Read the first article in the series.

Read the second article in the series.

Read the third article in the series.

Read the fourth article in the series.

Be the Expert

What does being an expert have to do with leadership?  Think about it, and the answer becomes apparent.  Why would anyone follow a leader unless they found some value in doing so?  Most people follow a leader because he or she is an expert, or a champion in his or her field.  An expert is defined as a person with knowledge specific to a field of work.  An expert is a person with extensive knowledge or ability based on research, experience, or occupation in a particular area of study.  Not just anyone who practices fervently will become an expert.  Marie-Line Germain found 16 behavioral dimensions found in experts.  Some of these traits include: knowledge that is specific to his or her field of work, the ability to assess a work related situation’s importance, the capacity for self improvement, deduction, drive, and self confidence.  These behavioral traits are consistently held by all experts, whether he or she is an expert marksman, musician, lawyer, or business leader.    

I have witnessed leaders and managers from various organizations successfully transition into new roles with minimal difficulty.  Not because management and leadership is the same everywhere, but because these leaders were able to adapt to new environments.  They were able to pull from past experiences and use their behavioral dimensions to gain new expertise.  Many military and former military leaders also hold these behavioral traits.

Individuals transitioning from the military to the civilian workforce will find that businesses can benefit from the military’s method of creating experts.  The Marines Corps’ method of developing leaders and experts begins with boot camp, is followed by real-world experience, and further refined by guidance from tenured Marines.  During training, Marines are tested and, in some cases, qualification is required.  In contrast, civilian businesses tend to train by informing employees and opt out of testing at the end of training sessions.  I suppose we, as business leaders, refrain from testing and qualification requirements for fear of being sued or having our employment practices challenged.  It could be that our training and testing methods are not as developed as the military’s.  So the aforementioned behavioral traits, as well as skills in team cohesion, encouragement and coaching techniques, organization, and discipline, can provide transitioning military-experienced job seekers a firm foundation for civilian leadership roles. 

However, military leaders contemplating a career change may examine where their expertise truly lies.  Some may realize that their desire and passion is to continue to hone their military expertise and nurture those serving our country.  A career in the military is a fine choice as it reinforces strengths and this country needs expert marksmen, staff sergeants, trainers, and other military professionals.  The decision to stay in the service is a difficult one, since many military careers place strain on families.  But realize there are also civilian professions that cause equal strain on family time.  Lawyers, doctors, salespersons, entertainers, etc. all have extreme demands made on their time.  These challenges compromise their family ties and require much dedication and discipline to their trade.  Military careers are not alone in this.  Therefore, in choosing a profession, one needs to look inward and determine which career is best for them and whether or not they are willing to make the sacrifices required to become an expert in their field… even if it means leaving others behind.   

Judy Navarrete, SPHR, the author of this series, Leadership Basics, is a Human Resources Manager.  She has over 14 years experience in strategic management.  As such, she has extensive experience in understanding the needs of managers and businesses with respect to staffing and leadership performance.  She has worked in the private sector and union and non-union environments, both for profit companies and not-for-profit organizations.  Her understanding of military training and leadership comes from her conversations and interaction with a Staff Sergeant of the US Marine Corps.  This is the last article in the series of her contributions to MilitarytoCivilian.com.  This Staff Sergeant will deploy soon, with his team of Marines.  Once his tour is completed, he will most likely re-enlist.

Consider the benefits:

• Volunteering looks great on a military resume. It compensates for gaps in your work history while you are transitioning from the military into a civilian career. It shows potential employers passion for work without regards to reward and diversifies and expands your experience beyond the military. It also shows initiative in that you have not been idle during the military job search process.
• Volunteering increases networking contacts. It allows you to put in face time with community leaders – people who have the contacts you are seeking and who may be willing to recommend you or have the power to employ you themselves.
• Volunteering is excellent for self-esteem. The military to civilian job search can be emotionally and mentally taxing. Volunteering makes you feel connected and appreciated. Military job seekers with high self-esteem tend to market themselves more effectively and interview well.
• Volunteering can also help you determine if you’re seeking employment in the right field. Many transitioning military job seekers have a difficult time finding their niche outside of the armed services. Volunteering can give you enough exposure to a line of work to help you make the right career decisions.

Select volunteer activities you’ll enjoy. www.volunteermatch.org is a great website that allows you to search for volunteer opportunities by keyword (e.g. mentoring, veterans, environment, etc.) or location. Think outside of the box! Offer to assist non-profits with projects such as designing brochures, organizing fundraisers, or building a website. List this experience on your military resume in a creative way. (For professional military resume writing services, visit www.MilitaryResumes.com.) Then at your next interview, show off samples of your work being used in the real-world.

The more you volunteer, the more people you’ll bring into your networking circle. Just be sure to do enough quality work for each organization so they get to know you, and that you are gaining knowledge from the experience. Solicit feedback from the organization you’re volunteering with about your job-search process. And let people at all levels within the organization know you’re looking for full-time work. You never know who will have the contact you need to land a job.

Use volunteering to establish credentials, gain real-world experience, and broaden your circle of contacts. Studies have shown that volunteering can be a direct route to employment, so add this profitable tool to your military to civilian job search strategy kit.

November is filled with activities that focus on or relate to the military. Veteran’s Day deservedly gets most of the headlines, but let’s not forget about the birthday of the U. S. Marine Corps.

November has also been designated as National Military Family Month under sponsorship of the Armed Services Chapter of the YMCA (ASYMCA), a national member association of the YMCA of the USA that works with the Department of Defense. The ASYMCA has provided support services to military service members and their families for more than 140 years.

Additionally, this month we recognize the many programs that are available to assist our wounded warriors and their families. November is WarriorCare Month and WarriorCare serves as a portal to those resources.

In light of all of that activity, November seems like a particularly good time to say THANKS to those of you who are serving or who have served and to the care-givers and family members of those people. Regardless of your connection to our military community, find some time this month to express you gratitude to those who are wearing or who have worn our country’s military uniforms.