Tactical Transition

In this week’s episode of Tactical Transition, we will discuss the most important tool in your career search toolbox - Networking. Statistics show that over 75% of job openings are not posted on job boards or “easy to access” spaces. Relying on networks to find these positions is vital.

We will debunk misconceptions about networking, emphasizing the creation of opportunities and mutual benefits. Let’s delve into the value of communication, leveraging platforms like LinkedIn, and engaging in informational interviews. We will also highlight the importance of continuous networking for finding jobs, professional growth, and mentorship.

Networks are people you already know, people you should know, people that people you know know, and people you want to know.

LinkedIn can be a great tool for networking, especially if you are trying to connect with people in certain companies or positions you do not know.

Be sure to follow and subscribe on our website at eselsemiars.com.

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Cyndi Po LinkedIn

Michele Lewis LinkedIn

In this week’s episode of Tactical Transition, we will discuss the importance of having an intriguing and appropriate professional introduction. This is often called the “elevator pitch.” Whether it is a networking situation, meeting a new person, or that inevitable question, “Tell me about yourself,” being able to tell a person who you are and what you bring to the table is key to making the best first impression.

And as the saying goes, you don’t get a second chance to make a good first impression.

We will discuss the do’s and don’ts and the “why” of the professional introduction for networking and job search.

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We are honored to have as our guest on today’s show, Lt. Col (Retired) Mark Paolicelli. We will discuss his military-to-civilian transition and words of wisdom for those who are currently making this journey. His keen ability to find just the right analogy will not only entertain but put into perspective what is truly important to focus on during your transition.

A native of Pittsburgh, PA, Mark Paolicelli retired from the U.S. Marine Corps as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2022 after serving over 29 years. Mark began his Marine Corps career by enlisting in the reserves in 1993 and served as a Machine Gunner until 1996. He received his commission upon graduating from Norwich University in 1996 with a BA in Criminal Justice. Mark became a field artillery officer and later a Joint Terminal Attack Controller and deployed seven times during his career with multiple combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. He served in various roles and assignments during his Marine Corps career, most notably as a Congressional Fellow for Senator Jack Reed and his final assignment as the Deputy Commander for Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall.

Mark is an avid hockey player and started playing ice hockey at the ripe age of 38. He continues to serve veterans as the Vice Chairman of the Arlington County Military and Veterans Affairs committee.

He currently serves as a defense contractor with Booz Allen Hamilton and resides in Alexandria, Virginia, with his wife, Courtney, their daughter Molly (age 6), and their Goldendoodle, Winston.

You can connect with Mark on LinkedIn.

Be sure to follow us and subscribe to our website at eselseminars.com for more information on how our team can help you navigate the transition.

Kimberly Lindsay Williams, MA, SPHR, SHRM – SCP Chief Human Resources Officer, City of Jacksonville, North Carolina Founder & Chief Executive Officer, NC4ME, North Carolina for Military Employment

Kimberly Williams has over thirty years of experience leading private, public, and nonprofit human resource professionals. Her experience in the private sector includes several large organizations, including Burger King Corporation, where she directed the Human Resource function for the United States. Kimberly’s experience in the public sector and non-profit includes directing the Human Resources function for local government, school division, health care, and workforce housing.

Kimberly is currently the Chief Human Resource Officer for the City of Jacksonville, North Carolina. Her passion for assisting military service members began with serving as a volunteer with Virginia Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (VaESGR) as Regional Chair and later as State Director for their Employment Initiative Program (EIP). She also initiated the Virginia Values Veterans (V-3) program, a statewide initiative to ensure employment of our service men and women. Kimberly has twice been presented the Seven Seals Award for meritorious leadership and initiative supporting the Department of Defense. Additionally, Kimberly received national recognition as a Defense Community Champion 2022 by the Association of Defense Communities. Kimberly founded and is currently leading the North Carolina statewide employment initiative under the Veterans Foundation NC4ME, North Carolina for Military Employment, a comprehensive public-private partnership. Under Kimberly’s leadership, NC4ME was launched by the Governor of North Carolina in March 2015 with a mission to make North Carolina the number one state for military employment. NC4ME is unique in that it is ONE team, including the State Government (The Governor’s Office, the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, and the Department of Commerce), the NC National Guard, and companies throughout North Carolina, working together to change the military employment climate throughout the State. Kimberly serves as a member of the Governors Working Group for Veterans and their Families and as a member of the Fayetteville State University Board of Visitors. Kimberly received a bachelor's degree from Florida State University and a Master's degree from Regent University. She and her husband, Keith, are the proud parents of two children, Richard, a Physician’s Assistant (PA) in Virginia, and Lindsay, a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps.

