It is a fact that the military does a great job at preparing veterans for management positions after getting out. Veterans learn five of the skills hiring officials look for when trying to fill an open management position:
- Critical thinking
- Leadership
- Creativity
- Communication
- Time management
Here’s why these skills are critical, and how you can highlight them to apply for your post-military management job.
Critical thinking
Defined as “the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action”, it is easy to see how this skill applies to being a manager. This is also the same skill used when given a verbal or written operation order while serving and being able to pick out what was expected from you and your team for that mission.
Leadership
Plain and simple, a big part of a manager’s duties is to lead. Whether that is writing policy and procedure from a desk or actually being on the floor with his or her team, they impact the performance of what or what not gets accomplished. Doesn’t that sound like part of the duties of being a leader of a team, squad, section or platoon? Yes, it is pretty much the same thing; leading is leading.
Creativity
With budget constraints, military members were forced many times to “do more with less” in regard to the resources given to them. As a result, they were forced to get creative on how those limited resources were used to accomplish the mission. The exact same skill is required in business, by using what you have been given to get the job done. In business, it is called resource management.
Communication
Regardless of if you were a member of a team or their leader, communicating effectively up and down the chain of command is critical to mission accomplishment. Not doing so meant lives could be lost. While not effectively communication in business might not result in lives lost, communication is still one of the key skills to being successful. Whether giving orders, delegating tasks or writing performance reports, communication is a required skill to get things done.
Time management
Whether it was being in formation on time or on the objective, military members learn early while serving that time management is an important skill to master. In business, the saying “time is money” is frequently used and it is so true. The longer it takes to unexpectedly do something, the more it costs the company and affects the bottom line.
Get a Four-Year College Degree
Even as good as these skills are, they will only take one so far. Most management jobs today – even entry level – require at least a four-year degree in something; some companies require a bachelor’s degree in business management or a related field. If you don’t have your degree yet, shorten the time from getting out to getting a job by requesting a military transcript of your military training and MOSs and apply those credits to your degree plan. Further shorten the time by testing out of college courses through CLEP tests. Then use your GI Bill to finish your degree.
Research companies and options
Some companies are more military-friendlier than others. Do your homework and research companies known to hire veterans. Or research companies that specialize in a particular area of business that you want to work or geographical location where you want to live.
Leverage your security clearance
Some management jobs – even entry level – require a security clearance. Yours from military service can be good for up to two years after getting out depending on the date of your last reinvestigation. Having a valid security clearance makes you a more valuable asset.
Show off your management skills
If you want to get into a management position but currently are in a different type of job, volunteer for small management-type tasks to show your management potential. Seize opportunities that come along, whether that might be organizing the company picnic, Christmas party or coming up with a better way to do something. Company leadership will take notice and start grooming you for a management position. Just ensure you meet the minimum requirements of the position beforehand, so you can accept a position when offered.
