Mission 1: Space, by route of the US Navy
I graduated from the United States Naval Academy with a degree in electrical engineering and was commissioned as a nuclear surface warfare officer. I served aboard USS Ticonderoga and a Nimitz-class carrier. I got to the Academy because I went to space camp. I was told the best way to become an astronaut was to go into the Navy, so I did. Although I never became an astronaut, I’m happy to have spent time serving in the Navy.
In retrospect, I’m still sort of surprised I did all of the amazing, challenging things I did in the Navy. I drove a ship through the Panama Canal and did aileron rolls in an airplane. When I finished my last tour, I had the opportunity to become a recruiter, work in the White House, or basically be in the infantry. I loved the variety; there were so many things I could have done in the military. I didn’t realize that when I was commissioned.
The best parts about the Navy
The best part of my military experience, however, was the people. They became like my family, and I’ve kept those relationships to this day. Working together at 3:00 am when you’re tired and you haven’t showered in days, you start to develop a camaraderie that is unmatched anywhere.
For example, one time, I had a sailor who was early in his military career. He had joined to be a mechanic, but his job at the time was cleaning toilets and serving food. He lost some family members while we were deployed, and it was a really tough time for him, but no one really talked about mental health then like we do today. Eventually, he attempted to jump off the ship. Later, as I sat with him in the hospital on the carrier, we started to discuss what was going on in his life and what would get him back on the right track. I helped him get connected to chaplains and psychologists. He ended up staying in the military for a number of years after that and was very, very successful. That was the human factor – helping each other no matter what.
Mission 2: McKinsey
Transitioning from the Navy to McKinsey was a little bit scary. People choose McKinsey for many different reasons, including the challenging, meaningful work and unrivaled professional development. I chose the firm because I didn't know what I wanted to do. McKinsey offered me the chance to explore industries, functions, people and leadership styles, etc. without feeling stuck if I didn't enjoy something. I'm still here 16 years later because I enjoyed too many things!
There are actually a lot of unexpected parallels between McKinsey and the military that helped me make the transition. The people at McKinsey are just as diverse as those in the service. We have zoologists, engineers, Olympic swimmers, technologists, authors, singers, finance experts, change management coaches, and all sorts. Our diversity helps us bring all kinds of perspectives into our work and it has helped me learn a lot.
There are also many paths through McKinsey; you can follow a straight line or zigzag, like me. I started as a business analyst, focused in Operations, based in Southern California. After a few years in consulting, I decided to explore internal roles. I spent time as a recruiter, a practice manager, and a talent manager. Two years ago, I moved into a role with our Learning team, managing the Operations Excellence Program, which is our learning journey for early-tenured consultants specializing in fields such as supply chain management, procurement, manufacturing, service operations, and capital excellence. What I really love about Learning is working with and developing colleagues at all tenures at the firm while still expanding my own functional knowledge.
One recent project that I really loved and am proud of was developing Ops Corps. We created this initiative to advance racial equity and economic empowerment of Black communities by investing support in small-to-medium-sized Black-owned businesses. We host conferences, help build entrepreneurs’ capabilities, and form partnerships with other organizations chasing similar goals. It’s special to work with and learn from these companies’ leaders, who have had different experiences and who possess innovative ideas regarding operational excellence.
Veterans@McKinsey
Veterans@McKinsey is our formal affinity network for people who have served in the armed forces. It has had a huge impact on my time at McKinsey. I still remember on my first day at the firm, the group sent out an email saying I had joined. I got this slew of emails from fellow veterans all over the world. That was special to me, especially coming in new to industry, not knowing what to expect. Having people who cared about me, shared something in common with me, and would answer any time I called just to talk – that made all the difference.
Now I’m paying it forward. Last week, I got a call from an alum who was part of the Veterans@McKinsey network while he was here. He said, "Hey, I've got this candidate. I think he's fabulous. He's just not quite sure whether he's a good fit." That candidate was an E-8 in Army Special Operations. I had a great chat with him, thought he was a wonderful candidate, got him in touch with a partner in the office who is also a veteran. That person put the candidate in touch with somebody else. Those connections happen over and over again, which brings new joiners lots of comfort.
So, if your military service is ending and you’re ready to pursue your next adventure outside of the armed forces, check out McKinsey and consider joining us. Oh, and “Go Navy!”
More about Erin
Erin holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the US Naval Academy. Prior to McKinsey, she served as a communications officer and mechanical division officer in the US Navy. In her free time, Erin enjoys spending time with her two daughters, husband, and dog, Frosty. She enjoys hiking, Peloton, water sports, traveling with her family, and being a back-stage dance mom.