You can follow Kimberly on LinkedIn or on the website for NC4ME.

This week on Tactical Transition, Executive Career Coaches Cyndi Po & Michele Lewis will discuss the "Informational Interview." What is it? Is it important to do them? Who do I have an informational interview with? What should I ask?

If you are a transitioning service member and are looking for ways to find that perfect next career, this podcast is for you.

Be sure to check out our website at www.eselseminars.com

Bill Gray, Managing Director at SteerBridge, joins us again to bring insights and inspiration to the transitioning military leaders. In today's episode, Bill will discuss the importance of finding the right fit in your next career. He will share valuable information about the company he is currently working with and inspiring words of encouragement for those struggling with the transition process.

We encourage you to connect with Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamcgray/

This week on Tactical Transition, Executive Career Coaches Cyndi Po & Michele Lewis will tackle the important subject of "resumes."

If you are a transitioning service member and are concerned about writing the perfect resume, this podcast is for you.

Be sure to check out our website at www.eselseminars.com

Transitioning Service Members: From the perspective of a corporate recruiter, you might be wondering:

• What does it mean when offers contain language like "contingent," "funded," or "unfunded"?

• Is there a way for a veteran to find a company that matches their skills and cultural values?

• Do all companies have their unique culture, and is it important to interview the company as much as they are interviewing you?

This week, we're excited to welcome Jessica Hermanstorfer, the Senior Talent Acquisition Operations Manager for Eqlipse Technologies, who has been recruiting since 1997.

Jessica is an avid supporter of veteran and military spouse hiring and has worked with large and small businesses across the Intelligence Community, DOD, Not-for-Profit Research Organizations, and Healthcare. Throughout her career as a recruiter, Jessica has honed in on understanding compensation as the foundation of hiring. This vital skill set expanded her ability to advance into more complex organizational roles.

By 2011, Jessica was the lead HR and TA for a startup organization that supported the US Army and the NSA. There, she learned to focus on building the company's culture, running Human Resources, and growing the corporate team. Towards the end of her tenure with that organization, she led the Veterans and Military Spouse hiring initiatives.

Jessica then accepted a position managing the recruiting team at Leidos for their NSA programs. In addition, she built their new business recruiting function supporting all proposals and new awards across all Intelligence Agency proposals.

Currently, Jessica is serving with Eqlipse Technologies, helping to lead and build the Talent Acquisition functions of a new company, specifically Eqlipse’s hiring processes, applicant tracking system, candidate experience, and metrics.

This week, Jessica shares her perspective regarding what senior recruiters look for and how you can become more attractive to organizations. Connect with Jessica on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicahermanstorfer/

