1

Proposal Career Paths

in Private ndustry
Proposal Career Paths
in Private ndustry
Oct 20, 2004
Eric Gregory
Vice President, Proposal Development, CACI
2
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W Why am I back to taIk about this again?
W Why am I quaIified to taIk about this?
W How we got here and where we can go
W TraditionaI modeIs vs new modeIs for
career deveIopment
W Taking responsibiIity for your career
W Maybe it's not so bad after aII
W Why am I back to taIk about this again?
W Why am I quaIified to taIk about this?
W How we got here and where we can go
W TraditionaI modeIs vs new modeIs for
career deveIopment
W Taking responsibiIity for your career
W Maybe it's not so bad after aII

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W Twenty-seven years spent capturing new
business performing aII major roIes on prime and
sub opportunities
ProposaI Manager
Section Writer
Book Boss/VoIume Lead
Capture Manager
Marketing Manager
Cost VoIume Manager
ProposaI Operations Manager
Review Team Leader
SoIution DeveIoper
W Management
W TechnicaI
Copy Machine Operator
Production Manager
W Twenty-seven years spent capturing new
business performing aII major roIes on prime and
sub opportunities
ProposaI Manager
Section Writer
Book Boss/VoIume Lead
Capture Manager
Marketing Manager
Cost VoIume Manager
ProposaI Operations Manager
Review Team Leader
SoIution DeveIoper
W Management
W TechnicaI
Copy Machine Operator
Production Manager

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W Significant experience heIping others deveIop
and manage their proposaI careers
W APMP Experience
2 time CEO - RegionaI Director
2 time COO - Chapter Treasurer
2 time Conference Chair
W On Board of Directors for Business DeveIopment Institute
InternationaI
W On Board of Trustees for the Iron Disorders Institute
W Significant experience heIping others deveIop
and manage their proposaI careers
W APMP Experience
2 time CEO - RegionaI Director
2 time COO - Chapter Treasurer
2 time Conference Chair
W On Board of Directors for Business DeveIopment Institute
InternationaI
W On Board of Trustees for the Iron Disorders Institute
Experience is a great teacher, but career success requires
your personaI commitment to achieving your personaI
goaIs and objectives.

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want to be a Proposal
Professional and put
notches on my gun."
Yeah Rightl Yeah Rightl
No one ever enters the proposal
career path consciouslyl We are seduced.

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Marketing and SaIes
ProposaI ProfessionaIs
Business
DeveIopment
Operations
Line
Operations
TechnicaI
RoIes
Production/PubIications
Operations
A few standard paths Iead to perdition!

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W By and Iarge, our invoIvement was one of
accident or a need to cure boredom
Need for certain skiII sets
W Writing
W CriticaI anaIysis
W OrganizationaI Creative
W Leadership
W Common sense
W Business/investment anaIysis
W Production
W AbiIity to foIIow instructions
Naivet
W "I need somebody to work a proposaI," he said.
W "Sure", she, the bored cubicIe denizen, said.
W By and Iarge, our invoIvement was one of
accident or a need to cure boredom
Need for certain skiII sets
W Writing
W CriticaI anaIysis
W OrganizationaI Creative
W Leadership
W Common sense
W Business/investment anaIysis
W Production
W AbiIity to foIIow instructions
Naivet
W "I need somebody to work a proposaI," he said.
W "Sure", she, the bored cubicIe denizen, said.

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W ProposaI performance prepares us for Ieadership roIes throughout our
organizations
W ProposaI performance prepares us for Ieadership roIes throughout our
organizations
:siness
Development
Business InteIIigence
Market Research &
Communications
Marketing
:siness
Developer
SaIes
Capt:re
Management
Capture
Manager
Senior
Capture
Manager
Capture
Management
Operations
Program
Management
Deputy Program
Manager
Program
Manager
Line
Executive
:siness
Comm:nications
Writer
Trade
Show
Coordinator
PR
Executive
W Achieving career
objectives
W Achieving career
satisfaction
W Achieving
opportunity
W Achieving new
chaIIenges
W Achieving
financiaI
objectives
W Positioning for
2
nd
,
rd
,
th
career
ProposaI
ProfessionaI
ProposaI
Manager
ProposaI
Coordinator
Production

