Corporate Travel Buyer at Southwest Airlines
Artillery
officer aims for civilian job with Southwest Airlines,
hits mark with targeted resume.
By Warren Duffie
After
four years in the Army, Stephanie Christopher was used to an environment of
hard-charging personalities, intense training and salty language. So when she
started working in Southwest Airlines’ purchasing department last year, she was
taken aback by the cheerful office dynamic.
“Southwest
is really focused on its employees,” said Christopher, 26. “The people here are
very nice and friendly. They actually threw me an ice cream social when I first
arrived. It was a little weird at first, because I was used to life in the
Army, which was a little rougher. I adjusted pretty quickly, though.”
On
the Job
Nearly a
year into her job, Christopher – now a captain in the Army Reserve – is a happy
member of the “Southwest family.” She is a corporate travel buyer at the
FORTUNE 500 airline’s Dallas headquarters.
Working
from 0730 to 1630, Christopher builds and maintains relationships with vendors
who sell travel and office products to Southwest. These range from hotel rooms
and car rentals to toners and paper. Her duties include writing up and editing
contracts and searching for new vendors.
“I
probably work with between 30 and 40 vendors,” Christopher said. “For example,
I am the person who would negotiate
with the hotels to be able to use them in situations like the snowstorm in
LaGuardia.
“I love
my job because each day is different,” she continued. “And I like that I can
help the company save money and positively affect its fiscal mission, even in
my tiny purchasing position.”
In Uniform
Christopher’s
father, stepfather, grandfather and several uncles all served in the military.
So it’s no surprise she donned the uniform in service of her country.
Graduating
from Kansas State University on an ROTC scholarship, she traveled to Fort Sill
to complete her officer basic course and artillery training. During her career,
she was stationed in Oklahoma, Texas and Iraq.
The Transition
Three
years into her Army career, Christopher decided to leave active duty after her
four-year commitment. She began taking transition classes and tapping into her
professional and personal networks.
She also
developed 15 to 20 résumés tailored to various types of jobs. Each called
attention to a different skill. For example, if a job required management
experience, she highlighted her time as a platoon leader; for writing
positions, she showcased her accomplishments as a public affairs officer; and
for sales jobs, she brought up her experience as a purchasing officer.
“In the
military, you usually do a bunch of different jobs,” Christopher said. “Be sure
to create different résumés that highlight all the skills you’ve developed.
Also be prepared to work hard on your job search. You can’t rely only on the
classes the military provides. Treat your search like a job.”
Christopher
heard about Southwest Airlines’ internship program. She applied and soon heard
from the company’s military recruiter, who told her about the job in the
purchasing department. Christopher applied for the position, kept in touch with
the recruiter, and later passed one phone and two in-person interviews.
Christopher’s
Advice
Be
confident, tenacious, and don’t give up. “You’ll encounter a lot of naysayers
who will tell you you’re making the wrong decision. Don’t listen to them.
Follow your heart.”
Consider staying in
the Reserve. “The extra paycheck is nice, and you can maintain ties to the military.”
How’d
You Get That Job?
Christopher
developed 15 to 20 résumés tailored to various types of jobs. Each called
attention to a different skill. For example, if a job required management
experience, she highlighted her time as a platoon leader; for writing
positions, she showcased her accomplishments as a public affairs officer; and
for sales jobs, she brought up her experience as a purchasing officer.
“In the
military, you usually do a bunch of different jobs,” Christopher said. “Be sure
to create different résumés that highlight all the skills you’ve developed.
Also be prepared to work hard on your job search. You can’t rely only on the
classes the military provides. Treat your search like a
job.”
What
Christopher Likes About Her Job
- Working with vendors
- The
atmosphere at Southwest is great. People really love working here.
- I
can make a difference to the company’s bottom line and have an impact.
Southwest
Airlines
HQ:
Dallas
Employees:
nearly 35,000;
14 percent have military experience
2009
Revenue: $10.4
billion
www.southwest.com
Did You Know?
In 2009,
Southwest served 63.2 million cans of soda, juices and water; 14.3 million
alcoholic beverages; 14 million bags of pretzels; 90 million bags of peanuts;
17.7 million Select-A-Snacks; and 33.5 million other snacks.
Southwest
is the largest airline in the world by number of passengers carried per year.
It operates more than 3,200 flights daily.