"You just have to realize not everyone you talk to is going to join, so do your best to share your experience and have a conversation."
Electrician's Mate 2nd Class Francis Finn said that mindset has carried him through the biggest challenge of recruiting: constant rejection. Nearly seven years into his Navy career and two years into recruiting duty, Finn treats every conversation as worthwhile, whether it ends in an enlistment or not.
It's a lesson rooted in his own path into the Navy. Finn grew up on the south shore of Long Island in West Islip, New York, and was recruited from NRS Bayshore. He said he joined the Navy because he wanted to serve, travel and learn a trade. After enlisting, he reported to the USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), homeported in Norfolk, Virginia. Now he's recruiting in the same community he came from.
"I wanted to come back home and give people the same opportunity I had," he said.
Finn said the most rewarding part of the job is watching future Sailors return home during Recruiter Assistance Program (RAP duty) after boot camp and A-school, excited about what lies ahead and confident in their decision to join.
When asked about a memorable moment from his time recruiting, Finn pointed to an applicant who had no stable place to live and no job, looking for a way forward. That applicant found one in the Navy, a turnaround he said still stands out to him.
Finn said he connects with applicants mostly by sharing his own experience. He talks about the schools and certifications he's earned in the Navy, and the countries his service has taken him to.
Finn credits the Navy with sharpening two of his biggest strengths: self-confidence and a goal-oriented mindset, both of which he said grew out of the problem-solving and teamwork demanded by Navy life. The friendships he's built along the way, he added, are the best part of his service, relationships he said he never would have made otherwise.
Away from work, Finn stays involved in the Patchogue community, volunteering at his local church and taking part in events such as the Patchogue Polar Plunge. Off duty, he trains in the gym and in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, plays video games, and spends his summers at the beach or on the pickleball court.
Finn plans to finish his recruiting tour and transfer to the Navy Reserve, with an eye toward possibly cross-rating for a new experience down the line. In the near term, he's working toward first class petty officer, a bachelor's degree, and a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Down the road, he hopes to become a police officer for Nassau County.
For anyone considering the Navy, Finn's advice is to take full advantage of programs like USMAP, and to start working toward a college degree while still serving.
Asked what he'd tell his younger self before enlisting, Finn said he'd have focused more on learning about investments and real estate, and on the role, nutrition plays in reaching fitness goals.
After nearly seven years in the Navy and two spent helping others find their own path in, Finn said the opportunity to tell his story means something to him.
"I am very honored to be featured as recruiter in the spotlight," Finn said.
Navy Talent Acquisition Group Empire State is one of 26 NTAGs under Navy Recruiting Command. Headquartered in Garden City, New York, NTAG ES includes 42 recruiting stations and encompasses New York City, Long Island and northern New Jersey, with additional locations in Germany and Italy. The command's mission is to attract and recruit qualified candidates to serve in the United States Navy.