Ace the interview! August 2024 Conference Review (E207)

Cameron-Brooks

Welcome back to another Post-Conference Review. For the August 2024 Career Conference, we had three of our most recent alumni on a webcast to share their experiences about the Cameron-Brook process and where they chose to launch their careers.

Marina Muenster – LT, Navy Nuclear Surface Warfare Officer

Ryan De Franco – LT, Naval Aviator

David Lara – CPT, Army Air Defense Artillery

I started the webcast by asking one question, then went for the questions that the attendees on the webcast asked of the panelists. My question to the group was, “What was your biggest surprise from the Career Conference?” They each offered great advice and perspective to other military officers who are preparing to transition.

Prepare

Ryan said he put so much time into preparing to interview that when the time came, he spent less time thinking about the tactical nature of answering interview questions and more time listening, reflecting and delivering specific answers. This allowed him to focus his answer on the unique aspects of the role and, therefore, better connect his military experience directly to the role.

Be Curious

Marina was surprised by how much time was afforded to her to ask questions in the interview. It is natural to think an interview is all about someone asking you questions and you responding. Often, JMOs don’t realize that an essential part of the interview is asking questions to demonstrate your interest in the company and position. Our panelists give some great advice on how to navigate that part of the interview effectively.

The Interview is Often Conversational

David said the interview “is not a gotcha game.” Instead, the interview is a conversation. Hiring managers and decision-makers want to get to know you. They have an open position that brings value to their company, and they want to find the right person to fill that role. As David said, “They are not trying to trick you.”

After those questions, the officers who attended the webcast submitted the following questions:

• What was the single best thing you did to prepare for interviews?
• How open were you on location? Did you accept a job that matched your preference?
• Did the opportunities at the Career Conference meet your salary expectations?
• Did you involve your spouse or significant other in your process?
• Why did you choose a partnership with Cameron-Brooks?
• What were the hiring managers and decision-makers most interested in hearing about?
• What were the follow-up interviews (after the Career Conference) like?
• How did you get your study group going, and what was the rhythm and best practices?
• How did you use the DoD Skillbridge to best prepare?
• Were there any interviews where you felt it didn’t go well, but you were pursued after the interview?
• And more!

I think these webcasts are so valuable because they give those who have not been to a Career Conference a “behind-the-scenes” view of what it’s like. In a sea of choices, it’s sometimes hard to know the right path to navigate in order to reach your end goal. These conversations help those planning to attend a future Conference have the confidence to continue preparing for transition success.

If you are a JMO and looking for answers, we are here to help. Cameron-Brooks has over 5 decades of experience guiding military officers as they transverse the challenges of transition from the military to the business world. I am glad to meet with you one-on-one to help better define your marketability and explore options. You can also find more information about Cameron-Brooks on our website, YouTube and LinkedIn.

It all starts with a conversation.

Best of success,

Pete Van Epps || [e-mail] || [phone]