|
Transitioning out of the military can be a difficult and
stressful time for service members. Many service members go back to
their hometowns to be with their families, while others find work in
the area of their last duty station.
Planning for life after
the military is one of the key elements in a smooth transition. For
retired Staff Sgt. Junior Hamilton, this means swapping out his
uniform for business attire.
|
February 24, 2017 - Members of the Hiring Our Heroes Corporate
Fellowship Program at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif. The
12-week program pairs transitioning service members with employers
in the corporate sector, providing them with meaningful employment. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Liah Kitchen)
|
“I decided to join the corporate sector because I wanted
to take advantage of the opportunity to get a degree…to use
my mind to make money that is comparable to what I made as a
Marine,” said Hamilton.
Hamilton joined the Marine
Corps in 1997 and retired as a staff sergeant in 2017.
During his time in the Marine Corps, he completed his
bachelor’s degree in human resources and business management
online.
During his transition process, Hamilton came
across the Hiring Our Heroes Corporate Fellowship Program, a
12-week internship program where members are paired with and
work with local companies in the corporate sector four days
out of the week. The final day is set aside for one-on-one
feedback and coaching.
“We are a unique
intern-to-hire program because we focus on the service
members’ career objectives,” said Sara McNamera, the program
director of the HOH corporate fellowship program. “This
program is highly valuable because it is focused on the
individual and their end goals.”
To enter the
program, service members complete an interview with the
program manager, then sit down with potential employers to
interview for a position with various corporations. This
allows both the employer and employee find the perfect match
for the internship.
“My job is to find opportunities
in the business community to match what the service member’s
end goal is in the corporate sector,” said McNamera. “They
get real on-the-job training and experience of corporate
culture.”
Hamilton interviewed and was accepted for a
position at 7-Eleven� as a field consultant. In this
position, Hamilton was assigned about eight stores. His job
involved overseeing operations and ensuring that each
business ran smoothly.
“I chose 7-Eleven� because of
the research that I did; the company is really like a
family,” said Hamilton. “I also saw that I could bring
something meaningful to the organization.”
According
to Hamilton, the leadership skills he learned as a Marine
are highly sought- after skills in the corporate sector.
“It doesn’t matter if you were an infantryman or an
administrative specialist; the corporate sector will hire
you based on the leadership skills and traits you have
acquired from our small unit leadership experience.”
Over the 12 week internship, Hamilton gained on-the-job
training, as well as valuable skills to transition into
corporate culture.
“My end goal is to be a human
resource manager,” said Hamilton. “I currently have a
position as a human resource specialist, but I have a
five-year goal within the company—advance to become an HR
manager.”
Hamilton has this bit of advice for active
duty service members during their time in service. “Every
experience that you have in the Marine Corps, every
certification that you can get, every training that you are
able to do—do it. Having those experiences will help you
immensely in the civilian world.”
By U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Liah Kitchen
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2017
The U.S. Marines
|
Comment on this article |
