Why veterans make good project managers

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. I accept. Many times, government officials want action officers and not project managers. So becoming certified and understanding what being a project manager was all about was a big step for me during my civilian transition.

Another big step was the opportunity to build project management organizations PMOs at U. Central Command and U. Here I learned volumes of information about defense contracting, providing value, project closure, and program control.

The capstone to my 30 years as a military and defense contractor is authoring my three books to help people in their transition. In the books, I use a lot of my own experiences for reference. That way, people do not have to make the same mistakes I made.

I want to enable people to make better, smarter decisions about their transition. Describe what you do now. What choices led you to where you are now in your career? I was ready to get out of defense contracting, and the writing was a natural thing for me. It was something I had always wanted to do, and I felt that I had a lot to share. I wanted to capture those obstacles that I had faced and build roadmaps for others to be able to make their journeys smoother.

How do the skills, attitudes, and habits that you acquired in the military help you now? I would say there are two major things that have helped me the most: attention to detail and discipline.

I think I acquired those two skills when I was an adjutant in Germany as a lieutenant during the Cold War. In that position, I had to learn how to write and edit awards and evaluations and other documents, which are very specific, detailed, and time-sensitive. Today, I am constantly creating, writing, and editing. Much of this capability was based on my experience on battalion staff. In addition to my goal of publishing a transition book every year, I also speak around the country on military transition classes.

I do lunch-and-learns at the local Air Force base to teach people about project management. I have spoken at the transition assistance course here in Tampa. During my time in this position, we have picked up about 40 more military liaisons and two new chapters across the country.

We targeted metropolitan areas with co-located military bases. My business partner and co-author, Sandy Cobb, has been assisting with this. Due to our efforts, PMI now has a formal program for helping military people in their transition.

I have two sons in the service, and I want them to have an easier time of it. There are tens of thousands of servicemembers who transition out of the military every year. I want to show my appreciation, and I am assisting the best way I know how. Resources Is Project Management for You? Let me give you four examples: The construction of the Panama Canal was one of the first major military project management efforts in modern times.

What did you do in the military? Where did you serve? What was the most memorable experience of your military career? What did you learn while transitioning out of the service? What do you consider milestones in your civilian career? What do you do to stay involved? Why are you passionate about helping veterans? This content is derived directly from the Agile Practice Guide! These types of projects necessitate short cycles with consistent, constant feedback to the team, so it can quickly adapt to changing requirements.

They create project plans, but they value responsiveness to change over the plan, which is one of the four values of the Agile Manifesto. This is one of the twelve principles behind the Agile Manifesto. Missions are built around motivated individuals; one of the twelve Agile Manifesto principles. A constant pace of progress is sustained indefinitely until project completion; principle. References should understand your character, assets and be able to advocate for your inclusion in a position.

But as military veterans, many transitioning into the work force wonder if they should include references they became acquainted with during the military.

Veterans have an abundance of qualities that carry over to the work force, even if they look a little bit different applied in the field. Organization, quick-thinking, leadership, ability to take direction, teamwork, the ability to adapt and the ability to take action are all traits that are desirable in the job field that veterans have become experts in. Throughout your time in the military, you spend the most time with your military colleagues, making them the most qualified people to have witnessed and to speak on how you put these traits in action in real-life situations.

If you are able to include a higher rank or a commanding officer as a reference, this can be a fantastic asset to your resume. Job candidates without military experience will often list past supervisors, managers or bosses as references to speak on how they implemented desirable work ethic in their last jobs. Not only do veterans have the desirable work ethic many jobs are looking for, as learned in the military, veterans have had to acquire these skills in one of the most strict and high stakes institutions available.

Many professionals suggest having at least two or three references in your resume that have witnessed your character in different aspects of your life. Many people have opted to include a mixture of professors, teachers, previous bosses, coworkers, friends with professional statuses, volunteer organizers and mentors as references to cover all their bases. Now that you see the value in including military references, here are a few tips to remember when including them:.

Stepping into the job field after leaving the military can be a daunting experience, but remember that you may be more qualified and desirable across the job field than you might realize. With these references by your side, you will be out in the workforce in no time.

One of our favorite VA career benefits is the opportunity to work anywhere you want. As a VA employee, you can work with Veterans at any of our facilities across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and some U. S territories.

With 1, facilities to choose from, you have the option of living and working just about anywhere you might imagine. Big or small, though, each comes with its own diverse patient populations and its own benefits. In a recent poll surveying the best cities for Veterans to live in, St. Petersburg, Florida , scored high in both quality of life and health, as did Tampa. Similarly, high rankings in health care availability boosted several cities in California, including Anaheim , Oakland , and San Jose.

