Episode 91 – Consulting Careers for Military Officers – What it Takes

Welcome back! On this episode of Above and Beyond, I interview Hunter Barns. Hunter is a former Navy Submariner who transitioned into a Senior Business Analyst role (one of several possible consulting careers for military officers) at Kearney, a global management consulting firm in 2014. Hunter launched his career as a consultant focused mostly on the analytical piece of consulting before transitioning into more of a client-facing role. We begin our conversation discussing how Hunter transitioned to Corporate America directly from a shore tour in Bahrain. “The day I started terminal leave was the day I interviewed with my current employer,” he said. We discuss how preparing to transition from abroad IS doable and how starting research early can help combat the hesitancy of a direct transition from Asia, Europe, etc. Hunter also explains Kearney in more detail. What is management consulting? What does a Senior Business Analyst do? Who does Kearney work with? Hunter walks us through why he decided to work for the company, which leads the conversation down a path to discuss one of the core functions of consulting: analytics. He reviews the “consultant tool-kit” he uses in his role and gives an interesting example of a dive deep in a problem set for a customer. We also discuss the question, “Can those who don’t have an analytical background excel in consulting?” (Excel being a pun). A few years into his career at Kearney, Hunter’s company allowed him to take a year off to earn his MBA at Oxford before returning to apply much of what he learned in that program. Lastly, he gives advice on how to challenge yourself to get better every day! Hunter is an interesting guy and gives some great insight into the world of consulting. Enjoy listening! Curious to learn more about consulting careers for military officers?  Or the career fields we represent? Click here. To learn more about turning your JMO leadership skills into a successful transition and business success with Cameron-Brooks, visit our website and check out PCS to Corporate America. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.