Each year, we as a country recognize our nation’s patriots on Veteran’s Day. To demonstrate our support, the veterans at Schellman have recently organized an Employee Resource Group (ERG) known as BRAVO. BRAVO stands for Bringing Resources and Awareness to Veteran Opportunities, and our purpose is “to promote the inclusiveness of veterans into the company workforce, provide opportunities for existing and transitioning veterans, and educate other team members on veteran issues and opportunities for outreach.” As a group, BRAVO remains ready to serve both its veterans already on staff as well as those transitioning from service in each of the United States Armed Forces.
"BRAVO was devised in order to ensure representation of that military community within the company while making sure our veterans feel the support they need and deserve after leaving their military service..."
As a firm, Schellman & Company continues to strive for and support an inclusive environment for all employees where all team members are valued and treated equally. That effort, in turn, fosters a culture that enables everyone to bring their authentic selves to work. There are approximately 20 military veterans currently working at Schellman, hailing from the U.S. Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard and accounting for about 8% of the firm’s overall workforce. BRAVO was devised in order to ensure representation of that military community within the company while making sure our veterans feel the support they need and deserve after leaving their military service—that includes providing the opportunity to build camaraderie as they transition back into the civilian world.
Former members of the military provide unique skills to organizations everywhere—including Schellman—and they also provide unwavering loyalty and commitment to duty, as veterans that previously demonstrated their selflessness in their service carry the same commitment with them into the civilian world. Not only that, former service members also bring with them a deep understanding of diversity and acceptance as they have spent their careers emerged in varied work environments, starting as early as basic training and also including cultural training for regional deployments and working every day alongside fellow service members from all different walks of life. Since many former military members have traveled the globe for deployments and regional partnerships, there is no doubt that civilian organizations benefit from their veteran employees having acquired such an understanding of so many different cultures, perspectives, and ideologies.
Even still, many are not aware of the unique challenges veterans face as they transition from military service to the civilian workforce. For example:
- They often find themselves with skills and knowledge, but not necessarily certifications or degrees.
- Translating skills, military experience, job positions, ranks, and awards to a civilian resumé can be a herculean task.
- The concepts and practice of interviewing and professional networking are vastly different in a military environment.
- Even simple things like office dynamics—such as pace, how to address leadership, giving/receiving “orders”, and adjusting to workgroups—let’s just face it, they don’t always embrace the same levels of camaraderie and relationships seen in the military.
For that reason, BRAVO extends its efforts beyond its internal workforce at Schellman by reaching out to veterans across the Audit and Assurance industry. In support of this greater good, the firm has partnered with Hire Heroes USA, a non-profit organization specializing in providing mentorship and career counseling to military veterans and their families—work that has already launched within the Schellman BRAVO group but is also open to the rest of Schellman employees. While also aiding Schellman veterans and their spouses with the transition to the civilian workforce, the primary goal of working with Hire Heroes USA is to assist them in accomplishing their overall mission of veteran career placement through different outreach opportunities. The men and women who served this country deserve the best welcome back as they separate from service, and Schellman BRAVO is committed to delivering just that.
MORE ABOUT HIRE HEROES USA: Hire Heroes USA empowers service members, veterans and their spouses to succeed in the civilian workforce. Hire Heroes offers personalized one-on-one coaching, professionally revised resumes, mentoring, workshops, a job board, career fairs, and more, to tens of thousands of job-seeking veterans and military spouses annually. Hire Heroes prioritizes transparency and results, earning a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator and the GuideStar Platinum Seal. Funded exclusively through public donations and private grants, their services are provided at no cost. To get involved, visit hireheroesusa.org
According to the LinkedIn Veterans Opportunity Report in 2019, “Understanding an Untapped Talent Pool,” approximately 200K military members separate from the service every year. According to the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs “Military to Civilian Transition 2018” report, veterans, active duty service members, National Guard and Reserve members and military dependents identified the following as their most significant transition challenges:
- 55% Finding a job
- 41% Adjusting to civilian culture
- 39% Applying military-learned skills to civilian life
If you are a veteran or would like to help transitioning veterans and their spouses in career placement, please consider volunteering with Hire Heroes USA. Gaining advice from current professionals can be instrumental in assisting in the transition from military to civilian life--one of the best gifts that can be given to someone is your time.