These rankings were determined by factoring in the number and quality of our facilities, showcasing that these denser urban locations provide broad access to services. City living offers a variety of advantages, too. More parks, diverse schools, expanded small retail options, and broader public transit systems are all points in favor of living in more urban environments.

VA facilities, too, are often denser in urban areas, which can mean more opportunities for advancing your career while providing Veterans with the health care they need. Outside the big cities, though, rural VA operations are just as valuable, sometimes even more so. Our providers in rural locations can have a huge impact on the health of the entire community and can see the result of their care more holistically.

In turn, you can gain experience treating a broad range of health conditions. Rural communities often have higher rates of obesity, diabetes, and other chronic disease. Rural providers enjoy some advantages that are not as common in urban locations: greater privacy, less traffic, more personal space, a greater sense of community, a lower cost of living, and access to the outdoors.

Whether urban or rural, in a facility big or small, you have access to an excellent range of benefits when you work at VA. Whatever your role, you have access to:. Whether you choose the big city or the open frontier, we offer careers that grow with you and the chance to support our mission of providing the best care possible to Veterans. Source: Vantage Point. The unemployment rate of military spouses is nearly three times greater than the national average.

In both unemployment and under-employment, military spouses cited specific challenges around relocation, childcare responsibilities and the economic impact of the COVID pandemic. No surprise here, but having a stable job is one of the most important qualities military spouses look for in a career. Government and Public Administration roles provide spouses with just that and more! Other important benefits of this industry are flexible scheduling and working for an organization that supports military service as employees.

Some of the most popular career paths include analyst, manager or supervisor, support worker, or lawyer. Of note, the analyst is the role best suited for frequent relocation via permanent change of station PCS. Military spouses seek out a meaningful career and job that allows flexibility in childcare options and moving locations, which aligns well with Business Support and Human Resource positions.

These roles also provide flexibility for families who experience a PCS. Some of the most popular career paths include administrative assistant, secretary, analyst, support worker or recruiter. One in ten military spouses are employed in the health care field. Military spouses desire this industry because it provides a meaningful career, offers stability and has competitive compensation. Educational Services. Some of the most popular career paths include becoming a teacher or instructor, education counselor, support worker, manager, or supervisor in education administration.

For military spouses who regularly experience PCS or plan a PCS in the future, the role of support worker is particularly flexible for changing locations. Information Technology. With everything becoming increasingly digitized, careers in the Information Technology space have seen a rise in popularity. The great news is that these job functions are a good fit for military spouses because they provide a meaningful, stable career that allows them the flexibility to change locations with ease.

There are a wide range of roles that military spouses can explore in IT; a few potential job functions worth exploring include software or web developer, manager or supervisor, computer programmer, network analyst, database administrator, or information security personnel. Financial Services. Financial Services is a popular career path, particularly among military spouses in urban areas. Military spouses appreciate a stable career with a clear advancement path and competitive compensation specifically within this industry.

Some roles within this industry include accountant, bank teller, service representative, project manager, claim adjuster or credit analyst. A financial institution that understands the military lifestyle is most likely willing to help military spouses in these roles maintain their careers as they PCS. Defense Contracting. Military spouses often find Defense Contracting to be a good fit, citing that the work is meaningful, supports military service as employees and offers flexible hours and schedules to fit their needs.

Military spouses can explore a wide range of roles in Defense Contracting. A few potential job functions best suited for military spouses include being an architect, analyst, project manager or engineer.

Community-Based Services. Community-Based Services roles are most popular for military spouses 55 and up. Why do they like this industry? These spouses can achieve a work-life balance while contributing positively to the greater good.

They serve a purpose every day and are passionate about their work. Some of the most popular career paths include social services, administrative support services, religious services or church workers, program management, general management, training, instructing, or teaching. Job functions within this sector include cashier, salesperson or customer service representative. The customer service representative role is especially flexible for military spouses who may experience or are experiencing PCS.

Rounding out our top 10 list of careers for military spouses is Manufacturing, as spouses are attracted to competitive compensation, flexibility, and creative or strategic opportunities in their job. Some roles within this industry include assembler, brazer or welder, machinist or operator, production manager, or quality control inspector.

Planning for a career also means having a financial plan to match. Navy Federal Credit Union is proud to offer tools, tips and resources to help military spouses succeed in their career search and continue their financial literacy.

More Resources. In , we developed the first iteration of the Best Cities After Service list. In , Navy Federal developed Best Careers After Service , a comprehensive list of the best careers that will make the transition from Active Duty to civilian life more successful.