Month: December 2019

Reflections Micah

Reflections of a Woman Veteran

We are only as memorable as the stories we share. Maybe that’s why employment is so important. When our family and friends have heard our tales of deployment and diplomacy, of happiness and happenstance, and of life and loss, we tend to fall into repeat, living the same stories of days better past. Employment after military service is a new journey, a new chance to walk a path of wonder. Jobs, employment, changes – call it what you like- make for great stories. I can find myself in a new company, with my stories I have earned so well, and I can merge them – becoming both a veteran and a civilian. I can find more life when the journey seems to end. I can make new friends with new knowledge. I can become a new story without losing myself.

This is why Hire Heroes USA works. They are the makers of stories, of new chapters in a life that is primarily military. They are the weavers of experience and potential, writing my resume and giving guidance in volunteering and career counseling. They draw the road map, pointing me in the right direction and providing me with course corrections as needed. They are the hand that is there to hold my own as I tell my new tale. They are the pen to my paper of employment.

Want to be a story maker? Volunteer to give guidance, to interview, and even to help with LinkedIn. You can even donate to support the stories of veterans and military spouses. Don’t just hear the tale, be apart of it. 

Micah Taylor

Idaho Area Manager, Hire Heroes USA

Reflections of a Woman Veteran

Reflections of a Woman Veteran

Dear Friend,

I am immensely passionate about employment issues facing women veterans because I am one. 

When I was a little girl, I wanted to be in the Navy,  just like my grandpa. I worked hard through high school and college, and became just the fourth female aboard my first ship. I served proudly for ten years in the Navy, and planned to make it my career; that plan was abruptly changed when I received an unexpected cancer diagnosis that cut my military career short. 

After being medically retired, I was unwillingly thrust into the role of both a woman veteran and a military spouse–forced to change jobs in a new city, with no connections. I felt lost and intimidated by this unknown landscape, and–as qualified as I was–spent eleven long months unemployed. 

I didn’t know an organization like Hire Heroes USA existed at that time–I didn’t know that there was a whole team of supporters who longed to see me succeed, personally and professionally. I struggled to find my way on my own, then made it my mission to make sure that those after me don’t bear the same burden. 

You can help, too. By generously giving today, you can empower a woman veteran who honorably served her country and is looking for a new post-military career right now. 

Trust me, she needs your support. 

With Gratitude,

Erin Johnson

Director of Growth at Hire Heroes USA

Reflections of a Supporter

Reflections of a Supporter

Kirk standing on Mt. Suribachi in 2019.

I was drawn to Hire Heroes USA after an exhaustive search of various military charities, as I believed they would provide the opportunity for me to most effectively donate my time to our service members.  If I were in construction, I’d build homes for wounded vets, but I work in an office setting. I found the best use of my knowledge and ability was to assist active duty military members and veterans with mock interviews, career counseling sessions, salary negotiation advice, and any other questions they may have about civilian job opportunities.

I have found Hire Heroes to be exceptional at what they do for our veterans, and I enthusiastically support them both with my time and financial donations, and encourage others to do so as well.

I’ve worked with dozens of members of the military over the past year with a wide variety of both ranks and plans for their futures. Some are clear on what they want to do next and might have just a few questions about interviewing or salary negotiation, while others have known only the military for their entire adult lives and are approaching retirement without much certainty as to what they want to do in civilian life. I have also worked with military spouses trying to overcome the constant geographic moves to still build their careers or start small businesses, as well as veterans who last served in uniform decades ago looking for contacts within a certain industry.

It is incredibly rewarding when service members call or text to let me know they made it to the next round of interviews, landed the job or negotiated a higher salary. It is truly a privilege to have the opportunity to play a small role in helping our brave troops with the next chapter in their lives, and to show them how much we civilians appreciate what they do for us.

– John “Kirk” Danley, Hire Heroes USA Supporter 

Make a difference in the lives of veterans and military spouses by becoming a Hire Heroes USA volunteer today!

