After graduating from United States Air Force Academy in 1995, David received an MS in Civil Engineering from the University of Washington in 1996.

He spent a year in between leaving the Air Force and attending business school working in the telecommunications industry. David now works in corporate and investment banking as an associate in the Leverage Finance division for a large national bank.

How did you leverage your military background in your job search?

The military gave me good work experiences, but military experience does not always translate into the business world in a way that people understand. I had to spin my story, emphasizing important traits I learned in the military—leadership, discipline, work ethic, and how to deal with stressful situations. Most companies understand and value these things. I had to understand what job I wanted and create a bridge between the two [the job requirements and military experience].

My school's career services office did a good job of assisting me. One thing I didn’t realize before I went for my MBA was just how important it is to attend a school with an active alumni network. Choosing a school is a lifetime decision because you will be associated with that school for the rest of your business career. The job search is a time when having a good alumni network really helps. I was able to talk to professionals in a "non-interview" setting and hear about what they did. Advice from alumni was very helpful when it came deciding what career path I wanted to pursue and in preparing for interviews.