battalion Commander. He was a great example of hard work, humility, character, and working at self-improvement and helping others every day.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Mar 1 at 2016 11:40 AM

2016-03-01T11:40:52-05:00

Once upon a time (in the not so distant past) people worked almost cradle to grave at one job, one career. With the obvious exceptions of the professions (law and medicine) this is no longer true. And, even in those areas, technology is forcing changes that make their practice almost unrecognizable from the past. Thus we are all students for life, learning new skills, new knowledge. Learn something new every day.

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Mar 1 at 2016 11:50 AM

2016-03-01T11:50:56-05:00

1. Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.
2. Learn the tools and techniques of your trade or profession to the highest level of excellence you can achieve.
3. Remember you were the "new guy" once.
4. Treat subordinates and superiors with respect.
5. Be honest, accept responsibility.
6. Do the jobs others won't and do them well.
7. Learn to communicate well through multiple media and keep the "receiver" in mind.
8. Balance your personal and family life with your work life. All work and no play really does detract from job performance in the long run.
9. As a subordinate, you are entitled to one "yes, but," when your leader makes a decision you believe is incorrect; however, if your input is ignored or discounted, then shut up and do the mission.
10. Learn when to keep you big mouth shut and just listen.

Response by SFC Tyrone Almendarez made Mar 1 at 2016 12:27 PM

2016-03-01T12:27:19-05:00

1. Be competent in your trade
2. Never settle
3. Never stop learning
4. Stay hungry
5. Share your knowledge and success with others. When you watch someone make it and you know you had a part in their success well that's a feeling not too many people have felt.

Response by Capt Brandon Charters made Mar 1 at 2016 12:38 PM

2016-03-01T12:38:34-05:00

Build strong professional relationships with those around you. Focus more time on the people that work for you and you'll be surprised how quickly those above you will notice.

Response by SGM Mikel Dawson made Mar 1 at 2016 2:08 PM

2016-03-01T14:08:38-05:00

I'm a farrier, self employed. I've had to juggle a Reserve career along side my business. The ethics and standards from my military life have carried over into my farrier life. I'm never late for an appointment, and if I see I might be late, I have my customer's number and give them a call. I treat every horse as if it was mine. The most important horse I've ever worked on is the one I have the appointment for - the owner doesn't care what I have to do next, if I don't have time to give that horse my 100 percent attention, then I don't need to be there. If I make a mistake, I admit it, accept responsibility and drive on. Does this sound like the Army Values? They are. I am also a thinker. I've had to think out of the box many times. I am done when the job (mission) is complete. Be polite, considerate and give respect to the customer, sometimes very hard.
I've done good enough my wife no longer has to work full time. Business wise, I've had to plan expenses, and teach my wife to do so. Learning how to plan, put things together, my daily work schedule (tng schedule), all these things I did as a 1SG, SGM have carried over and helped me in the business end of my work. I'd never thought much about it before, but so many things have crossed the line.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 1 at 2016 2:44 PM

2016-03-01T14:44:27-05:00

Staying focused and staying engaged in growing mentally.

Response by CPT Aaron Kletzing made Mar 1 at 2016 6:15 PM

2016-03-01T18:15:26-05:00

Don't be afraid to reach out to others when you need career help.

Response by Michelle Titus made Mar 1 at 2016 6:21 PM

2016-03-01T18:21:25-05:00

Staying focused on exceeding expectations in your current role and people will notice. Plan your next steps by offering to take on stretch projects that prepare you for the next promotion. Have a mentor inside and outside your organization that you meet with regularly that will give you candid feedback.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 1 at 2016 9:22 PM

2016-03-01T21:22:50-05:00

Strive for an honest "Thank You" everyday.
It doesn't always have to be verbal, but an honest and sincere one is a sure sign I've done well.

Response by Maj John Bell made Mar 5 at 2016 4:29 PM

2016-03-05T16:29:31-05:00

Look for joy in what you do. I've worked glad, mad, and sad. Glad is best. If you hate it, it never pays enough.

Response by Sgt Tom Cunnally made Mar 5 at 2016 5:14 PM

2016-03-05T17:14:52-05:00

Excellent question here's my thoughts on being successful:
1. Learn as much as you can & as fast as you can about your job, company, people you work with & for. Know yourself & the industry you work in. If you strive to be successful you have to be a quick learner which may mean putting in extra hours at home and at work. 2. Have a caring and supportive family structure. Just these 2 worked OK for me in 30+ years of military and Defense/Aerospace experience. I never quite made it to the top but always tried to get there.

