Alumni Profile: Brandon

Each quarter, we highlight a different member of our alumni community. When you’re a Hire Heroes USA alumnus, we celebrate your victories and help you find long-term success in your civilian career. This quarter, meet Bandon.

Military Connection: Brandon grew up in Cumming, Ga. where he attended high school with his future wife. Upon graduation he joined the Marine Corps serving over five years as an IT Specialist. After service, he decided to attend college at Kennesaw State where he majored in Information Technology. 

Career Background: While attending Kennesaw State after he left the Marines, Wal-Mart hired Brandon as a technician. He then secured a position as an Information Technology Specialist with the Southern Dental Alliance for the remainder of his time in school. One year after graduating with his bachelor's degree, he started his current position as a System Engineer for the Universal Alloy Corporation. Brandon is also leader in his community with F3, a men’s fitness group made up of more than 2,000 local members. Addditionally, he volunteers with Holiday Lights of Hope and Wreaths Across America. 

Experience with Hire Heroes USA: Brandon joined the Marine Corps right after high school, so he was unfamiliar with how write a resume, network or prepare for an interview. He registrered for our services in 2019, when he was ready to begin searching for a new position after graduation. He participated in several mock interviews to prepare for new positions and learned how to network to further his career. 

Alumni Involvement: Brandon used his networking skills to leverage our Alumni network to find his current position. He also utilized our partnership with Coursera to take courses to advance his career. 

Most Important Career Advice: Bandon encourages other veterans and military spouses to take time to think about their future career when they transition. He advises others to research potential carers and to not accept the first opportunity that comes along. Above all, consider taking a position that is the right fit for you, your family and your aspirations. Additionally, make an effort to connect within your community and support system upon separation. 

Professional Goals: Brandon has aspirations to become Senior Systems Engineer or move into Management. He is working on these goals by researching technical certifications and pursuing promotions. 

What are you most proud of since leaving the military? Brandon worked his way through college to earn his degree and advance his career, but his family is his primary motivation for his success. Brandon is proud of his family. He and his wife (who also happens to be a Transition Specialist at Hire Heroes USA) adopted a beautiful baby girl. 

If you're a Hire Heroes Alumnus and you'd like to learn more about additional services, volunteer opportunities or if you'd like to share your story, visit the Alumni page and email Matt Kohler to get started: mkohler@hireheroesusa.org.

The post Alumni Spotlight: Brandon appeared first on Hire Heroes USA and is written by .

Alumni Profile: Martin

Each quarter, we highlight a different member of our alumni community. When you’re a Hire Heroes USA alumnus, we celebrate your victories and help you find long-term success in your civilian career. This quarter, meet Martin.

Military Experience: Martin joined the Marine Corps after high school, where he worked in communications maintenance for more than five years in Yuma, Ariz.

Professional Background: After leaving the military, Martin began his journey into higher education, attending the University of North Carolina-Wilmington for his Bachelor’s degree and continuing on to Appalachian State University for a Master's of Science degree. Martin worked as a Fitness Trainer for nearly 10 years and then pursued his MBA at Liberty University. Martin has experience working across a range of industries but eventually found his calling in education as an adjunct instructor. Martin currently resides in Boone, N.C. with his wife and three children.

Professional Goals:  In the coming years, Martin has aspirations to finish his Doctorate in Business Administration, Strategic Management from Liberty University. Upon completion, he hopes to branch out and teach at new universities where he can continue to help students achieve their own goals and inspire life-long learning.

Current Position: College Instructor

Experience with Hire Heroes USA: Martin worked closely with his Transition Specialist to develop his first resume, learning how to add transferrable skills and experiences from his military career. Additionally, he participated in multiple mock interviews and pursued job matching opportunities which helped to build his confidence and better understand how his skills fit into the civilian job market.

Alumni Involvement: His passion lies in helping both students and veterans who are exploring their career options find their purpose. He enjoys connecting with others through his personal and professional network.

Most Important Career Advice: Keep an open mind and be flexible in your career planning and don’t have your expectations set in stone. Research to find out what is out there and the best fit for you and your own professional goals. Also, utilize the Hire Heroes USA Alumni Program to learn from other professionals and network!

If you're a Hire Heroes Alumnus and you'd like to learn more about additional services, volunteer opportunities or if you'd like to share your story, visit the Alumni page and email Matt Kohler to get started: mkohler@hireheroesusa.org.

The post Alumni Spotlight: Martin appeared first on Hire Heroes USA and is written by .

