A photo collage showing Junior Military Officers (JMOs) building a school in Iraq.

AN OFFICER AND A...GREAT CANDIDATE FOR CSM GROUP.

It’s no secret that CSM Group places a lot of emphasis on selecting the right people, and spends a great deal of time and money to do it right. Among the traits CSM is consistently looking for in its desire to add “one more like our best” are integrity, honesty, a solid work ethic, morals, and an ability to lead people.

Do junior officers who are completing their service in the U.S. military have a tendency to display exactly those characteristics? Sir, yes sir! And CSM Group is involved in a program that proactively seeks out these Junior Military Officers (JMOs) as they leave the service, and considers them for employment.

A valuable talent pipeline.

CSM Group works with Lucas Group’s Military Transition program, an organization that is well respected among military people seeking to make a successful transition into fulfilling careers in civilian life. The company works with JMOs, Field Grade, and other officers as their military duty comes to a close to find positions that will best utilize their particular talents, match their interests, and create a partnership beneficial to both parties.

Lucas was instrumental in the CSM Group’s addition during 2006 of Mark Roys, Project Director in the company’s Grand Rapids office, and in the recruitment of Brian Iarossi and Kevin Callahan, who join CSM Group this year.

From Roys’ perspective, the program is excellent for officers leaving the service, but is also a great help to a company like CSM Group.

“CSM Group puts a big priority on getting the right people, and candidates with all the right qualities can be hard to find in a limited geographic area. By working with Lucas, they open up a larger pool of candidates worldwide with just the traits they’re looking for,” Roys said.

Accustomed to responsibility.

Not only are JMOs capable of handling responsibility, they crave it. Iarossi, a Project Engineer for CSM Group, believes that a military officer who is in charge “under fire” becomes used to taking ownership of a situation, and wants to continue doing so.

“In the military, I had to deal with many things that had no pre-existing plan; I had to analyze a situation and make a good decision under pressure. And that usually meant being creative—a problem solver. I think that being responsible for 70 guys in combat makes you really step up, so you’re ready for multi-million dollar construction projects,” Iarossi explained.

“The feeling of responsibility carries over. You still want to have that.”

Callahan, a Project Manager for CSM Group, agrees, adding that JMOs are given far greater responsibility sooner than they ever would in the private sector. The leadership qualities are needed immediately, and strengthened quickly.

A captain in the U. S. Army, he spent two years in Iraq in the course of two different deployments. His responsibilities included overseeing from 3-4,000 soldiers, and managing over 70 projects—worth over $80 million—in the reconstruction of Baghdad. In that unique environment he gained experience in dealing with even more than the usual assortment of stresses.

“In addition to the soldiers under my command, I was responsible for a large team of Iraqi citizens involved in the project. I had to be on guard against the corruption that can exist in these situations. And we had to deal with negative incidents caused by the insurgency. Many of the workers were afraid to return,” Callahan explained.

“And in some ways, the greater the security, the greater target you become, so you have to figure all that out,” he added.

Lucas links CSM Group with JMO reinforcements.

Iarossi and Callahan were introduced to CSM Group through a program of conferences held by Lucas in major cities throughout the year. The company sets up interviews for the candidates with companies it thinks are a good match for the candidate’s experience and stated objectives.

Iarossi had checked out the CSM website in advance, and was impressed with its contemporary feel, and the emphasis it placed on its people. His interview experience confirmed that impression.

“I had 8 interviews, each 45 minutes long. CSM Group was the only company that sent three people to participate in each interview. That proved they were serious right there. Plus, they all asked good questions, and seemed to really care about the answers, “ said Iarossi, who then added with a laugh, “But the most impressive thing was the way they all were so happy to be part of CSM Group themselves. They were excited, and that made me excited.”

Callahan, too, was very impressed with the CSM Group people with whom he interviewed. He also had praise for the role Lucas Military Transition played in the process.

“I’d had lots of different jobs and experiences in the military to call upon. Lucas helped me figure out the strongest, most relevant ones for the positions I was applying for, and present them in the best way possible. That reduced my stress a lot along the way,” Callahan said.

Results tell the story.

Josh Rohs, Director of Communications and Guidance at CSM Group, is excited about the results of the military recruiting program for the company.

“We’re pretty picky…but we’ve found at least two people at each conference with whom we wanted to go to the next level,” Rohs said.

He added that while the company may have a specific need in terms of skills, it believes that the most critical factor is the person’s talents—the traits that can’t be taught.

“We have a philosophy of ‘first who, then what,’” Rohs said, adding that the ability to think quickly on their feet and make great decisions is a very desirable one, shared by many of the JMOs he talks to.

But some candidates bring the added bonus of significant relevant experience, as well. Callahan’s experience in Baghdad is a good example.

CSM Group’s motto is “building owners’ trust.” And with talents of these former military officers on board, that trust is sure to grow stronger than ever.