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W ProposaI performance prepares us for Ieadership roIes throughout our
organizations
W ProposaI performance prepares us for Ieadership roIes throughout our
organizations
on Profit
Management
Marketing
Project
Management
Executive
PubIications Membership
Proposal
Operations
ProposaI
Manager
ProposaI
Coordinator
Graphic Artist/
Editor/DTP
Senior ProposaI
Manager
ProposaI Operations
Manager
ProposaI Coordination
Manager
Production
Operations Manager
Senior ProposaI
Coordinator
Senior LeveI
Cons:ltant AII of the Above
W Achieving career
objectives
W Achieving career
satisfaction
W Achieving
opportunity
W Achieving new
chaIIenges
W Achieving
financiaI
objectives
W Positioning for
2
nd
,
rd
,
th
career
ProposaI
ProfessionaI
ProposaI
Manager
ProposaI
Coordinator
Production
10
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W As proposaI professionaIs, we deveIop the skiII sets for aII of the
tracks cited.
W So why do so few of us ever seem to move far from the day-to-day
grind of doing proposaIs?
Company barriers erected that prevent movement
W Administrative
W ManageriaI
W ArtificiaI
Our own comfort IeveI
W I hate props but I know them
W Can't do anything eIse syndrome (CDAES)
InabiIity to connect the fuII range of our skiII set with other
opportunities
InabiIity to seII ourseIves
W As proposaI professionaIs, we deveIop the skiII sets for aII of the
tracks cited.
W So why do so few of us ever seem to move far from the day-to-day
grind of doing proposaIs?
Company barriers erected that prevent movement
W Administrative
W ManageriaI
W ArtificiaI
Our own comfort IeveI
W I hate props but I know them
W Can't do anything eIse syndrome (CDAES)
InabiIity to connect the fuII range of our skiII set with other
opportunities
InabiIity to seII ourseIves
Change resuIts from upheavaI and disIocation versus pIanning and
accompIishment.
11
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"My aspiration is to
be a Section Writer
(or a strategist)."
"My aspiration is to
be a Section Writer
(or a strategist)."
Eric Gregory
ormer APMP CEO
Eric Gregory
ormer APMP CEO
12
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TraditionaI ModeI TraditionaI ModeI
0 Years
Promotion
Management
Position
Senior
Executive
Retire
Maybe 1 or 2 Changes of Company
Enter
Workforce
Job 1
FunctionaI
Area
Junior
Position
Some AdditionaI Education ReIated to Specific
Profession/Career
Promotion
Junior
FunctionaI
Expert
Promotion
Senior
FunctionaI
Expert
Promotion
Management
Position
Junior-Mid
LeveI
1
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0 Years
2 Years 2 Years Years Years
Retire
SeveraI Company Changes (-)
Enter
Workforce
(Any pIace)
Job 1
FunctionaI
Area
Non TraditionaI ModeI 1 Non TraditionaI ModeI 1
Change
Companies
Times in Years
Promotion
Management
Position
Senior
Management
Position
Executive
Management
Position
Senior
Executive
Promotion Promotion
Significant AdditionaI Education
0- Years 0- Years
1
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Non TraditionaI ModeI 2 Non TraditionaI ModeI 2
Retire
No Company Change to as Many as Changes Over Time
Enter
Workforce
(Any
PIace)
Job 1
Significant AdditionaI Education
MuItipIe
FunctionaI
Exposure
FunctionaI
Career 1
ProposaI
SpeciaIist
Junior Senior
FunctionaI
Career 2
ProposaI
Manager
Junior Senior
FunctionaI
Career
Capture
Manager
ConsuItant
SmaII
DeaIs
Large
DeaIs
FuII-
Time
Part-
Time
0 Years
0 Years 0 Years 10 Years 10 Years
1
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Non TraditionaI ModeI Non TraditionaI ModeI
Retire
Change Companies with each FunctionaI Career Shift
Enter
Workforce
(Any pIace)
FunctionaI
Career
1
ProposaI
SpeciaIist
Significant AdditionaI Education
Job 1
MuItipIe
FunctionaI
Exposure
FunctionaI
Career
2
FunctionaI
Career

