Veteran Transition

Being a Service Disable Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), ISI Professional Services (ISI) is fully supportive of the Veteran community. This fall, ISI’s Veteran Impact Program (VIP) welcomed and is hosting our first Hiring our Heroes (HoH) Corporate Fellow. The VIP and HoH are dedicated to helping transitioning service members to civilian careers.  We want to share with other Veterans considering transition and other corporate recruiters our experience.

Taking a peek behind the curtain, we have asked what the HoH Corporate Fellowship experience has been like from the hiring manager and candidate perspectives.

Perspective from a Hiring Manager – Jon Ackiss, ISI Senior Program Manager and Team Lead

Jon is a former Army officer and has held leadership positions up to the battalion level and served on numerous flag officer staffs. Jon has combat tours to Iraq (Invasion & Surge) and Afghanistan (Reconstruction) and served overseas for an additional seven years in Italy, Germany and South Korea. Jon has been with ISI since March 2023 and serves as a Senior Program Manager and Team Leader.

• Making the Fellow feel comfortable: Understanding that Fellowship candidates have limited experience in participating in interviews, it was up to me to set the tone for success, so we would both have the best possible experience. Aware candidates would have other companies to choose from, I wanted to make sure they left with a positive impression of me, as a person/hiring manager, and ISI by describing our corporate values and mission.
• Selecting a Candidate not just for a role but for the team (culture): My hiring approach is to hire a candidate who best supports the team culture and interpersonal dynamics. I spent time getting to know the candidates personally, understanding their “soft skills” and motivators, while assessing intangible traits. While you can get a general sense of people’s hard skills from their education and professional experience, understanding how they will make the team better is the real key to success. Candidates wanted to know early on in our conversations if there is a job waiting for them at the end of the Fellowship. Some were not going to separate from the military for six to eight months. Through these conversations, honesty is the best approach, letting them know that a job is not 100% guaranteed. To help educate these soon to be Veterans, I let them know a hiring company generally wants to fill a vacancy as soon as possible and to verify if companies say they have a position waiting for on the horizon beyond 90 days.
• Connecting over experience and values: Being a retired Army officer, it was easy to find points of connection with the HoH candidates. Almost without exception, I had a common connection with unit, duty station, deployment, professional school with the HoH candidates. Making this connection was helpful in building trust and getting to know one another. While not mandatory, understanding the military experience is helpful in the hiring process.
• Pulling experience out of resumes: Many candidates I interviewed had resumes that were “civilianized” to help recruiters without military experience understand their experiences. Candidates need to research the company and understand if the corporate recruiter is a Veteran or works with Veterans. If yes, you can leave elements of your military experience in your resume. For example, if you were a Commander (at any level) that is important to note, S3, XO, Senior Enlisted Advisor, etc. Most experienced Veteran Hiring Managers can associate these military jobs with level of responsibility, OPTEMPO, critical thinking, planning and, of course, leading.

In the end, we selected a HoH Candidate for the person and someone who would complement our team dynamic. Regardless of whether they spent two months or two years with us, they would always contribute and make our team stronger, while gaining tremendous experience along the way.

Perspective of the HoH candidate and now Corporate Fellow – Jason Castro

Jason Castro dedicated 20 years to the U.S. Army as an Engineer Officer. Jason’s extensive engineering background and strong organizational leadership skills made him an ideal fit for his fellowship as a Program Manager at ISI. He is set to retire from the Army in December, transitioning to the civilian sector in January 2025.

My experience with Hiring Our Heroes has been transformative.  Most importantly, the program offers time and space to explore civilian career options which is an invaluable resource for service members navigating the transition.  With other transition services available, it can be challenging to discern which path to pursue, but I found Hiring Our Heroes to be one of the most impactful and essential transition programs available.

Through a deep process of introspection, guidance of mentors, and resume refinement, I identified the lifestyle and professional trajectory I wanted to pursue and crafted a plan to seek out organizations where I could make a meaningful impact while also fostering my personal and professional growth.

The apprehension that often accompanies the transition from military service can be an emotional barrier to achieving satisfaction both personally and professionally. Fortunately, Chris Lefebvre, ISI President & CEO, and the ISI team has created a culture that resonates deeply with Veterans. They respect that transition is a significant, long-term process. The team helped me identify the most impactful roles where my skills and past experiences can shine. Making a connection with the hiring manager, Jon Ackiss, was a crucial factor in my desire to pursue a fellowship with ISI.

Now that I am on the other side and am fully integrated with the team, one aspect I appreciate most about being part of ISI is the emphasis on a holistic transition experience. I enjoy open communication with everyone on my team. My time here has been dedicated to self-discovery and understanding how I can contribute effectively. This experience has empowered me to meet my personal and professional goals.

From my initial interview to the present, every member of ISI has supported my growth with genuine concern for my well-being. The incredible culture at ISI drew me in, but it’s the people that make it a remarkable place for anyone transitioning from military service.

I wholeheartedly encourage service members considering their next steps to consider Hiring Our Heroes as well ISI as a fantastic landing spot.

Learn about Hiring Our Heroes.