Season 2 Episode 82: Making Sure Your Message is Understood with Julie Sanders

Julie Sanders served 4 years in the US Army as an Arabic Linguist and Intelligence Analyst. With a high-level security clearance, impressive military job and a veteran status, she assumed the companies she was applying for in the avionics industry would hire her right away. However, the only place she could find that valued her skills was as a contract employee with the FBI. When she decided that was not the route she wanted to go with her career, she took a job in retail and started pursuing her education.

Although her transition was many years ago, her story is not unlike so many transitioning today. Going to school full-time and working full-time presented many obstacles, but she persevered knowing a college degree would open more doors for her. While she was confident in her writing, her math skills were lacking. A decade out of high school, she knew she needed extra help. After joining a study group, Julie not only passed but did well in her advanced math courses. Her response to service members who are nervous to get back into the classroom is to jump in with both feet and go for it!

Earning both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree, she successfully climbed the corporate ladder in B2B sales. Julie now works for Veterans Upward Bound where she advocates for veterans who want to pursue postsecondary education.

Veterans Upward Bound is designed to motivate and assist veterans in the development of academic and other requisite skills necessary for acceptance and success in postsecondary education. The program provides assessment and enhancement of basic skills through counseling, mentoring, tutoring and academic instruction in the core subject areas. The program provides short-term remedial or refresher courses for veterans who are high school graduates but have delayed pursuing postsecondary education.

While a degree will help to open doors of opportunity, learning how to translate your military experience to a future employer is equally important. Julie discusses the need to talk about your military experience in civilian terms. You cannot expect your audience to understand military lingo and what it implies. The responsibility that the message is received and understood is the responsibility of the sender.

Julie also discusses her role with Bold Vets, a networking group for veterans. Bold Vets hosts free, monthly virtual networking events for U.S. Armed Forces active duty and veterans to rapidly and efficiently expand their referral networks. These events are a safe environment for service members to practice networking and learn to leverage their best selves. In addition, vets receive coaching and training.

To wrap up the podcast, Julie gives four pieces of advice for anyone transitioning out of the service.

• Start now and never stop.
• Don't assume that back home is the only place you can go when you get out.

Please head to the Lessons Learned for Vets brand new YouTube channel at https://tinyurl.com/llforvets22 to hear Julie finish discussing her advice for anyone transitioning.

You can connect with Julie Sanders on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-sanders-mba-148b1913/

Learn more about how Veterans Upward Bound can help you reach your education goals by visiting https://www.navub.org/

Register for the next round of speed networking with Bold Vets at https://boldnetworking.com/events/us-bold-vets-speed-networking/

SUBSCRIBE & LEAVE A FIVE-STAR REVIEW and share this to other veterans who might need help as they transition from the military!

Connect with me on Facebook and LinkedIn! Or check out our website at www.llforvets.com and listen to the previous episodes here!