In the spring of 2019, during a family visit to Denver, I discovered a copy of GI Jobs magazine in the USO airport lounge. Browsing through it, I stumbled upon an enlightening article about the Hiring Our Heroes program and its fellowship offerings. The piece shed light on the program’s objectives and the significant positive impact it has on veterans transitioning into civilian employment. I was particularly struck by the organization's dedication to aiding our nation's heroes in reaching their professional aspirations.
Prompted by this inspiration, I sought more details, and the prospect of participating in a fellowship captivated me. It presented an ideal opportunity for networking with fellow veterans, recruiters, and hiring managers, essentially opening doors to the corporate world through a vetted company.
The fellowship, spanning two months, is uniquely designed to incur no cost for the hosting company. It allows veterans to engage while still on active duty, under permissive TDY status or on terminal leave, aligning perfectly with my relocation from Miami to Denver. Starting in mid-January 2020, I participated during my terminal leave, benefitting from my active duty salary throughout the program.
The application process is straightforward; acceptance into a cohort propels your resume to participating companies, followed by a comprehensive list of job positions at various companies such as Lockheed, Johnson & Johnson, Amazon, and Pepsi. Expressing interest in specific roles leads to interviews with recruiters and hiring managers, eventually narrowing down to your top three choices, with the HoH Program Manager facilitating the final company pairing. My journey led me to Arrow Electronics, marking the beginning of an exceptional experience.
Starting in Sales & Operations alongside two other service members participating in the program, we quickly adapted from military punctuality to corporate timing. Our military habit of arriving early to meetings to beat the Skipper quickly changed in the first week when we stood awkwardly in front of a glass-paneled conference room for 15 minutes before our first staff meeting. Now I’m usually jumping from one meeting to the other with no time to spare. Gone are the days of standing at parade rest and waiting for someone to call out “Attention on deck!”.
Our initial assignment involved suggesting improvements to the company culture. Recognizing the siloed team structures, we drew on our military background of teamwork and collective effort to propose a more integrated and collaborative work environment. This approach not only enhances team cohesion but also leverages our mentoring and training skills to elevate the overall workplace culture.
Another significant project was the development of an employee and supplier metric dashboard. The military’s mission-focused and objective-driven ethos equipped us with a keen understanding of creating clear, measurable goals aligned with corporate objectives. This experience proved invaluable in formulating employee metrics that are not only performance-oriented but also facilitate developmental and training opportunities.
Following the fellowship, we accepted positions as Sr. Account Managers at Arrow. This role perfectly complemented my eight years of military logistics and supply chain experience, leveraging my coordination and team collaboration skills. My tenure saw rapid progression, managing the company’s highest-earning electronic integration account within my first year, with annual sales of $95 million.
Despite our paths diverging from Arrow, the bonds formed during this journey remain intact, a testament to the enduring camaraderie among veterans - the thing I miss the most about military service.
Read more about Hiring Our Heroes here!
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