TANGOALPHA3 IS EXCITED TO HIGHLIGHT THE MANY EXCELLENT VETERANS WE’VE ASSISTED IN FINDING JOB PLACEMENTS.

The Veteran Spotlight series is a chance for us to catch up with our community of veteran talent. We discuss things like how their current job placement is going, what it was like while on the job hunt, as well as any challenges they may have faced while transitioning from the military to the private sector. In the end, it’s a great way to highlight excellent people and provide an inside vantage point into some of the services we provide and industries we serve.

VIRGINA “GINNY” MACNEIL

Ginny represents TA3 as a Cybersecurity Process Engineer on the cybersecurity team supporting DISA in their effort to unify the 22 distinct DoD agencies under one common network, DoDNet. She kicked off her IT career serving 9 years as an officer in the Army Signal Corps. After transitioning out, she’s spent the last 15 years supporting various DoD customers in both IT and Cyber Security centered roles. As a veteran who’s led a successful career both in and out of the military, we’re proud to have Ginny as a part of team TA3 and grateful for the insights that she shared with us

WE RECENTLY SAT DOWN WITH GINNY TO CATCH UP AND ASK HER ABOUT HER EXPERIENCE WITH HER JOB HUNT AND WE’RE GRATEFUL FOR THE PRACTICAL ADVICE SHE SHARED WITH US

What is a typical day at work like for you?

I currently serve as an Information Systems Security Officer (ISSO) with the Defense Information Systems Agency.  It is a rewarding position where a typical day can include a variety of tasks to include the evaluation of system vulnerabilities, the review and update of security policies, and feedback on software and change requests.  The job is fast-paced and challenging.

Did you face any challenges when you first transitioned from the military into the private sector?

I initially struggled a bit with the translation of my military skills to civilian terminology for my resume.  All services have some form of transition program and I always highly recommend participating in those programs.  In addition, there are resume services that can be found online and are very useful for those who want the extra feedback and assistance.  Resume or career services can be a very worthwhile investment if the job market in a particular area is exceedingly competitive.

I also learned that certain larger companies can take a very long time to move through the interview process and into the hiring process.  It was quite an exercise in patience, one company I’ve worked for took almost 3 months for the entire process.

What was your initial job search experience like?

I transitioned out of the Army in 2007 into a small town location where the job market was very selective.  After failing to secure any interviews for two months I went to the individual offices of the companies I was most interested in and provided a copy of my resume.  That determination impressed a few of the companies and I had several interviews after that.  I now know that what I was missing most was that critical piece of networking within the local job market.

I addition, I am a military spouse and I continue to move approximately every 2 years and am often searching for new positions.  The current trend of transitioning to remote work will likely improve the situation, but I haven’t experienced that yet.  Each move requires an update to the resume, a new job search, and an attempt to meet more professionals in my field of interest.

How has your military training and experience helped you in the private sector?

I believe my military experience shaped some very valuable personality traits such as determination, integrity and a strong work ethic.  Military service also tends to teach flexibility and creative (or out-of-the-box) thinking and that is very valuable in today’s do more with less environments.  I often find that service members, and their spouses, will look for multiple ways to attack a problem set in order to achieve the desired results. One last trait my service taught me is to recognize that sometimes you need to lead and other times you need to follow – both are strengths.

What advice would you give to transitioning veterans looking for their first job after leaving the military?

Take advantage of the transition programs provided by your branch of service.  For the job search: check out resources such as Clearance Jobs, USA Jobs (government positions), and the career pages for individual companies.  I also highly recommend seeking out professional and recruiting events in the area surrounding your job search.  Lastly, ensure your LinkedIn account profile is complete and consider upgrading to the premium version for the duration of your job search.  There are a lot of opportunities that present themselves through LinkedIn.

What has your experience been like working with TangoAlpha3?

TangoAlpha3 has been a great company!  I have been with the company for 3 months now and everyone I have talked to has been incredibly welcoming and very responsive.