Alumni Profile: Shane

Each quarter, we highlight a different member of our alumni community. When you’re a Hire Heroes alumnus, we want to celebrate your victories and help you find long-term success in your civilian career. We served together in the military and we continue to root for our brothers and sisters’ achievements throughout their civilian careers. This quarter, meet Shane.

Military Background: Shane served in the U.S. Army as an Human Resources Specialist for five years.

Professional Background: Shane attended the University of North Carolina at Pembroke where she earned a bachelor’s degree in English and language arts education. After graduating, she worked as an English teacher prior to joining the Army. While serving, Shane earned her masters degree in communications from Grand Canyon University. Upon transitioning out of the military, Shane accepted a position with Cielo Talent as an Onboarding Specialist before advancing to her current role at TDB Communications.

Current Position: HR Generalist  

Experience with Hire Heroes USA: Shane worked with a Transition Specialist as she prepared to leave the military. Her Transition Specialist helped her search for civilian positions, strengthen her resume and prepare for interviews. At the time, Shane was also interested in potentially pursuing a federal career, so her Transition Specialist connected her with federal resume writers who could help her open the door to those opportunities.

What I Wish I Knew Before Transitioning Out of the Military: Looking back at her job search, Shane wishes she had been open to entry-level civilian positions sooner. In the beginning, she was set on finding a senior level HR role. However, when she ultimately accepted an entry-level position at Cielo Talent, she found a great learning opportunity. During her five months in that role, she grew her HR skills in the civilian workforce and became familiar with new HRIS systems, which ultimately prepared her to be a competitive candidate for her current position. She sees now that there was a lot of value in this path. Had she been open to entry-level positions earlier in the transition process, her job search would have gone faster and with less rejection.

What I Do Outside of Work: Shane enjoys spending time with her husband and son exploring their hometown of San Antonio, Texas. Their weekend adventures usually include hanging out at the park or spending a day at the beach. Additionally, Shane is a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority and enjoys participating in volunteer work throughout the community. Most recently, Shane helped with a back-to-school supply drive for local students.

What I’m Most Proud of Post-Military: Shane is proud to serve in her current position and proud of the hard work that brought her here. As an HR leader, she is involved in shaping the direction of the company and defining HR’s role in supporting that growth. She is proud of the impact she has on TDB Communications.

If you're a Hire Heroes Alumnus and you'd like to learn more about additional services, volunteer opportunities or the chance to share your story, visit the Alumni page and email Matt Kohler to get started: mkohler@hireheroesusa.org.

The post Alumni Spotlight: Shane appeared first on Hire Heroes USA and is written by .

Alumni Profile: Ryan

Each quarter, we highlight a different member of our alumni community. We want to celebrate your victories and help you find long-term success in your civilian career. We served together in the military and we continue to root for our brothers and sisters' achievements after service. This quarter, meet Ryan.

Military Background: Ryan’s military career spans more than 20 years in the U.S. Army. After serving as an enlisted service member for 10 years, Ryan transitioned into a leadership position. As a Senior Noncommissioned Officer, he managed three staff sergeants and 35 soldiers. Ryan was also responsible for developing and executing training plans. Rising to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer, Ryan’s many accomplishments included receiving the Top 40 Under 40 Military Award for the Class of 2017.

Career Background: After retiring from the military, Ryan began working as a unit leader for the federal sector of FEMA in the AmeriCorps Southern Region. In this role, Ryan is responsible for training and coordinating teams of young adults who commit themselves to 12 months of service.

Current Position: FEMA Corps Unit Leader 

Experience with Hire Heroes USA: While transitioning out of the military, Ryan took advantage of Hire Heroes’ resources to prepare for his job search. Hire Heroes helped Ryan prepare his resume, building and maintaining his confidence throughout the process.

Alumni Involvement: As a Hire Heroes alum, Ryan enjoys connecting with individuals who are currently transitioning out of the military. With his transition fresh in mind, he is able to help others understand this phase and provide insights to the federal hiring process.

Most Important Career Advice: Ryan recognizes the transition from the military to civilian workforce can be challenging. He recommends doing your research so you can  set realistic expectations for the positions and salaries that fit your skill set.

What I’ve Learned: Through Hire Heroes, Ryan learned how to tailor his resume to the positions he was applying to, ensuring he highlighted his diverse skill set. In his current role as a Unit Leader, he shares this tactic to help individuals with their own resumes.

If you're a Hire Heroes Alumnus and you'd like to learn more about additional services, volunteer opportunities or the chance to share your story, visit the Alumni page and email Matt Kohler to get started: mkohler@hireheroesusa.org.