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Mar 5 at 2016 6:19 PM

2016-03-05T18:19:03-05:00

Integrity, perseverance in the face of opposition, endurance in doing good, offering something which is in long-term demand by a sufficient number of people are the keys to growing a successful career.
I hope that most Farmer's Insurance personnel are honest. I had the misfortune to rear-ended by somebody leaving Fort Belvoir many eras ago. We exchanged insurance information and the person who hit me was insured by Farmers Insurance in northern Virginia. I was shocked to be informed by Farmers Insurance through my own insurance company that Farmers claimed the accident never happened.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Mar 5 at 2016 9:14 PM

2016-03-05T21:14:35-05:00

Keep growing and being relevant. Know your unit, the units you support, and Higher. All this is predicated on good leadership as you represent stewardship of our youth.

Response by 1LT A. Uribe made Mar 6 at 2016 12:36 PM

2016-03-06T12:36:33-05:00

3 Ds
Desire
Dedication
Determination

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 6 at 2016 5:15 PM

2016-03-06T17:15:03-05:00

1. Continue to learn, and be the best that you can be.
2. Strive for quality, and learn by your mistakes.
3. Mentor your subordinates.
4. Face to face communication is more effective than emails.
5. Plan and prepare, so there are no surprises.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 7 at 2016 9:07 AM

2016-03-07T09:07:43-05:00

Have an understanding that you might have to start on the ground floor and work your way up, but once you break the glass and start progressing upward it gets easier to get promoted.

Have faith in your abilities. Your ability to trudge through crap and come out on the other end smiling will go a long way. Success can be measured by longevity and/or progression. Figure out which one your company looks more into and make that your primary goal. However, keep the other as an alternate goal.

Response by SSgt GG-15 RET Jim Lint made Mar 7 at 2016 10:26 PM

2016-03-07T22:26:04-05:00

In a 36 year federal career with 21 years in the military, I would have to say never buy a house and be flexible. I recently did my second retirement and I am moved to my current location with move 25. Be flexible, be able to move quickly. It worked for me, and we had a lot of fun.

Response by 1SG James Lampe made Mar 8 at 2016 8:29 AM

2016-03-08T08:29:41-05:00

Know yourself and seek self improvement.
Know your job, your subordinates job, and your bosses job.
Your subordinates are your credentials.
Have a mentor who is the subject matter expert for whatever skill set you are striving to excel in.
Teach, coach and mentor.
Mission first.
Never quit.
Pride kills.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Mar 10 at 2016 1:11 AM

2016-03-10T01:11:52-05:00

I tended to follow the Cowboy Code. Now I just add one more thing for the new generation. Pull your pants up!

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Mar 10 at 2016 8:35 PM

2016-03-10T20:35:00-05:00

Take care of your soldiers, take care of the units that you support and support you, know your bosses vision, prepare for advancement, and get a mentor. Mentors can share their wisdom and camaraderie, but they can help make your career fair.

Response by SPC Byung Kang made Mar 11 at 2016 12:08 PM

2016-03-11T12:08:22-05:00

There are good reasons to support why people call it "career development." It needs focused strategy, nurturing via time & experience, sponsors that will not sugarcoat (via mentors, networking etc) and objective self study. You should try keeping one eye focused on what you believe in and never waver from your core beliefs and the other eye constantly checking whether you yourself are a malleable puzzle piece that fits into different areas of the whole picture. I strongly believe that us veterans bring core skill-sets to be flexible enough to readjust quickly to a new environment (whether it's corporate strategy or jumping industry), bulldoze through complicated assignments (get sh*t done), and/or have the patience to step back and find the precise timing to execute or re-execute (hurry up and wait) - and these are very attractive unquantifiable skill-sets that can be used to find jobs, move up the ladder, market your role etc... all part of "career development"

Response by PO2 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 11 at 2016 10:37 PM

2016-03-11T22:37:31-05:00

Stay hungry and take care of your people.

Response by COL Charles Williams made Mar 11 at 2016 11:10 PM

2016-03-11T23:10:08-05:00

Keeping it simple. Do your best everyday. Make a difference. Always focus on improving the team and the organization. Give shit (meaning really care vs. saying you care). Make a difference every day.

