Jeff Lau: Director of Global Partnerships Strategy and Operations, Google
The Old Grad Story:
Jeff served for five years, then left the Army in 2007 to attend Harvard Business School. After getting his MBA, Jeff gained experience in investment banking, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and leading a non-profit (The Andy Roddick Foundation). For the past eight years, Jeff has worked at Google, leading within the advertisement arm of the business.
Old Grad Knowledge:
In any industry you go into, you’re going to have to grind; if the industry is growing and the work is interesting, it’ll help you get through the grind. Avoid industries that are shrinking!
In the first couple years after you transition, you have to show results in roles that may feel less significant than your military leadership roles. Once you prove yourself on the ground and start to move up, your leadership skills will become more relevant.
Positioning Yourself to Break into Tech After the Army
Tech companies look for grit, ownership, the abilities to thrive in ambiguity and “wear many hats.” Veterans should emphasize stories that showcase these skills!
Understand how your background is similar to the role-related knowledge requirements of the job you’re interested in. Emphasize these points on your resume and in your interview!
Embrace the culture of debate! Successful tech leaders focus on developing clear problem statements but give their team a strong voice in creating the solution(s).
Read the job descriptions, understand what the “hard” skill requirements are, and make a plan for meeting these before you transition.
Veterans can struggle with “general cognitive assessment” questions during interviews, due to their open-ended ambiguity. Use structured thinking and logical frameworks to understand these questions and organize your responses.
The book, Case in Point, offers a great methodology for your prep!
