John Zimmerman, retired Senior Master Sergeant U.S. Air Force, shares his career journey from the military to COO of a software company and being on the board of directors for Healing Paws for Warriors.
Summary
John Zimmerman, retired Senior Master Sergeant U.S. Air Force, moved into the defense industry and is now the COO for Beast Code, a software company in Florida. John shares things he learned and limitations he’s had to work through that many of us can relate to, as we identify what we should be doing in post-military jobs and what will provide for fulfilment. John shares very openly about his philanthropy work in order to give back to those veterans who have given so much.
Episode Highlights
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02:55: John details his active-duty experience and the different tours he served
04:33: Reasons why John left his military career
06:08: John describes the transitions in his career
08:50: The part that fear and apprehension plays when deciding to leave active duty
09:25: Unexpected upside of the transition experience
10:26: Over 50% of the people leaving the military undervalue themselves
11:10: John thought he had the world figured out when he left the military, but soon into his first new job, he realized how much more he had to learn
13:19: Fun things that John was able to do that led him into his present position
16:52: John paired up his two passions—military veterans and dogs—with a non-profit called Healing Paws for Warriors
19:33: John shares what he learned about not boxing yourself into a job and what to do instead
20:20: Gene’s business tip: Learn more about leadership. Our understanding of leadership in the military tends to be narrow and it’s not necessary in alignment with how the corporate or entrepreneurship world defines leadership.
Your Move
Show Resources: The Make Your Move podcast came as a result of the book Make Your Move: Charting Your Post-Military Career. Order your copy today: https://www.genemoran.com/make-your-move/.
Connect with Gene on LinkedIn for more useful tips and proven strategies to maximize your post-military career success.
Connect with John Zimmerman on LinkedIn.
