Business
Ryan Brandt is a former marine who served two tours in Afghanistan. He is now a business development executive for Viqtory a company that focuses on recruitment marketing. We all know that transitioning out of the military can be a challenging time. The more planning done in advance when it comes to marketing your skills, getting the right mindset, and getting your finances in order the easier the transition will be. We talk about this, and Ryan shares struggles that he and his fellow military brothers and sisters have been through. We talk about how it’s smart to get financial advice from the beginning and not live check to check. Having a plan now will payoff in large dividends in the future. Ryan shares mistakes that he made, and what he would do differently. He also shares how transitioning military people can make their resumes relevant for the civilian world and advises to not just stick with MOS codes. Highlights from Episode 24 [00:51] Ryan was a marine who did two tours to Afghanistan. He was a sergeant and a radio operator. [01:14] When he got out of the Marine Corps he moved to the northern Virginia area where his family is from. He worked at a SaaS reseller. [01:44] He then started working in enterprise sales in the DC Metro area. He worked with GSA contracts, the DOD, and the Department of Homeland Security. [01:58] He met his wife in Annapolis, Maryland. They moved outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania about six years ago. [02:33] He continued working in sales in different companies. [02:58] He was given an opportunity at Victory to help his brothers and sisters in arms better than self stirring the transition process. [03:52] Ryan got his bachelor's in criminal justice from Memphis University before the Corp. [04:20] He also played in the minor leagues with the Chicago White Sox for a while. [06:41] Ryan now realizes how scary the transition process can be. In the military, you become part of something bigger than yourself. Then you take a 5-day transition class and you're done. [08:56] It can be equally stressful for career military people. [10:30] When a military career comes to an end, it's on the transitioner themselves to make moves towards a new life. People often think they have to do something in civilian life that is similar to what they did in the military. [12:02] There weren't a lot of people to talk to during the transition period. [14:11] Ryan shares how he didn't get a lot of support from the military when he was leaving. [15:45] Ryan markets for Viqtory to find corporations that want to hire military veterans. [16:13] Ryan shares the skills that military people have that are valuable to employers like competing missions and leadership skills. [17:41] Don't be MOS focused. Military people have a lot of intangible skills. [18:44] When creating your resume. Talk about the overall skills you acquired. Leadership and achievements. Put what you did into something that resonates with a civilian. [20:19] Being on time is a huge skill. [21:03] Transitioning people stay for about five years if they make it past the first year. [22:21] The biggest hurdle is the mentality of bettering yourself on your own. [24:05] It's about being self-sufficient as opposed to being part of the team. [26:10] After deployment, it makes sense to make a plan for accumulated money. Don't live for the weekend. [30:48] Ryan shares a story about getting guys he was in the military with straight on finances and talking about avoiding huge debt and security clearances. [32:41] Credit scores matter when getting hired. [34:31] After getting out of boot camp, go talk to someone about finances and put yourself on a solid plan. The better off you will be in the future. Don't live paycheck to paycheck. [37:24] If someone can make a commitment to their country, they can make a commitment to their finances. There are also financial advisors on post now. Links and Resources Ryan Brandt on LinkedIn Viqtory Ryan.Brandt@Viqtory.com