What similarities/differences can I expect when leaving the Army?

[b0mbrman]

Hi guys,

I'm a long time lurker, first time poster, so bear with me.

I'm getting out of the Army soon (officer, almost 6 years in) and am thinking about a move over to management consulting.

I've never had a full-time job outside of the Army, so I'm poking around. What professional similarities and differences would I be looking at when I make the jump?


Here's what I'm thinking so far:

Similarities
Still get to lead people
Still get to work in diverse ethnic, and international settings
Still get the intellectual stimulation of solving problems

Differences (e.g. professional benefits of move to business)
Work with wider variety of people
Not so stuck in one industry
Get to be a lot more entrepreneurial

Any other thoughts?

 

[S Freud]

Originally posted by: b0mbrman
Hi guys,

----------->I'm a long time lurker, first time poster, so bear with me.

I'm getting out of the Army soon (officer, almost 6 years in) and am thinking about a move over to management consulting.

I've never had a full-time job outside of the Army, so I'm poking around. What professional similarities and differences would I be looking at when I make the jump?


Here's what I'm thinking so far:

Similarities
Still get to lead people
Still get to work in diverse ethnic, and international settings
Still get the intellectual stimulation of solving problems

Differences (e.g. professional benefits of move to business)
Work with wider variety of people
Not so stuck in one industry
Get to be a lot more entrepreneurial

Any other thoughts?

Looks at post count...

 

[Hail The Brain Slug]

Originally posted by: S Freud

Originally posted by: b0mbrman
Hi guys,

----------->I'm a long time lurker, first time poster, so bear with me.

I'm getting out of the Army soon (officer, almost 6 years in) and am thinking about a move over to management consulting.

I've never had a full-time job outside of the Army, so I'm poking around. What professional similarities and differences would I be looking at when I make the jump?


Here's what I'm thinking so far:

Similarities
Still get to lead people
Still get to work in diverse ethnic, and international settings
Still get the intellectual stimulation of solving problems

Differences (e.g. professional benefits of move to business)
Work with wider variety of people
Not so stuck in one industry
Get to be a lot more entrepreneurial

Any other thoughts?

Looks at post count...

So, how hard did you hit your head?

 

[EagleKeeper]

You will get a big attitude difference.

As an company grade officer, people under by rank, junior officer & NCOs plus enlisted will respect the rank if nto the person.

Out in the world, you will not have the rank to carry your weight, just yourproven experience/qualifications.

How high becomes why.

 

[alm4rr]

what industry?

 

[b0mbrman]

Originally posted by: alm4rr
what industry?

Coming out of or going into?

 

[BoomerD]

When I got out of Uncle's employ after 4 years of taking orders, I found it somewhat difficult to question my boss when I was told to do something, even if it was questionable...Didn't take too long however to get used to telling someone they could take a flying fvck...or quitting a job if it wasn't being run right...NOT something the Corps encourages...I served under a few officers who didn't know their ass from a hole in the ground, and it was often pretty difficult to deal with them...especially the young butterbars fresh out of the academy...
Just keep in mind, you're no longer subject to the UMCJ if you disobey a superior, and telling some dumbass to fvck off won't get you tossed in the brig...maybe fired, but pfft, fvck em face down...there are tons of good jobs out there...they don't own you...

 

[b0mbrman]

That's a good point. Individual achievement looks to be much bigger on the outside

 

[IronWing]

Usually competitors don't shoot at you.

On the outside expect more collaboration, brain storming, consensus building, and all that other crap that slows project completion and makes your head asplode.

Civilians will not understand ranks, military acronyms, nor care too much. A major is something between sargent and general but that's about it. You will need to learn to translate your experiences into words civilians can relate to. For example, telling folks you commanded a company will get nods signifying nothing. Telling folks you supervised 5, 10, 100 employees will mean something. Telling folks you worked on an X90 RHT system won't mean a thing. Telling them you setup a communications system for 150 users spread across three states will mean alot.

 

[GTaudiophile]

Uck. I watched my father transition from 23 years in the US Army (LTC/O5) to the civilian world at Delta Air Lines...

In his experience he went from a world of order where people were very dedicated, worked very hard, and made little money to one where people make tons of money for doing the absolute least amount of work and were far more selfish.

 

[alm4rr]

Originally posted by: b0mbrman

Originally posted by: alm4rr
what industry?

Coming out of or going into?

any

 

[b0mbrman]

Originally posted by: alm4rr

Originally posted by: b0mbrman

Originally posted by: alm4rr
what industry?

Coming out of or going into?

any

Out of:
The Army, specifically Field Artillery, but I've worked in the Cavalry most of the time I've been in

Into:
Planned is management consulting, most likely transitioning into general management after a few years. I'm not quite sure what industry

 

[JEDI]

Originally posted by: S Freud

Originally posted by: b0mbrman
Hi guys,

----------->I'm a long time lurker, first time poster, so bear with me.