The post Alumni Spotlight: Ryan appeared first on Hire Heroes USA and is written by .

Alumni Spotlight: Haley

Each quarter, we highlight a different member of our alumni community. We want to celebrate your victories and help you find long-term success in your civilian career. As part of the military community, we continue to root for our brothers and sisters' achievements after service. This quarter, meet Haley.

Military Connection: Haley is a former military spouse and understands that while this includes opportunities, it also brings challenges that can impact a military spouse’s career.

Career Background: Haley is a school counselor at BASIS Independent Manhattan in New York City. Before moving to New York, Haley and her husband were based in Georgia and in Kansas. Haley completed her Master of Science in Counseling and Student Development and obtained her Professional Counselor license at Kansas State University.

Current Position: School Counselor 

Experience with Hire Heroes USA: Haley was a Hire Heroes USA client when her husband transitioned out of the military. She worked with her Hire Heroes USA Transition Specialist to build a clean, professional resume and to write professional cover letters. Haley also took advantage of Hire Heroes USA’s interview preparation resources to build her confidence and gain valuable feedback.

Alumni Involvement: After settling in NYC, Haley wanted to give back to Hire Heroes USA after working with us. She recently completed training to serve as a Hire Heroes volunteer, and has already spent 15 hours working with Hire Heroes USA clients. She also recognized the opportunity to stay connected to the Hire Heroes USA alumni network as a helpful support system that understands military spouse culture.

Most Important Career Advice: Don’t limit yourself. You might not be ready for something until you actually do it. Think big, and you will rise to the occasion.

Professional Goals: Haley has ambitions of getting her Ph.D. She also enjoys the career counseling opportunities through Hire Heroes USA and is excited to continue to help other military spouses and veterans achieve their professional goals.

If you're a Hire Heroes Alumnus and you'd like to learn more about additional services, volunteer opportunities or the chance to share your story, visit the Alumni page and email Matt Kohler to get started: mkohler@hireheroesusa.org.

The post Alumni Spotlight: Haley appeared first on Hire Heroes USA and is written by .

Alumni Profile: Robert

Each quarter, we highlight a different member of our alumni community. We want to celebrate your victories and contribute to your long term career success. We served together in the military and we continue to root for our brothers and sisters' achievements after service. Read on to meet Robert and learn more about his military experience and where he is today.

Military Background: Robert retired from the Navy after 20 years of service. During his time in uniform, he was an IT professional focusing on cybersecurity and project management. As a Naval Officer, he participated in the hiring process. As he prepared for life after retirement, Robert used Hire Heroes USA as a resource in his job search, obtaining his current position through a Hire Heroes referral in December of 2019.

Career Background : I've volunteered with local libraries and museums as part of a local club, have advised fellow IVMF/O2O on preparing for certification exams, (while not volunteer work) I have mentored junior officers on military careers for the past 10 years

Current Position: I am the Director of Navy's Blue Team. My current role is a federal position and I’m responsible for conducting vulnerability assessments, cyber hardening, analyzing advanced cyber threats, and continuously monitoring the Navy’s networks in order to reduce risk to the Department of Defense Information Networks. 

Experience with Hire Heroes USA: My Transition Specialist, James, was the most helpful. I did mock interviews and got the right resume. My wife is currently working with Hire Heroes and she noticed an immediate difference in her job search once she started working with a Transition Specialist.

Alumni Involvement:  I've gotten involved as a volunteer, mentoring other veterans in their career transition. I enjoyed mentoring in the service and after going through Hire Heroes services as a client, I was excited to volunteer and mentor others. I've kept up with webinars and newsletters, too. Outside of Hire Heroes, I've volunteered with local libraries and museums as part of a local club. I’ve also advised fellow IVMF/O2O chort members preparing for certification exams.

Most Important Career Advice: Don’t be complacent. Continue to learn and grow professionally, even if you are in your dream job.

What I've Learned: Personally, I enjoyed mentoring while in uniform, especially being able to help others make progress in their career and see their success. I considered this a need of my own during my career transition. I participated in a volunteer session while I was a client and I really benefited from the session, so I wanted to pay it forward.

I have actually learned a lot being a volunteer and connecting with people across the different branches and with different levels of civilian experience. Each conversation has helped me learn and understand where my  expertise and knowledge can make a difference.

If you're a Hire Heroes Alumnus and you'd like to learn more about additional services, volunteer or share your story, learn more by visiting the Alumni page and email Matt Kohler to get started: mkohler@hireheroesusa.org.

The post Alumni Spotlight: Robert appeared first on Hire Heroes USA and is written by .