Reflections on Serving Military Spouses

Reflections on Serving Military Spouses

My name is Kelly, and I am a military spouse. When I married my husband six years ago, a United States Airmen, I never realized how much that would affect my career and my ability to find meaningful employment. As a career-focused individual, I have always put a high level of importance on my career. After our first PCS to Arizona from Pennsylvania, I struggled to find a job and ended up taking a job in something I didn’t enjoy doing and unrelated to my degree. When it was time to move to another duty station (this time to North Carolina), I made a promise to myself to not accept a job that I wouldn’t love. I remained unemployed for 6+ months, and it was the hardest time of my life. During this time of unemployment, I experienced depression and became extremely frustrated with the job search process. I must have applied to over 200 jobs with few to no callbacks. Here I was with an MBA, professional experience, and various volunteer experiences, but I couldn’t find a job or even get an interview.

During this period, I stumbled upon Hire Heroes USA and signed up for their services. I was assigned a Transition Specialist named Marshall McCloud, who taught me how to effectively job search. He helped me with my resume, interview skills, and how to network and brand myself on LinkedIn. Hire Heroes USA’s mission is to empower U.S. military members, veterans, and military spouses to succeed in the civilian workforce. This mission matters because many Veterans and Military Spouses, like myself, don’t know how to effectively job search. Hire Heroes USA was not just a nonprofit organization for me: this organization saved my life. My Transition Specialist was in my corner following up with me during my time of unemployment. My husband likes to refer to my Transition Specialist and Hire Heroes USA as “a light during a dark time in our lives.” Hire Heroes gave me the motivation to keep going. I used my TS’s advice and eventually networked myself into Hire Heroes USA as a Transition Specialist. I now serve as the Manager of the Serving Spouses Program, a program designed to help Military Spouses address their unique needs and find employment. Since starting with Hire Heroes USA 3+ years ago, I have helped 886 Military Spouses and Veterans find meaningful employment. 

I will never forget the things Marshall did for me and today he remains one of my best friends. I truly believe eventually you will always end up where you are supposed to be in life. There are a number of ways you can get involved in Hire Heroes USA’s mission, including volunteering and donating. It is because of people’s generosity that we are able to accomplish our mission and provide the mentorship and support that all veterans and spouses need and deserve. When you give to Hire Heroes, you are directly contributing to the economic stability that enables veterans and military spouses to build a future. I know my story is not unique as many Military Spouses and Veterans are struggling to find jobs. In fact, the #1 request of transitioning military members is employment assistance.  When you give to Hire Heroes USA, you are answering the call.

If you’re a Military Spouse looking for support in your job search, register for the Serving Spouses Program here.

Reflections of a Transition Specialist

Reflections of a Transition Specialist

Romaine

I’ve been full circle. After 22 years of serving in the Army, I transitioned my 13 years of recruiting experience to helping veterans, like myself, land civilian jobs.

As an Army Recruiter, I witnessed service members tasked to find meaningful employment leave the military with no direction. Like many other veterans, I struggled to find a civilian career. Thankfully, I came across Hire Heroes USA in 2018. I signed up for services and began my search for a career. Fortunately, my Transition Specialist saw something in me and insisted that I apply to be a part of the organization. Today, I work as a Transition Specialist. 

Hire Heroes USA’s mission is to empower military members, veterans and their spouses to succeed in the civilian workforce. In that mission, I found my passion. 

Veterans are not given the necessary information and resources to thrive after leaving the military. Helping veterans plan for success after service gives them the time they need to maintain work-life balance and reduce stress and anxiety during their job search. Most of Hire Heroes’ team are veterans themselves or the family member of a service member who have had firsthand experience with the military transition. Veterans are often forgotten, but Hire Heroes USA provides full-service assistance and a positive atmosphere to allow veterans to succeed. 

Hire Heroes USA has made a positive impact in my life and I am certain we will continue to impact the lives of others.

