“My Transition” #37: Emmett Tischmack — Infantry Officer to Slalom Consulting
Emmett’s story is a great example of preparedness and goal setting. At each stage, calculated decisions led to beneficial outcomes.
Don’t try to navigate the transition out of the military on your own. Reach out to other veterans that have gone before you and ask them for advice. I think many veterans (including myself) have a mindset of not wanting to ask for help.
Denver, CO — Emmett’s story is one that proves that success is the by-product of preparation. From West Point and then to Afghanistan and eventually on to Slalom consulting, he leveraged mentorship and learning to build a strong foundation of success.
DJS: Why did you join the military?
ET:
In short, I joined because I knew in my gut that serving my country was my calling. It was the only career path that truly interested me as I neared the end of high school so I joined the military one month after graduating High School. Ultimately, I joined because I felt I had an obligation to serve my country, but I was also attracted to the camaraderie, brotherhood, and leadership opportunities the military offered.
I joined because I knew in my gut that serving my country was my calling. It was the only career path that truly interested me as I neared the end of high school…
I am grateful to have been able to experience the unique bond that forms between people placed in some of the most challenging situations any of us will ever be in during our lifetime.
DJS: What was your favorite job in the Army? Any good stories?
ET:
My favorite part of the Army was being able to coach and mentor members of my organization so that they could set goals, achieve them, and become better versions of themselves. I had so many people invest in my life and career that I felt that the least I could do is invest in the people I came across in my organizations. I loved running into Soldiers that I had served with and seeing the progress they made in their careers and lives and the pride and sense of accomplishment they felt. That was pure rocket fuel for me!
Early in my military career a Major, Lieutenant Colonel, Brigadier General, and three-star General all played a key role in shaping my military career and I feel extremely fortunate for how they impacted my time in the military.
My big take away from this experience was to be willing to take a chance on people. Often, all that a person needs is an opportunity to prove themselves and they will.
My big take away from this experience was to be willing to take a chance on people.
DJS: What were the most important skills or lessons that you learned?
ET:
I didn’t make any new, earth-shattering discoveries during my time in the Army, but I did have the opportunity to practice, fail, and internalize the foundational principles of leadership and success:
- Be humble
- Be honest
- Genuinely care for others
- Keep yourself and others accountable
- Lead from the front & don’t be lazy
- Never quit
DJS: Did you know what you were going to do when you left the Army?
ET:
No. My decision to leave the military was based on a number of factors including family. However, it was a long journey for me to identify my post-military career path. I was fortunate in that I had two years to figure that out while I was still in the military so I was able to land in an ideal position for me.
The advice I would give to other veterans is don’t be discouraged if you realize a year or two into your post-military career that it isn’t what you want to do long term. That isn’t a failure. That is a success. Take your experiences and insights you gained and start moving towards the career path that you think is a better fit for your life, personal strengths, and passions.
The advice I would give to other veterans is don’t be discouraged if you realize a year or two into your post-military career that it isn’t what you want to do long term. That isn’t a failure. That is a success.
DJS: Did you face any struggles during transition?
ET:
Absolutely. Everyone does to some degree. The biggest struggles I faced were discovering what I wanted to do. Finding the time to balance all of the requirements of my military job with all of the time and effort that goes into preparing to transition to a completely new career was tough. I definitely let the stress get to me more than I needed to.
Ultimately, I think my family and relationships suffered. Through this struggle, I learned a lot about myself. I also found tools and resources such as mindfulness and others that help me better manage stress and lead a more balanced and healthy life.
DJS: Tell me about your initial job search process?
ET:
My initial job search consisted of reading a transition book and partnering with one of the JMO recruiting firms. It wasn’t a bad experience, but as I became more and more aware of what I wanted to do, I realized that the JMO recruiting firm wouldn’t be able to provide opportunities that aligned with what I wanted. I also spent a ton of time reading, researching, networking, and listening to podcasts. I think I read over 50 books related to business; I also listened to many podcasts about business, transitioning careers, self-improvement etc.
I learned about the Hiring Our Heroes Corporate Fellowship from a Facebook post and was able to take advantage of that opportunity. I invested time to recruit companies I was interested into this program and was lucky enough to convince several to participate.
DJS: What was most challenging about going from military to civilian life?
ET:
The biggest challenge I faced was defining and understanding the post-military career path that I was passionate about that would make me feel fulfilled. As part of that journey and self-discovery, I identified that culture and sense of community were foundational to my overall career satisfaction and I was able to land a position in a company that values those aspects as highly as I do.
The biggest challenge I faced was defining and understanding the post-military career path that I was passionate about that would make me feel fulfilled.
If I wasn’t fortunate enough to land my first job in a company that valued community, relationships, and culture I think a major challenge I would have had was that feeling of teamwork and being a part of a close-knit community. For people that find themselves in that situation now, realize that you can find community outside of work by volunteering with Veteran organizations or by participating in groups like Team Red, White, and Blue. Whatever you do, don’t just become isolated. Reach out!
Whatever you do, don’t just become isolated. Reach out!