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 12 at 2016 2:47 PM

2016-03-12T14:47:20-05:00

Advice given to 2LTs when asked:

1)Listen to your NCOs, they have being doing that shit far longer than you, most probably have already been in combat.
2) Care for your men, go the extra mile, look after them, on and off duty.
3) Give your men chances to better themselves, if you can hook them up with extra training/schools (that matters) do it.
4) Stand behind your decisions, you will receive a lot of advice, but ultimately the choice will be yours.
5) Remember that a good leader accepts 1/4 of the responsibility for success and gives the rest to his subordinates, but accepts ALL the responsibility for failure.
6) Master your craft, ask, learn, read, practice, and then practice some more.
7) Observe the little things, when you do inspections, don't just look just for if it's clean or if it's working; find out why it's missing, why it's not working and facilitate action to correct that.
8) Be calm. Easier said than done, but your attitude around your men, will reflect on them; don't be all over the place, keep your actions clear.
9) Have a can do attitude. Surely not everything can always be accomplished, but if you start your evaluation with optimism, that will translate to success or at the very least better understanding of ways to accomplish the task at hand.
10) Lastly, have a purpose as a leader. Don't just ride your time until you are due to change units. Have a goal of what you want your unit to be like, and work with your NCOs to achieve it.

Response by COL John Hudson made Mar 13 at 2016 5:46 AM

2016-03-13T05:46:20-04:00

I made a career out of educating myself at every point along the way while ensuring my superiors knew that at all times, "I AM AVAILABLE." Worked for me. At age 15 I cooked hamburgers at a greasy spoon for $0.15 an hour. That's right - fifteen cents an hour and nothing more! The last three years of my career I earned just over $216,000.00 annually. Education and Availability will do the trick every time...accept no substitute.

Response by PVT Jevon James made Mar 13 at 2016 6:23 PM

2016-03-13T18:23:00-04:00

Motivation or other wise moral, always learn, accomplish a step towards growth in learning the career in the beginning of the career, then be your self.

Response by PVT Jevon James made Mar 13 at 2016 8:42 PM

2016-03-13T20:42:19-04:00

A life of optimism and to know when to compromise.

Response by SFC Joseph McCausland made Mar 13 at 2016 11:19 PM

2016-03-13T23:19:42-04:00

Innovate - give added value to your customers - always enhance your company brand and your customer's experience when doing business with your company.

Live by these five words... "How Can I Help You".

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 15 at 2016 8:34 AM

2016-03-15T08:34:22-04:00

I can only really speak of a career in the military, but like most things I think lots would transfer into a civilian career.

1. Always seek out more responsibility, despite how new you are or how low on the totem pole. You're leadership will notice this and it will pay off.

2. Always show motivation

3. Don't brown nose. I've seen it in my previous units and now my current one. It will not go unnoticed by your peers and other immediate supervisors.

4. Don't act like you know everything. It is annoying. Instead never stop trying to learn more out your job and any other job that may help you in the future.

Response by MSgt Guillermo Ybarra III (HVAC Recruiter) made Mar 17 at 2016 7:00 AM

2016-03-17T07:00:05-04:00

A good work ethic, and a positive attitude!

Response by SFC Joseph McCausland made Mar 17 at 2016 9:52 PM

2016-03-17T21:52:20-04:00

self-confidence - perseverance - helping others get what they want....

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Mar 18 at 2016 12:58 PM

2016-03-18T12:58:48-04:00

You led a successful organization that took care of the troops. Your organization becomes a leaping board to greater individual achievements, because your sphere of understanding gets bigger.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 19 at 2016 11:54 AM

2016-03-19T11:54:32-04:00

Fill every shoe and never stop looking for your next job. If your in transition from military to civilian I encourage you to look into the trades.

Response by SGT Michael Thorin made Mar 19 at 2016 6:16 PM

2016-03-19T18:16:06-04:00

I have found that in the civilian world, and even the military, there is one stand-out trait amount successful individuals: to leave your job, no matter how much you love or hate it, a better place than when you have found it.

Character is revealed in some pretty basic and mundane tasks around the job.

Simple things that you can observe are usually an indicator of this character.

If they go to pick up a small piece of paper after it falls out of their hands and they notice, and do nothing about it, if they take the last bit of coffee and do not start the next pot, if they do not change out the roll on the toilet paper, and either leave a roll on top of it instead of changing it out, or worse, they leave you none at all.

True character is revealed in how you act when you are not seen, especially when you "think" yo aren't being watched.

