At Credera, we are grateful to those who have served our country over the years.
For Veteran’s Day this year, we sat down with two of Credera’s veterans to better understand how the skills they gained in the armed services transferred to their careers in consulting. We are thankful for not only their service but for the service of both past and current Crederians.
Nate Raymond
Senior Manager, Management Consulting
Q: How did you start your career in the armed services?
A: I was fortunate enough to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point. I served for 10 years and was an infantry officer, which gave me several opportunities to lead troops in Iraq and serve on several strategic projects in the Pentagon.
Q: What led you to consulting?
A: The opportunity to continue to lead, explore problems, create potential solutions, implement them and drive towards success. Industry has a lot of places where veterans can thrive, but consulting is one of the best
Q: What skills have translated well from the military to consulting?
A: Being able to observe a challenging environment, assess for root causes and then create a hypothesis that you think will cure the ailment. Testing that hypothesis and refining if the outcome is not as desired. It seems odd, but that process worked for me in counterinsurgency and it works just as well in consulting.
Q: What is the most valuable lesson you learned in the military?
A: People have to come first. If they don’t, bonds can erode and the team becomes ineffective. When that happens, the consulting team and the client both lose.
Nate also offered some advice for transitioning military members interested in a career in consulting, “They should focus on engaging veterans that are in consulting through LinkedIn to better understand what kind of consulting firms are out there. There are a thousand different models out there so do your best to find the types that get you the most excited. Certifications such as scrum master, PMP, and financial/accounting certifications can also be useful.”
Adrian Romo
Senior Architect, Microsoft Solutions
Q: How did you start your career in the armed services?
A: I was nominated for the US Naval Academy but not appointed. As an alternative, I was offered a place in the Navy’s BOOST (Broadened Opportunity for Officer Selection and Training) program which served as a 9-month preparatory school for the Naval Academy or NROTC. I enlisted, landed in boot camp 2 weeks after high school graduation and went to BOOST after that.
Q: What led you to consulting?
A: My first stint in consulting was between 2000 and 2003. I followed my professional mentor there from a tech startup. I returned to consulting in 2011 with Credera because I missed the fast pace, constant learning, and synergy created between talented people in a consulting environment.
Q: What skills have translated well from the military to consulting?
A: I served with men and women from every part of the country, each with different life experiences and perspectives. I learned how to put aside differences and work together with a diverse group of colleagues towards a common goal, how to stay poised and perform under pressure, and perhaps most of all – the importance of attention to detail. I often find myself saying, “the devil is in the details.”
Q: What is the most valuable lesson you learned in the military?
A: Always be polite, be courteous, and show professionalism even in the most trying circumstances. Another big one was esprit de corps, a small group of highly motivated individuals who have each other’s back can accomplish almost anything.
If you’d like to connect with Nate or Adrian, reach out to us at findoutmore@credera.com. If you are a transitioning from the military and are interested in a career in consulting, take a look at our open opportunities.
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