“My Transition” #20: Olaseni Bello — Army JAG to Morgan Stanley
Olaseni graduated from a law school with a stellar nationally recognized program and then joined the Army because he wanted “to give back through service”. He continues to thrive in his current career at Morgan Stanley.
In the military we’ve heard the adage, “No plan survives contact with the enemy.” which suggests we must price in delays and obstacles as we plan and be prepared to adapt.
New York, NY— Olaseni Bello grew up in Nigeria without access to many of the opportunities we often take for granted. He desired to give back to his America by serving in the Army as a JAG (lawyer), deploying to Afghanistan and Eastern Europe. He put it all on the line with his job searching, traveling across the country on his own dime for interviews. In the long run, it paid off big.
DJS: You have an amazing background as a lawyer… why did you join the military?
OB:
America afforded me opportunities that were not available to me in Nigeria when I moved here. Another part of my motivation to serve was my grandfather who fought in World War II for the British (Nigeria was colonized by the British hence his service after which he returned to Nigeria). As America had become my new home, I chose to invest in it, to give back through service. President John F. Kennedy famously stated, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” That call to service has informed my life decisions. After I became a United States citizen, I, again, raised my right hand for the ideals of freedom as an officer in the United States Army. I consider my service in the military, not only a privilege, but an honor.
America afforded me opportunities that were not available to me in Nigeria when I moved here. As my new home, I chose to invest in it, to give back through service.
DJS: Did you know what you were going to do when you left the Army?
OB:
I was clear on one goal and that was to have increased impact with a wider trajectory in my post-Army chapter. Professionally and personally there is always room to grow, and lifelong learning has informed my career decisions. I knew I wanted a different platform to marry my international and military experiences with increased understanding of the geopolitical and macro-economic ecosystem. Working on the trading floor of a global systematically important bank (GSIB), offered a unique opportunity for the kind of development I was seeking.
DJS: Tell me about your job search process?/How did you find your current job at Morgan Stanley?
OB:
It took a village, networking, persistence, and preparation. I began reaching out to my personal networks about eleven months before my separation date. Being stationed overseas for years added another layer of complexity to the job search as civilian employers seemed uncomfortable with an overseas applicant yet to be released from active duty. I utilized LinkedIn’s free yearlong upgrade for Veterans sending about seven cold emails weekly and making roughly 1 call a week to professionals on LinkedIn.
The tipping point came when I was notified by my professional network of the first-ever Veterans’ Legal Career Fair in DC . It was envisioned by the law firm Orrick and co-sponsored by Morgan Stanley and it provided a forum to interact and interview, if matched, with leading corporations, government agencies, and non-profit organizations.
Since 2015 was the inaugural year of the fair, I had no idea if it would be worthwhile. However, I hedged by bets and flew from Germany to DC on my dime for an opportunity to interact and interview with eight companies/law firms. It was a full day as I, along with over 150 other applicants, participated in close to 400 interviews. It was encouraging to see veterans, active duty, and military spouse lawyers brainstorming, collaborating, and competing all in the same breath. After the fair, I had several follow-up interviews that ultimately resulted in my current position.
I began reaching out to my personal networks about eleven months before my separation date… I hedged by bets and flew from Germany to DC on my dime for an opportunity to interact and interview with eight companies/law firms…
DJS: What was your initial training like when joining the FX trading floor?
OB:
Drinking water through a fire hose is the name of the game. The learning curve is steep but growth comes from being proactive, reading as much as possible, and asking targeted questions. There were many long days and I was particularly fortunate to have a collegial team that was willing to support my growth.
Drinking water through a fire hose is the name of the game.
DJS: What skills from the military translated into your job and made you successful in your current role?
OB:
Working with limited direction once given a concept or framework of issues, dogged persistence, adaptability, and the ability to communicate with various stakeholders while tailoring your approach to the audience. (Sometimes interacting with traders is akin to gathering and dissecting intelligence.)
DJS: What was the hardest piece of transition?
OB:
Apartment hunting in New York was a nightmare. When you’ve been stationed overseas for several years, the documentation required by landlords is not flexible in accommodating the unique circumstances of Vets.
DJS: What one piece of advice do you have for anyone reading this?
OB:
Give yourself sufficient lead time for the job hunt. There will undoubtedly be obstacles and unexpected delays by decision makers. I flew to Austin, D.C, and New York to meet with prospective employers. On one occasion, a partner at a law firm canceled our confirmed appointment last minute to attend a golf retreat. It was a low point and also a financial hit as I fumed over the cost of my flight. In the military we’ve heard the adage, “No plan survives contact with the enemy.” which suggests we must price in delays and obstacles as we plan and be prepared to adapt.
Give yourself sufficient lead time for the job hunt. There will undoubtedly be obstacles and unexpected delays by decision makers.
Bio
Olaseni A. Bello, Jr. became a naturalized U.S citizen during his first year of law school. Born in Cambridge, England and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, Olaseni vividly recalls his first step on U.S soil at JFK International Airport when he was ten. His love for his adopted country was the catalyst to his decision to join the U.S Army after graduating from Vermont Law School. Olaseni served five and a half years in the Army obtaining the rank of Captain. His service included a yearlong deployment in eastern Afghanistan where he oversaw detention operations in seven Afghan provinces. Captain Bello was awarded the Bronze Star for his service in Afghanistan.
Additionally, Olaseni was entrusted with sensitive investigations in Bulgaria and Romania pertaining to human trafficking, VAT Fraud, and Misuse of Government property. The impact of his investigations had economic, diplomatic, and legal implications. While stateside Olaseni was assigned to one of the largest brigades in the U.S Army, the First Cavalry Division’s 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team in Fort Hood, TX, where he prosecuted 11 trials in twelve months with a 10–1 (Win-Loss) record. After the Army, he sought a new platform where he could marry his military experience and the lessons from his international assignments.
Top resources
Veterans Legal Career Fair — Co-sponsored by Morgan Stanley and Orrick. This May was the third iteration of the career fair for both Vets and spouses. The VLCF is still the only legal career fair devoted exclusively to veterans and military spouses. I’d like to highlight the sacrifice of military spouses whose careers face numerous challenges as they follow their partners around the world on assignments. This career fair spoke to that reality.
LinkedIn — LinkedIn provides a wide variety of transition, education, networking and job search resources for transitioning veterans, as well as a FREE 1 year premium membership.
Are you interested in sharing your story of transition? Or are you a military transition specialist who would like to share some tips? Send me an email at MilitaryTransitionStories@gmail.com
The goal of this series is to bridge the military-civilian divide in three ways: 1) Highlight the incredible skills and value that military veterans of all generations and backgrounds bring into the workplace. 2) Help transitioning veterans understand their true value and therefore aim as high as possible in their employment and educational goals. 3) Discuss the common struggles, pitfalls and indicators of success in veteran transition, in order to provide better transition assistance from both military and civilian sides.