Meet an ESEL Honor Graduate! William (Bill) Gray retired from the Marine Corps in April of this year after 29 years of service. He was a graduate of our Henderson Hall ESEL seminar about a year ago (the week before Thanksgiving of 2022). He joins us to share his stories of how he networked as he was transitioning…so much to the point he didn’t even realize he was in a job interview until the offer hit the table! So, who is Bill Gray, you ask? Bill grew up in the Air Wing as an Aviation Logistics officer. He has been deployed multiple times, including to Kuwait/Iraq for OIF-I and Afghanistan for OEF. As a LtCol, he commanded Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 31 (MALS-31) in Beaufort, SC, and MALS-40 in Afghanistan. He has had four tours in the Pentagon. Bill has multiple defense acquisition tours, including at the F-35 Joint Program Office. About a third of Bill's career was in Military Recruiting. He commanded Recruiting Station Fort Worth, TX, when he was a major. His first tour as a colonel was as the assistant chief of staff for operations (G3) at Marine Corps Recruiting Command. He commanded the 6th Marine Corps District as a colonel where his Marines in the southeast and Puerto Rico were responsible for about 1/6th of the total Marine Corps officer and enlisted accession mission. His last job on active duty was as the chief of staff for the Europe/NATO/Russia branch within the J5 on the Joint Staff. His favorite line in his bio is: "He will celebrate his 30th wedding anniversary to his wife, the former Deborah Kelly, in December of this year (and they still like each other!!)." Join us as we talk and have a laugh or two with Bill while he serves as a proof source to our ESEL seminars and shows you, the transitioning service member, that the grass is greener on the other side. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamcgray/

Join us as we speak with COL(R) George Lewis, who compares “landing your next career” to a PLF landing learned through Airborne School.  

George Lewis enlisted in the Army in 1985 as a signals intercept (SIGINT), electronic warfare (EW) and cryptology specialist.  He graduated from the Defense Language Institute basic French and Electronic Warfare Operators Courses before being assigned to Ft. Bragg, NC’s XVIII airborne Corps’ 525th Combat Electronic Warfare & Intelligence (CEWI) brigade.  George served in numerous roles before being assigned as a team sergeant in 3/5th Special Forces Group Airborne.  Upon receiving a Green to Gold Scholarship, George completed his enlisted career in August of 1990 as a staff sergeant (SSG) in 1st battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (SFG(A)) as the Special Operations Team – Alpha (SOT-A) detachment sergeant.  

      George was then commissioned into the US Army Military Intelligence Corps in May of 1993 through ROTC from Methodist University, North Carolina. Relevant assignments included Infantry Battalion and Brigade S2 (Intelligence Officer), the intelligence and surveillance (I&S) platoon leader and company executive officer (XO) for the 82nd Airborne Division’s 313th CEWI battalion.  Later he served in command and staff positions in battalion, brigade, division, theater, and joint assignments. George led and conducted EW, SIGINT, and other special missions globally during the initial years of the Global War on Terrorism while assigned to Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC).  He led intelligence planning, operations, analysis, and strategy in Korea for three years, and later served as a battalion commander in Anbar, Iraq, commanding route clearance, explosive ordinance disposal (EOD), military police (MP), unmanned aerial systems (UAS), signal and intelligence forces and was his Brigade Task Force’s commander charged with the Counter Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) fight.

In George’s final tour in the Pentagon, he served as the G-8 Force Development Director for all ISR, EW and cyber capabilities, and as the requirements director in the Army G-3’s newly established Cyber directorate (DAMO-CY, now known as DAMO-SO).  

     Since retiring from the US Army as a Colonel (COL), George has served as a senior advisor to the Army Staff’s Cyber, IO and Electronic Warfare Director and currently is a Vice President with CACI International where he teams to accelerate solutions development in the EW, cyber and ISR mission areas.

George Lewis is a resident of Edenton and Chowan County.   George loves serving the Edenton, Chowan, and Eastern NC communities, as well as the veterans and first responders of our great nation.  George serves on the local Steamer’s Baseball board, is the Vice President of Calling on Faith Outdoors, and is a guide for Valor and Honor Outdoors.  George co-operates the Kristopher Fielding Lewis Foundation in honor of his son, who was a Corolla Ocean Rescuer.  The KFL Foundation is a 501c(3) that perpetuates the service and character of his son by recognizing and promoting the same values in local youth and young adults.  

 George shares his thoughts and analogies on networking, transferring your military skills, evaluating the type of job you want and career balance.  Join us as we meet George and learn from his experience.

Connect with George on Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgelewisiii/