Making the Most Out of Your Fellowship

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Our CFP program managers wear many hats.

They inform company executives about the values that military talent will bring to their organizations. They coach transitioning service members during the interview process. Program managers match fellows with corporations and work to ensure that this relationship is a symbiotic one for both parties. They also provide a listening ear when fellows are experiencing doubts about their upcoming separation from the military.

On this episode of the Sitrep podcast, we learn how program managers help transitioning service members make the most out of the Corporate Fellowship Program.

Listen in as Carla Miller, CFP program manager for El Paso and San Antonio, explains how networking, mentoring, and giving back are three principles of our Corporate Fellowship Program.


Top Takeaways from “Making the Most out of Your Fellowship”

1. Service members may apply for the Corporate Fellowship Program from anywhere in the world.

“It doesn’t matter where you are in the world – you can apply for a fellowship.” – Carla Miller, program manager with Hiring Our Heroes Corporate Fellowship Program

2. Be open-minded during the interview process. A hotel may be hiring for IT professionals and a hospital may have openings in logistics.

“I always tell the service member that you have to be really open when it comes to interviewing because you never know what (type of job) a company is going to offer you.” – Carla Miller, program manager with Hiring Our Heroes Corporate Fellowship Program

3. If you know what industry you want to pursue post-military, communicate those goals to your CFP program manager.

“It’s really about matching and finding the identity that you want (after the military).” – Carla Miller, program manager with Hiring Our Heroes Corporate Fellowship Program

4. The 12-week corporate fellowship is like a marriage. First, there’s the excitement of a new experience, followed by hesitation about your decision to leave the military, and finally, gratitude and fulfillment in your transition.

“Fellows will say ‘I realized that it took a 12-week process to go through all the emotions and now I’m at peace. I’m glad I did it with a cohort of other service members who were going through the same emotions and feelings that I was going through. And that we could network and mentor each other with the overall goal of employment.’” – Carla Miller, program manager with Hiring Our Heroes Corporate Fellowship Program

5. The Corporate Fellowship Program offers a way to humanize your skills further than what is seen on your resume.

“Companies say ‘wow, this service member has great skills that didn’t show in an interview.’” – Carla Miller, program manager with Hiring Our Heroes Corporate Fellowship Program

The HOH Sitrep podcast is the official podcast of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes initiative. Subscribe to the HOH Sitrep podcast on iTunes, Google Play, or your favorite podcast service and never miss an episode.

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