Cameron-brooks

Welcome back! In this episode we feature Jonathan Brewer. He is a former Army Field Artillery officer who transitioned to Corporate America in 2018 and is an Account Manager for Anderson & Vreeland.  When Jonathan came to the Cameron-Brooks Career Conference, he had 15 separate interviews and just about every company expressed interest in having him out for a follow-up interview. At the Conference, he had more interviews focused on operational team leadership than any other type of career field, but through the discovery process of the Conference (his testimonial video here,) he learned that he was a better fit for roles focused toward business development. In this episode, Jonathan talks about making the transition into a sales role and gives three tips to launch a successful sales career. He takes the time to explain how he manages his territory and interacts with customers all the while being a good husband and father. I think you'll really enjoy listening to Jonathan's experience. To learn more about tur

In this podcast, Pat Moesta shares the interview advice he would give other JMOs when preparing for their transition. Pat made a successful transition into the business world as a Brand Manager at Stryker back in 2017.  He is a USMA 2012 grad and a former Army Infantry officer.  When Pat attended the Cameron-Brooks August 2017 Conference, he converted 13 interviews into 9 company pursuits and had 3 offers to choose from.  He knows how to interview. "Interview for every opportunity as if it is your only one." "Make decisions.  Do not eliminate options until after the interview as you will have so much more information." Our archived blog posts are chock-full of other interview advice. You can find a few of our favorites here: Five Easy Tricks to Improve Your Interviewing Skills, Two Keys to Successful Interviews,   Five Interview Mistakes to Avoid and The Number One Factor to a Successful Interview. To learn more about turning your JMO leadership skills into a successful transition and business

Welcome back! This episode is a bit different than our normal podcast. For this episode, Joel Junker is on the other side of the microphone. He shares his insight on how to answer the simple, but very important interview question "Tell Me About Yourself". If you were ever going to rank people who give interview advice, Joel should be at the very top of your list. Not only did he transition as a JMO and have an outstanding Career Conference, but he also has over 21 years of experience helping literally thousands of military officers transition to Corporate America. As Career Conference interviews continue to trend toward being more conversational in nature, this podcast will help you develop an effective response when a hiring manager presents you with the interview question "Tell me about yourself." We dive into why the question is important, the component parts of the answer, tailoring the answer to be specific to different career fields and some do's and don'ts. Our archived blog posts are chocked full o

Thank you for listening to another episode of the Cameron-Brooks Podcast. In this episode, Kilian Wald, Associate Finance Manager at Stryker, joins me for a conversation about his transition from an Army Air Defense Officer to a development candidate career in Finance with Stryker Medical.  In less than two years with Stryker, Kilian has already been promoted and earned a special assignment for 6 months in Singapore.  He credits his success with JMO leadership lessons he learned during his time in the military: do the hard work, be willing to learn, build relationships and be adaptable. He also talks about the value of the Cameron-Brooks program and how it prepared him to make a successful transition to Stryker.  His advice, "While it can be hard, trust the Cameron-Brooks process because it works."  He credits his military to business transition success to the multiple in-person one-on-one conversations with experienced Cameron-Brooks Recruiters and working with his study group in Clarksville, TN. A couple

Welcome Back! In this podcast episode, I interview Kirby Rolfe (Kastner). She is a former Army Transportation officer who transitioned to Corporate America in  August 2016. She launched her business career with Boston Scientific as a Senior Production Planner. We had a great conversation and covered a lot of ground in a short amount of time regarding career management. She started by explaining why she chose Boston Scientific from her Career Conference and the day-to-day responsibilities of her first role. The conversation quickly moved to discuss Lean Manufacturing, Lean Business Practices and how continuous process improvement played a major part in her first year at Boston Scientific. After a year she was promoted to lead a team of Production Planners. At this point, the conversation focused on how she has managed her career to where she is now in a completely different part of her company. At one point in the conversation, I asked what her next move would be. She enthusiastically replied, "I don't know!

Welcome to another episode of the Cameron-Brooks Podcast!  Have you heard about Big Data, Data Analytics or Artificial Intelligence?  Wonder why it is so important in business today? Curious how JMOs can break into big data career fields? In this episode I interview Cameron-Brooks Alumnus, Jason Papale, who is a Senior Operations Business Analyst at USAA.  Most are familiar with what USAA does, but you may not realize exactly how they use data science to create a better experience when interacting with the Member Service Representatives at the Call Center or through their website or app. Jason is a former Navy Nuclear Power Submarine Officer who transitioned to USAA in early 2019.  This episode covers topics of the different data projects Jason has worked on at USAA, his pursual of an advanced degree in data analytics, thoughts on why data analytics continues to grow in business and projecting a future career path. If you want to learn more about Data Analytics or Big Data, check out this article on Data A