I'm getting out of the Army soon (officer, almost 6 years in) and am thinking about a move over to management consulting.

I've never had a full-time job outside of the Army, so I'm poking around. What professional similarities and differences would I be looking at when I make the jump?


Here's what I'm thinking so far:

Similarities
Still get to lead people
Still get to work in diverse ethnic, and international settings
Still get the intellectual stimulation of solving problems

Differences (e.g. professional benefits of move to business)
Work with wider variety of people
Not so stuck in one industry
Get to be a lot more entrepreneurial

Any other thoughts?

Looks at post count...

Ahh yes.. military intellegence indeed

 

[JEDI]

Originally posted by: GTaudiophile
Uck. I watched my father transition from 23 years in the US Army (LTC/O5) to the civilian world at Delta Air Lines...

In his experience he went from a world of order where people were very dedicated, worked very hard, and made little money to one where people make tons of money for doing the absolute least amount of work and were far more selfish.

23yrs and no full bird?

 

[GTaudiophile]

Originally posted by: JEDI

Originally posted by: GTaudiophile
Uck. I watched my father transition from 23 years in the US Army (LTC/O5) to the civilian world at Delta Air Lines...

In his experience he went from a world of order where people were very dedicated, worked very hard, and made little money to one where people make tons of money for doing the absolute least amount of work and were far more selfish.

23yrs and no full bird?

*Shrugs* He got out in 1993 during the Bush/Clinton draw down. He could have continued to climb the ladder if he agreed to go to Korea or Washington, DC (Pentagon) but he didn't want to do either, so he just got out.

The fact that he missed the first Gulf War to remain the commander of Army Aviation Berlin during the fall of the Berlin Wall probably hurt him in the long run.

 

[b0mbrman]

Originally posted by: JEDI

Originally posted by: GTaudiophile
Uck. I watched my father transition from 23 years in the US Army (LTC/O5) to the civilian world at Delta Air Lines...

In his experience he went from a world of order where people were very dedicated, worked very hard, and made little money to one where people make tons of money for doing the absolute least amount of work and were far more selfish.

23yrs and no full bird?

It's about 20 minimum to O5 as it is....

 

[b0mbrman]

Originally posted by: GTaudiophile

Originally posted by: JEDI

Originally posted by: GTaudiophile
Uck. I watched my father transition from 23 years in the US Army (LTC/O5) to the civilian world at Delta Air Lines...

In his experience he went from a world of order where people were very dedicated, worked very hard, and made little money to one where people make tons of money for doing the absolute least amount of work and were far more selfish.

23yrs and no full bird?

*Shrugs* He got out in 1993 during the Bush/Clinton draw down. He could have continued to climb the ladder if he agreed to go to Korea or Washington, DC (Pentagon) but he didn't want to do either, so he just got out.

The fact that he missed the first Gulf War to remain the commander of Army Aviation Berlin during the fall of the Berlin Wall probably hurt him in the long run.

Yeah, the difference is particularly bad on the enlisted side these days.

A lot of people are retiring at 20 years as E6's while people who joined just after 9/11 are getting picked up for E6 already

 

[mercanucaribe]

Stay in the Army. Life is too short to be a "management consultant". You work for the American people, and even the entire human population now (depending on what you do and how you look at it). Switch careers and you'll be making money for someone else and that's it.

I'm looking for a government job doing pretty much the same thing I'm doing now, and will take less money, because my work would have meaning.

 

[mercanucaribe]

Also, why do you think you'll get to work in diverse ethnic and international settings?

 

[SViper]

Originally posted by: ironwing
Usually competitors don't shoot at you.

On the outside expect more collaboration, brain storming, consensus building, and all that other crap that slows project completion and makes your head asplode.

Civilians will not understand ranks, military acronyms, nor care too much. A major is something between sargent and general but that's about it. You will need to learn to translate your experiences into words civilians can relate to. For example, telling folks you commanded a company will get nods signifying nothing. Telling folks you supervised 5, 10, 100 employees will mean something. Telling folks you worked on an X90 RHT system won't mean a thing. Telling them you setup a communications system for 150 users spread across three states will mean alot.

I've been a civilian my entire life, but this sounds like some sound advice. It would be beneficial to spin things a bit to apply them to the civilian world.

 

[b0mbrman]

Originally posted by: mercanucaribe
Also, why do you think you'll get to work in diverse ethnic and international settings?

International is no guarantee but working in a big city pretty much guarantees the ethnic part

 

[alm4rr]

Originally posted by: mercanucaribe
Stay in the Army. Life is too short to be a "management consultant". You work for the American people, and even the entire human population now (depending on what you do and how you look at it). Switch careers and you'll be making money for someone else and that's it.

I'm looking for a government job doing pretty much the same thing I'm doing now, and will take less money, because my work would have meaning.

depends on what you're doing