A Junior Military Officer (JMO) transitioning to consulting after the military is unlike any other career pivot. After all, the JMO is changing industries, career fields and locations. That is a lot of change. Therefore, preparation, interviewing and on-boarding into a new company are more difficult and important than most people making a career change. The Cameron-Brooks’ Team provides a lot of advice and support for that transition to ensure the JMO launches into a successful career.
In this podcast, Nick Tsikalas explains how he made a successful transition to a consulting career with Liberty Advisor Group. Companies hire Liberty Advisor Group for their expertise in business, technology, and mergers and acquisitions strategy. How did a Naval Aviator find his way into such a unique opportunity? Nick credits his experience as pilot where he had a “never fail” attitude and led change as two reasons why Liberty hired him. Additionally, Nick had excellent academic credentials with a BS Systems Engineering from the Naval Academy and an MBA from University of Florida. Even with these credentials, Nick took full advantage of the Cameron-Brooks preparation program to help him land a position with Liberty and make contributions early in his career.
In this podcast, Nick shares his keys to transitioning to a new career. They include:
- Be intentional about your learning.
- Proactively network and establish relationships across the company.
- Find opportunities to learn from other people, no matter their position.
- Do everything well, no matter how mundane.
- Be responsive. Get back to people quickly.
- Work hard and be positive.
Lastly, Nick shared some of his favorite books which include:
How Will You Measure Your Life? by Clayton M. Christensen and James Allworth
Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
I have read all 3 books myself and found them really valuable.
I heartily endorse Nick’s career advice and his book recommendations! Enjoy the podcast.
Joel
