Making a Difference Behind the Scenes: Utilizing the DoD SkillBridge Program at RecruitMilitary
Michael Anderson Jr. joined the U.S. Air Force for several reasons. “I wanted to serve my country and give back to a nation that had served me so well in life,” he said. “I also wanted to make a difference, whether it be people here in the United States or serving abroad.”
He served for 20 years before he decided to transition into a civilian career. Utilizing the DoD SkillBridge program, Anderson found an internship with RecruitMilitary, which provided the knowledge and resources he needed to successfully land his civilian role.
We interviewed Anderson to learn how he overcame the obstacles of the military-to-civilian transition, his experience with SkillBridge, and found a job he loves.
What did you enjoy most about your military career?
Michael Anderson Jr.:
I enjoyed being able to connect with people from all different cultures all over the world. I found most of my job satisfaction through connecting with folks and helping people. I also liked being able to guide and help the airmen that reported to me and watching them go on to have successful careers in the Air Force.
What challenges did you face while planning your transition to civilian life?
MA:
I didn’t know how to bridge the gap from my military career to the career I envisioned. In the military, we may talk to a commander or a superintendent to get a position we want, but it’s a different experience than civilian job interviews. RecruitMilitary came in and helped me through one of the most difficult challenges I faced, which was writing resumes and preparing for interviews.
How did you overcome the challenges in your military transition?
MA:
I chose to use the DoD SkillBridge program to gain experience in areas that correlated to what I wanted to do. I came across the RecruitMilitary SkillBridge program and saw that the main goal is to help transitioning service members. It caught my eye because it would allow me to help others while supporting my own transition.
What was your experience at RecruitMilitary?
MA:
Working with RecruitMilitary, I felt the same camaraderie and structure that I did in the Air Force. Most of the RecruitMilitary staff are prior-military or had some correlation to the military, so I immediately felt like I belonged.
The program was simple and streamlined. RecruitMilitary provided weekly training sessions that taught me a lot for my own job search as well. We learned how to write resumes, how to win at civilian interviews, and created our 30-second elevator pitches. I can’t express just how beneficial those weekly training sessions were.
My job was to contact new job seekers who created a RecruitMilitary profile and connect them with the resources and next steps to support their civilian career. One day, I called a new registrant and she happened to be very frustrated about not being able to find job. She’d fallen on hard times post-COVID and was trying to revitalize her career but couldn’t understand what she was doing wrong.
We looked over her resume together and there were some things that could be improved. She also had never heard about the 30 second elevator pitch, so we walked through those things together and by the time we got off the phone, she was super grateful.
About two weeks later, she called me back and told me that she had not only lined up one interview, but three interviews. I felt like we just made a difference in someone’s life.
What’s next in your civilian career?
MA:
I found a role that allowed me to work with people and continue to make a difference. It is with a contract company here in Las Vegas that conducts the full assessment physicals and mental health screenings for transitioning Air Force. I’ll be managing a clinic of providers, medical assistants, and front desk staff. It’s similar to what I did in the military except now, my providers are not diagnosing illness, they are providing a rating recommendation to the VA (Department of Veterans Affairs.)
Receiving their VA medical ratings can make a big difference in these individuals’ lives and health in the future. As someone who has been through that process and knows how stressful it can be, my background gives me perspective.
Why should transitioning service members utilize RecruitMilitary?
MA:
The RecruitMilitary staff is dedicated to transitioning military members and ensuring we have resources to be successful in our job search.
They’re flexible and if you need something, they’re right there to help. For example, during my time as a SkillBridge intern, I was wondering which certifications I should get and what training was necessary for the next step in my career.
I reached out to RecruitMilitary’s human resources vice president and, even though she was busy managing the whole organization, she made time to provide information and discuss which certifications were worth pursuing. Little things like that really set the company apart from everybody else.
What advice do you have for future SkillBridge interns?
MA:
Look into RecruitMilitary’s program with SkillBridge. RecruitMilitary gives you the knowledge and skills to make your military-to-civilian transition smooth. I’m living proof.