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Daryl was deployed as part of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. He learned key leadership and management skills while working as a supply officer.
He now works at a large U.S.-based telecommunications company, and serves in the Navy Reserve. Daryl says that he was proud to be in the Navy full time and that he is still proud to do it part time. The Navy Reserve affords him valuable opportunities for leadership.
How was your transition back into the school environment?
Transitioning into school, I didn't expect to be so busy; I expected to have more time off. After working for a number of years, it took a little time for me to adjust to school. The workload was challenging because it is a different type of workload. After working a 12-14 hour day in the Navy, I could leave work at work. In business school, I had homework.
I visited 32 countries on five continents with the Navy. The military shows you a lot about the world, so I am not afraid to interact with and meet new people. My school had a lot of international students, and often they have a different approach to things. The military management style is hierarchical, so I learned different management styles from my classmates.
My military experience helped me to stay focused and dedicated to school. It also helped me take a leadership role in school clubs. My class had a high percentage of students who were formerly in the military. We started a volunteer club within our MBA program.
How did you leverage your military experience in the job search?
I leveraged my leadership ability quite a bit. I managed 100 people at a young age. It would take 15 years in the corporate world to get that kind of experience. It seemed to me that large companies appreciated that I had that kind of background. They liked the fact that military people do a lot of problem solving, and they liked hearing about practical examples of leadership and about how I handled challenges.
As far as the application process goes, my school translated my resume and took out the acronyms. They took it from military language to corporate language. The school also provided me with points of contact at different companies.
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