When Adam Getz first joined the military, his plan was to finish his initial enlistment as an Army musician and separate. As his roles changed within the military, Adam decided to serve for 20 years with the goal of having a second career in the private sector.  Adam earned an MBA, PMP and Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certifications to prepare him for his next career in project management. When Adam left the military4/2021, he spent a year as a Senior Project Manager in pharmaceutical contract manufacturing. Today, he is a Senior Project Manager in Supply Chain Operations at Indiana University Health.

Adam finished his MBA earlier in his Army career. Once he focused on becoming a project manager, he completed his PMP and Lean Six Sigma Green Belt closer to retirement. Adam used a full 24 months to prepare for his transition by attending TAP classes, leveraging LinkedIn and networking .

After using The 20-Minute Networking Meeting book as a guide on how to conduct an informational interview, Adam conducted close to 100 interviews. With each conversation, Adam learned more about project management in the private sector, gained new mentors and ultimately confirmed that he did want to pursue project management. His interactions helped him to translate his Army skills to industry standard terminology. As an introvert, networking did not come naturally to Adam. At first, he felt like he was imposing on people but then realized after a few informational interviews that people are eager to help.

Adam reflects on the differences of project management between the military and the private sector. Because rank is not a factor in his current position, it’s not always obvious how to get something accomplished. The job of a project manager is to lead cross-functional teams as an individual contributor and yet influence people to meet deadlines and finish projects. Building relationships and having expert knowledge are keys to being a successful project manager.

Adam discusses how asking questions has earned him respect with coworkers and supervisors in his post-military roles. He learned that people are eager to help and asking questions builds teamwork, relationships and rapport. Adam encourages veterans to check their ego and stay humble. While some people will show appreciation toward a veteran, others are indifferent.

When job searching, many roles do not post a salary range.  Adam discusses how his informational interviews and mentors gained through LinkedIn helped him uncover a desired salary range based on his background and skills.

Adam and Lori end the podcast discussing leaving jobs in the private sector, sometimes even in the first year. While Adam acknowledges that finding a job that you are passionate about is ideal, it’s not realistic for everybody. He instead encourages people to find jobs that match their skillsets and ones they enjoy in some capacity. When a job isn’t right for you, it’s okay to find something that is a better fit. Sometimes you have to make a change to move forward.

Head over to the Lessons Learned for Vets YouTube channel at https://tinyurl.com/llforvets22 to hear a bonus clip on struggles and surprises Adam has encountered during his first 18 months out of uniform.

You can connect with Adam at https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamcgetz/

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AAFMA, the American Armed Forces Mutual Aid Association is the longest-standing nonprofit association offering life insurance, wealth management, mortgages, survivor assistance and more.

AAFMA is dedicated to helping servicemembers be ready for life after the military.  AAFMAA would like to offer you their free Transition Timeline, a guide to help you create a solid military transition plan. Let AAFMAA help you get ready for your next step by visiting www.aafmaa.com/ll4v.