Okay, so maybe I’m a little partial to Cameron-Brooks because they are my client. A former colleague used to tease me because I always “drank my clients’ Kool-Aid” and I was always more than happy to stand up on my soap box and sing their praises. But I find that one of the largest benefits to owning my own company is being able to be selective about who I work with. I won’t sell something I don’t believe in. And I won’t work with somebody I don’t like. Life is just way too short for that.
And who would you rather have working on your behalf to promote your company? Someone who is doing so because they really like you and believe in what you’re selling? Or someone who is just doing it because it’s their job?
I think you know the answer!
Anyway, back to Cameron-Brooks. They’re not a large company. They’re family owned and operated and they are located in the Texas Hill Country, because they love it there and since they can do their work from anywhere, why not do it somewhere that you love?!
But the thing that gets me all a-twitter about Cameron-Brooks is that I don’t think I have ever met a company where the people who work there are so passionate about the work that they are doing. I have actually interviewed about half of the people in the company, from the top all the way down, and every single person I spoke with there is so incredibly invested in the job that they do everyday.
What the company does, just so you know, is they work with officers who are considering transitioning from the military to the business world. They help them to figure out whether or not it’s a good move for them, the things they need to consider, let them know what options they have. And then, if together they determine that a career in Corporate America would be a good fit, they work with them to prepare for the transition, and then they match them up with the companies who will best help them to obtain their personal and professional goals, including many of America’s top companies.
The crazy thing is that there are other recruiting firms out there who work solely on commission. They talk a good talk, but truthfully, their sole pupose is to get that officer to leave the military and then to find some job that they can place them in. They are looking out for their OWN interest rather than that of the officer. Because they just want to make the placement and earn the commission.
Cameron-Brooks, on the otherhand, honestly cares about helping officers to make the best decision for themselves and their family. First off, many of the Cameron-Brooks‘ employees are former officers themselves, so they have a strong respect and understanding of the military. So they would NEVER even consider influencing someone to leave the military when staying in may be a better option for them. I think that’s so stellar.
Second, they take the time to really, personally, get to know the officers. They find out what is important to them. What makes them tick. What will make them happy in the long run as well as what would be in the best interest of their families. They care. Seriously. I know that every company you’ve ever met says that same thing. But these people actually do! It’s really amazing.
Then, they will do whatever it takes to get that officer totally prepared to kick butt at their interviews and to find that officer the best possible companies with whom to interview. I’ve seen them in action, calling companies and telling them about awesome candidates that they have and getting them all revved up to meet them.
And they even help the candidates AFTER they have placed them. At any time, their alumni can call them up and ask for career advice, how to negotiate for a raise, how to interview for a promotion, etc. They truly value the relationships that they have with everyone they touch. Whether they choose to go with Cameron-Brooks or not.
There are also several other recruiting firms out there who have basically copied the Cameron-Brooks model. You can look at their websites and they have basically copied and pasted the verbiage almost verbatim. I guess that’s a big compliment to Cameron-Brooks, but still its annoying to me when I see that these companies have only 1-3 years of experience compared to Cameron-Brooks‘ 40+ years. So I hardly believe that they have firm ground upon which to make their claims.
I think the most telling thing of all about Cameron-Brooks is their staff. They have the most professional, friendly, intelligent and incredible staff that I’ve ever met. And these people never leave! They have NO turnover at their company. That tells me that they know what they’re doing–finding people careers that truly fit them and that they’ll enjoy for the life of their career! To me, nothing is more telling than that.
Okay, I’ll get off of my soap box now. I just really love this client (as if you can’t tell) and really love working with them. They give me the warm fuzzies everytime I have an interaction with them, which is great!
Oh, and if you’re a JMO reading this, call this company! I promise, you’ll be glad you did.
And to anyone else out there who owns or runs a company, you could seriously learn from Cameron-Brooks.
First, believe in what you’re doing. You won’t be successful if you don’t. Hire people who share that passion. Again, it’s key to your success. And make certain that the people you serve, whether selling them a procuct or servicing them, know that you have this passion. Even your vendors! Anyone your company touches. Because down the line, they’ll be your strongest advocate.
Okay, my rant is over! Any thoughts?
by Tracy Marlowe
Tracy,
I was glad to read your post about Cameron-Brooks. I am currently working with them: I am knee deep in their development and preparation program and headed to Austin, TX in June for their career conference. I am excited and nervous all at the same time for for my transition to a corporate career. Do you have any advice from your side of the table regarding my preparation? What are your biggest pet-peeves when conducting an interview? What do fellow recruiters tell you are their biggest pet-peeves? Out of the people you’ve said “yes” to, what are a few examples of actions/behaviors that made you feel they were right for your company? Thanks for any advice up front.
Jeremy Mitchell
Tracy,
Just did some further digging into your blog postings. Ha ha. You help promote CB? Any advice still applies though. It seems that you must be pretty intimate with them.
