Erin Mary Ackerman ⋅ Boston, MA Raytheon Technologies ⋅ 20 years experience

Hi Patrick,

Thanks for your question. I have worked with many folks transitioning, and this is not a one size fits all answer. More technical roles within engineering seem to have less of a lead time than roles in Program Management or Business Development. I don't believe it's ever too early to apply, though you want to make your available for work date clear to the hiring managers and recruiting team. Even if the role you apply for has to be filled before your separation, teams will remember good candidates and our open roles are constantly changing; if you don't see something you like, check the next day!

I think a pretty common situation at RTX is a person getting hired on their second or third role. The first might not be a good fit, but keep going! Teams will remember good candidates and highlight them for roles that might be an even better match. If you get a "no" remember it's a no for now or a no for a specific role not forever! So many of my colleagues came in for the second or third role they interviewed for; with as many mission areas as we have you're bound to find the right now.

The interview process varies; and right now it's more challenging because our interviews are all virtual. You may have a phone call, a conference call and a FaceTime Interview these days. We're still working hard on hiring and learning to do them fully remote. Be ready for anything.

If you do have a video call, lighting makes a big difference; our teams want to see and hear what you have to say so don't hide in the dark- a quiet room helps too.

Best wishes in your search! Hoping to see you in RTX red in the future!

Mathew Ernst ⋅ New Market, AL Raytheon Technologies ⋅ 20 years experience

I just went through this about a year ago and went in with these items in my back pocket.
Know your resume inside and out, be able to talk about the good, bad and ugly (do not want to sound like a robot). Remember that this is a two way street, you are being interviewed as much as you are interviewing them. Look sharp, sound casual, this person talking to you might be your boss and you may have to spend the next few years with this person, so make sure they know who you are as much as what you can do for them. Good luck in your search.

Brian MacDonald ⋅ Allen, TX Raytheon Technologies ⋅ 20 years experience

For timelines, it is probably realistic to apply a few months out from when you are available. It can often take that long to go through the screening process, have interviews, work offers, and (possibly) relocate. I also know that some people start at work while they are on terminal leave, so you might want to keep that in consideration as well.

Pitfalls and Mistakes: Dumb thing, but check carefully for typos that are not caught by spell-check. Explain any gaps in employment history. Try to translate your military experience into industry-type terms (happy to review your resume to help with that!). Don't just list things that you did, but explain what the result or impact was.

What should candidates expect during the interviewing process?
It can vary, but often it will start with a phone call to get some mutual understanding and clarification of the job and your qualifications, then may progress to an in-person interview (we are doing them virtually of using Zoom right now), offer, acceptance, set start date. The interview will normally have questions about how your qualifications fit the role, some things about your style of leadership/management, some situational questions, and an opportunity for you to ask questions.

I see the whole process as two-ways, since the company needs to get to know you, and you need to get to know the company. Ideally we end up with a win-win situation.