Exploring the invaluable skills that veterans bring to Dropbox with Garrett Deese
What unique work skills do you think vets bring to the table at Dropbox?
When you talk about the value of a vet, some of the words you will often hear include “adaptable,” “team oriented,” and “good under pressure,” all of which are true. And on top of that, the key traits that make an employee “Dropboxy” are often more accentuated within the veteran population due to the extreme states in which they developed these skills, often early on in life. For example, a candidate without military experience may be able to show how they supported and sacrificed for their team on a past work project; a veteran candidate might be able to do this while including additional examples from prior military experience where they risked life and limb in the process. While neither experience is better than the next, the veteran experience is more extreme, thus engraining this behavior into their modus operandi, and allowing hiring managers to confidently hire qualified individuals knowing their values are aligned with Dropbox.
Another “skills package” that is often missed is that of the transitioning military member. Transitioning from military to civilian life is challenging. It takes mental and emotional adaptability and maturity to context switch continuously during this period balancing your current military life with your future civilian one — let alone thriving in the process. (Speaking of balance, active reserve military members do this daily, a true testament to their adaptability.) These context shifts, combined with those that we all face with balancing personal and work life, condition veterans, active reserve members, and military spouses or partners to handle anything you throw at them. (I call out military spouses/partners because they often are the conduit to helping their military spouse/partner effectively navigate to civilian life as they have operated in both civilian and military worlds simultaneously — often for years.)
What do you think is the strongest skill you gained from your military service that you have also brought with you to Dropbox?
I think that applying my unique perspective to challenges is my greatest strength and skill — specifically when applied to critical thinking and problem solving within my chosen career space. In my role, I am often switching between air traffic controller, therapist, and leader — pressure is part of the job. I find that the myriad of high-stress, high-impact experiences I have dealt with throughout my military journey allow me to calibrate and right-size the stresses I feel at work. This calibration helps me adjust my attitude and response, as well as that of my team, and operate effectively in a calm and collected way. A problem faced with nuclear munitions is a far cry from that of a missed project due date — perspective is everything.
