Seeking a civilian career can be a daunting venture for service members transitioning out of the military.
Jules Borghardt felt that when he left the Army.
The 52-year-old retired IT executive from Ball Ground also sees it in the eyes of the men and women he talks with as a volunteer career counselor with Hire Heroes USA.
Hire Heroes is an Alpharetta-based nonprofit that helps U.S. military personnel find a career in civilian life. Free one-on-one career coaching is available for service members and their spouses.
With the help of volunteers like Borghardt, Hire Heroes has placed 110,000 individuals into jobs over the past two decades.
“We work with a lot of people who are in a position of having to make ends meet. They’re under pressure to make a decision,” CEO Ross Dickman said. “What we’re really proud of is having a one-on-one connection. We give meaningful career-based guidance and feedback to turn that fear into energy.”
Borghardt said he enjoys helping veterans and their spouses transition from military culture and understand the complexities of the civilian work world.
He teaches them how to build a resume, how to conduct an interview, how to negotiate a salary, and how to cope with job rejection — none of which they’ve experienced in the service.
Borghardt transitioned out of the Army in 1997 without the benefit of career guidance.
“I had to figure it out on my own. I made a lot of missteps,” he said.
Borghardt went on to have a successful career because of “a lot of luck and guidance from some professionals,” he said.
The retired tech executive is a former senior leader at companies such as Amazon, Slalom Consulting and Cloudreach.
With Hire Heroes, Borghardt has mentored dozens of job seekers in IT and cybersecurity, hosted group coaching sessions and served as a panelist at national training sessions.
He was recognized as volunteer of the year” at the group’s third annual Empowerment Gala held in Atlanta in March. The event honors the people and partners making a difference for veterans and their families.
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Credit: spec
Borghardt’s passion, drive and personal service set him apart from a volunteer pool of 1,500.
“At every point there was an opportunity to help, not only was it a yes, but a yes and — what else can I do to help,” Dickman said of Borghardt.
Borghardt retired early from a 27-year career and now volunteers with several veterans organizations.
“This is me paying it forward,” he said. “I find purpose in it.”
Hire Heroes was founded in 2005 by former health care executive John Bardis, who identified a gap between service members who were leaving the military — especially those who were wounded or had mental illnesses — and their future careers.
Bardis established a program to offer free job search and personalized career coaching to all U.S. military members, veterans and their spouses, regardless of age or rank.
The organization also provides a databank of jobs and partners with 600 companies that are hiring and retaining veterans.
Borghardt said companies want to hire veterans for their soft skills, such as problem-solving, teamwork and leadership.
“When I was a hiring manager, I never had to worry about a veteran’s work ethic,” he said.
Helping veterans discover and showcase their skills in the job market is a key mission of Hire Heroes.
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Credit: spec
Every year, about 200,000 service members leave the military. About 20,000 are helped in some way by Hire Heroes.
More than 40% of those come at the recommendation of fellow service members. Others find the nonprofit among a network of 1,200 organizations that help meet the needs of veterans.
Hire Heroes stays in touch with those they help for several years through follow-up surveys and visits. Dickman said they want to make sure career goals are achieved.
There’s also an alumni program where veterans can connect with peers pursuing the same career path.Alumni can also participate as volunteers and give career guidance to others coming out of the service.
“We’re always looking for volunteers,” Dickman said. “The market keeps changing, and we want to grow.”
Expertise is needed in skilled trades, cybersecurity, IT, logistics, health care, advanced manufacturing and green energy. Career coaching is conducted through phone calls or video conferencing.
Borghardt said Hire Heroes employees make it a wonderful volunteer experience for those who care about veterans.
“They’re all super passionate,” he said. “They genuinely care.”
HIRE HEROES USA
To learn more, or volunteer, visit www.hireheroesusa.org/
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