This is a question I've been pondering for the last couple of years.
Why don't Veterans network?
We have the most exclusive group in the world, yet we don't seem to help one another very much when it comes to business. I believe, for the most part, networking with other Veterans should be easy. The one question, "can I trust this person?", is answered right away. You already know the type of person with whom you're dealing (sorry, I was an English Major, and I hate ending sentences with prepositions...one of my quirks....)
I find most Veterans to be honorable, operate with integrity, show up on time (one of my pet peeves...I'm sure I'm not alone here) and dependable.
I posed this question to a few friends, and think I may have come up with an answer. This came from Tony Sindoni of Advance Career Technology, http://www.advancecareertech.com/. Tony suggests that reason we don't network very much is that, as warriors. we're taught to be self sufficient. Sure we operate in a team environment, but we're taught to carry our own weight.
Is this a flaw for operating in the civilian world? What can we do to counter this?
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Major,
ReplyDeleteBefore becoming a Marine, I remember the recuriters showing me cards in which things I will acquire and learn upon being a Marine. Self reliance was one of them.
This pose a problem because, while we were in service we were never taught to network. We may network and become brothers within our fireteam, platoon, or branch of service, but never really been told to expand and reach out to others, aside from the people we hold close to us.
Even in college, now going through my final year in grad school, I was never introduced to networking until I became a graduate student.
I believe a way we can counter this is to educate and the senior men and women should reach out to the juniors and teach them how to network.
Thanks, Ryan. Great insight!
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