Welcome back! I'm excited to bring you my conversation with Brian Fitzgerald. Brian is a former Army Infantry officer who transitioned to an Engineering Project Management role within Boston Scientific in 2016. We started the conversation by discussing Brian's transition. He had 12 interviews at the Cameron-Brooks Career Conference and all of the companies he interviewed with expressed an interest in pursuing him for a follow up interview. Then, we discussed how he narrowed his 12 options down to the best 5 that suited him and his family and how the follow up interview process went for him. Through that discussion, he described why he chose the cardiovascular franchise within Boston Scientific. Brian explains his initial role as a Manager, Process Development, and how his academic background and military leadership experience helped him quickly find success in his role. Since starting at Boston Scientific, he's been promoted to Senior Manager, Process Development and describes how his role has grown more t

Several listeners have requested to hear about what it's like for a JMO to work in the hi-tech industry.  In Episode 81, Cameron-Brooks Alumnus, Eric Dvorak, describes his work with the Corning Emerging Innovations Group.  We wanted to follow that episode up with another alum in the hi-tech industry but with a different type of company and business sector. Chazz Hoskins is a former Air Force Development Engineer who is now a Manufacturing Engineer with Lam Research.  Lam Research makes some of the most innovative wafer fabrication equipment - meaning they make hi-tech machines that make semiconductors.  Specifically, Chazz works in their Pilot Manufacturing Plant that manufactures some of the newest developed machines for customers prior to being transferred to higher volume production operations. During this podcast, Chazz describes his experience working in Silicon Valley and the culture of the hi-tech industry.  He also explains his strategy for his transition and for making a quick impact at Lam Researc

What are the secrets for a JMO to launch a successful business career?  In our latest podcast, we hear from a Cameron-Brooks alumni on his secrets to success. Dave Dostal is a former Naval Aviator who now leads transformation and operational excellence improvement projects at Medtronic, one of the world's largest medical device companies. Dave made the transition from the Navy to Medtronic in April 2017 after 10 very successful years in the Navy.  He landed a career with Medtronic through the Cameron-Brooks Career Search Process.  As a Program Manager focused on operational excellence and business transformation, he is using many of the skills and knowledge he gained when he was an Aviation Safety Program Manager in the Navy. Dave offers 3 tips for JMOs to successfully establish themselves in their careers: Have the mindset that you have control of your career.  Many military officers are used to the military controlling their career.  It is different in the business world, and successful JMOs pivot to

Welcome back! On this episode, I interview Amber McColl. She is a former Army Intelligence officer who transitioned in 2015. Amber launched her career at EY as a Senior Consultant. She excelled in that role for two years and then transitioned to an Operations Manager position. Much of our conversation centers around career management and the secret to managing your career. She highlights some key steps she took to find success early in her career, some things she's done recently to continue her success and some thoughts she has about where she will may take her career in the future. Amber provides some great insight that you can use as you are managing your career. She also recommended the book Blind Spot by Mahzarin Banaji. She said the book has helped her focus on inclusive leadership. To learn more about JMO transitions and business success with Cameron-Brooks, visit our website and check out PCS to Corporate America. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

We sometimes have to explain to JMO’s that just because you have never heard of a company does not mean that they don’t offer great potential career opportunities. Top companies you've never heard of can often present tremendous career opportunities. After all, not all Fortune 500 companies sell consumer products and services and are household names. If we stick only to what we know, we miss out on opportunities. You could also miss out on hearing another opinion. Or could even miss out on giving someone else who is different from us an opportunity to bring their full skillset and experience to bear. Embracing diversity in your career search is important in conducting a career search. If you focus just on what you know or companies you've heard of, you will miss most of Corporate America! Our Alumni continually say one of their favorite aspects of working with Cameron-Brooks was interviewing with companies they never heard of or considered before. In this podcast, Kim Schimick, Director of Global Go To Mar

Welcome back! On this episode, I explore the role of grit in business success as I interview Cameron-Brooks alumnus Paul Young. Paul is a former Army Armor and Adjutant General officer who transitioned after Company Command. He launched his business career at All Risks as a Broker. He started in a business development role and he explains the grit and determination he needed to grow in his company. He makes the point that JMOs are uniquely experienced and can bring that grit to Corporate America. Paul has done a good job managing his career and building his skillset and recently started  a Senior Broker role at Aon.  He also recommends three books that you can use to be more effective in your day-to-day interactions - they are The Like Switch, Just Listen and The Checklist Manifesto. To learn more about JMO transitions and business success with Cameron-Brooks, visit our website and check out PCS to Corporate America. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

When one thinks of a military officer, a Marine Corps officer nonetheless, one does not immediately think of empathy in leadership. Empathy, the ability to share the feelings and understand another person, is a valuable trait.  In fact, this is what Chris Parks, Cameron-Brooks Alumnus from our January 2018 Conference, says is critical to business leadership.  In this podcast, Chris shares that his sales manager remarked how his ability to show empathy with his team impressed her. This surprised him because he thought his JMO advantage came from organizing the team, taking initiative and delivering results.  He never considered how his ability to  relate to the challenges of his young Marines helped him become a more empathetic leader. At the same time Chris shared this story with me on our podcast, I also read an article in the Harvard Business Review  on the importance of empathy in leadership.  You can read the article here. Chris started his career as an Account Manager with Pactiv in April 2018 and withi