DJS: Did your military skills translate well into other jobs?
ET:
Yes, absolutely. The challenge for veterans is understanding the breadth of your military skills and experience and being able to communicate them in a way that civilian employers can understand and relate to. In general, I think the majority of us military veterans are generalists which is a good thing. We are conditioned from day one in the military to learn quickly and solve a wide array of problems. This is a great asset and something that I think many businesses don’t truly understand.
The challenge for veterans is understanding the breadth of your military skills and experience and being able to communicate them in a way that civilian employers can understand and relate to.
However, it is also the veterans’ responsibility to communicate not only the breadth of their experience but also the depth of their experience in the areas that matter most to the business. My advice is to reach out to a veteran, friend, or coach and practice your pitch and how you will market yourself to that employer.
DJS: You are a Veterati Mentor… how does that work and why should people join?
ET:
Veterati is awesome! I highly recommend it to any veteran or spouse that is looking to transition or advance in their career. This amazing service is completely free and allows veterans and spouses to connect with mentors that have experience in the areas that are most important to the mentee.
Veterati is also a powerful way to increase your network, learn from others who have navigated career transitions, and ultimately gain the insight you need to find meaningful employment.
DJS: Did you use any veteran networking strategy to land any of your previous positions? If so, how did you make those connections?
ET:
Networking was crucial to the success that I experienced during my transition. I primarily used LinkedIn to connect with people that I knew. I also found LinkedIn’s advanced search feature to be extremely helpful to connect with Veterans who may be at a company I was interested in or working in a position that I was interested in.
I was blown away by the level of responsiveness that Veterans I had never met had when I reached out to them and asked them questions or set up a short phone call. I would guess that well over 90% of veterans I reached out to responded.
I would guess that well over 90% of veterans I reached out to responded.
I think the key is to be brief and to the point. Ask for a moderate amount of their time and be sure to be prepared with specific questions that you would like the veteran to answer when you connect.
DJS: How did you land your current job at Slalom Consulting?
ET:
I landed my job as a result of participating in the Hiring Our Heroes Corporate Fellowship at Slalom Consulting in Denver, CO. I honestly did not have any expectations that I would receive an offer at the end of the fellowship because I was a non-traditional candidate for this particular company.
During the 12-week fellowship I learned that so much of my military experience translated to the areas of business consulting that I was interested in. I did work on my own during those 12 weeks to deepen my knowledge in areas and ultimately it paid off with an offer.
The biggest take-away I have from my military transition experience is that every veteran should have a stretch goal for their post-military career. Don’t be afraid to apply for jobs that you may not think you are qualified for. Make a compelling case for why you believe you are qualified, the value you will bring to the business and then ASK FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
Every veteran should have a stretch goal for their post-military career.
So many people miss opportunities simply because they don’t ask for them. Don’t let this be you. The worst that can happen is someone tells you no. How many times has someone in the military told you no? Odds are, someone in the military has told you no enough times that it shouldn’t phase you anymore. So go for it!
DJS: Tell me about what you do on a daily basis at Slalom?
ET:
Slalom is a purpose-driven consulting firm that helps companies solve business problems and build for the future, with solutions spanning business advisory, customer experience, technology, and analytics. We partner with companies to push the boundaries of what’s possible — together.
I am an organizational effectiveness consultant. I currently focus on organizational change management, training, and communications. My experience in these areas has primarily applied to projects where we are building or implementing technology tools to improve the client’s business.
Here is what a typical day looks like:
- I start the day by spending 15 mins organizing my to-do list for the day (I use Trello to do this).
- I then try to commit a 1-hour block to the most important task for the day. That could be anything from developing an organizational change management strategy, executing an aspect of a change management plan, developing training materials, crafting communications, or talking with stakeholders.
- Next, I spend approximately 30 mins going through email and responding to the most urgent (I try, with varying levels of success to live the Zero Inbox Life)
- I then attend a 15 minute meeting called the daily stand up with the project team. This meeting is part of the agile project management process that we follow in many of our projects
- After that I typically break the rest of my day into 30 or 60 min blocks of time and complete the other tasks on my to-do list.
- Interspersed between these meetings are typically client or team meetings
Planning, prioritization, and discipline are huge keys to success in consulting…coincidently my previous job in the military prepared me well in these areas.
DJS: What was your initial training like?
ET:
The majority of my training at Slalom came during the Hiring Our Heroes Corporate fellowship. It was a mix of formal training sessions as well as on the job mentorship. The incredible thing about Slalom is that I have not met a single person (in the whole 4,000+ person organization) that isn’t willing to help anyone that reaches out to them.
Everyone from consultants to general managers to members of the national leadership team were all eager to share knowledge and help me learn about Slalom and their business. So many organizations claim to have this sort of culture, but I was blown away to see that Slalom truly delivered on its claim.
Also, Slalom is great in that I have a wide array of subject matter experts and very experienced leaders that I can reach out to any time and ask for advice or assistance. This open, collaborative model is great because it allows me to continue to learn at a rapid rate and also allows each of us consultants to bring Slalom’s depth of knowledge to our clients and projects.