Thanks again,
Jeremy Mitchell
P.S. Facebook is a much better way for Cameron-Brooks to communicate with me and my peers that are thinking about leaving the military.
Hi Jeremy,
Thanks so much for your post. Yes, as you’ve already figured out, our company assists Cameron-Brooks with their marketing efforts. In other words, we write and design brochures, their web site, etc. In doing so, though, we’ve conducted quite a bit of research on the company and the market. We’ve gotten to know what JMO’s top concerns are as well as what it is that makes Cameron-Brooks company tick.
So you’re right. We are pretty intimate with them. And I will reiterate, as I mentioned in my post, that they are probably more invested in their customers (in this case, JMO’s) than any other client that we’ve ever worked for. Honestly, these folks eat, sleep and breath figuring out what is the best best interest of their customer and what they can do better to serve them. It’s really blown us away. And the coolest thing is how they really work to get to know each JMO’s individual situation and tailor the program, company interviews, etc. to meet the best needs of the JMO. Not themselves! I’ve never heard them say anything like, “Well, this would be better for us, so we’ll make this compromise…” Their motto is to do what is right. And they actually do just that. It’s not just a bunch of hot air like it is with some companies.
My best advise would be to make the most that you can out of DPP and work as closely as possible with them so that you can eek every bit of wisdom to prepare you for the transition. The folks that work at C-B understand SO much about military transition, Corporate America, what companies are looking for, etc. Ask all of your questions. There is no stupid question.
Trust me that they will make certain that you are well prepared for your interviews. And you will be blown away by the caliber of companies at the conference and how hard they will work to make your transition as smooth as possible.
My last advise, from the perspective of someone who has been interviewing people for many years…ask smart questions in your interviews. You can tell just about as much about someone, if not more, by the questions they ask as you can by the way they answer questions. And make certain that you have some great work examples of how you’ve handled difficult or challenging situations to weave into your interview answers. But I’m sure C-B will cover that in your preparation!
Best of luck to you Jeremy. I’m sure you’ll do wonderfully!
Oh, and just FYI, Cameron-Brooks does have a Facebook page that they actively keep posted with current news, blog posts, etc. You should definitely become a fan!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cameron-Brooks-Junior-Military-Officer-Recruiting-to-Corporate-America/46847108365?ref=ts
Take care,
Tracy Marlowe
Jeremy,
You said in your previous comment, that Facebook is a good way for Cameron-Brooks to communicate with candidates. Can you provide me with specifics on why that is, what you like about it and any changes or additions you would like to see?
I agree with Tracy’s advice. Prepare diligently for your preparation as you must be if you are looking for information on how to do well. I also like her comment on asking good questions. Good questions show a strong interest in the opportunity, demonstrate intellect and can help you connect your military experience to the opportunity.
Feel free to ask your questions about being successful on our blog at http://cameronbrooks.wordpress.com/
Joel Junker
Cameron-Brooks Recruiter
Joel and Tracy,
Thank you both so much for your quick replies! I am a fan of Cameron-Brooks on facebook and have been reading the C-B blog since I received the link via email about a month ago. Facebook has been a great way for me to stay plugged into C-B events. I feel I have greater situational awareness for upcoming events as the June conference approaches. Like my peers who have been on facebook since it’s inception, I check it religiously: you can’t help it. It’s how my age group, especially military officers, stay in touch. When you update the blog it shows up on my wall. It’s less invasive than if you were to send me an email every time you update it. Kind of along the lines of what Chris Brogan was talking about in his “Pirate Moves” post that I found via one of Tracy’s links. Also, I think it would be beneficial if you moved the archived discussion posts from the C-B website over to Facebook. Maybe you could organize them and new posts along the lines of candidate’s progression in the program: 2 years out, 1 year, 6 months, Conference Prep, Follow-up interviewing, Alumni, etc.
Also, I wonder if there’s a way to create sub-groups for C-B fans. for example, one for Army or Infantry Officers, or for candidates who are seeking sales to management positions, etc. This would easily allow a candidate the ability to send a message, or friend someone who has specific relatable backgrounds and/or career goals. Networking with all C-B alum would be great, but narrowing similarities in candidates and alum would help. I actually just sent an email to Erin Ottmers regarding alumni and fellow candidate communication so I can start working out some the uncertainty regarding the conference. Alumni and peer networking through facebook would be much easier. I think it would be an easy ice breaker leading to phone calls to discuss more detailed questions.
You guys are great and have been very helpful. I will reply any other feedback (via facebook) as it comes to mind.
Thank you,
Jeremy Mitchell
P.S. Joel – Do you have any advice for flashcard question responses? I know the interviews will be free-flowing and situational, but do you have any advice for how long a typed response would be in a standard 12pt font Word document. Or, how many speaking bullets in PowerPoint slides? Or, minutes to spend speaking on Questions 1-15 or 16-25? Thanks again.