Welcome to the first episode of Part-Time Hitters, a podcast dedicated to sharing the lives of military reservists. I'm Eric Evans, your host and thought leader for the reservist's community.
In this episode, I chat with Jon Stresing, a long-time friend, infantry first sergeant in the Maryland Army National Guard, and account executive at Nvidia. Tune in as we explore the invaluable insights from his military experience and transition to the tech industry.
Military Service and Deployment
Jon Stresing deployed to Iraq in 2007 as part of a battalion with different companies, including one in Camp Mrez and another in Missoul.
His squad's primary mission was to search for IEDs 5 to 15 km ahead of convoys during the surge in Iraq.
We also discuss our deployment to Baltimore during the 2015 riots, where we faced gang member threats and public impatience despite initial support.
Transition to Civilian Life and Tech Industry
After completing his accounting degree, Jon Stresing transitioned to tech sales in the DoD space after working at PwC.
He shares his experience transitioning from audit to tech sales and the importance of sales skills in different roles.
Jon emphasizes the transferability of sales skills and the general sales cycle in various industries.
LinkedIn Insights and Veteran Hiring Practices
Jon Stresing talks about the impact of photo content as king on LinkedIn, noting the prevalence of original photos at tech conferences and on LinkedIn posts.
We also discuss the issues surrounding veteran hiring practices at large companies and the lack of support for reservists.
Personal Anecdotes and Experiences
Jon shares his experience of being viewed as the only person his acquaintances knew who had deployed despite his entire friend group having Combat Infantry Badges.
He describes himself as an "overpaid translator" who can speak both Silicon Valley and infantry languages.
“What I see on LinkedIn, especially in the veteran space, is companies posting about career fairs and how we love veterans. I perceive it as basically all optics to the point where they set up their little booth, got the picture, maybe took a few resumes, and got the hell out of there. These are the types of people who I reach out to and talk to about friendly forces. Usually, I’ll ask what you are doing to support reservists and people who are still in. And I just get flat-out ignored or a blank stare.” - Jon Stresing.
Resources
Check out our partner, Friendly Forces. Friendly Forces is a non-profit dedicated to helping reservists like us navigate the difficult path of finding a career that meshes with the National Guard lifestyle.
http://friendlyforces.org
Part-Time Hitter is produced in partnership with The Fratty Guard. Check out their website for memes, merch, and more.
https://thefrattyguard.com/