DJS: What skills from the military translated into your jobs and made you successful in those roles?
ET:
The ability to develop, communicate, and execute a plan is a skill that I find myself utilizing on a daily basis. This skill is an infantry officer’s bread and butter. Though there are many planning frameworks in the business world, I find myself going back to my military orders development process and I utilize a lot of the processes that I did in the military when I needed to plan and execute a mission.
The ability to develop, communicate, and execute a plan is a skill that I find myself utilizing on a daily basis.
DJS: Are there other veterans in your workplace? If so, how is that dynamic?
ET:
Yes, there are! There are approx 12–15 Veterans that work in the Slalom Denver Office and many more that work throughout the other markets. It is great to have them in the office and be able to connect with them about our military experiences.
Slalom also has a national veteran network that connects once per month and that is another great opportunity to see how other veterans are building and affecting the military and veteran community in their offices.
DJS: If you knew one thing before the transition process that would have made your experience easier, what would that be?
ET:
Understanding that identifying your passions and strengths is a process, not an event. Also, finding a framework or a mentor that you can use to help ID your passions/strengths can be incredibly helpful. If possible, this should be one of the first steps of your transition.
Identifying your passions and strengths is a process, not an event.
Once you have an idea of your passions and strengths, the next step should be to rapidly investigate and experience the career paths that align with your passions and goals.
DJS: What was the hardest piece of transition?
ET:
Purely from a career standpoint it was discovering and defining exactly what I wanted to do after I left the military. Having mentored over 70 veterans since I left the military this is one of the biggest struggles I think Veterans face as they transition. It is so hard to know exactly what we want to do and communicate that clearly to ourselves and potential employers.
I don’t think there is a magic formula to this, it is simply putting in the work. Find someone who has transitioned who can coach you. Dedicate time to reflection and self-discovery. Invest the time to explore the opportunities you are most interested in, and practice and refine your pitch of what you want to do.
From a personal standpoint the hardest part was managing the stress and emotions. It can be very difficult and stressful to radically change your career. It is incredibly important to reach out to others that have gone through this process. Share with them what you are struggling with or worried about. You will be amazed at how much that can reduce stress and anxiety.
Continue to take care of yourself. I found exercise and mindfulness practices to be very helpful in managing the mental strain and stress that comes with transitioning out of the military.
DJS: What one piece of advice do you have for anyone reading this?
ET:
Don’t try to navigate the transition out of the military on your own. Reach out to other veterans that have gone before you and ask them for advice. I think many veterans (including myself) have a mindset of not wanting to ask for help.
If I hadn’t reached out and asked other veterans for help I would have never discovered the opportunities I had that ultimately allowed me to secure my dream job at an amazing company.
Don’t try to navigate the transition out of the military on your own. Reach out to other veterans that have gone before you and ask them for advice.
Bio
Emmett is a former Army Captain that currently works as an Organizational Effectiveness Consultant with Slalom Consulting in Denver, CO. During his eight years of active military service Emmett served in a variety of positions including as an enlisted Infantryman where he deployed to Iraq. He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 2011 and commissioned as an Infantry Officer in the US Army.
After commissioning, Emmett completed multiple military training schools including US Army Ranger School, Airborne School, Reconnaissance Surveillance Leaders Course, and others. He served as an Infantry Platoon Leader, Company Executive Officer, and Commander and deployed to Afghanistan in 2014. Emmett has also earned multiple industry certifications including the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification and the Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification.
Emmett’s passions include coaching and mentoring individuals and organizations to define their goals and achieve their fullest potential. He is a passionate veteran employment advocate and actively mentors many transitioning Veterans through Veterati and the Hiring Our Heroes Program.
Top resources
Hiring Our Heroes Corporate Fellowship Program — This is an amazing opportunity to give your post-military career a test drive
Veterati.com — build a tribe of mentors
Deloitte’s Core Leadership Program — free program that helps transitioning veterans identify their strengths and passions and empower them to find meaningful, post-military careers
Podcasts:
Beyond the Uniform — Helps you identify the wide range of post military career paths
a16z Podcast — Specifically listen to the episode: “Teams, Trust, and Object Lessons”
Books:
The Alchemist By: Paulo Coelho — Finding you purpose and passion in life
The Five Dysfunctions of Team By: Patrick Lencioni — How address and handle poor performance and behavior in a work setting
Never Eat Alone By: Keith Farrazzi — The power of networking and how to do it effectively
Are you interested in sharing your story of transition? Or are you a military transition specialist who would like to share some tips? Send me an email at MilitaryTransitionStories@gmail.com
The goal of this series is to bridge the military-civilian divide in three ways: 1) Highlight the incredible skills and value that military veterans of all generations and backgrounds bring into the workplace. 2) Help transitioning veterans understand their true value and therefore aim as high as possible in their employment and educational goals. 3) Discuss the common struggles, pitfalls and indicators of success in veteran transition, in order to provide better transition assistance from both military and civilian sides.