At your civilian career, no matter what it is, go in looking for ways to leave it better than you found it. If that is in physical appearance or in attitudes, it doesn't matter.

If you strive to do this, then you will do everything your job requires and more.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Mar 21 at 2016 2:50 PM

2016-03-21T14:50:28-04:00

It's having the acumen and confidence to understand higher levels of responsibility due to your perceptions, the guidance of others, and the institution.

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 21 at 2016 5:04 PM

2016-03-21T17:04:18-04:00

My key - #1 - is to persevere. Keep on keepin' on. Through good and bad. It worked for me, and I think it will work for you. In a word, perseverance!

Response by Sgt Tom Cunnally made Mar 23 at 2016 7:34 PM

2016-03-23T19:34:08-04:00

Leadership is the most important key to success. If you are a strong leader it will not only open many doors but you will be noticed by both your peers and superiors. I learned this years ago at the Camp Lejeune NCO Leadership school and it seemed to sink in .

Response by SP5 Michael Cates made Mar 26 at 2016 2:07 AM

2016-03-26T02:07:31-04:00

I think it is really important to look deeply into what makes you Tick ie. What SKILLS you have that could help someone else! Your Carreer just might come from within! You see I was always looking at developing something new to have as a career and really it turned out to be my Hobby which Turned into my Career! My first Teacher was my Older Brother Darold Cates resting in Peace! But never forgotten! Now that I look back I always ended up offering to teach children gymnastics wherever I went in life! EVEN VIETNAM!!! '67-'68! HEY NOW MAYBE I AM GETTING OFF TOPIC! I HOPE THAT I HAVE HELPED SOMEONE! IF SOMEONE WANTS MORE ABOUT HOW I TURNED MY HOBBY INTO A MILLION DOLLAR BUSINESS JUUST HIT ME BACK! MIKE CATES

Response by SSG Derrick L. Lewis MBA, C-HRM made Mar 26 at 2016 6:18 AM

2016-03-26T06:18:56-04:00

This has served as a personal mantra for me in which I have been able to project these attributes outward and empower and motivate team members long the way.
1. Stay hungry (Always possess the knowledge, awareness, and desire to know where you are currently at, but always maintain the mentality and posture of wanting to achieve more. In short, do not rest on your laurels.)
2. Stay humble (Gain your achievements from personal set goals, but there is not ever a situation that warrants you bragging from your accomplishments. If it comes to this point, then you have gained your achievements for the wrong reason.)
3. Stay grateful (Do not ever get too beside yourself that you lose focus or forget to appreciate all of what you have accomplished and the influencers (internal, external, spiritual) that contributed to this point and remain grateful for the forthcoming accomplishments that lie ahead.)
4. Pay it forward.

Response by Bill Kim made Mar 26 at 2016 6:48 PM

2016-03-26T18:48:12-04:00

Work hard, don't expect a pat on the head and don't fish for one, and do your goddamn job.

Response by PO3 Matthew Thompson made Mar 26 at 2016 7:28 PM

2016-03-26T19:28:21-04:00

Never settle for where you may land... always consider where your next step will be.

Response by SSgt Jim Gilmore made Mar 29 at 2016 5:28 AM

2016-03-29T05:28:03-04:00

Go to work in a job you really love doing. So long as you do something you love, it's easy to get up and go to work and never gets boring...even if it is!

Response by SGT Rick Ash made Mar 29 at 2016 3:53 PM

2016-03-29T15:53:48-04:00

There is no doubt that my MOS transitioned me into a highly lucrative civilian career. A year long AIT in high end electronics landed me a job within a week of the terminal leave I had taken. It put me into the R&D arm of a startup modem manufacturer but after a year and a half I was asked by the VP; Sales to sign up for a job he was posting. That's where the big $$'s were. The first Million dollar shipping month came quickly then they rolled by until 10 million $ per month so we stopped having those huge celebrations. After another year I was promoted to District Manager and went to Denver to open up the Rocky Mountain States. 2 years later I came back to Huntsville, AL and was put in charge of managing all of the re-sellers. It was awesome!

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 29 at 2016 8:57 PM

2016-03-29T20:57:07-04:00

what you do defines you period i chose to give up my medical career, went to factory work, i do 110% on my job, my bosses noticed, i now do special projects, and now other people noticed, they want me in their dept, how you conduct yourself and get the job done wiil be noticed but it takes patients remember your training, attention to detail and you will succeed

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