Marine Corps Veteran, Search Professional, Guides Veterans through Private Sector Employment Process

Robert L. Beatty, Jr., a seasoned executive search professional and Marine Corps veteran, recently presented “Secrets of A Corporate Headhunter” to the Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa.

Beatty is a Director with the Miami office of Stanton Chase (www.stantonchase.com), a global retained executive search firm with more than 70 offices in 45 countries.

“Transitioning out of a military career into the civilian work force can be a confusing time for veterans,” said Beatty. “The purpose of this seminar was to educate these officers on the available resources they have as they make this transition from the military.”

Beatty covered a wide range of topics that focused initially on some basic decisions veterans must make as they begin the process of moving into private sector careers.

“One of the first things they must do is identify industries and professions that interest them,” he said. “Once that is done, these soldiers should identify functions within these industries that match the skills they’ve learned while in the military. These could include sales, marketing, IT, corporate security, and finance. Many of these skills are in high demand and the leadership skills cultivated in the military are particularly attractive to corporations.”

Other topics covered in the seminar included:

• The difference between retained search and contingency search firms
• The role of career counseling and coaches
• The array of available personal services such as resume/biography writers and editors; career books, Linkedin, etc.

Beatty spent considerable time on the importance of proper dress for interviews and the ability to write clear and concise letters that will be reviewed by potential employers and search professionals. He also recommended several books that provide valuable insight into the job search process.

“These are things many veterans take for granted,” added Beatty. “For the most part, wardrobe in the military isn’t an issue because it is standardized. But once out in the job market, this becomes an important reflection of a candidate’s persona and ability to adapt to a new type of culture. It’s amazing how a few well-tailored suits – for men and women – can make an incredible impression. Communication through the written word is also a critical skill in all corporations, so it’s advisable for these candidates to be able to write coherently and in a concise, well-organized way.”

About Robert L. Beatty, Jr.

Robert Beatty has more than 25 years of executive search experience, beginning in New York with a firm that specialized in Wall Street engagements, primarily real estate finance and investment banking. He joined the Miami Office of Stanton Chase International in 1991.

Prior to his years as an executive search consultant, he was executive vice president, US operations, with International Bioaccess, a high technology startup that manufactured and marketed computer-related products for corporations and for government defense and intelligence agencies. As one of the founding executives, he had P&L responsibility for all domestic operations, to include the research and development effort in Palo Alto, California. His client base was evenly split between the private sector and the federal government.

His tenure with International Bioacess culminated 12 years of experience in general management with WR Grace & Co, with the Data Processing Division of IBM, and with Wang Laboratories. At Wang Laboratories, he successfully built and managed the national accounts organization in New York that had line responsibility, worldwide, for Wang’s largest national and international accounts.

Beatty’s corporate career followed five years in the United States Marine Corps. Airborne and Ranger-trained by the Army, he was an infantry and a reconnaissance officer. He left the service as a Vietnam-era veteran with the rank of captain. Prior to his service, he graduated from Amherst College with a B.A. degree.