Military service equips people with many organizational, operational, and technical skills that are highly valuable in the civilian workforce—but it can be difficult for some, post-military career, to match those skills up with roles and work that is both satisfying and lucrative enough to comfortably get by.
Border 2 Border Member and former enlisted Marine, Jeremy Shaffer of Premier Bank shared his journey today, showing that those leadership skills can truly apply in all fields.
Originally raised in upstate New York as the son of a pastor and having moved frequently, Jeremy developed his adaptability early in life. One of his formative experiences was being moved by his family in late high school from his original home state of New York, to Michigan, where he only had light connections then, but resides again now.
Out of High School, after having his identity and location re-shuffled many times already, Jeremy was comfortable following both a calling and some family history with the other branches into enlisting with the Marines during the first Gulf War.
After joining the Marines, Somalia is where Jeremy was deployed. One point he noted was the amount of regular friendly civilian interaction, building work, and social services they performed while they were stationed—helping the locals, who are often most harmed by conflict.
After fulfilling his service to his country, he decided then, as someone who initially was college-bound at 18, that it was time to go get his degree. Easter Michigan University had wonderful accommodations for veteran and non-traditional students and the time, so using his G.I. Bill, he pursued degrees there in economics and political science.
While he was educationally lining himself up for a job in government or civil service, he was also bartending for living expenses and extra cash. Here, a casual conversation with a customer in the mortgage industry got his foot in the door.
His patron/friend had needed help, and brought Jeremy in simply to handle some of his client communications. His military background not only provided him with strong interpersonal skills but also provided him with a friendly network of referring business. This network proved invaluable as he established his career, having helped a fellow veteran secure a mortgage early on, which opened the door to many other opportunities and many years of success.
Jeremy’s approach to mortgage banking is deeply influenced by his military ethos of service, focusing on individual client needs and finding pathways to their financial goals, depending on where they currently sit. His story highlights the profound impact that a service-oriented mindset can have in providing tailored, goal-focused financial solutions in the civilian sector.
Connect with Jeremy to see how you may qualify for your dream in the future, and visit us next week for more insightful connecting.