On this episode of the podcast, I interview Austin Welty about his Conference preparation experience. Austin is a former USMC Infantry officer who attended the January 2019 Career Conference. After the conference, he launched his career as an Operational Team Leader at PACTIV. Austin has been a long-time listener of this podcast.  As a result, he suggested we do an episode about Conference preparation from the perspective of someone who recently attended a Career Conference. So, we did just that with Austin. Austin shares his first-hand Conference experience by walking us from weeks before the Conference up to the present. He talks about his journey from admitting he wasn't sure of his transition options to explaining the interest he received at his Career Conference interviews, and finally to where he is today. It's great perspective for anyone in the process of transitioning and preparing for a Career Conference. Enjoy! Pete

Are you a JMO considering a military transition?  Well did you know that one tire on a wheel loader for mining equipment retails for over $75,000?  Did you also know that the type of tire a farmer uses on their equipment significantly impacts future crop yield due to soil compression? Until I interviewed Mike Morookian, Regional Sales Manager for Michelin, for our podcast, I had no idea either.  Who knew the vast complexity of tires and their value in the mining, agriculture and transportation industries?  Mike had no idea either prior to starting with Michelin.  I even joked with him during the podcast that when he considered a JMO transition from the Army, I bet he never said to himself, "I want to transition from the Army and sell tires."  In fact, I doubt any person has ever thought that. Mike says he did not fully understand all of the opportunities available to him until he attended the Cameron-Brooks Conference.  He chose a career with Michelin in the Sales Leadership Development Program. He said 6 m

Welcome back! On this most recent podcast episode, we feature Ben Sewell's JMO transition from Army officer to Account Manager in Corporate America. Ben made the transition from the military to Corporate America in 2014. He's in an Account Management role at Altec. In this episode we discuss: What Altec is and what they do (learn more on their YouTube channel) Ben's customers and how he brings value to them Some of the best things about being in an account management/business development role How his military background connects to what he's doing now A specific deal he's worked on recently A typical day-in-the-life for Ben Career progression We feel Ben's experience transitioning from an Army officer to an Account Manager is so helpful to getting an inside look at a specific slice of Corporate America. Therefore, we hope it helps in your learning and discovery process during the JMO transition from the military to corporate career. Would you like more information on how to best transition to Co

Do you know the difference between a Job Fair and Hiring Conference? Unfortunately, many JMOs mistakenly think all transition searches and services are the same.  The reality is: most of these searches and services are Job Fairs that end up being more of a networking event instead of an interviewing opportunity. Cameron-Brooks breaks this mold. We defined the Career Conference and Career Search process. At our Career Conferences, JMOs interview for open positions with hiring managers, and the companies and candidates are matched based mutual interests and requirements.  In this podcast, Cameron-Brooks Alumnus, Kris French, explains the difference between the Job Fair search and a Cameron-Brooks Career Conference.  He knows because, before partnering with Cameron-Brooks, he went the Job Fair route with the Service Academy Career Conference. Kris is an USMA 2013 grad with a degree in Engineering Management and a former Army Engineer.  He is currently an IT Project Manager with ExxonMobil at their new campus

Welcome back to the Cameron-Brooks podcast on JMO transitions! This episode features Chris Wilkerson, a former USMC Combat Engineer Officer who transitioned in 2015 and went to work for Davita Kidney Care. Davita is a healthcare company focused on providing a suite of dialysis services to patients with End Stage Renal Disease. What did Chris know about kidneys or dialysis as he was exiting the military? Not much. What did he know about leadership, problem solving and process excellence? A ton! As a matter of fact, one of the main reasons he chose Davita was because the role gave him an opportunity outside of the military to focus on skills that he'd honed in the USMC. In this episode, he shares insight into his company and "a day in the life" of a Regional Operations Director. One of the key drivers of his performance centers around teammate retention and he also recommends the book Love 'Em or Lose 'Em: Getting Good People to Stay. To learn more about JMO transitions with Cameron-Brooks, visit our website

Hello! And welcome back to another episode of the Cameron-Brooks podcast: helping you find the best JMO job after leaving the military. In this episode, I interview Mike Wilkinson. Mike is a former Navy Surface Warfare Officer with a Bachelors and Masters in Communication.  Mike transitioned out of the Navy through the Cameron-Brooks Career Search process in 2016. Mike launched his post military career with Altec Industries which is a privately held company that is a leading supplier of products and services for the electric utility, telecommunications, contractor, lights and signs and tree care markets. They design, manufacture and sell products and provide services to more than 100 countries throughout the world.  Like many Cameron-Brooks Alumni, Mike shares in the podcast how he never considered such a company prior to the Cameron-Brooks process.  He chose Altec because of their strong values and culture.  In the podcast Mike explains that location was important to him and his spouse, Martelle.  However,