Vibrant Works’ Post

Pro tips for all Amazon and Military-Connected job fair attendees: 1. Come with a job req or three. Use the skills translator on their Military Recruiting website. 2. Review the Amazon Leadership Principles. 3. Research who is attending and connect via LinkedIn BEFORE the event so you have someone to find when you arrive. 4. Get your intro concise and summarize what you did while serving and (more importantly) what you want to do as an Amazonian. 5. Share something personal, relatable and memorable. Be human. 6. Have a target start date and a location (do not say you’re open to relocation). 7. Have an ask: Who should I talk to next? How did you get your job? How is your military service serving you as an Amazonian? What does my resume need to ensure it doesn’t get rejected? 8. Do NOT expect the Amazonian to usher you to a great job. 9. Do NOT show up saying you’ll take any job anywhere. 10. Exhale. Muster up some confidence, stand tall, remind yourself of every incredible thing you’ve accomplished in your entire life, and go. #yougotthis Michelle M Mills Ian McDuffie, MBA, PMP, LSSBB, Jonathan Schmitz Dan Carp

In honor of #VeteransDay, we are proud to highlight a few of our team members who have served their country. Today we're highlighting Associate Branch Manager Tim Kline from our Baltimore, MD maintenance branch. Thank you for your service, Tim! #thankaveteran #VeteransOfRuppert 𝗜𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗸/𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲? US Army, SGT, Military Police 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂? My time in service taught me teamwork, mental preparedness, planning vs execution, and servant leadership. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳? / 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹? Something I learned about myself is you can make mistakes as long as you learn from them, and mental attitude reflects outward action. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆? Leadership skills that formulate the leadership acronym: -Loyalty -Duty -Respect -Selfless Service -Honor -Integrity -Personal Courage

What a great picture to capture the heart of a courageous warrior. I'm struck by John Chapman's subtle smile and peaceful resolve. This picture reminds me that we in the military can often mistake being tough with being hard. Hardness is easy. It's cold, impersonal, invulnerable and results in disconnectedness. We're tempted to justify hardness when the mission or task is difficult, or when we may or may not necessarily agree with the desired outcome. Put on the blinders, separate the heart from the action, do the task, live for another day. Toughness is connection based (both connected to self and/or a team) and requires selflessness and discipline. Tough, courageous warriors have tenacity, grit, determination, professionalism and most importantly: HUMILITY. I've known plenty of tough people with gentle hearts. Toughness leaves room for the heart to stay connected to your hands and mind. TSgt John Chapman's tenacity, grit and professionalism were on display at the top of Takur Ghar, but his humility, heart and selfless desire to serve brought him to the top of that mountain. I'm not sure you can capture the heart of a tough and selfless warrior any better than this photo of him humbly and gently holding an Afghan baby.

“New” segments = new sales in 2024, especially if you don’t see AT LEAST 10 consumer segments in this picture! Yes, this is a picture of my Army [poor life choice] brother and I in Afghanistan. So there’s 4 segments: 1 & 2 - Army & Navy active duty members 3 & 4 - Army & Navy veterans (we both left active service) We were both married (and still are)…so 2 more: 5. Army Officer Wives 6. Navy Officer Wives Since this picture was taken during a deployment…there’s another 6!!! 7 & 8 - Army and Navy Officers currently deployed 9 & 10 - Wives of deployed Army and Navy Officers Marketing and/or sales teams should not see just “military” in this, or any military-related content(…unless you personally like generic, low ROI strategies and content) *Bonus - don’t forget Detroit Red Wing fans*

Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage. We often hear inspiring stories like that of AF Tech Sgt. John Chapman, whose heroic actions serve as a testament to the qualities inherent in veterans. I had the privilege of working alongside a veteran from the 10th Mountain Division, whose bravery earned him a medal. Reflecting on his experiences, he vividly recalls the perilous situations they faced and the morale-boosting sight of US air support overhead. Stories like these underscore the invaluable contribution veterans can make to your organization. In times of adversity, veterans demonstrate unwavering dedication and selflessness. John Chapman's actions weren't driven by personal gain or recognition but by a profound sense of duty to his comrades. Imagine having someone of such caliber within your organization—someone who prioritizes loyalty and teamwork, fostering a culture of trust and collaboration. The qualities exhibited on the battlefield seamlessly transition to the workplace. Veterans bring a unique blend of leadership, resilience, and adaptability—qualities essential for navigating today's economic landscape. Hiring a veteran isn't just about fulfilling a need; it's about tapping into a wealth of skills and experiences that can drive your organization's success. As we honor the sacrifices of John Chapman, let's also acknowledge the family he left behind. Their unwavering support and sacrifices deserve recognition too.

The Eisenhower Matrix is a priority tool which helps you decide on which tasks are urgent and important, and which ones are not. It is named after Dwight David Eisenhower, an army general and politician who served as the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 to 1961. Being such a busy man as he was, he was inspired to create the world-famous Eisenhower method, a simple method that helps you prioritize your tasks and gain clarity and control over your time. In a simple diagram it is as follows: I hope it helps 👍🏻

Did you know that as an Enlisted Reserve Component Cadet that’s serving in either the Army National Guard or US Army Reserve, you can still commission into an Active Duty Component?

THIS. Quality of life (especially after military service) is worth what's worth to the individual. To some, it's worth $100k+++, to others, not so much. Both answers are right. There is always ways to make $100K++ on the outside of a military career. The question is - "What am I willing to sacrifice to get X salary?" Sometimes it is very little - an overnight trip once and a while. Maybe longer hours. If someone wants to make $160+ as a management consultant in year one - it is possible. But you'll be working your ass off - 60, 70, 80 hours per week. You'll become a super platinum double diamond member of every travel perk and know the best restaurants. But.... How much is being home for birthdays, holidays and other life events worth? Only you know the answer.

As a three-time CoS (2 yrs 2nd Infantry Division - Korea, 2 yrs Eighth Army (Official) and as XO/assistant to US Army TRADOC CoS) this book struck me as an accurate assessment of the role. Though the scope of my experiences could not match the incredible magnitude of WH CoS, the processes, roles and functions were quite familiar. The CoS, in civilian or military context, helps frame decisions, preserves the leader’s time for things that matter, act as honest broker, integrate and lead a staff. The measure of a staff’s functionality, effectiveness and efficiency usually turns to how well the Chief is doing his or her job. My TOP quote: “The people who don’t succeed as White House Chief of Staff are people who like the ‘Chief’ part of the job and not the ‘staff’ part. You’ve got to remember you’re staff even though you’re powerful.” (Jim Baker, CoS to Ronald Reagan) U.S. Army School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS) | The Army University | U.S. Army Combined Arms Center | Army University Press

When I was in the Army, I didn't really engage frequently with General Officers - so I am always excited (and a bit blown away) when I get to share my LinkedIn experience at the Army GO-TAP course This one was no different with awesome engagement from: 🔹MG Andy Munera, CG of US Army Cadet Command 🔹BG Samuel L. Peterson (Luke), PEO CS & CSS 🔹LTG Douglas Stitt, the Army G1 🔹LTG Ross Coffman, Deputy CG of Army Futures Command 🔹and so many others... #quinnsights My key takeaways for them: 1 - get your profile good enough to reflect your professional identity 2 - connect with people in industry to figure out what you want to do next AND learn what people in that role do 3 - start posting the things you love about the Army: highlighting your team, successes, retirements, promotions, and sharing the articles Public Affairs is writing #militarytransition