Episode #15

Landing your Next Role by Building a LinkedIn Presence with Misty Moreno

With more than 20 years’ experience as an HR professional for the Air Force, Misty Moreno recently retired from the military on the same day as her husband. They both smoothly transitioned to post-military roles. He is a stay-at-home father with their 13-year-old son, and she currently works as an HR Business Partner in manufacturing. In her limited spare time, Misty volunteers with Veterati to help other military members through their own transition.

A “LinkedIn Success Story,” Misty shares exactly why and how you can leverage LinkedIn to its full potential. She doesn’t just share about the logistical aspects of transitioning; rather, Misty discusses revelations from her own mental challenges of the transition.

She shares her honest perspective about life functioning in a remarkably similar manner to her military career as a Senior Master Sergeant: she didn’t slow down, she needs more sleep and she’s not home with her family any more often as a civilian. However, Misty enjoys the challenge of working with a smart team, learning new things about technology, the manufacturing industry and collaborating with people through influence instead of relying on rank. This episode may challenge you to engage in more self-reflection as well as leveling up your LinkedIn profile.

Lessons Learned:

• 3 things to change your perspective and possibly your trajectory:
  • Define your success and purpose outside of the workplace.
  • Get a life outside of work, such as quality time with family, hobbies, and stuff that you find interesting.
  • Create a community outside of the military to hear and learn about different ideas and approaches to life.

• It may shock you to be without rank. As a civilian, you must rely upon your character and personality to work with others.

• Crystallize your intentions for post-military work by observing other people in different roles.

• Communicate and collaborate with your spouse to prioritize the logistics of post-military life:
  • Who is going to work after retirement?]
  • Who is staying home, if anyone?
  • What is the bare minimum of a needed salary to maintain the desired lifestyle?
  • What isn’t as important to you and your family? (For Misty and her family, it was location.)

• For a stellar LinkedIn Profile, Misty followed TAP guidelines and checked out the LinkedIn Q&A:
  • She created a profile.
  • She connected with people and organizations within her desired career industry.
  • She posted content every day.
  • She did connect with veterans, but focused on professionals already doing what she wanted to do after the military.

• To come up with daily content to write and post on LinkedIn, Misty leveraged her 20+ years of experience in Human Resources to:
  • Explain key strategies she used to address real scenarios.
  • Share her transition struggles during Covid-19.
  • Come up with a series, such as “365 days of advice” with transition tips—check it out and connect to her at https://www.linkedin.com/in/misty-moreno/

• Because of her posts, recruiters contacted her through LinkedIn. Not every call led to an offer, but her current role was one of them.

• Misty very candidly shares the differences and similarities of working in the private sector to her life as a Senior NCO in the Air Force.

• You may discover that some problems followed you from the military, indicating that the career change did not solve the issue.
  • Remember that you’re a work in progress.
  • Talk to people you can trust.
  • Make time for self-reflection.