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U.S Military Veterans: Is Facilities Management Right for You?

Career Exploration

Since I know my military brothers and sisters like things simple and straightforward, I will forego the technical definition of facilities management (FM) and rather explain it in laymans terms...off we go!

The next time you visit an office building, retail mall, restaurant, hospital, etc., take note of the following:

As you enter the facility's entrance with your vehicle, observe the grounds and landscaping. Is everything pruned and fresh?

What about the signage, is it clear and does it direct you on where to go clearly?

As you park and leave your vehicle, take note of the condition of parking lot. Is it smooth or is it filled with potholes and tripping hazards?

As you enter building, take note of lobby or retail store environment. Is all lighting illuminated and of the same "color"? Are the floors clean and polished? Are you greeted with a smile by security, store clerk, receptionist?

What about the escalators, access control system. Are they functional and allow for smooth people flow? Are surveillance cameras conspicuously placed?

All of these things and many more are what a facilities manager looks after each day. Although much of the work is "behind the scenes", the importance of what FM's do cannot be understated. In a world of "first impressions are lasting impressions", the FM has a great responsibility to ensure those first impressions are positive and a company's brand is enhanced.

Does this sound interesting to you? If so, read on!

So what does it take to be a successful FM?

Well, do you have a thirst for continuous learning? When you are out and about, do you take a strong liking to the architecture of buildings surrounding you? Do you always want to know how things work, or like to get into those "hidden" areas of a building, i.e., mechanical rooms, penthouse, etc.. to see the inner-workings of the building systems? Are you interested in ergonomics and understand how the workplace environment has a direct impact on employee productivity and morale and in most cases, impacts revenue generation?

Most importantly, do you have a strong desire to be in service to others? (I would suffice to say most of you as military veterans do have this sense of selfless service.)

If you answered yes to the above, FM could be a great career choice.

As a facilities manager you serve others by looking after the built environment; ensuring a healthy, productive, safe and secure workplace. You ensure all systems are working as intended and preventative maintenance is completed as scheduled. You monitor utility systems and also energy consumption and make the necessary changes where needed. You may lead an in-house maintenance and janitorial team or you may manage third party vendors who perform this needed work.

Depending on company or industry, you may have the opportunity to work with corporate real estate to strategize the corporate facilities portfolio. By using data you collect, you can be a key advisor on portfolio consolidation or expansion plans.

"But I love technology, not sure if FM would satisfy that in me" you may say.

Well, today's FM uses technology and data analytics to manage everything from work orders to space planning and allocation. You may even use BIM for a future upgrade to the utilities system. And considering most FM's manage large portfolios of buildings located across a region, mobile technology is a must have! I for one, use my IPad for almost all my daily tasks.

Ok, this all sounds pretty cool but where do I go for further information?

Although the profession of FM may not be well known, here are a few resources to get you started in learning about it:

Online:

Magazines:

What's the future outlook of FM and where can I work?

Right now there is an identified talent gap in facilities management. Many FM's are approaching retirement age and there is not a lot of interest by the younger generation to enter this profession. As a military veteran, I believe we are in a great position to enter the field and make significant impact from day one.

Every industry has an FM in some capacity. Buildings are not just built and forgot about, they need FM's to manage them to ensure the asset remains operable and profitable throughout its full life cycle.

For those considering private industry, the two big real estate/FM providers are Jones Lang LaSalle and CBRE. (There are many others but I will only mention these two for this article). You can look at their respective websites and listen to podcasts or read blogs from them. Both of these companies have very informative articles on FM and real estate in general. Of course, being an "outsourced" FM is not your only option, many companies hire FM's directly to manage their portfolio.

A more unique and very rewarding FM career path could be Foreign Service Facility Manager. Working within U.S. Department of State, these FM professionals manage U.S. Embassies and Consulates all over the world! I had the chance to meet with a few Foreign Service FM's when I worked in Diplomatic Security, a very dynamic career those ladies and gentlemen have. If you love to travel and live abroad, this could be a great career choice. Or, also within federal government, GSA is another great option. If you want to be on the cutting edge of FM, GSA is there! With proactive energy conservation programs and active green building and design programs in place, GSA is on the leading edge of key FM developments.

Lastly, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the opportunity to be a facilities manager with Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC). This position would allow you to manage U.S. Naval facilities stateside and abroad.

Facilities management is not everyone's cup of tea. First and foremost, you have to be a people person. Each day you have the chance to talk with peers, directors, senior executives and third party vendors. You must be confident and composed, able to handle adverse and sometimes stressful situations with a calm demeanor. In emergency situations, the FM tends to be the one relied upon to get the situation neutralized and resolved.

There are many other aspects of FM that I could address but for sake of information overload, I'll refrain.

Bottom line, if this sounds like a career of interest to you than I encourage you to learn the lingo, and network, network, network!

I know there are many military veterans who have the skills needed to be a successful FM and to help fill the talent gap that the facilities management profession is currently facing. But due to the lack of understanding of the profession, many are unaware of this unique but highly diverse management field.

I am doing my part to advocate for veterans within my network because I truly believe in this career choice and I know that the right military veteran would bring nothing but great ideas and foresight to the profession.

Bottom line, I believe the FM profession needs military veterans' unwavering commitment, great skill set and leadership to drive it forward!

If any US military veteran would like to know more, feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn. I'd be more than happy to share my personal experiences within FM. And let me add, having worked at the Naval Academy as a facility manager I have some "interesting" FM stories!

If you have comments or feedback about any article, please email your thoughts to info@acp-advisornet.org.

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