How are veterans helping other veterans?
Mike Ott is a former Navy Nuclear Power officer. After leaving the military in 2011, he transitioned into a career in consulting and is now a Strategy and Operations Consultant at Deloitte. He is also the founder of the Washington DC chapter of VetsInTech. VetsInTech is a non profit organization that supports our current and returning veterans with re-integration services, and by connecting them to the national technology ecosystem. VetsInTech is committed to bringing together a tech-specific network, resources, and programs for our veterans interested in Education, Entrepreneurship, and Employment.
Insights From the Interview
- How do you decide to get out? Ask yourself if you have met the goals that you wanted to reach when you first joined.
- When employers ask about why you left the military, don’t be negative.
- Leverage recruiting firms to practice interviewing and to put together your resume.
- Companies might be concerned with your lack of a business background.
- Sending resumes on their own are less likely to get you hired than using a recruiting firm or networking.
- When first starting to network start with family, friends, and then professional colleagues.
- Use LinkedIn to figure out secondary and tertiary connections that you can reach.
- Start with informational interviews, not requests for employment. They may lead to hiring opportunities down the road.
- Learn what it is you don’t know.
- Asking for mentorship and tactics to approach a mentor for help.
- Find companies that are comfortable and used to hiring veterans.
- Start the networking process several months prior to your transition.
- Get civilian certifications while you’re in the military that pertain to your future industry interests.
- Network, network, network, network, network.
- The onus is on you to develop yourself.
Resources
- Check out GE's Junior Officer Leadership Program.
- Use Meetup.com to network near you.
- VetsInTech and their programs like VetCap help veterans with re-integration services, and by connecting them to the national technology ecosystem.
- Deloitte Junior Military Officer Recruiting Program.
- Case In Point: Complete Case Interview Preparation, for consulting interviews.
- Case Interview Secrets: A Former McKinsey Interviewer Reveals How to Get Multiple Job Offers in Consulting, by Victor Cheng.
- Connect with Mike through LinkedIn or e-mail. Let him know you heard him on SuccessVets! You can also watch him speak at a veteran's employment panel in the video below: