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78 G.I. JOBS | OCTOBER 2016 | GIJOBS.COM Age: 31 Military Service: Sergeant (E-5), Marine Corps (2003-2008) MOS: Scout Sniper (0317) Equity Research Associate, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, New York City What do you do? I conduct fundamental research on the equity of publicly traded companies within the retail sector. That includes developing financial models, writing research reports and communicating with our sales force, traders and clients. Why did you choose this career path? As a Marine, I spent a lot of time doing research and analyzing the battlefield. I thought I could bring a similar level of discipline to researching companies, and turned out I was pretty good at it. It's something I find very interesting, and I also get to help people. Many of our clients invest money for people who want a better future for their children or to be able to retire. I believe that I am having a positive influence on the lives of everyday people. Best advice for transiāĻoning service members? Transitioning is really, really hard, but it's important to keep in mind that people want to help you. When it comes to finding a job, you'll have an easier time if you narrow your focus. A career in finance is really broad. Find two or three jobs that sound interesting to you and ask people (including veterans) who work in those jobs to tell you about them and how they got the job. Once you know which job you want and the path you need to take to get it, network, network, and network some more. DAN O'HARE SERGEANT