The Value of Mentorship for Transitioning Military Veterans Into Civilian Careers
On Memorial Day, we honor and remember the brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in the United States military. The Veterans@Nasdaq employee network is a community of employees currently serving in the military, military families, and supporters. Veterans@Nasdaq provides its members the support needed to navigate its transition into a civilian career and provide the necessary career development tools to help its member excel, both within Nasdaq and external partners.
Recently, we spoke with Gina Gentile, part of Veterans@Nasdaq, head of Operations Ops and Management for eVestment, and an Army Reservist, about the importance of mentorship for transitioning veterans.
Why is mentorship essential to veterans?
Mentors often help Veterans successfully transition from military to civilian occupations and professions. Key activities mentors help with include: resume and LinkedIn profile reviews, interviewing skills, professional attire, how to use LinkedIn to network your way into a particular company or role, and introducing Veterans to key contacts in their networks.
How do I find a mentor?
Many non-profit organizations support transitioning Veterans, such as ACP (American Corporate Partners), VetsInTech, Merivis, Four Block, Veterati, and Junior Military Officer organizations such as Orion Talent, Lucas Group, Cameron-Brooks, etc. I recommend Veterans use any search browser with keywords like "find a Veteran mentor organization" to locate an organization and advise Veterans work with more than one organization to broaden their exposure to different mentors and networks. There is no "one size fits all."
How do you identify if someone is interested in mentoring you?
Once a Veteran reaches out to a Veteran-mentoring organization, that organization usually pairs the veteran with a mentor from their industry of interest, or if the mentor has similar certifications or expertise (Product/Program/Project Management, Agile Scrum Master, etc.).
Do you have advice for other veterans about why they should have a mentor?
I certainly wish I had a mentor during my transition to corporate America, which took longer than I anticipated without one. Having someone walk with you through that transition is priceless.
Last year, American Corporate Partners (ACP) paired Gina with U.S. Marine Corps veteran Hudson R., who was aiming for a career change. Together, they rebuilt his resume, updated his LinkedIn profile, practiced interviewing, and celebrated with him when he secured a job at the company of his choice.
"Gina Gentile gave me thorough and thoughtful hands-on guidance, from my job search through planning my career progression over the next several years, and she was nothing short of a tremendous professional mentor," said Hudson R.
Learn more about how we support and help veterans transition into civilian careers on our veterans@nasdaq page and by joining our careers community here.
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