Marion Whicker spoke candidly and gave career advice to 50 “new” members of the Joint Munitions Command’s workforce at its headquarters at the Rock Island Arsenal in Rock Island, Illinois, recently.
The executive deputy to the commanding general at the U.S. Army Materiel Command opened the working lunch by informing attendees, who have been with JMC for less than three years, about her duties and her background.
Whicker has served as an Army Civilian employee for 39 years, after beginning her career path as a Tank-automotive and Armaments Command intern. The willingness to always meet the Army’s needs led to Whicker becoming a Tier III Senior Executive Service member - equivalent to a three-star flag officer.
Whicker’s first bit of wisdom was her suggestion to always carry a pad of paper, to write down every acronym and find out what they mean. She also emphasized that being a part of the Army was a blessing.
“This is the greatest job that you will ever have,” Whicker said. “There are awesome opportunities to not just stay in one career field, but some people want to move to the next job quickly. There is a balance between depth and breadth. You want to be in your job for a few years because you want to earn experience, and then it is about figuring out what your next step is.”
If Whicker was able to time travel, what would she say to her 22-year-old self?
“I would tell myself a couple of things,” Whicker said. “No. 1, the people you work with are dedicated like you’ve never seen. No. 2, the people you work with want to help you. They want you to be successful. No. 3, try different things. It’s OK to expand your horizons. What’s not OK is a supervisor telling you that you need to stay in your job, because it’s the best thing for you.
“If you work hard good things are going to happen,” Whicker added. “You have to figure out what you want. Your best career advice may not come from someone above you. It may come from a peer.”
Whicker’s secret to success is ARI: “Accomplishments of what I did. Results of what I did. Impact of what I did,” she said. “If everything you do revolves around those three things then you’re going to be golden.”
Whicker stressed that one’s career road map isn’t just about them. Family and one’s personal situation play into it, as well.
“It’s important to blend your career road map with your personal road map,” Whicker said. “Work-life balance starts with you. If you don’t believe it does, you’re kidding yourself. Make sure people know what your life is about. There are good people who will have your back.”
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