Military Service | Do You Leverage It?
As a military veteran, do you think I leverage my military service to benefit my current career as a Real Estate Agent? Do you think I should?
If someone were to ask me if I use my military service to benefit my career, my answer would be, “HELL YES I DO!”
Those that have served in the military are a different breed. Not just because of our experiences and crude sense of humor, but because of the low percentage of Americans that make the decision to wear the uniform. According to the data collected by the DOD, US Census Bureau, IRS, and SSA, out of the ~323 million living Americans, roughly 22 million are military veterans and 1.5 million are currently active duty. That comes out to a little over 7% of the population today.
Not only do we consist of a very low percentage of the population, but regardless of branch, we all have at least one thing in common; we swore in to support and defend the constitution of the United States.
Do you have any idea how powerful that connection is? If you serve/served, my guess is yes.
If not, you might understand this:
Let’s say you just had a baby boy and decide to take him to the grocery. There just so happens to be another couple at the same grocery, they also just had a baby and brought him. You have never seen these people in your life. You are both in the beer aisle. What are the chances that couple talks to you? I’m guessing pretty high. Why? Because they are going through the same experiences as you. They are making similar life decisions. Reading the same baby books. Dealing with the same problems.
It’s the deep connection that broke the barrier of awkwardness with strangers and gave them the confidence to chat with you. It’s almost like you have known each other for years.
Being amongst the 7% is kind of like that, but MUCH stronger.
I spent nearly 10 years of my life serving in the Navy. I have spent thousands of hours with hundreds of other service members, all of which have contributed to helping me understand most military people. I understand their thought process. I get the decisions most make. I know what makes them tick and what calms their nerves. I know what makes them sad and what makes them happy. I understand this because I’m one of them and am extremely proud of it.
Finding something outside of the military where I could apply those experiences was critical. Luckily, real estate fell in my lap.
I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to continue working alongside the military. Each year, roughly 70% of my business comes from veterans and active duty personnel. Working with them is an extreme privilege and it provides me with a huge sense of appreciation for my career as a Real Estate Agent.
I leverage the time I served in the military not because it’s profitable for my business, but because I firmly believe my thorough understanding of military life gives my military clients a huge advantage when it comes time for them to buy or sell real estate.
The sense of camaraderie, implied trust, and how deep loyalty runs in the military is incredible and I could not imagine a life without a culture like that.
Whatever industry you are in, I highly encourage you to use your background to your advantage. Human connection is the highest level of achievement in my eyes, so whatever your connection is, embrace it!
