Operations Supervisor at McKesson Corporation
Military background helps Sailor find his civilian dream job at McKesson Corporation.
by Warren Duffie

Byron McLendon believes in striving for greatness. No surprise he made a career out of the Navy, whose recruiting slogan is “Accelerate your life.”

McLendon’s favorite proverb is “When you reach for the stars, you might not grab them, but you won’t pull up a handful of mud either.” And when he traded in his military uniform for corporate apparel, he wanted to work for a company that was the Pittsburgh Steelers or Green Bay Packers of its respective industry.

“When I came to McKesson, I knew I was working for the best in the business,” said McLendon, a former chief petty officer. “Getting hired was like being drafted by a Super Bowl team.”

On the Job
McLendon, 44, is an operations supervisor with McKesson Corporation – a leading health care services and information technology company, providing health care systems, medical supplies and pharmaceutical products.

The former Sailor works at the company’s sprawling Oklahoma City distribution center. This massive operation sends out products such as vitamins, medication and prescriptions to hospitals and pharmacies nationwide. McLendon, who joined McKesson in December, commands nearly 40 employees who work to ensure products are received from manufacturers, correctly inventoried and shipped to clients.

“We process thousands upon thousands of orders daily,” he said. “McKesson distributes about one-third of all the medicine in the United States. The Navy taught me how to multitask, which is a crucial component of my job.”

In Uniform
In 1987 McLendon was sweeping floors at a textile company and lacked direction in his life. Feeling a call to serve his country, combined with a craving for adventure, he enlisted.

He completed basic training and aviation machinist mate school at Naval Station San Diego. He served in Washington, California, Whidbey Island, Japan and Oklahoma.

The Transition
By 2004 McLendon realized he only had three years before hitting the 20-year mark. He started preparing for his transition. He took several transition classes and created different résumés for the various jobs he applied to.

“I used résumé keywords such as ‘team player,’ ‘self starter,’ ‘flexible,’ and ‘leads by example,’” McLendon said. “These are phrases that hiring managers tune into.”

When McLendon retired in 2007, he took a job with a freight company but realized it wasn’t a good fit. Last year he saw a job opening with McKesson. He applied and was hired within a month.

“The hardest part about leaving the military was not knowing what to expect from civilian employment,” he said. “I soon learned that my military background set me apart. I saw a lot of people with a ‘not my job’ mentality. Being former military, I was ready to go the extra mile. I’m happy that many of my co-workers at McKesson share this passion, which is why the company is the best.”

How’d You Get That Job?
By 2004 McLendon realized he only had three years before hitting the 20-year mark. He started preparing for his transition. He took several transition classes and created different résumés for the various jobs he applied to.

“I used résumé keywords such as ‘team player,’ ‘self starter,’ ‘flexible,’ and ‘leads by example,’ ” McLendon said. “These are phrases that hiring managers tune into.”

When McLendon retired in 2007, he took a job with a freight company but realized it wasn’t a good fit. Last year he saw a job opening with McKesson. He applied and was hired within a month.

What McLendon Likes About His Job

• Being part of a winning team.
• My co-workers’ passion for excellence.
  

McLendon’s Advice:
Start your job search early. “I began mine three years in advance. You need that lead time to get everything in order, that way you’re not as stressed when it’s time to leave the military.”

Take TAP classes. “Once you decide to leave, take one class each year before you get out. Use all the resources available to you.”

Know yourself. “Figure out what you want to do as a civilian. Put those goals to paper.”

McKesson Corporation
HQ: San Francisco
Employees: 32,500
2010 Revenues: $108.7 billion
www.mckesson.com

Did You Know?
McKesson supplies more than 40,000 U.S. health care locations. It also provides the Department of Defense with all of the pharmaceuticals in the Tri-Care Mail Order Pharmacy Program.