Finding Stepping Stones on the Path to a New Career

Welcome to the latest edition of Power in Connection, a newsletter featuring stories from professionals who have experienced the transformative power that connections can have on careers. Learn how to build new relationships to catalyze your career by hearing from entrepreneurs, CEOs, newly minted professionals — and everyone in between.

When Molly Main joined the U.S. Marine Corps right out of high school, she surprised everyone — including herself. She had spent her entire high school career working tirelessly to try and earn a scholarship, but when College Decision Day rolled around, she realized she had no idea what she wanted to do with her life. On a whim, she enlisted in the military, becoming one of just two people in her graduating class to do so.?

As it turned out, Molly’s time in the Marine Corps would help illuminate the career path she’d struggled to envision in high school. Through the Marines, she studied public affairs and journalism, with her instructors later recommending her for a prestigious role on the headquarters social media team.?

Before she knew it, Molly was working at the Pentagon and traveling the world with her team, things she never could have imagined herself doing when she was weighing up her college decisions. But after five years, she decided it was time to see what lay beyond the military, leaving the Marines as a sergeant and taking her first steps into the civilian workforce.?

Learn from the journeys of others

When Molly first began transitioning out of the military, her network mostly comprised of fellow service members and government contractors. She quickly realized that if she wanted to move beyond that space, she’d need to expand her circle.?

Using LinkedIn, Molly identified people in roles and at companies that interested her. She would then reach out asking if they’d be open to speaking to her about their careers, keeping the focus squarely on their story, rather than her needs.?

“I keep it really casual,” she explains. “I say upfront that there’s really nothing I’m asking from you — I just want to learn about you and your journey. And what I found is, a lot of people like to talk about their journey, because that’s how we learn from each other… That’s the true power of human connection, and it’s the true catalyst for how we can grow both individually and as a society.”?

Through these informational interviews, Molly was able to make meaningful new connections. She also gained invaluable knowledge about the corporate world and how her skills translate to her civilian career goals, setting her up for success when she began applying for jobs.?

“If someone in an interview said to me right after I got out of the military, ‘Can you speak to me about how you contributed to lead gen efforts and grew the sales pipeline?’ I would have been like, ‘What’s that?’” Molly says. “But eventually, after talking to people in modern marketing organizations, I started to understand… actually, I can speak to that. I would have been ignorant to that if I didn’t take a chance and try to network and reach out to people.”

Plot the course that’s best for you

Leaving the military can feel like stepping into an entirely different world. To ease the transition, Molly started by making a somewhat lateral move, securing a job at Booz Allen Hamilton, a consulting firm specializing in civil, defense, and national security priorities.

“It was kind of a safe space for me to feel like I was still tethered to that military identity and work,” Molly says of her two years at Booz Allen. “I actually worked for military clients, so I was still very close to the work. But it was also a place where I could learn more about corporate and how it’s different… And once I got comfy there, I was like, alright. I’m ready now to spread my wings… and make a bigger transition.”?

Molly had been interested in tech for a while, and when she was offered a role at education technology company Udemy, she jumped at the opportunity. But while she loves what she does now, she doesn’t regret looking for a stepping stone along the way.?

“The transition can be daunting, especially for people who’ve been in [the military] for longer — more than one contract — because it’s all they know,” Molly says. “Transitioning from that to [an industry like tech] right away might be a very jolting jump. So, do what’s right for you. [...] Make those jumps and steps at the time that’s right for you. No dream is too big.”

Embrace your superpower

Molly has spent the last few years figuring out how to separate her identity from the military and forge a new path for her career. But she still leverages the skills she honed in the Marines every day, from resilience and grit in the face of unforeseen challenges to leadership abilities and a people-first mindset.?

“You're thrust in an environment where you have to lead quickly,” she says of the military, adding: “When people are hiring [veterans]... You don’t necessarily have to invest in [as much leadership] training because they have it instilled.”?

While Molly doesn’t exactly advertise her military experience in the workplace, she doesn’t hide it, either. Rather, she brings it up in moments where she can use it to challenge assumptions and stereotypes about veterans.

“I like to spring it as a surprise,” Molly says, “just so we can unpack it a bit more and I can use it as an education opportunity to show people that, yeah, anyone can join the military and it’s actually really awesome. It was a great experience because I was exposed to all kinds of people — and because of that, I learned so much about myself and others, and learned how to work with a ton of different people in so many different capacities. So it's a superpower.”

Have you launched a civilian career after leaving the military, or are you starting that process? What steps have you found helpful? Share your thoughts and stories in the comments, or give a shout-out to the people who’ve helped you along the way.

• Bethany Coates , Founder and CEO of BreakLine Education, an organization that collaborates with industry partners to provide talented veterans, women, people of color, and people with disabilities the skills necessary to transition into new careers.
• Michael Benedosso , Chief of Staff at Youtube Americas Biz Org and Global Leader of Google’s Veterans Network (VetNet).
• Albert Bellamy , Lead Customer Training Instructor at Alteryx and resume coach (read about Albert’s own military transition here).

Fill your LinkedIn feeds with insights to help you navigate the military transition. Molly recommends following these three thought leaders:

• 2023 Veteran Opportunity Report: Gain an overview of the veteran employment landscape in the U.S. and discover the top industries, employers, and occupations hiring veterans in each state by downloading this new report from LinkedIn.
• Get one year of LinkedIn Premium and LinkedIn Learning for free: Did you know that eligible members of the U.S. military community can get one year of LinkedIn Premium (including access to LinkedIn Learning) for free? Learn more and apply today.
• Interview Prep Tool: Build your confidence before you start interviewing with this free Interview Prep Tool from LinkedIn.