Professional Mentoring: A Win-Win Scenario for Employers and Their Veteran Hires

####Are professionally mentored job-seekers better candidates?
America's biggest companies think so. According to a [recent *Forbes* column](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescommunicationscouncil/2022/05/19/does-mentoring-still-matter-for-fortune-500-companies/?sh=24ebaa6f5d8c):

- 84% of U.S. Fortune 500 companies have mentoring programs
- 90% of U.S. Fortune 250 companies have mentoring programs
- 96% of U.S. Fortune 100 companies have mentoring programs
- 100% of U.S. Fortune 50 companies have mentoring programs

Is your company missing out?

####What is professional mentorship####
Professional mentorship matches seasoned professionals (mentors) with those looking to grow in their professional career (mentees). There are a few ways this can occur:

- **One-on-one mentoring programs:** Mentors are matched with mentees, either through a program or on their own. Mentee-mentor pairs participate in a co-learning relationship that follows a structure and timeframe outlined by the organization.
- **Group mentoring programs:** A single mentor is matched with a cohort of mentees as part of a program that is structured to provide each mentee with individualized guidance from the same mentor.
- **Reverse mentoring programs:** In reverse mentoring, a junior team member exchanges skills, knowledge, and understanding with a senior colleague who wishes to to build up their capabilities in a field where the junior peer has more experience.

([Source](https://gloat.com/blog/successful-mentorship-programs/))

####Are there benefits to hiring a candidate who's been mentored?####
Absolutely! Professionally mentored employees bring stronger confidence, industry perspective, and leadership skills than those who have not been mentored. Recent data indicates that over [66% of American workers are willing to retrain and reskill for new jobs](https://www.mentorcliq.com/blog/mentoring-stats). Within the transitioning military community, that rate is even higher.

The recruiting and hiring process may be easier with a mentored candidate. A common hurdle in the veteran hiring process is translating military skillsets into civilian ones.

Candidates who have gone through a professional mentorship program are often better equipped to describe their military experience and skillsets in a way that makes sense for corporate recruiters. These candidates will have strong resumes that align well with their industry of interest, due to the hands-on-help they've received through mentorship.

In general, mentored individuals from the military community may have an elevated grasp of business concepts beyond their non-mentored counter-parts.

####Mentorship is entwined in military culture.####
Veterans and military spouses highly value mentorship. Every veteran who's been in a leadership role was expected to train, mentor, and develop subordinates.

One Navy veteran credits mentors with teaching him vital skills. “I worked in a small unit of nine in Kuwait, and I was the youngest by fifteen years. I like to say I had a Navy mom and dad, because two of my superiors really took an interest in me when I was fresh and green. They guided me along and groomed me for my promotion to E-5,” he said. “That really set me up for success later. By watching them, I learned what it takes to be a good leader. They also taught me how to watch out for junior personnel. I’ll never forget their example when I have people working under me now.”

An Army veteran said, “I was very fortunate. I had very hard, very stiff commanding officers who happened to love me – so it was a great experience. They never put me in a situation that they wouldn’t go into themselves. It all boiled down to top-notch training. They taught me how to be proficient at my job, to be safe, and to go at things the right way.”

A Marine veteran recalls, “As a leader in the Marine Corps, there are a lot of people who you mentor. You tend to know what is going on in their lives, and you learn to be a good listener.” He found that skill translated very well to his current role in sales. “It helped me to listen to a customer’s needs and find the answer that is right for them,” he said.

####RecruitMilitary is partnering with mentorship organizations to ensure long-term career results for veterans and military spouses.

####[Veterati](https://www.veterati.com/)
Veterati is a digital mentorship platform that supports the military community as they pursue the careers of their dreams at every point in their career journey.

####[Still Serving Veterans](https://ssv.org/careerservices)
SSV provides practical advice for finding meaningful post-military work. Every career counselor is a Veteran who understands the unique needs of Veterans and their families.

####[American Corporate Partners](https://www.acp-usa.org/)
ACP’s free Mentoring Program connects post-9/11 veterans, active duty spouses and eligible military spouses (Protégés) with corporate professionals (Mentors) for customized mentorships. ACP assists veterans and eligible spouses on their path towards fulfilling, long-term careers, whether the veteran is job searching or newly employed.