FunctionaI
Career

ProposaI
Manager
Capture Manager
Business
DeveIopment
0 Years
2 Years 2 Years Years Years Years Years
2-0 Years 2-0 Years
1
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Non TraditionaI ModeI Non TraditionaI ModeI
Retire
Company 1
Enter
Workforce
Job 1
Significant AdditionaI Education
MuItipIe
FunctionaI
Exposure
Career 1
ProposaI
ProfessionaI
ProposaI
SpeciaIist
0 Years
0 Years 0 Years
10
Years
10
Years
Company 2 Company Company
ProposaI
Manager
ProposaI
Ops
Manager
Career 2
Business
DeveIopment
Marketing
Business
DeveIop-
ment
Manager
CI
Manager
Pubs Marketing Executive
Career
Non-Profit
SeIf
Career
Semi-
Retirement
ConsuItant
Teacher
1
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0 Years
Non TraditionaI ModeI Non TraditionaI ModeI
2 Years 2 Years 20 Years 20 Years
Retire
MuItipIe Companies During Career
Enter
Workforce
ProposaI ProfessionaI Continuum
Section
Writer
Some AdditionaI Education
Job 1
MuItipIe
FunctionaI
Exposure
Book
Boss
Proposa
I
Manager
Section
Writer/
Strategist
10 Years 10 Years
ProposaI
Operations
Manager

Years

Years
1
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Non TraditionaI ModeI Non TraditionaI ModeI
Section
Writer!
MuItipIe Companies
Enter
Workforce
Job 1
Years Years Years Years
MuItipIe
FunctionaI
Exposure
Defense
ield
Engineering
W PubIications
W Engineering
W TechnoIogy
W ProposaIs
12 Years 12 Years
ProposaI
Manager
Defense Prod:ct
Development and
Man:fact:ring
S:rface and
Anti S:-marine
Warfare
Information
Technology
ALL
Section
Writer/
PubIications
VoIume Lead
Book Boss
Section Writer
ProposaI
Operations
Manager
ProposaI
Operations
Manager
ProposaI Manager
PubIications
Group
Management
Product
DeveIopment
Group
Business and
IR&D
Manager
Business
Unit
Business
Manager
$1B Worth of
Contracts
ProposaIs OnIy
ProposaI
Operations
Manager/
ProposaI
Manager
Marketing
Manager
Capture
Manager
Business
DeveIopment
Manager
Business
DeveIopment
Manager
Systems Engineer
Cost VoIume Manager
Capture Manager
Business
DeveIopment
Manager
BD Process
DeveIopment/
ImpIementation
BD Process
Refinement
Pursue AdditionaI
Education
Adjunct
Professor
APMP
Service
APMP
Service
Electronic
Warfare
2 Years
InformaI
Learning
FormaI Industry
Education
1
Non traditionaI career paths prepare you to assume muItipIe roIes in
muItipIe functionaI areas if you want to achieve above average fIexibiIity.
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TraditionaI Non TraditionaI
0%
TraditionaI
HighIy Non
TraditionaI
20%
0% 10%
Narrow
SkiII Set
Narrow
SkiII Set
Broad
SkiII Set
Broad
SkiII Set
Focused RoIes Broad RoIes/Industries
Low Risk
Low Risk
High Risk
High Risk
20
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W Most proposaI peopIe seem to have no career pIan
Too busy
Lack of understanding of proposaI/new business acquisition
and reIated career opportunities
FaiIure to discuss with management career goaIs and
objectives
UnwiIIing to convert personaI time into career
accompIishments
W FaiIure to achieve career objectives or career
satisfaction rests with the individuaI not the institution
W Most proposaI peopIe seem to have no career pIan
Too busy
Lack of understanding of proposaI/new business acquisition
and reIated career opportunities
FaiIure to discuss with management career goaIs and
objectives
UnwiIIing to convert personaI time into career
accompIishments
W FaiIure to achieve career objectives or career
satisfaction rests with the individuaI not the institution
Decide what you want to do.then execute the
pIan to do it.
21
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W Where to begin - doesn't matter what stage of your career you
are in
What are your personaI objectives?
W FinanciaI
W QuaIity of Iife
W Learning
W PersonaI satisfaction
W FIexibiIity
W Security
W Adventure/adrenaIine rush
W DeveIop a pIan that meets your stated objectives
Assess trade offs between objectives
Layout a rough scheduIe for achieving goaIs
Communicate your objectives/goaIs to
W Bosses
W Friends
W ProfessionaI associates
W Where to begin - doesn't matter what stage of your career you
are in
What are your personaI objectives?
W FinanciaI
W QuaIity of Iife
W Learning
W PersonaI satisfaction
W FIexibiIity
W Security
W Adventure/adrenaIine rush
W DeveIop a pIan that meets your stated objectives
Assess trade offs between objectives
Layout a rough scheduIe for achieving goaIs
Communicate your objectives/goaIs to
W Bosses
W Friends
W ProfessionaI associates
22
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W DeveIop a career Iife cycIe profiIe that teIIs you many things
about where you want to go
W DeveIop a career Iife cycIe profiIe that teIIs you many things
about where you want to go
P
o
s
i
t
i
o
n