Ken

As a veteran Transition Specialist, I see the impact and importance of Hire Heroes USA while serving my clients. This program provides liaison from military to the civilian world. During my transition, I didn’t use a company like Hire Heroes USA; I suffered many frustrating and upsetting moments professionally before finding any sense of success after service.

I am in full support of this organization and you should be too. Without question, our veterans are far too often forgotten. They sacrifice everything with little to show for it in return. Hire Heroes USA continues to improve the transition process by empowering veterans with the tools and skills to be successful in the civilian sector.

We provide them with valuable resources for long term success and help them position themselves to succeed. Supporting Hire Heroes USA is supporting our veterans.

Volunteer, donate and share the word to help this program continue changing lives one veteran at a time!

Reflections of a Military Spouse

Reflections of a Military Spouse

During my husband’s second deployment I was trapped in a boring desk job in Pittsburgh. My husband decided to pursue a career with the Pennsylvania State Police when he returned home and I saw a move out of the city as a way out of my career rut. I found Hire Heroes USA shortly after beginning my job search. My criteria for a new job were fairly strict: I wanted to work from home and utilize my college degree, which I had just earned 6 months prior. I was matched with Kelly Kelly who worked as my transition specialist. She called frequently to check in on my job search, tailored my resume to what employers really wanted to see, and kept a close eye out for jobs that might interest me.

Fast forward a year and I was starting to lose hope as I struggled to get attention from employers due to my lack of experience. I was now newly pregnant and just about to give up and accept a job offer in an office an hour away from home when Kelly told me about Patriot Advantage! I submitted my application and the rest is history. I’ve been with Patriot Advantage for almost a year now!

It was Kelly’s determination and perseverance that found me my dream job that met all of my criteria. She knew exactly what I needed and wanted, kept me involved in the process and convinced me not to give up when I explained my concerns to her. After over a year of working together, she never gave up on me! Since being hired with Patriot Advantage almost a year ago, I still keep in contact with Kelly. She checks in from time-to-time and we follow each other on Instagram where we share excitement over Pennsylvania native cuisine (she’s a PA native too!) and struggles of military life.

– Ivy, Military Spouse

If you’re a Military Spouse looking for support in your job search, register for the Serving Spouses Program here. 

Reflections on Volunteering

Reflections on Volunteering

I’ve always admired the patriotism, courage, and selflessness of our U.S. military members. There’s a tradition of this in my family:

My father, at age 16 and with the blessing of his parents, enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps toward the end of WWII. My husband is a Purple Heart Vietnam Veteran, having served in the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division. He survived a year in Vietnam. He’s shared with me the unwelcoming reaction Vietnam veterans encountered on their return home. He was counseled to delete his military service from his resume! His father was a career Air Force officer, who served as a Navigator in WWII and Korea. Their family moved all over the country, including Alaska, as he was transferred to different bases. Our son served four years in the U.S. Army Old Guard and escorted Nancy Reagan during President Reagan’s funeral services. He is still serving in the Florida Army National Guard, and has deployed twice to Iraq and Kenya.

I retired a few years ago as Senior Vice President of Human Resources for Macy’s Technology. After a career in HR, I wanted to find a way to serve and support our veterans while leveraging my extensive experience. Hire Heroes USA is a perfect match. As an In-Office Outreach Volunteer, I support the Client Services team in contacting our clients. I provide coaching and encouragement, get updates, and determine how we can further support them. Of course, I leave a lot of voicemails, too, but each one is a reminder to that client that we are here for them. In the three years I’ve been volunteering, I’ve identified over 150 hired clients. These calls always provide a celebration moment!

The HHUSA team is dedicated, caring, and professional. They provide the support and resources our clients need to navigate the new and often confusing world of civilian employment. I see the positive difference HHUSA makes in the lives of transitioning military, spouses, and veterans. I’m honored and proud to play a small part.

– Donna, Hire Heroes USA Volunteer

Make a difference in the lives of veterans and military spouses by becoming a Hire Heroes USA volunteer today!