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It seems like not too long ago when I was in your shoes - departing the Marine Corps for civilian pastures with eager anticipation and not much direction (at least in my case anyway). My sights were set on manufacturing management and had already read several books on the topic. Figured that my leadership training would be a perfect fit for this endeavor and began the journey into the unknown.

I somehow learned of a recruiter who places military personnel into civilian careers. They had a few offices around the country including one near my current location of Camp Pendleton and also in my hometown of Philly. Couldn't have been more perfect.

Most of my interviews were with great companies serving in manufacturing plants on any one of their production line shifts. Really enjoyed every visit, but I just didn't feel ready to take the leap in any particular direction. It was then that my recruiter (in Philly) suggested sales.

Sales never entered into my consciousness, but many fingers started pointing in that direction. I had learned of an abnormally large number of Fortune 500 CEO's with prior military experience and that the typical starting point for them was in sales.

My perception of sales might have been born from a bad car buying experience, but a greater understanding of true professional sales was developing. And it was no accident that some of the top companies in the world were seeking out my peers and I with great intensity.

True professional selling has integrity, character and honesty as its foundation. Leadership, as you know, is helping others to perform at their best. Professional selling is providing all of the information necessary for others to make the decisions that are best for them.

Selling and leadership have quite a bit in common. Both put the needs of others before your own. Both have a deep sense of caring for others at their core and constantly striving to be better, do better and always do the right thing (especially when no one's watching).

They say to, in sales, never mention politics and religion (not sure who "they" are and I tend to disagree anyway), but I can touch on one of those topics by saying that the world craves the qualities that define us now more than ever. The leadership traits and principles that are ingrained into every fiber of your being are in such high demand that you might be bursting at the seams as you begin to recognize your very high value (that others profoundly recognize and desperately seek).

My interviews into medical sales began and ended quickly with a remarkable connection and my first job in Pittsburgh, PA selling chemistry analyzers. I've since transitioned into orthopaedic sales and can't be thankful enough for my first opportunity. It was then that, after one year, I was #1 in my region, #2 Rookie of the Year (runner up) and #4 in the nation (in a Fortune 50 company at the time).

Writing this article has caused me to reflect a bit and it seems like the more I learn the more I recognize how important your good values are. In most cases you entered the military with those values (which is why you entered in the first place), but they were honed into a precision instrument from your training and experiences and everyone knows it. I've often said that people like you can't be obtained at any price and after 24 years of this I see no evidence to the contrary.

With that, maybe I can continue to serve by offering my contact info if you have any questions at all. Please don't hesitate to reach me at my personal email address of corsteiner@aol.com and I'd be honored to instantly respond.

I wish you the very best of luck as you discover what you already know as a universal truth - and that is that your success will come in direct correlation to the extent that you help others to achieve theirs.

And thank you for your service at a time when you were desperately needed.

Cory Steiner - Author of "Sell Like a Marine" available on Kindle and Amazon.
Naturally, I love to write and present "Sell Like a Marine" as a culmination of my experience as an active duty Marine plus 25 years as a medical sales rep to deliver extraordinary value with world-class leadership. Home is beautiful Yardley, PA along the Delaware River with my wife, son and our dog Maggie. Our daughter is off to college, but not too far away. My hobbies are photography and running. I've completed 4 marathons, but can't really call myself a marathoner; yet anyway. I have to first somehow become a good runner. Thank you for your desire to set the bar very high (which raises us all up) to strive for your greatest potential. I very much appreciate your interest and look forward to offering my next volume - "In Search of the Wholey Sale".