1. Make connections happen.
Find a mentor to support and advise you on your journey. “It’s important to identify other military veterans in the field that you want to be in,” says Jose. “Do what I did. Go on LinkedIn, search for veterans at BMS; a lot of us are going to pop up. Connect with us.” That’s how he met Anthony Patuto, his associate director at BMS, who remains a mentor to this day. Also, reach out to members of the BMS Veterans Community Network (VCN) People and Business Resource Group (PBRG) for guidance on how to approach your career transition.
Rhonda agrees. “Find a good mentor who is where you want to be—and learn from them.”
2. Remember, you’ve got skills—and they’re transferable.
“Sometimes when we get out, we feel like we're behind,” observes Rhonda. “That we have to play catch-up to the rest of the world, but that's not the case. Your skills do translate.”
As an applicant, you must be ready to communicate how your military experience and skills can add value to the role you’re interested in.
“Your leadership, your experience in the military, your ability to problem solve, will allow you to quickly climb, whether your ambition is upward or lateral mobility,” adds Jose. “Your skillset will allow for a faster track.”
Jose counts on a simple strategy he used when faced with a challenge in the military: Assess, come up with a plan, and execute. “That’s what I’ve done my whole life.”
3. Adjust expectations and shift your mindset.
In the Marines, Jose was a Sergeant in charge of a platoon. “Coming out of the military, the mindset you have is you’ve already led people, and you’ve done many things that a lot of civilians potentially have not done and will not get to do.”
“Before joining the private sector, I was on the ground, leading people, solving problems. Not behind a computer screen.” He had to strengthen his hard skills and become proficient in Excel and PowerPoint.
For Rhonda, her military influence means “having honor in everything that you do, being committed to something and seeing it through, and having the courage to speak up.”
“We have a saying, no one's left behind. That's how my team at BMS is,” she says. “Every morning when we meet as a leadership team, we ask ‘How is your day going? How do you feel today?’ If there's something that's bothering one of us, someone is there to say, ‘Hey, let me take that for you.’ That's something that I hold dear to my heart because I know I can trust this person with my career as I would trust someone with my life when I was in the military.”
4. Change up your communication style.
Civilian speak can be a challenge for veterans, who are used to giving and receiving commands. “I was trained to follow orders,” says Rhonda. “You don’t ask questions; you just do what you’re told.” The idea that people might have questions or opinions of their own was new to her. She learned to soften her leadership approach so that she and her team could benefit from the collaborative ideation that BMS facilitates.
5. Use all the resources available to you.
Take advantage of any special outreach programs, career fairs and info sessions offered. At BMS, we offer a class for former military personnel to help bridge skills with the career of your choice that Rhonda highly recommends. And do your research. Decide if going back to school would be beneficial in your career. At BMS we offer tuition reimbursement to eligible employees who, through their own initiative and desire for development, participate in accredited educational programs that their manager deems will be mutually beneficial to BMS and the employee, covering up to 100% of the qualifying tuition costs. People and Business Resource Groups (PBRGs) like the Veterans Community Network (VCN) offer support to veterans and their families, where people can share life and career advice, and benefit from each other’s experiences.
“I would’ve never in a million years thought I’d be working at BMS in CAR-T,” remarks Jose. “Yes, I’m not in the field; I’m not wearing my cammies, but I am in a new field, and I am wearing some sort of uniform to carry out these unknowns and lead. So far, it’s been very, very fulfilling.”
If you're interested in a career where your experience in the military will be valued and you can make a difference in the lives of patients every day, there's a place for you at BMS. You can advance your career and learn new skills while doing interesting and meaningful work. If this is something you'd like to be a part of, search for active roles with our Global Product Development & Supply (GPS) or our other functions at careers.bms.com.