T
y
p
e
P
o
s
i
t
i
o
n

T
y
p
e
MiIestones
ProposaIs
Business
DeveIopment
Capture
Management
Section
Writer!
Year 1 Year 1 Year 0 Year 0
S
a
I
a
r
y

O
b
j
e
c
t
i
v
e
s
S
a
I
a
r
y

O
b
j
e
c
t
i
v
e
s
2
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W Become
An acknowIedged expert in your company in muItipIe
functionaI areas reIated to new business acquisition
An acknowIedged expert in the industry in muItipIe
functionaI areas reIated to new business acquisition
Advertise your avaiIabiIity to assume the next position
on your career path to peopIe Iike me!
W DeveIop a network of consuIting firms that couId
use your skiIIs if you run into a high risk
company situation.
W Become
An acknowIedged expert in your company in muItipIe
functionaI areas reIated to new business acquisition
An acknowIedged expert in the industry in muItipIe
functionaI areas reIated to new business acquisition
Advertise your avaiIabiIity to assume the next position
on your career path to peopIe Iike me!
W DeveIop a network of consuIting firms that couId
use your skiIIs if you run into a high risk
company situation.
2
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W With aII thy getting, get education!
FormaI
InformaI
W DeveIop a set of personaI discriminators that set you
apart from the crowd in new business acquisition.
HighIight them in your resume and in every
conversation you have with a potentiaI empIoyer.
W Be fIexibIe - "at our company you have to Ieave and
come back to get promoted."
W Be honest with your management about your career
objectives. "I can't heIp you if I don't know."
W With aII thy getting, get education!
FormaI
InformaI
W DeveIop a set of personaI discriminators that set you
apart from the crowd in new business acquisition.
HighIight them in your resume and in every
conversation you have with a potentiaI empIoyer.
W Be fIexibIe - "at our company you have to Ieave and
come back to get promoted."
W Be honest with your management about your career
objectives. "I can't heIp you if I don't know."
2
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W Get heaviIy invoIved in key professionaI
associations aIigned with your career and career
objectives (Oh.you mean Iike APMP?!)
W Have a cIear understanding of skiII transference and
how you can market that
W Be prepared to have not 1, not 2, not , but up to
careers over your working Iifetime
W Have fun, don't take anything too seriousIy and don't
whine
W Get heaviIy invoIved in key professionaI
associations aIigned with your career and career
objectives (Oh.you mean Iike APMP?!)
W Have a cIear understanding of skiII transference and
how you can market that
W Be prepared to have not 1, not 2, not , but up to
careers over your working Iifetime
W Have fun, don't take anything too seriousIy and don't
whine
2
A proposaI professionaI can perform a myriad of activities weII.
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ProposaI Management
Program Management
PubIic ReIations
Business DeveIopment
2
W Nobody eIse wants our jobs
W Many companies recognize us as criticaI
to new business success
W Great Iearning ground for muItipIe career
paths
W Great positioning for semi-retirement
W Nothing beats winning!
W Nobody eIse wants our jobs
W Many companies recognize us as criticaI
to new business success
W Great Iearning ground for muItipIe career
paths
W Great positioning for semi-retirement
W Nothing beats winning!
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Choose your path, foIIow it, and when you come to a fork in
the road, take it.